Past
The first time I met Charlotte Covington I hated her right away. Not because she’s incredibly beautiful or ridiculously sweet, but because she has him.
A philosophy major at University of Tennessee, she is ambitious and smart. I can tell Linc likes her and it’s obvious he’s attracted to her but I still notice the way he looks at me.
It’s the only thing that is helping me get through this torturous moment.
I shouldn’t be sitting here thinking about how much I wish my hand were in his, instead of hers. Or what it would feel like to have him make love to me when my life is falling apart. These thoughts have no business taking root in my mind, but they do. They always surface with a vengeance anytime we are together.
He asked me to meet him for lunch at the Blue and White so he could introduce me to her and tell me the news that he’d been asked to open for Firelight. A trio of siblings who are blowing up the country music charts. I am so excited for him. He can’t stop smiling as he tells me about them seeing him play then asking him to join their tour.
“Sylvie, Linc tells me your family owns a brewery,” Charlotte says, reaching for her drink with her free hand because I’m pretty sure her other one is still clasped in his beneath the table. She can’t keep them to herself apparently. She’s always touching him, and it is starting to annoy me.
Jealousy is something I’m not accustomed to, except when it comes to Linc, and it shouldn’t even be present now, considering I’m supposed to be happily married.
I nod with a fake smile. “Yep.”
“That’s so neat. I went on a tour of the Budweiser Brewery once with my family while on vacation in St. Louis years ago. It was quite an experience.”
I shrug, lifting my own drink and wondering who on earth uses the wordneatanymore. “It’s nowhere near that scale, but we do well enough. I just started working there actually,” I announce, putting my drink back on the table.
Linc’s sharp eyes shoot to mine as he raises a brow. “When?”
“Well, I technically don’t start for another week but I’ve been spending time there a few days a week. Dad hired me to be the event coordinator. He thinks it will bring in more income and he’s always getting requests for weddings and parties, so why not?”
“You’re gonna be really good at that,” he says, pride brimming in his tone.
“Thank you. I’m excited. Now that Caroline is in preschool, I’m anxious to work.”
“Gosh, I don’t know how you did it for that long. I could never be a stay-at-home mom. And at your age…I would go crazy.”
I blink several times but it does nothing to suppress my anger. I’m still trying to figure out if she’s intentionally being condescending, or if she’s completely clueless. I don’t think she’s ever had to make a hard decision in her entire perfect life.
“I have to pick Caroline up soon. I better go,” I say, reaching for the check before Linc’s hand covers mine. His seeking eyes are tight with confusion and concern, in a standoff that Charlotte clearly doesn’t understand or dare to question so she excuses herself to the ladies’ room.
Linc takes the check from my hand and reaches for his wallet. After laying three twenty-dollar bills on the table, he grabs his coat from the back of his chair and I do the same. Then he leads me out into the parking lot like he is about to help me escape the hell I’ve endured for the last several months.
Closing my eyes, I pull the crisp winter air into my lungs, enjoying the taste of freedom. I can breathe again. For this tiny second, with his hand clasped in mine, I feel like I can fly. And if I close my eyes tight enough, I can fly away for good.
As we come to a stop near my car, Linc turns to face me and releases my hand. The loss is a heavy one and I exhale a defeated sigh. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
God, I really want to. I want to throw myself in his arms and tell him everything. Tears prick the back of my eyes but I manage to hold them back.
I’m getting quite good at that.
“I’m fine, she just…I shouldn’t take things so personally.”
“I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it,” he says.
“She seems reallyneat, Linc.” The sarcasm is thick in my voice, and I feel bad after I say it but I can’t help myself.
“Stop.” He laughs, and I can’t stop my own smile despite my dark mood.
“What does Gwynn think of her?”
“She asked me if she knew what a broom was.”
I don’t even try to cover my laugh and he joins me. “She does seem a little…”
