Page 8 of The Prez’s Daughter

Charlotte looked at him. “I don’t think it will, but I like the idea of working for Kristin at the local salon. I know Maeve’s in a great deal of demand, so I can take her spot. Also, I could do something on social media, or perhaps work for Maeve, if that is something she is interested in. I don’t know, I just don’t want to travel.” She nibbled her lip.

“Talk to me,” he said.

“It’s nothing.”

“Be honest with yourself.”

She sighed. “Why do people always want to pressure you to make a damn choice? I don’t get it.”

“Do you feel pressured?”

“Mom and Dad want me to make a choice on what to do with my life, but I don’t know if I’m going to love this all my life. I don’t know.” She shrugged.

“Stop pressuring yourself, and just take each day as it comes.”

“You’re not going to start bombarding me with questions?” she asked.

“At your age, it was club business. Prior to being in the club, it was getting through each day, trying to get food and shelter.”

“You lived on the streets?”

“I had no choice. I was a runaway, and kids back then were easy targets,” Savage said, and he never talked about his past. Not even with Doc, and he didn’t know why he was being open with Charlotte.

“I can’t imagine going through that. It must have been scary,” she said.

“It is what it is.” He shrugged. “There’s not a lot I can fucking say, really. The world is full of good and bad people. I’ve met my fair share of bad. Trust me, it’s fine to just want to get from one day to the next without getting killed.”

Charlotte held herself still. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” he said. “It was a long time ago.”

“You know, when Jake ... when I lost my little brother, I didn’t know what to do. My parents struggled even before him, and then after, it got worse. Did you know my brother?”

“No,” he said. “I knew of him, like I knew of you, but I never really met him.”

Charlotte nodded. “I know Dad spoke about you, but it was years before I first saw you. I always thought you had a cool name. Jake did as well.”

He saw the sadness in her eyes. Savage always thought there were boundaries he would not cross. Charlotte was the Prez’s daughter, but he couldn’t stop himself from closing the distance between them, reaching out to her, and hugging her. The last thing he wanted to see was sadness in her eyes.

Charlotte held onto him tightly. This is what she needed, at this moment.

Chapter Three

“Love it,” Maeve said.

Charlotte couldn’t help but smile as Maeve cupped her chin and slowly turned her face left, then right. She had arrived at Kristin’s shop to start her usual shift, but she’d been taking all the practice from her time with Savage, and created a smokey eye.

Kristin let out a whistle. “You’ve done good.”

She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. Even her mother looked happy for her. Nancy had agreed she wanted to leave Rivermont Ridge, and so far still hadn’t left. Eden was also in the shop as she had come to see Maeve.

“Wow, I am impressed,” Eden said, and then took a seat at one of the stations. “I think it’s only fair we let Charlotte do that exact look on me.”

Panic suddenly gripped her, and Maeve smiled. “You know what, sis, you are right. This is exactly what she needs.”

“I don’t think I can”

“Take a deep breath. My sister is not going to bite you, and trust me, once you start getting into the flow, it will all come naturally to you.” Maeve winked at her.