“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, it does.”
“It’s okay, love. Really. You’re not missing anything over here, anyway.” She paused before adding, “If you’re up for coming over after everything is tied up there, our door is open.” There was such hopefulness in Sutton’s tone, and it filled the space around Charlotte’s heart with warmth.
“I won’t be that late,” she promised. She was absolutely going to go over to Sutton’s tonight and was utterly thrilled that it was still an option.
Maybe to Sutton havingjust a night infelt like the norm and was nothing special, but the idea of spending a simple night in with Sutton and Lucy felt like everything to Charlotte lately.
“Then I’ll save you leftovers,” Sutton easily responded, sounding as pleased as Charlotte felt. “I love you. Good luck saving the world.”
The grin that slid over Charlotte’s face was so large she was glad she was still safely in the back of the car where no one could see her.
That warm, loved feeling stayed with her for the remainder of the drive to the foundation.
As she stepped out of the car and looked up at the large, beautifully imposing glass building, she felt a far heavier weight settle over her.
It wasn’t a bad feeling, necessarily. It was just… a big one.
Though she’d taken Sutton here with her fairly recently, Charlotte didn’t often come to the Thompson Foundation. Especially not during working hours, while it was alive with hustle and bustle.
She’d been here quite a bit in her life, of course, but most of those times had been while her grandmother was still alive. She’d returned only a few times since her grandmother’s death, one of those being with Sutton on their date.
It was just that the presence of Elizabeth Thompson loomed so large here, in this place that she’d built up, that she’d maintained, that she’d loved as if it were a living, breathing entity.
The first time Charlotte had walked through the doors after her grandmother’s death—the night of the funeral, so late the building had been vacant save for security—she’d barely managed to walk through the doors before she’d broken down in tears.
Being here had made her feel so close to her grandmother, but not in a good way; in a way that made her feel desperately alone.
With a deep breath, she walked through the doors, nodding at the employees at the front desk as she headed toward the elevator.
This was good, she realized, as she hit the button to go to the top floor. There was no overwhelming, stifling sensation pushing down on her.
Charlotte rolled her shoulders as the doors opened, and she walked out onto the polished hardwood floors.
“Welcome to the Thompson Founda—” Annie, the receptionist at the front desk, cut herself off as she fully looked at Charlotte. She blinked several times before finding her composure. “Senator Thompson! It’s so great to see you.”
A smile slid over her face as she nodded. “Annie. Lovely to see you as well.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Annie asked eagerly.
Charlotte shook her head. “No, but thank you. I’ll be running tonight’s board meeting and have some work to do beforehand.” She only hesitated for a moment before adding, “I’ll be in my grandmother’s office.”
“Of course.”
She felt her heart beating in a dull thud against her rib cage as she walked toward the opposite end of the expansive workspace. Several people gave her a double take; there were several hesitant smiles, some waves, and she returned them without pausing her stride.
She only slowed to a stop as she reached the large glass door that separated her grandmother’s office from everyone else.
When Lily had come in to run the foundation within a month of her grandmother’s passing, she’d politely but firmly insisted on not working from Elizabeth’s office. “It’s a very important place,” she’d said, “owned and operated by a formidable legend of a woman; it feels disrespectful, really, to move into it so soon.”
Charlotte had greatly appreciated the deference. Especially now.
Everything was exactly the way she’d left it after cleaning out her grandmother’s personal effects. Of which, admittedly, she hadn’t had many. Elizabeth kept a very tidy, efficient workspace.
She’d had a large plant by the windows, which Charlotte now kept in her home, and many books lined up on the walls. A few news stories regarding the foundation were framed, too, and a picture of Charlotte had sat on her desk.
The large, solid desk that remained right where her grandmother had stationed it.
Tentatively, Charlotte walked over to it. She held her breath as she pulled out the seat and sat down, then slowly exhaled as she flexed her hands against the solid wood of the desktop.
