“And what was the outcome?” I inch closer to her, inches away from her face. In one swift movement, I could kiss her lips. The hot breath on my lips and perhaps this little push and pull game will officially be over.
“It would appear that it was a false alarm. But enough of a threat and scare for further administration to come to the school.” He continues, a slight laughter in his voice. I can see the internal thoughts that Charlotte wants to scream out.
“Anything else I should know before I escort Ms. Charlotte back to the Lighthouse?” I cock an eyebrow at him.
“Keep her away from Dr. Spence.” It is a simple statement. But jerks me away from the murder stare I was receiving.
“Who is Dr. Spence, angel?” The protective instinct overpowers me.
Without a word, she walks away. And not back to her friend. She heads back to her Bronco, which I am surprised it is in one piece.
Her friend walks over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I told you, you can’t expect her to just roll over because you want her to.”
Obviously.But it is infuriating enough. Someone stubborn enough to not listen or accept help. I don’t understand it.
I shake my head, “What does that mean for me?”
“Be patient and maybe she’ll come to you when she needs the most help. But keep acting like a man who thinks a woman of her capacity can’t handle anything and it might be your funeral we’ll plan.” He warns me, patting my back and leaving me to be by myself.
She hasn’t moved. Her hands on the steering wheel, I can see the grip she has on the wheel. I’m not going to let her drive just yet. If there is pent up energy or rage, she needs to release it before going anyway or doing her job.
I’ve seen too many people whether personal or work related that have driven angry and suffered circumstances.
The light breeze of a soon to be winter chill rummages through and all I can think about is her.
She challenges me.
Yet I can ruffle her feathers.
She is an enigma.
I tap on her window, and she refuses to look at me. I tap louder.
She cranks down her window, “What?” she grumbles.
“What do you need at this moment?” I ask. Brayden told me to not command. But sometimes when someone wants to fight you, you might have to raise your voice.
“You on crack or something?” She asks me. Her head fell onto her steering wheel.
I lean on the window, “Charlotte, what do you need? If you think I’m going to allow you to drive while you are in a full on anger or panic mode, think again. I may be a grump or asshole, but I’m pretty sure that there’s a young boy that is needing his aunt alive.”
Her body moves with each deep breath that she lets out. I don’t know what is going on in her mind, whether she is taking on the world on her shoulders or just doesn’t know what to do.
I unlock her door and open it up, sinking down to see if I can see her eyes through the wisps of her hair.
“Charlotte.” I say to her, a slight beg in my voice.
She rustles through her hair, moving to one side. “What do you need?” I ask again.
“For the world to stop,” not what I was expecting. “I need people to understand that we hold the future generation’s hand in their upbringing.” Her voice starts to break. Her mind, I could imagine is racing, “I need answers.”
Her hands drop her to lap, she fiddles around with her rings, twisting and turning them. I take one of her hands, grasping it in mine. I can’t give her the answers I know she wants, but I can at least sit here and be here. “I can’t promise everything, but I can promise to try. But you need to stay away from any of this business. You can't get caught in the middle of a mess that isn’t yours.” I say as my thumb caresses her knuckle.
She lets out a deep sigh. Her body relaxing, I can feel her pulse at my fingertips, her heart slowing down, coming to a place of brief peace. “If you want to talk, well you have my number.”
Okay it isn’t my smoothest line, but I left the option to her.
She could use it or lose it.
