Internally, she was spiraling over her conversation with Bev. She hadn’t realized until Bev suggested that Charlotte’s mom might be living a new life on a tropical island just how firmly her subconscious had believed her mom was dead. Deep down, she’d assumed she was looking for her mom’s body. And if, by some miracle, her mom was still alive, Charlotte had assumed something happened to keep her from coming home.
So to think her mom might be out there, living and loving life without her? That was absolutely devastating. Nonetheless, Charlotte was putting on a brave face today because Marin was about to face her conservative and likely homophobic sister.
Nancy lived outside Rochester, New York, which was about a five-hour drive from Middleton, so Marin would be spending the night there. Charlotte was disappointed that Marin would be gone most of the weekend, even though Charlotte would be working for the majority of it.
She’d done a lot of soul-searching since she and Marin agreed to take things slow, and while she wasn’t ready to come out to anyone else in her life yet, she got more comfortable with her sexuality every day. Marin had become so important to her in such a short time, and it just felt ... right. Charlotte knocked on Marin’s door, surprised to hear a tiny bark from inside the house.
A few seconds later, Marin opened the door, looking somewhat frazzled. “Oh, Charlotte. Hi.” She stepped forward to give Charlotte a quick kiss as Ember barreled past her to bounce against Charlotte’s legs.
Charlotte smiled against Marin’s lips. “I brought coffee and breakfast to share with you before you leave. When did she start barking when someone knocks on the door?”
“It’s new.” Marin rolled her eyes. “Either a developmental phase or a response to the new house, like she feels like it’s hers and needs to be protected.”
“That might be adorable?” Charlotte asked, bending to pet the puppy.
“It’s adorable now but maybe not when she’s older. I’m going to do some research on how to discourage the barking.”
“Good idea.” Charlotte stepped into the entrance hall and slipped off her shoes, then wrapped an arm around Marin’s waist and drew her in for another kiss. She could hardly believe how natural this already felt, how much she enjoyed it, how much she craved more ...
“I’m glad you stopped by.” Marin swayed into her touch, resting her forehead against Charlotte’s. “I was hoping to see you before I left.”
“My first showing isn’t for an hour, so I’m all yours until then.” Charlotte slid a hand down to Marin’s hip, caressing her over her pants.
“I like the sound of that,” Marin murmured. She shifted on her feet, and because Charlotte was still holding her, she felt the tension that seized Marin’s body.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Just some nerve pain,” Marin said. “I’ll be fine.”
“You have a five-hour drive this afternoon. Won’t that make it worse?”
“It might,” Marin admitted. “But I’ll get through it. Now that I’ve told the rest of my siblings, I’m afraid Nancy’s going to hear my news through the grapevine if I don’t hurry up and tell her myself ... and I really want to be the one to tell her.”
“I get that.” Charlotte pulled back, eyeing her critically. Now that she was paying attention, she could see the strain on Marin’s face and the stiffness in her posture. “Come enjoy your latte while it’s hot. I brought muffins, too, cranberry this time.”
“Sounds perfect.” Marin led the way to the kitchen, which was now furnished with a small round table and chairs. She’d done a lot of work this week, filling her house with furniture and accents that helped it feel more like a home.
Marin eased herself into one of the chairs, obviously trying to minimize her pain, but Charlotte wasn’t fooled. She sat across from Marin, wondering what she could do to help. She was worried about her making that five-hour drive alone.
Well, she’d have Ember along for company, but the puppy actually made the journey more complicated, as she’d need frequent potty stops that would require Marin to lift her in and out of the vehicle. Plus, the pain was in Marin’s right leg, so she couldn’t exactly stretch it while she was driving.
“What if I tag along to do the driving?” Charlotte suggested, speaking her idea out loud almost before it had formed in her mind. “I’ll stay at the hotel while you meet with Nancy, but I’d love to help with driving and puppy wrangling.”
“I’ll be fine,” Marin insisted, sipping her latte. “You’ve got showings scheduled all weekend. We already discussed this when I made my travel plans.”
“Yes, we did, but you’re in pain, and I want to help. Surely you’d be more comfortable in the passenger seat so you can recline with an ice pack. I can cancel today’s showings or try to get another agent to cover for me. It’s not that big of a deal. Let me help. Please?”
“I ... really?” Marin’s expression had softened now. “You’d do that for me?”
“Of course I would. Even if we were only friends, I would, but I especially want to help now that we’re more than friends. You mean so much to me, and I hate seeing you in pain. If I stay home, I’ll worry the entire time, wondering if you’re okay.”
“I’ll be fine on my own,” Marin said. “But itwouldbe more comfortable if I could recline in the passenger seat, and if I had someone to help with Ember.”
“Then it’s settled. I’m coming.” Charlotte nodded decisively. “You’re planning to leave around noon, right?”
Marin nodded. “I’m staying overnight near Rochester. Is that okay?”
“Yes.” Charlotte would have to rearrange most of her showings this weekend, but Marin was her priority right now. Health and happiness came before work, which was something she hadn’t always realized in the past. “Okay, I’ll call around to see if a coworker can cover some of my showings. I’ll cancel the rest, then go to my ten o’clock, pack an overnight bag, and meet you back here around noon.”
