This was a mistake, knowing I’d be seeing Charlotte all weekend. I should’ve taken preventative measures, because she made me have wild and inappropriate thoughts. Fantasies, really. A part of me regretted my coy excuse about my shoulder, but it was better than her drinking whiskey with Garrett.
My body tensed. With my parents moving, my main source of help was gone. No more babysitting, overnight stays, or help with appointments or sick days. My heart raced at all the things I’d have to do alone. The last four people I interviewed to help were all a bust too. I had a schedule, but it wasn’t enough for a full-time nanny. I needed someone to stay overnight a few times a month and during baseball season… I winced. Who would help watch a toddler that often?
I wasn’t resentful. I loved my daughter more than life, but between figuring out how I’d get support and balance my job, it was taking all my energy. Dating wasn’t something I could afford. A one-night stand? Sure. No strings, no emotions. I eyed Charlotte, hating the way my body hummed around her. She was all strings, all emotions.
With how entangled our families were, I could never cross the line. The risk of losing all of them wasn’t worth the feelings I had hidden all these years, especially when my life wasn’t in order.
“Wow,” Charlotte said, a little breathless. “This is a snow globe of a place.”
“Despite your car being a hockey puck, the snow made this place perfect.”
“It really did.”
I could hear the smile in her voice, and my breath hitched. Charlotte’s orbit pulled me in, where all I wanted was to earn more of her smiles. My gut tightened, thinking about her going for a head coaching job when I had no idea. Christian never told me, and it wasn’t like I asked about her life when I saw her. I kept our convos simple and short, by choice. It was no wonder she didn’t seek me out.
I found an empty spot to park near the main drive, and once I had shifted into park, I unclicked my seat belt, watching her.
She still stared out the window, her lips slightly parted and her large brown eyes wide. She looked happy and excited. Even with the dried blood and bruising, Charlotte was a knockout. I wanted to touch those two little freckles on her cheek and bite the spot on her neck where her shoulder met her collarbone.
Fuck. I needed distance, from her, and from my thoughts.
“Come on. Let’s go check in and prepare to chat with your brother and his betrothed.”
Her lips quirked, her warm gaze meeting mine before her expression cooled. It was almost as if she didn’t want us to find a truce. Not that we had a war or a fight. But the gesture hurt. She shut me out the second things seemed nice.Yeah, I had to fix this, somehow. I didn’t realize how bad it was between us without the barrier of Gwen.
The wind whipped my face as I exited my side to help carry our stuff inside. Charlotte had the pile of clothes clutched to her chest. Some curls escaped her bun and damn, it was cute.
“You going to waltz in there with your clothes, just like that?” I indicated my chin toward her chest. “No judgment, but if you wanted to borrow a bag, you just need to ask.”
She pursed her lips. The bruise on her forehead looked worse, and worry ate at me. The woman was stubborn as an ox, and I really wanted her to see a doctor.
“Hm, maybe I wanted to make a statement. I’m anti-bag.” She arched her brow in defiance, the same look she had had her whole life.
I held up my hands. “I support your stance, Char, but do you want everyone seeing your red underwear?” I indicated her left hand, where a red garment stood out against the rest. I grabbed my suitcase and backpack, trying not to smile as she waged war with herself.
She didn’t want to ask me for help but also knew she needed to. I leaned over the back, pushing away some of Gwen’s things until I pulled out an old duffel. It smelled lightly of dust and leather, but it would work. “Still anti-bag?” I asked, teasing her.
She rolled her eyes before setting her clothes down in the back. The wind blew her shirts and socks to the ground, and I quickly scooped them up. I absolutely ignored the feel ofher clothes on my hands. “Thank you,” she mumbled as she nudged her shoulder against mine.
“Did it hurt saying that?”
“Slightly.” She shoved the items into the bag, including her toothbrush and bra, before standing and hoisting it on to her shoulder. She rubbed her forehead with her other hand, and worry replaced the amusement.
“Headache?”
“A bit, yeah.”
“Alright, let’s get our rooms so you can rest before they all descend on you.”
I quickly grabbed our coats. Locking the vehicle, I placed my hand on her lower back. While I led us into the main entrance, I let my mind wander for a few seconds.
What would it be like if we came up here alone for a weekend? What if I gave in to this attraction instead of fighting it? I eyed the largest Christmas tree I had ever seen and wished that our timing were different. In some universe, Charlotte and I could be together, but it wasn’t the present one.
Even though the thick sweater separated my skin from hers, she was warm to touch. She smelled like cinnamon and vanilla, and I wanted to wrap myself up in her heat and scent. I didn’t expect to spend hours with her in my truck or to foolishly volunteer to keep her company today either. That was the problem with being an adult with a small child—I just didn’t think. Most days were complete survival mode. We ate, slept, were clean, and that was enough. Thinking ahead beyond Gwen’s well-being or the team just didn’t happen. And now not having a secure place for Gwento go when I coached added another layer of stress I wasn’t equipped to deal with.
The automatic doors to the resort whooshed open, and my first thought wasGwen needs to visit here. The scent of pine trees hung in the air, and I counted ten Christmas trees in sight. There were more, I’d bet Gwen’s college fund on it. I kept moving andoomph.
“Shit, Char, are you alright?” I wrapped an arm around her middle, righting her posture. That pushed her even closer to me, her back to my chest, her curves underneath my forearm. She smelled even better in this position. I lingered for a second, and then another, before stepping back. “Why did you stop?”
