Charlotte dropped the groceries back home and decided to call Missy before she headed over there.
“Hey girlfriend, what’s up?” answered Missy.
“Hey, is Chance there yet?”
“No, not yet. And how do you even know he’s coming?”
“I just saw him in the grocery store, he should be about to land with you any minute. He suggested I come over to talk to you both. I wanted to check that’s okay with you.”
“Of course it is. In fact, he’s pulling in the driveway now. So, come on over whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks, Miss.”
“Are you okay? I don’t suppose I need to ask what you want to talk about.”
“No. I’m sure you can guess.”
“Okay, see you in a few.”
Charlotte looked around as she pulled up in Missy’s driveway. It was hard not to think of it as her grandparents’ driveway. She climbed out of the car and went to knock on the front door, but it opened before she could.
“Come on in,” said Dan. “I’m just on my way out. I gather that you guys are having a powwow, so I thought I’d make myself scarce.”
Charlotte felt bad. “I don’t mean to chase you out.”
Dan smiled. “You’re not chasing me out.” He turned to look back over his shoulder and then smiled at Charlotte. “I’m using it as an excuse. I know Missy and Chance need to catch up, too.”
Charlotte smiled. “Okay, I won’t keep them too long.”
Missy appeared in the hallway behind Dan. “Come on in,” she said. “I’ll see you in a little bit, Danny.”
“I won’t be long. I want to get Jack out for a bit and let Emma have some peace.”
Charlotte followed Missy through to the kitchen, where Chance was perched on a stool at the island. He smiled when he saw her. “So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”
Chance was the same as Missy—neither of them beat about the bush—they always got straight to the point. Charlotte didn’t know where to start, what to say. Chance had told her not to hurt Ben, but she had to wonder what he would think of her trying to decide what was best for him.
“Come on, hon,” said Missy. “All I’ve got out of this one,” she jerked her head toward Chance, “is that you are not sure if you’re what’s best for Ben.”
“Well, surely you understand that? You told me yourself. You think he and Angel are well suited and that he and I aren’t the people we used to be. Even if we were, we were so different anyway.”
Chance raised an eyebrow. “Hold up, fill me in, who’s Angel?”
Missy looked at Charlotte. “She’s the woman he hired to run the new lodge over at Four Mile Creek.”
“And,” said Charlotte, “by all accounts, she’s his perfect match. She grew up in the hospitality business, she’s something of a workaholic, and she’s got long blonde hair, big green eyes, and a hot body to boot.”
Missy looked at her. “Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”
“Probably, even though I’m trying to tell myself that it’s simply realism. Think about it, Miss. I have, since you told me what you knew about her. Why should Ben step back into his past and put in all the work that he would have to, to build a new relationship with me, when he could start something new and fresh and untainted with a woman who has everything going for her?”
“I’ll tell you why,” said Chance, “because he loves you, because he never gave up on you. Because he believes that what the two of you shared was the most important thing in his life. And you know damned well that he’s never been afraid of hard work. It sounds to me more like you’re the one with cold feet and you’re looking for a way to back out of it.”
“No! I love him, I always have. I’ve spent all these years wishing we could be together again. I just don’t want to be selfish. I know I was selfish as a kid. I genuinely want him to be happy, and it kills me to say it, but if she can make him happier than I can, then I believe he should be with her.”
Chance pursed his lips and shook his head. “I can see where you’re coming from, and I respect you for it, but even if she is a better choice on paper, you’re the one he wants. You’ve lived in his heart too long for him to kick you out to make room for someone else now. Has he said he wants her?” He turned to look at Missy. “And what makes you think he’d be better off with her?”
Missy shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he’d be better off with her. I was just concerned that the two of you might not make it.” She gave Charlotte an apologetic smile. “You have to admit you have a lost past to deal with and no guarantees that the people you are now can build a good future together. He has some kind of spark with Angel. I’m not going to claim he doesn’t, I just don’t want to see him miss out on his chance for happiness by grasping at the wrong one.”
