She screwed her nose up like she was trying to remember, then shook her head, her shoulders shaking. As her nose scrunched, however, I noticed the tears welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
Aw, hell no.
“Don’t cry,” I said quickly. “Please don’t cry on my account.”
Too late.
It was already happening. She started crying, big, gulping, messy tears. The second one reached her cheek, something inside my chest yanked tight, like an elephant had tripped over a rope I hadn’t even known was there.
I stepped forward before I could think better of it and she didn’t resist when I pulled her into me. She didn’t stiffen or push me away, just collapsing into my chest like she’d been holding herself up by sheer willpower for years. Her arms wound around my waist, her forehead pressing into my shirt, her breaths coming out in jagged little huffs.
It felt nice.Too nice.
She was small in my arms, warm, and fitting against me like she’d been made for it. I hadn’t held anyone like this in a long damn time. Maybe not ever, actually, in the way I could feel her heartbeat and sense her surrendering to her emotions.
I lowered my chin to the top of her head without thinking and breathed her in. The scent of fresh sweat, sunshine, and whatever perfume she wore made me stupid for a second.
“Hey,” I murmured quietly. “Slow down.”
She sniffed, gripping my shirt a little tighter as she whispered into my chest. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t I know?”
“I didn’t tell you about all that because it doesn’t matter,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, even though somethinginside of me was very much not that. “That kid I thought was mine turns ten this year. If he hasn’t already. I have no contact with him and it was a long time ago.” I exhaled hard. “Savannah is history. I don’t have feelings for her anymore. Not beyond the shock of seeing her in Dallas yesterday.”
Charlotte pulled back enough for me to see her face, her eyes red and wet. The hope in them said that she wanted to believe me, but she was too upset to settle just yet. I brushed a loose strand of hair off her cheek before I even realized I was doing it.
“It’s over,” I said simply. “All of it. None of it matters now.”
The fact that Charlotte was feeling so deeply for me, however, was new. I wasn’t used to somebody else getting tangled up in my emotions. Hell, I wasn’t used tomegetting tangled up in them.
I’d always handled my own shit, quietly, neatly, and efficiently. No audience, no commentary, and no one trying to hold the other end of the leash, but now, now this woman was wiping tears on my shirt and I liked it.
Obviously, not the fact that she was crying. That sucked, but the fact that she cared so deeply… about something that had happened tome.
“You should’ve told me,” she said, her voice thick but calmer than it had been a minute ago. “Seriously, Trent. Isn’t this something that should’ve come up in our very official, very detailed fake-relationship contract?”
“We had a contract?” I asked, letting just enough teasing slide into my tone to make her eyes narrow.
“Yes,” she declared. “It was unspoken, but it exists.”
“Mmm. That sounds legally binding.” I lifted an eyebrow. “It would’ve been nice if you’d at least sent it to my lawyer.”
She smacked my chest, but before she could pull her hand back, I caught it. She was so warm, and small, but fierce in a way I was starting to crave.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered.
“And you’re dramatic.” I squeezed her fingers before she could yank them away. “Which I like, by the way.”
She glared at me, but there was at least some embarrassment and some lingering worry there, and I felt something ease in my chest.
“Fine,” I finally admitted, exhaling when I realized that she wasn’t wrong. I could let her in, at least a little. “You’re right. I should’ve told you earlier, but part of the reason I agreed to this whole thing in the first place is because people here still think of the Savannah situation when they think of me.”
Her forehead softened, concern replacing irritation.
“I’ve wanted to move past it, but I haven’t really dated. Not seriously, anyway.” I huffed out a humorless laugh. “The eternal bachelor thing isn’t a cute look in these circles. You’re expected to settle down and produce heirs like it’s the damn nineteenth century.”
She snorted. “Please. Your mother would pick out china patterns for your wedding tomorrow if you let her.”
“She’s already got them picked out,” I deadpanned. “Three options.”
