Page 9 of About That Pact

Kelly, the last of her mom’s friends, added in, “Camping wasn’t that bad.”

“You’re all drama queens.” Her mom waved at her friends.

Ashley gave Carly a stern look. “Like you should talk.”

They all laughed and talked a bit more about their trip. Charlotte hoped Gabriela could make it. It would be amazing for them all to be together. Outside of her and Rafe, all the second generation of family friends got along well, and she missed them.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Rafe and his ominous voice intervened. “I need to steal Charlie.”

Her mother giggled, actually giggled at him. This was not a laughing matter. It never was when it came to him. Charlotte grimaced. “It’s Charlotte, not Charlie. Why is it such a foreign concept for you to stop calling me my childhood nickname?”

“Honestly, Rafe, just listen to her.” At least his mom was on her side. “I swear, as handsome as he is, you’d think he’d have it together by thirty-four. If not a wife, he could at least get a girlfriend.”

“Oh, I have plenty of girlfriends, mama,” he shot back. “And I still have a few more months before I turn thirty-four.”

Charlotte pretended to gag. She was all too familiar with women vying for Rafe’s attention. If it hadn’t been girls sauntering by him when they were on the beach as teens, it had been at every party she’d crashed. Women flocked to him. He loved it, but it was revolting, really.

His mother smacked his arm. “You know what I mean! Geesh, I just want you to find someone to settle down with. I want my son to be happy.”

Kelly spoke up. “It’s like our children are boycotting relationships. You would think we didn’t set a good enough example for them.”

Carly shook her head in disdain. “I agree. Jason and Charlotte are both perpetually single. Charlotte, tell me why you’ve never had a boyfriend.”

Oh, how the tables turned against her.

“I’m not always single,” she protested.

“You are. I feel like I haven’t met a boyfriend since you were in high school. What was his name again?” her mom questioned, tapping her foot on the floor.

“Adam,” Charlotte and Rafe answered at the same time.

The fact that Rafe had remembered surprised her, though he had teased her relentlessly about him.

“I remember Adam. He was a nice boy. What ever happened to him?” Ashley asked sweetly.

“I have no idea. I think we’re friends on Facebook? Not many people marry their high school sweetheart.” Charlotte wished this conversation would go back to Rafe and his philandering ways. She was single by choice and planned to keep it that way until she reached her career goals.

“I wouldn’t consider Adam your high school sweetheart,” Rafe tossed into the conversation.

“What would you even know about young love?” Charlotte shot back.

“Uh oh,” came from one of the moms.

Rafe gave her a telling look. “On good authority, I know he was not your high school sweetheart, nor were you in love with the kid.”

Panic creeped over Charlotte. He wouldn’t dare.

Right?

He arched an eyebrow, testing her. Not willing to give him an opportunity to discuss any aspect of her past relationships, she grabbed him by the elbow and escorted him out of the house to a shaded corner in the backyard.

It was time to remind him what they’d promised to never bring up.

RAFE DIDN’T PUT up a fight when Charlotte dragged him out of the house. He was impressed she’d done it in front of an audience who was sure to gossip about it. His back was against the shed as Charlotte pointed at him, her face flushed. He wasn’t sure if it was from anger or the heat, but she looked sexy as hell.

“How dare you! I can’t believe you have the audacity to bring up high school and what happened after.” Charlotte’s hair started to curl at the tips, and he found himself wanting to touch the soft strands. “It’s like your only concern is yourself. Right now, my mom is probably wondering why you were so adamant Adam was not my sweetheart.”

So, it wasn’t the heat that had reddened her cheeks. Charlotte was pissed.