When the man who left her at the altar

Moves in next door...

This could not be happening. Charlotte Shields had left both that heartbreaking day and this heartbreaking man behind. Even worse, their mutual attraction is back to betray her. Especially as Dr. Rick Tyler works hard to make amends. He’s got to make this move to Sweet Briar work to give his son a second chance. Will he get a second chance with Charlotte in the bargain?

KATHY DOUGLASS came by her love of reading naturally—both of her parents were readers. She would finish one book and pick up another. Then she attended law schooland traded romances for legal opinions.

After the birth of her two children, her love of reading turned into a love of writing. Kathy now spends her days writing the small-town contemporary novels she enjoys reading.

Also by Kathy Douglass

How to Steal the Lawman’s Heart

The Waitress’s Secret

The Rancher and the City Girl

Winning Charlotte Back

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Winning Charlotte Back

Kathy Douglass

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09062-9

WINNING CHARLOTTE BACK

© 2018 Kathleen Gregory

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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This book is dedicated to my husband and sons,

who love and support me in all that I do.

I love you all very much.

This book is also dedicated to Della

for her constant support and encouragement.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

As Charlotte Shields passed the secretaries’ lunch room on her way to her corner office, the off-key strains of the happy birthday song wafted through the open door. Her steps slowed. Stopped.

“Open my gift first,” a voice cried out.

“Wait until after the cake,” someone said and female laughter followed.

Charlotte yearned to join the celebration, but she knew she wouldn’t be welcome. Not now. Early in her career several of the other women had invited her to join them on a girls’ night out. She’d longed to say yes, but she’d known better. The morning of her first day, her father had called her into his office and given her a list of rules designed especially for her. Primary among them was that she was not to mingle with the employees. To his way of thinking, it would be hard to discipline or terminate a friend. She’d been eager to please and convinced that her father knew better than she how to run a business, so she’d complied.

After a while, the invitations slowed and finally stopped. The offers of friendship dried up. The other women came to regard her as conceited and unfriendly, a reputation she’d lived up to over the years. She regretted her behavior now, but years ago she’d been willing to do anything to avoid disappointing her father.

Charlotte’s need to please her father had always been her downfall.

She forced the longing and regrets away and continued through the maze of cubicles, pausing when she got to her secretary’s desk. “Did anyone call while I was out?”

“Yes, Ms. Shields.” Anita handed her a stack of pink paper. “Your father has scheduled a meeting in the conference room for three this afternoon.”

“Thank you.”

Although Anita was only a year younger than Charlotte’s own thirty-four, she never addressed Charlotte by her first name, something that hadn’t bothered Charlotte before. For some reason, the distance it created between them bugged her now.

Charlotte opened her mouth to ask how the other woman’s pregnancy was progressing, but she couldn’t find the words.

“Is there something else, Ms. Shields?” Anita asked when Charlotte continued to stand there. Anita’s voice was professional, lacking the warmth that was there when she interacted with the other secretaries, and Charlotte’s heart sank.

“No, nothing.”

Stepping through the door to her office, Charlotte riffled through the messages. Nothing urgent. Her mind returned to the meeting her father had scheduled for that afternoon. Charles was a creature of habit and had established a schedule that hadn’t changed in all the years she’d worked here. The fact that he’d called an impromptu meeting was unsettling. But there was no sense asking him about the agenda beforehand because he wouldn’t tell her. Although she was his daughter, he never treated her better than anyone else. If anything, he was harder on her.

She had master’s degrees in both business and marketing, but she’d still had to start at the bottom and work her way up to the position of executive vice president of marketing. There was not the slightest doubt in her mind that had she been a son, her path would have been easier. By now, she’d be president.

She got down to work, determined to have her desk cleared in case her father passed out new assignments.

At promptly 2:55 she stepped into the conference room. Several executives mingled, talking quietly among themselves. They nodded at her and she did the same. She was too jittery to engage in conversation, so she stared at the framed newspaper and magazine articles lining the walls. The articles chronicled the progression of Shields Manufacturing from a small company specializing in bookcases to one of the top furniture manufacturing companies in the world.

Five minutes later her father entered, followed by a man she’d never seen before.

“Have a seat,” Charles said. The man he’d brought with him took the chair at her father’s right—her chair—so she was forced to sit in the next chair. She glowered at the trespasser but he didn’t seem to notice.

Instead of immediately getting to the point of the meeting as was his habit, Charles’s eyes traveled the same path hers had only moments ago, a small smile on his face as he seemed to relive the history of the company. For the briefest moment, her father seemed reflective. Charles was many things, but introspective wasn’t one of them.

Was he ill? He’d lost weight since her mother’s death two years ago, but she’d attributed it to lack of appetite due to grief. She looked at him closely. She didn’t notice anything different.

“I know you’re all wondering why I called this meeting today.” Charles smiled. Smiled! He never smiled. Charlotte’s heart sped up as worry gnawed at her.

“Let me put you at ease,” Charles continued. “I’m not sick. And you all know the company is doing well.”

Relief whooshed through Charlotte. Although Charles wasn’t the warmest person, he was for all intents and purposes the only family she had, as she was currently estranged from her sisters.

She realized her father was still speaking and forced herself to listen. Charles gestured to the wall. “We’ve come a long way from where we started to where we are now. I want to ensure that the next thirty-five years are just as successful as the past thirty-five. To that end, I’m stepping aside as president to make room for someone new. I’ll stay on as CEO to make sure the company continues to go in the right direction.”

Everyone in the room began to talk, but Charlotte couldn’t find her voice. Her heart drummed in anticipation. Her father was finally going to reward her with the job she’d worked and sacrificed for. All her hard work, her long days and lonely nights were finally going to pay off.

Charles cleared his throat and the room grew silent. He smiled at the man beside him and unease began to churn in Charlotte’s stomach. “This is Gabriel Jenkins. As of noon today, he’s the new president.”

Her father continued to talk, but Charlotte couldn’t make out any of the words over the buzzing in her head. He couldn’t do this to her. She’d dedicated her life to him. To this company. And he was bringing in a stranger to run it! Someone who hadn’t shed one tear or sweated one ounce of blood to make Shields Manufacturing the success that it was. He’d betrayed her. And he expected her to join in the applause and well wishes?

She fought against the dizziness and the black hole that threatened to swallow her. She ignored the pain that resulted from her heart being ripped out of her chest and focused her attention on her father. He wasn’t even looking at her, but rather was paying rapt attention to the interloper who was now rambling about his Harvard education.

She looked around the room at the rest of the executives. Most seemed embarrassed or hurt for her and looked away. Only Toby Baker met her eyes, and he was smirking. He’d asked her out a couple of times, but even with her limited experience with men, she’d known he was only looking to get ahead by dating the boss’s daughter. Get ahead. That was a laugh.

She’d sacrificed everything for her father and this stupid company. And what had that blind loyalty gotten her? No friends. No family of her own. No relationship with her sisters. Nothing.

Anger burned her stomach and grew into a raging inferno. She stood, pushing her chair so hard that, despite the thick carpet, it slammed against the wall. Every eye turned in her direction and the new president stopped babbling. Her father raised an imperial eyebrow that in the past would have had her cowering and slinking back into her seat. Not this time. She’d lost everything that mattered. There was nothing more for her to lose.

“Charlotte.” Her father’s tone was severe. Cold. No different from the look in his eyes or the ice encasing his heart.

“I quit.” She glanced at her watch. “Effective three thirteen p.m.”

Her father didn’t blink or acknowledge her words in the slightest. Milton Hayes, an old-timer and the closest thing she had to a friend in the company, nodded once as if agreeing with her move. The new president looked startled and opened his mouth as if to speak, but she no longer had to listen to anyone. Brushing past him, she walked to her office. She had very few personal items there, only a throw on the back of her chair that she used on damp or chilly days to keep her feet warm and an old snapshot of her with her mother and sisters. She dropped the picture into her purse, grabbed the throw and turned off the light.

“Mr. Adams from the First Bank of America is holding on line four,” Anita said when Charlotte approached.

“He is no longer my problem,” Charlotte said, not slowing as she passed the woman who could have been a friend if Charlotte had taken her up on one of her many overtures. Another foolish move she’d made in the futile effort to gain her father’s approval. Charlotte stalked to the elevator then pressed the button several times, anxious to get out of this place.

Finally the elevator door slid open. Blinking back hot tears, she stepped inside. She refused to let even one teardrop fall. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deeply until she’d smothered the urge to cry. Crying didn’t change anything; it only gave someone else power over you.

After dumping her belongings onto the passenger seat of her car, she sped out of the garage. Shields Manufacturing was in her past and she wasn’t looking back.

By the time she was sitting on the sofa in her duplex, the anger and numbness had worn off and the magnitude of what she’d done hit her, making her sick to her stomach.

She’d quit her job.

She wasn’t worried about money. She’d invested wisely and lived well within her means. But she’d severed the link to the only family member she had a relationship with. The relationship she’d done everything to hang on to. And it had cost her everything. She’d all but given up her life to earn her father’s love and now knew it had been for nothing. He didn’t care a thing about her and nothing she did would ever change that.

She forced the nausea away. She’d survived worse things and come out a wiser, stronger person. She’d survive this, too.

“Almost there,” Rick Tyler said, infusing his voice with enthusiasm. He stole a look at his brooding ten-year-old stepson then focused back on the road, steering the U-Haul around a curve.

“Big whoop.”

Rick bit back a sigh. To say Bobby had resisted moving from Milwaukee would be an understatement. But then, he’d expected resistance. Bobby had fought Rick tooth and nail about everything since his mother walked out on them a year and a half ago. They hadn’t heard a word from her since and they didn’t have a way of contacting her.

“Sweet Briar is a great place. Even though I grew up in New Jersey, I spent a lot of time here when I was in college. I actually worked at a furniture manufacturing company for a couple of summers.”

“You know how to make furniture?” Bobby asked, his eyes sparking with a hint of interest.

“No. Actually, I worked in the main office.”

The gleam left Bobby’s eyes. Rick couldn’t blame him. Shuffling papers didn’t hold nearly the excitement of using big tools. And his experiences had convinced him that corporate America wasn’t for him. Though Rick had hated the work, he’d enjoyed his time with the boss’s daughter.

Charlotte had been sweet and funny, if a little too eager to please her father, something he’d suffered from as well. They’d gotten close and their fathers had pressured them to get engaged.

Rick knew he shouldn’t have gone along with the plan as long as he had, but things had spun out of control so quickly. It had gone from simple talk to a fait accompli in a matter of weeks. And he had loved Charlotte, even though he hadn’t been in love with her.

As the wedding date drew closer, Rick’s doubts had increased. Their parents were calling all the shots and he had felt trapped.

His father had wanted Rick to join the family business. After all, he would soon have a wife to support. Rick’s dream of going to medical school had been going up in flames in front of his eyes. He’d needed to stop things. He’d tried and tried to get Charlotte to call off the wedding.

When she wouldn’t agree, he hadn’t shown up at the church.

He’d hated hurting her, but he’d been desperate. He’d cared enough about her not to marry her when he’d known he’d only grow to resent her if he couldn’t follow his dreams. In the long run, it had been best for both of them. At least that was what he told himself when the guilt kept him awake at night.

“If it was so great then why didn’t you stay?”

“I’d been accepted to University of Michigan medical school.” His life had moved forward and the town had become a part of his past. But he hadn’t forgotten the time he’d spent with Charlotte. The summer they’d spent in the quaint town had been one of the best of his life. Sweet Briar seemed like the perfect place to start over and raise a family.

Of course, even as he believed it would be good for Bobby, he knew he had some bridges to repair, starting with Charlotte. He’d tried to apologize to her for leaving her at the altar, but he hadn’t succeeded. If he was going to move here, he was going to have to make amends to her. Additionally, he had to prove to the people of the town that he was worthy of being their doctor.

Jake Patterson, his mentor from medical school, had relatives in the area. He’d been the one to mention the town’s needs. The longtime doctor had died three years ago, leaving the people of Sweet Briar to travel to Willow Creek for medical care. Two other doctors had come and gone after him. When Dr. Patterson put Rick’s name forward, he reported back that several members of the town council and a few older residents in town expressed reservations about Rick. They remembered him as the runaway groom who’d thoughtlessly left one of their own standing at the church. They weren’t sure they could count on him to live up to a commitment.

Even though Rick didn’t need anyone’s approval to open a practice, he’d reached out to the mayor and the council. Rick had promised the mayor that he’d stay at least two years. Still, he knew he had a lot of hard work to do if he intended to show the people of Sweet Briar that he was reliable.

Of course, winning over the town was only part of his problem. He also needed to find a way to make amends to Charlotte. That was a key factor in deciding to return to Sweet Briar. He didn’t like the way he’d ended things between them. After what happened with Sherry, it became imperative to him that he make things right with Charlotte. He needed to do it in person.

Twelve years ago he’d known he’d hurt her, but hadn’t realized just how much. Then his ex-wife left him and he’d gotten a taste of the pain Charlotte must have experienced. The humiliation. Now Rick knew he’d blown a hole in Charlotte’s heart when he didn’t show up at the church. No matter how desperate he’d felt, he should have shown up. He didn’t imagine seeing her again would be pleasant, but he didn’t deserve it to be. What he’d done had been reprehensible. He knew that now. He only wished he’d known it then. He’d telephoned her the day after to apologize, but she hadn’t accepted his call. He’d written two letters, but they’d been returned unopened. He hadn’t contacted her again.

He and Bobby rode in silence for a while. When Bobby spoke his voice was tiny. Scared. “Mom won’t know how to find me. She’ll come back and someone else will be living in our house.”

Rick doubted she’d ever return. Sherry was too busy enjoying the single life. Not that he would ever say that to his son. “I left our information with the Browns next door. If she stops by they’ll tell her where we are. And I have the same cell phone number. If your mom tries to reach us, she’ll be able to. Okay?”

“Sure, Rick.” Sarcasm barely disguised the worry in his voice.

Rick sighed and counted to ten. The counselor Rick had taken Bobby to see had insisted his son was testing him because he was afraid Rick would abandon him, too. Rick had known that without being told. What he didn’t know was how to help Bobby.

“You’ve called me Dad for years. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me Rick now.”

“Or what? You’ll write a stupid letter and sneak out in the middle of the night, leaving me all alone?” Bobby’s voice quivered and tears flooded his eyes.

Rick clapped a hand on his son’s shoulder. “That’s not going to happen. You’re my son and I love you. Where I go, you go. Got it?”

Blinking furiously, Bobby nodded and turned to stare out his window. Rick once more cursed his ex-wife. Okay, so she didn’t want to be married to him anymore—he got that. But he couldn’t believe she no longer wanted her son. How was Rick supposed to help Bobby deal with that kind of rejection?

Hopefully Sweet Briar would provide the answers Rick was searching for. Bobby had gone from being sad, refusing to leave home in case his mother returned, to angry. He’d also begun hanging around the wrong kids and getting into trouble. He’d stopped doing his homework and become disruptive in class. His teacher had been sympathetic, but she’d had other students to consider. When the principal suggested enrolling Bobby in an alternative school, Rick had known he needed to act.

Rick didn’t delude himself into believing that Bobby’s problems would magically disappear in Sweet Briar. But Rick would be running a small practice here, so he’d have more time to spend with his son than he’d had in Milwaukee. That had to help. If not, Rick didn’t know what he would do. He just knew he wouldn’t stop until he found the solution.

He slowed, checking the numbers on the houses, searching for the address the rental agent had given him. Rick had been lucky to find the duplex. Sweet Briar didn’t have much of a rental market and the other two available options weren’t as nice as the three-bedroom unit with a backyard that the agent had found. The agent said the place wouldn’t be on the market for long, so Rick had taken the property sight unseen, renting it for a year.

He spotted the address and slowed, parking the truck on the street. “We’re here. Home at last.”

Bobby hopped out of the truck, reached behind the seat and grabbed his basketball, then began dribbling it on the driveway.

“Let’s get everything unloaded before you play. I want to get the beds set up. Then we can grab something to eat.”

Bobby huffed out a breath but he dropped the ball on the grass and walked toward the back of the truck. His movements were turtle-slow but at least he was cooperating.

Rick took care of releasing his Mustang from the tow and pulled into his half of the shared driveway, next to a midnight blue BMW sedan. Then he unlocked the truck and raised the door.

“Looks like our neighbor is home,” Rick said as he moved a couple of boxes, trying to find one that wasn’t too heavy for Bobby. He’d packed carefully, so the load hadn’t shifted too much during the drive.

Bobby took the box and grunted as he pressed it against his chest. He frowned. “That’s an old person’s car. It’s probably some grumpy old man who’s going to yell at me to keep off his grass.”

“Look at those flowers. They don’t look like something a grumpy old man would plant. Maybe a nice old lady who likes to bake cookies lives there.”

“And she’ll yell at me to keep out of her garden.”

Rick didn’t get a chance to reply because the front door opened and a woman stepped outside. He only got a brief glance at her before she turned away from him, but it was enough to reveal that she wasn’t an old lady. He guessed she was about thirty. She wasn’t much taller than average, but what she lacked in height she made up for in curves. No doubt she was married or involved. Not that it mattered. Bobby had to be his main concern. He didn’t have room in his life for a relationship. Still, since they were going to be sharing a wall, it wouldn’t hurt to be friendly.

“Come on, Bobby. Let’s introduce ourselves.”

Bobby rolled his eyes but he followed Rick across the yard to the short flight of stairs, juggling the box as he went. As they grew closer, the woman turned around. Rick got a good look at her face and his heart skipped a beat.

Charlotte.

Chapter Two

This could not be happening.

Charlotte stared at the man who’d left her dressed in her wedding gown and standing alone in front of a church filled with everyone she knew twelve years ago. He had to be a figment of her imagination. A trick her mind was playing on her after the horrible day she’d had. She blinked as if she could make him vanish. No such luck. Rick still stood there, a stunned expression on his face. In that moment she once again felt the embarrassment and horror as what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life had turned into a living nightmare when she realized her fiancé really wasn’t going to show. Her heart sped up and her knees nearly buckled. Pride had her stiffening her spine and lifting her chin. She hadn’t fallen apart then and she wouldn’t fall apart now.

“Rick.” She infused the word with all the displeasure she felt.

He smiled cautiously as if not sure how she would react to seeing him. Could he really be in doubt? “Charlotte.”

She only glared at him, hoping he’d see the anger in her expression and leave.

“Wow. You look great.” He put his foot on the bottom step as if to close the distance between them. She moved back until she bumped into her door. Was he serious? They weren’t old friends about to embrace and catch up on the past. He’d left her at the altar. Didn’t he know that callous act had wiped out their previous friendship, making them enemies for life? Heck, their descendants would be enemies for generations to come.

“Dad. I thought we were going to unpack and get something to eat. I’m hungry.”

Her eyes immediately shifted to the boy who was staring at her, a frown marring his face. The kid looked to be about ten or eleven. Pain pierced her chest. Rick couldn’t have waited long after dumping her before he’d met someone else and started a family. Charlotte wondered if Rick’s father had chosen that girl as well or if Rick had done his own choosing. He’d sworn he hadn’t been ready to marry. He said he had plans and dreams and marriage didn’t fit into them. Apparently he just hadn’t wanted to marry her.

“Bobby, say hello.”

The kid muttered the most unfriendly greeting she’d received in years. Given the fact that she was universally disliked, that was saying something.

“Hi yourself.” Her tone wasn’t any friendlier and the kid gave her an odd look. His eyes widened in surprise and the corners of his mouth twitched. For a moment she thought he might smile. Instead, he tightened his grip on the box and trekked across her grass, smashing a couple of flowers in the process. She didn’t even wince. She felt like smashing a couple herself.

“We’re moving in next door,” Rick said unnecessarily.

She’d figured that out on her own. “Why?”

“We’re looking for a fresh start.”

“And of all the places in the world, you chose my town?”

He shuffled his feet. “I always liked it here. The people are warm and welcoming, which is what Bobby needs right now.”

“The same could be said of many small towns across America.”

“Maybe, but we’d be strangers somewhere else. I have friends here.”

“I hope you don’t count me among them.”

He had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I’d like to apologize again.”

“Again?” Her voice rose and she struggled to control it. “I must have missed the first time. Surely you don’t think sending a note by your best man saying ‘Charlotte, I’m sorry you don’t agree we shouldn’t get married’ qualifies as an apology for not showing up at the church.”

He hung his head for a minute before straightening. To his credit he met her eyes. She saw shame there. Good. He should be ashamed. “You’re right. It doesn’t. I’m sorry, Charlotte. But I couldn’t get you to agree that we shouldn’t get married just to please our fathers. I felt the walls closing in and I panicked. That’s not an excuse and it doesn’t make me look good, but it’s the truth. I know I hurt and embarrassed you. You didn’t deserve that. Please forgive me.”

“Not in this lifetime.”

“Charlotte,” he began, but she cut him off. Whatever he had to say would be too little too late.

“But don’t worry, Rick. I won’t tell your wife what a jerk you are. If she hasn’t discovered it yet, I’m sure she will soon.”

“I no longer have a wife. I’m divorced.”

“I guess she figured it out on her own. Clearly she’s smarter than I was. Good for her.”

His lips compressed, but he didn’t reply. Instead, he turned on his heel and followed his son across the grass and into the house.

Charlotte watched him leave, telling herself her blood was pounding through her veins because she’d been shocked to see Rick again, and not because she had any residual feelings for him.

As if pulled by a force stronger than her will, she went inside her house and headed toward the third and mostly unused bedroom. She always kept the door closed as if that would hold the memories at bay. Most days it worked. But not today. Not after seeing Rick. The memories were swirling around her head, poking her battered heart from every direction.

Turning the knob, she walked to the closet and opened the door. There, hanging in heavy plastic, was her wedding dress. Covered in lace and beads, it had been the most beautiful gown in the entire store. She’d known when she’d laid eyes upon it that she would feel like a princess wearing it. And she had. Until the minute when she’d been forced to face the fact that her groom wasn’t coming.

He’d talked for days about calling off the whole thing, becoming more persistent as time passed, but she’d thought he’d just had cold feet. He’d wanted her to go with him to tell their parents they didn’t want to get married, but she’d refused. Sure, their fathers had engineered the whole thing, enamored of the idea of joining their families as well as their businesses, but she hadn’t minded. She’d fallen in love with Rick and thought he’d felt the same. He’d seemed to enjoy being with her and they’d come close to making love on more than one occasion. She’d been sure that had meant something. She’d believed when he had time to think about their future together and how happy she’d make him, he’d come to his senses and they’d get married as planned and live happily ever after.

She’d been wrong.

She brushed her hands over the plastic bag protecting her dress from the elements then closed the door on the reminder of what happened when she followed her heart instead of her head. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Rick rang Charlotte’s doorbell then inhaled deeply as he waited for her to come to the door. He knew she was home because her car was still parked in the driveway and the sounds of Motown filtered through her open front window. He couldn’t believe they were neighbors. He’d been planning to look her up in a day or two and apologize to her, but this was better, if unexpected. He’d seen the pain in her eyes that she’d tried to cover. Guilt had clogged his throat, making it difficult to breathe.

He could tell his presence hurt her, something he didn’t want to do. After seeing her reaction, he’d contacted his rental agent about getting out of his lease, but it was ironclad. Even if he could get out of it, he’d have to find another place to live, disrupting Bobby yet again. Somehow he had to heal the wound he’d inflicted so Charlotte wouldn’t be uncomfortable with him living next door.

He’d tried to apologize earlier, but even to him the words had fallen short. How did he express how sorry he was for leaving her alone on what should have been their wedding day? He’d known at the time that the note he’d scribbled at the last minute had been insufficient, so he’d called her the next morning, but she wouldn’t speak to him.

When the two letters he’d written to her had been returned unopened, he should have taken that as a sign of just how hurt she’d been and kept trying to reach her but he didn’t. He convinced himself that she didn’t want to hear from him and that he should honor her wish. That was a poor excuse and he’d known it at the time. His only explanation was that he’d been young and dumb and looking for an easy way out of a difficult situation. Twelve years later he was older and hopefully wiser. He wouldn’t walk away after one effort to beg her forgiveness. So he hadn’t let more than the hour it had taken to unload the truck and talk to his Realtor pass before he made a second effort.

The door swung open. “What are you doing here?”

“I hoped we could talk.”

“I hoped to never see you again, yet here you are.”

“Charlotte, we were friends once. I know I ruined that friendship and that you don’t owe me anything. But can we talk for a few minutes? Please?”

She was quiet so long he wondered if she had any intention of replying. “Five minutes. I’m only agreeing to this so you’ll leave me alone. Got it?”

He backed up, letting her step outside. Although she had two chairs on her front porch, she leaned against the wall and folded her arms over her chest. Despite the serious conversation he wanted to have, he couldn’t help noticing how sexy she was. How good she smelled.

He steered his mind back where it belonged. Five minutes wasn’t long, so he cut to the chase. “I shouldn’t have left you alone at the church, Charlotte. I should have been there beside you.”

“So why’d you do it?” Her voice was so soft it barely carried to him, but the pain and confusion came through loud and clear. Regret made his heart ache.

“Honestly? I was scared that I’d give in to the pressure. I wanted my father’s approval in the worst way. The same way you wanted your father’s. But I came to realize getting married and sacrificing our dreams in order to fulfill theirs was too high a price to pay.” He heaved a sigh as he remembered the pressure he’d been under at the time. Even at twenty-two he’d known a marriage under those circumstances was doomed. He just hadn’t known soon enough. “We would have been miserable. I thought if we presented a united front and told them we didn’t want to get married they’d have to agree we were making a mistake. But I couldn’t convince you to stand with me.”

“So you’re saying it’s my fault you didn’t show.”

“No. Not at all. The fault was all mine. I took the coward’s way out and you were left all alone to face everyone. No one could ever fault you for what I did.”

Charlotte blew out a breath. “My father accused me of doing something to drive you away.”

“What? That’s insane. You didn’t do anything wrong. We shouldn’t have been forced to marry just to suit them. They didn’t need us to be married in order to merge their businesses.”

“And yet the merger didn’t happen.”

“Not our fault.”

She shrugged. “Are we done?”

“Do you accept my apology?”

“What difference could it possibly make now?”

He looked into her beautiful eyes, hoping he could see some emotion there. He didn’t. If she felt anything, she wasn’t willing to share it with him. “Haven’t you ever done something you regretted? Hurt someone you cared about? Wouldn’t you want their forgiveness, no matter how late your apology was in coming?”

She closed her eyes. “Fine. I forgive you. Now if there’s nothing else...”

He wished he believed her, but he knew she was saying whatever it took to get rid of him. Gaining her forgiveness would take time.

“Just one more thing. I want you to know that I contacted my Realtor and tried to get out of my lease. I can’t. So as much as I hate to do it to you, we’re stuck as neighbors.”

She blew out an exasperated breath. “That it? Or do you have some other bad news to drop on me?”

“No. That’s it.” He’d pressed her as far as he dared. He needed to give her space. Besides, he needed to get back to Bobby. “Good night.”

She didn’t answer, but then, he didn’t expect her to. After the way he’d hurt her, he didn’t deserve forgiveness that easily. But it was a start. At this point, he would take it.

“How long is this going to take?” Bobby asked as Rick parked in front of the medical building the next morning. Bobby had been grumbling since Rick told him he couldn’t stay home alone. The town was small and safe, but Rick wasn’t comfortable leaving his son on his own for more than a few minutes. Once he and Bobby got settled, he was going to find someone to watch Bobby until school started.

“Not long. I told you I want to get a look around and see what I need to do.” Agreeing to set up the practice sight unseen had been risky, but Rick saw this as both a professional and personal opportunity. He’d relied on information provided by the mayor in conversations over the past several months and photos provided by the real-estate agent. This was the first time he would see his building in person. Hopefully those pictures were accurate.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“I told you to plan on occupying yourself. You could have brought a book. If you don’t plan—”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll get waylaid and end up where I don’t want to be. Like here.”

“Bobby.”

“Never mind. I’ll just sit in the car and listen to the radio.”

“Not a chance.” Rick removed the key from the ignition and stepped out. After fixing Rick with a glare and heaving a sigh so heavy he must have pulled oxygen from his toes, Bobby got out of the car and slammed the door just in case Rick hadn’t picked up on his annoyance.

A man of about Rick’s height was walking in their direction. He smiled. “Are you Dr. Tyler?”

“Yes.”

The man offered his hand. “I’m Lex Devlin.”

“Mr. Mayor. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Call me Lex.” He turned his attention to Bobby. “Hi. You must be Bobby.”

To his credit, despite how annoyed he was with Rick, his son was polite. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

Lex nodded. “I’m here to answer any questions you might have.”

“Thanks. We were just about to have a look around. You’re welcome to join us.”

The inside of the building was as tidily kept as the outside. Although it hadn’t been used in some time, there wasn’t the grime he expected. He ran a finger across the counter separating the empty waiting area from the examination rooms. Not a speck of dust.

“Sweet Briar is a great place to live, but lately we’ve had a hard time keeping a doctor. Our last doctor got married and moved to Boston after six months because his wife wanted to live near her family. The one before only lasted three months before deciding that although she wanted to live in a small town, she didn’t mean one this small. Everyone was so excited about having a doctor make a two-year commitment that several people got together and cleaned the offices last week.”

“Wow. Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. I didn’t do anything. But I will pass your appreciation along to those who actually did the work.”

Rick walked past the counter. There was enough space for two workstations as well as file cabinets. He continued down the hall and opened the first of six doors. The room was large and the sun streamed through the big window on the far wall. He could envision two examination tables as well as a desk, scale, guest chair and other equipment fitting in the space. Three other rooms were the same size, and there were two smaller ones that could be used as offices.

A second hallway led to a bathroom and a room that could be used as a break room. Although the walls could use a fresh coat of paint, he was pleased by what he saw.

“When do you think you’ll be ready to start seeing patients?”

“I hope within the next three weeks. I need to hire a nurse and a receptionist, but I can muddle along without them at first if need be. The truck bringing my office furniture should arrive in a few days.”

“I’ll put out the word about the employees you need. It shouldn’t be hard for you to find someone qualified around here.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

Rick let the mayor out then walked through the offices once more. Excitement swept through him along with the desire to share the experience with someone. His ex-wife was long gone. Not that he and Sherry had shared much toward the end of their marriage. Bobby was here, but he was too angry to share Rick’s happiness. Charlotte had been his closest friend in Sweet Briar, and once upon a time she would have been beside him, sharing his joy. They weren’t friends now. He’d ruined that years ago with his selfish behavior.

He blew out a breath, his excitement diminished by regret.

“Can we leave now?” Bobby asked. “All you’re doing is staring into space. You can do that at home.”

Rick threw his arm over his son’s shoulder. There was no sense looking back at a past he couldn’t change. He needed to concentrate on the present. “Yes. We can leave.”

Rick locked the door, glad for the moment that Bobby hadn’t shrugged off his arm. Things were looking up.

Chapter Three

Charlotte’s stomach growled as she closed the cabinet door on her newly organized dishes. Over the past couple of days she’d cleaned her house from top to bottom, removing every speck of dust from every crack and crevice. She swiped a hand over her forehead, wiping away perspiration. Maybe she would paint. One of her secret pleasures was watching home renovations shows. She didn’t kid herself that she had what it took to gut her kitchen and rebuild it, but surely she could put in a new tile backsplash. And maybe while she was changing her house, she could find a way to change her life.

After her stomach rumbled again, she decided it was time to quit for the day and get something to eat. Her appetite had waned over the past few days and she’d skipped meals. She knew part of the reason for her loss of appetite was the death of her lifelong dream of one day running Shields Manufacturing. The job represented more than professional achievement. It would have been proof that her father really did love her and that everything she’d sacrificed to gain that love had been worth it. Watching him give that job to someone else smashed that delusion. Her father didn’t love her. She’d only been kidding herself.

He hadn’t called her to explain his actions, or to ask her to return. He hadn’t even had his secretary call to see if she was all right. It was as if she no longer existed. She shouldn’t be surprised. He’d turned his back on her sister Carmen just as easily. Carmen had been a bit of a wild child as a teenager, bringing shame on the family. When she was eighteen, she’d been involved in a fatal car accident. Carmen hadn’t been driving, nor had she been drinking, but that hadn’t mattered to their father. He’d thrown her out of the house and washed his hands of her. To her shame, Charlotte had joined her father in order to gain his approval, rejecting the little sister who’d loved her. When Carmen returned to town a couple of years ago, she’d reached out. Charlotte had repeatedly rejected her. What a fool she’d been.

Of course, her job situation was only part of the reason she’d skipped meals and was having trouble sleeping. The biggest part was residing on the other side of her shared wall. She’d managed to avoid Rick for the past three days, but she’d been aware of his presence. She’d seen him coming and going, but he hadn’t sought her out again. And that was fine with her. She didn’t want to have anything to do with him. Sure, he’d apologized, but so what? It was only words. Empty words that didn’t change a thing.

Deciding she’d spent more time than she cared to thinking about Rick Tyler, she pulled open her refrigerator door. Nothing appealed to her. She wasn’t the best cook, and apart from a few simple meals that she made on a regular rotation, she was pretty useless in the kitchen. After the past few rotten days she’d endured, she deserved something good and greasy.

She looked at her clothes. Upholding the family status as leaders in the community had been drilled into her since birth. Appearance had meant everything, so she’d never dreamed of being seen in public wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She might not still work for her father, but some things were too deeply ingrained in her to simply vanish.

Dashing up the stairs, she washed up and changed into a lavender sleeveless blouse and dark purple cropped pants. She pulled a comb through her hair then slid a band over it, to hold it off her face. She added lipstick then pronounced herself ready for the world.

The drive to Mabel’s Diner was short and she found a parking space right away. The sun was beginning to set and a cool breeze blew, filling the air with the scent of the flowers overflowing the planters lining the street. Even in the worst of economic times, Sweet Briar had managed to maintain the landscaping. Despite the gloom in her heart, her spirits lifted a little at the sight of the colorful flowers.

Grabbing her book from the passenger seat, Charlotte headed for the diner. She smiled at several people as she passed them but they didn’t smile back. She swallowed the pain of their rejection. She’d rejected them first. She’d treated the citizens of Sweet Briar—some of whom worked for her at Shields Manufacturing—like dirt beneath her feet. She’d been scornful, arrogant and downright rude. She deserved to be ignored. She’d earned it.

Besides, they had no way of knowing the kind of week she’d had and how desperately she needed a smile. Or maybe they did. News traveled faster than light in Sweet Briar. By now everyone could know that her father had given the job she’d lived for to a stranger and that the man who’d ditched her at the altar was back in town. She froze and reconsidered going into the diner. No. She wasn’t going to hide like a criminal.

She picked up the pace and walked through the door.

And straight into Rick Tyler and his son.

Great. Sweet Briar was a small town, and she knew they would run into each other from time to time, but now?

“Hi, Charlotte,” Rick said cautiously.

“Hi.” She didn’t return his smile. Maybe if she didn’t do anything to encourage conversation, he would take the hint and leave her alone.

“Bobby, say hello.”

Or not.

“Hi,” the kid said dutifully. There was a sadness in his eyes that she recognized. She saw it in the mirror every morning.

“Hi, Bobby.” She smiled at him. After all, she didn’t have anything against him.

She looked around, hoping to find an empty booth. After a few minutes, a group of four rose and a busboy began to clear the table. The hostess came up to Rick. “Your table is ready.”

Rick turned back to Charlotte. “Are you meeting someone or would you like to join us?”

He smiled again, and despite the fact that he was the last man in the world she wanted to spend time with, her heart skipped a beat and was off to the races. Reminding herself that he’d hurt and humiliated her didn’t help. At a couple of inches over six feet with a muscular body, he had always appealed to her. His face had matured over the past dozen years, but he still had those dimples that had always made her go weak in the knees. And darn if her knees didn’t feel a little wobbly now.

“I’d rather eat alone.”

Rick turned back to the hostess. “How long is the wait?”

“Twenty-five minutes. You’re lucky that party finished when they did.”

“I don’t mind waiting,” Charlotte said. “I’m not that hungry.” Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, giving lie to her words.

Rick’s smile wavered, then faded. “I know I hurt you, Charlotte. And I also know my apology didn’t take away the pain of seeing me. Sorry for bothering you.”

He turned to go but his words echoed in her mind. Didn’t take away the pain? Did he think she wasn’t over being left at the altar after twelve long years? That her poor little heart was still hurting? That she couldn’t handle being around him without wanting to dissolve into tears? What kind of weakling did he think she was? No way was she going to live next door to him while he gave her pitying looks. She would show him that Charlotte Shields was stronger than anyone he’d ever met.

“On second thought,” she said loud enough to have him pausing midstep, “I am hungry and would prefer not to wait.”

He turned back and smiled. “Come on.”

They scooted around crowded tables, following the hostess to the vacant booth. She placed the menus on the table then smiled at them. “Your server will be with you soon. Enjoy your meal.”

Bobby slid into one side of the booth, and Rick stood aside waiting for Charlotte to sit on the other. She squelched a sigh when he sat down beside her. The bench was small, but she moved as far away from Rick as she could. She was eating with him to prove a point, but did that require sitting close enough to inhale his cologne?

The waitress appeared, pad in hand, ready to take their orders.

“Could we have another minute?” Rick asked.

“No problem.”

“It’s nice running into you here,” Rick said. “Right, Bobby?”

“Sure,” the kid said from behind his menu.

Rick removed the menu from his son’s hands and set it on the table. “Bobby, don’t be rude.”

Charlotte stared at Rick’s son. “I brought a book because I was planning to enjoy my meal alone. Your dad is the one who insisted I join you, not the other way around, kid.”

Bobby looked like he wasn’t sure what to make of her. “He dragged me here, too. I wanted McDonald’s.”

“Fat chance of that. There isn’t a McDonald’s for miles around. But Mabel’s food is great. I’m getting a double burger and a mega basket of fries. Maybe even some onion rings. And before you ask, I’m not sharing, so if you want some get your own.”

The kid’s eyes were the size of saucers. “You mean you aren’t getting a salad?”

“I hate vegetables. Especially salad. I gave them up for Lent one year and decided to make it a lifestyle. I’m going to use a bunch of ketchup on my fries and you can pretend it’s tomatoes if that makes you feel better.”

The kid looked at her with something akin to admiration. Hopefully it was a passing phase. She didn’t want Bobby to get the idea that they were going to be friends. “I want what you’re getting.”

She glanced at Rick, who was staring at her like she had two heads. Tough. She wasn’t responsible for the kid’s diet. If he wanted the boy to eat vegetables he was going to have to fight that battle on his own.

“You’re kidding, right?” Rick asked, hope in his eyes. He really did expect her to help him manage his son’s diet. Poor thing. He may have asked for her forgiveness and may even regret his actions, but that only got him so far. She’d lived with the pain of his rejection for years. She’d heard the whispers behind her back. Then she’d learned to turn off her heart and keep people at a distance. An apology, no matter how sincerely made, wouldn’t turn back time.

“No. The only green thing I eat is pistachio ice cream. And only if they’re out of cookies and cream.” She looked at the boy again. “Two treats in one. Cookies and ice cream.”

Clearly awed, Bobby nodded as if she’d just shared some great wisdom with him.

Rick sputtered and Charlotte nearly laughed out loud. Incredibly, she was having fun. There was something freeing about not worrying about living up to her father’s impossible standards.

The waitress came and Charlotte gave her order. Bobby asked for the same thing.

“Make that three with two side salads,” Rick said, looking at Bobby.

“I hope they’re both for you because I’m giving up vegetables, too.” The kid looked at Charlotte. “When is Lent?”

“You’re out of luck. It started six weeks before Easter. You missed it.”

“Not to mention that we’re not Catholic,” Rick added.

“Neither am I,” Charlotte said.

“You’re not helping.”

She simply smiled.

The waitress arrived with their orders. They were silent while they added mustard and ketchup to their burgers and fries. Charlotte picked up her burger and took a huge bite. Delicious. She’d pay tomorrow when she had to ride a few more miles on her bike, but for tonight she was going to indulge.

“The town has sure changed since I was here last,” Rick said.

“Did you really think everything would be the same after twelve years? Like we were frozen in time or something?” Her answer came out sharper than she intended, but really.

“No. I just mean that it’s grown. The downtown is bigger and there are more businesses. When we were driving in I noticed a lot more houses. There have got to be more than the nineteen hundred people the population sign says.”

She shrugged, something she had never done in the past. It wasn’t decorum. Swirling a fry in her puddle of ketchup, she answered, “There may be a couple hundred more residents. There’s a new subdivision on the other side of the lake. I’m not exactly sure if they’re in Sweet Briar proper or not. A lot of the people you see in town are tourists.”

“Oh.”

“What brought you back to town?”

“A job. I’m opening a medical practice.”

She felt her eyebrows rise. “You’re a doctor? I thought you went back to New Jersey to take over your father’s company.”

“I never wanted that. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. My father wouldn’t listen to what I said, so I had to show him with my actions.”

“I’m glad it worked out for you.”

He winced. Clearly he hadn’t missed the sarcasm in her voice. “Charlotte. I know I said it before and I’ll keep saying it until you believe me. I am sorry.”

“I do believe you, so you can stop apologizing. It just doesn’t make a difference. Maybe if you’d apologized as sincerely and in person twelve years ago. Now... I don’t care. Okay?”

“I’m ready for dessert,” Bobby interrupted, undoubtedly stopping Rick from offering another apology she didn’t care to hear.

“Eat your salad first.”

Bobby looked at Charlotte as if appealing to her for help. She wiped her mouth and hands, tossed her napkin on the table, then opened her purse and pulled out some cash. “Sorry, kid. You’re on your own. I’ve got to get going.”

Rick placed his hand on hers. “Dinner’s on me.”

“That’s not necessary,” Charlotte said, pulling her hand away.

“As you pointed out, I invited you to join us and we enjoyed the pleasure of your company. I’m trying to raise my son to know that under those circumstances I should pay the bill. Please.”

Far be it from her to stand in the way of Rick raising a proper young man. “Okay. Thanks.” She stood and he did the same, letting her pass. “See you around, Bobby.”

The kid smiled. “’Bye, Charlotte.”

Charlotte walked out of the restaurant without looking back. Even though she kept her eyes fixed firmly on the path ahead of her, she couldn’t help wondering what life would have been like if the man at the table hadn’t jilted her, and the boy sharing the table had been hers. How much happier she’d be if she had the family she’d always wanted.

Chapter Four

“Put your dishes in the sink,” Rick said, halting Bobby middash. Bobby had practically swallowed his cereal whole in his rush to get away. Rick tried not to take his son’s rejection personally, but understanding didn’t take away the sting. It was hard to reconcile this kid with the one who’d been his best bud from the moment they’d met. “Don’t go far. We’ve got a lot of cleaning to get done. The furniture is arriving Monday.”

Bobby huffed out a loud breath then grabbed his bowl and cup and dropped them into the sink with a loud clatter. Lucky for him nothing broke. Not that the dishes were all that expensive. It was the attitude that was getting on Rick’s last nerve. And wasn’t that phrase a blast from the past. He now knew what his mother meant when she’d said those words about him years ago. He was going to apologize to her for everything he’d done wrong the next time he spoke to her, whenever that was. His younger sister had taken over the family business four years ago, and ever since then his parents had been traveling like the retired people they were. They were currently on a nine-month cruise around the world.

Grabbing his basketball, Bobby went through the house, each step punctuated by the thud of the ball bouncing off the floor. Rick gritted his teeth, determined not to say anything. He didn’t want all of their interactions to be confrontational. Last night at dinner was the first time in a while that Bobby had smiled. He’d almost been his old self. He’d seemed awed—and bewildered—by Charlotte. Rick could definitely relate to the bewilderment. When she’d said goodbye, Bobby had a goofy, love-struck grin on his face. Rick wondered if his son had developed his first crush.

Any other time and with any other woman, Rick would have found Bobby’s crush amusing. Not now. Charlotte might have eaten dinner with them last night, but he didn’t kid himself that they’d put the past behind them. Bobby might be gung ho about establishing a relationship with Charlotte, but Rick knew she didn’t feel the same. Bobby had been rejected and hurt enough. Rick didn’t want Charlotte adding to that pain, even inadvertently.

He heard the front door slam shut as he was taking his last swallow of coffee. The thump of the basketball pounding against the driveway soon followed. Rick glanced at the clock as he headed for the front door. He couldn’t imagine Charlotte would be happy about being awakened before seven o’clock on a Saturday morning. He opened the door and stepped into the warm North Carolina morning. “Stop with the ball. You’ll wake up Charlotte.”

“No, I won’t,” Bobby protested. “She’s already awake.”

Rick descended the stairs and crossed the grass. Charlotte’s garage door was up and she was checking the air in her rear bicycle tire. She looked up but didn’t speak before turning back to the pump.

“I hope Bobby didn’t disturb you with his basketball,” Rick said. Dressed in pink shorts that hit her midthigh and a pink-and-white-striped shirt, she was definitely disturbing him. She pushed to her feet and he got an even better view of her long, toned legs.

Her brown eyes were bright and sharp with intelligence. Her honey-brown skin was clear and glowed with good health. Her cheekbones were high and her full lips were enticing in their perfection.

“He didn’t.” She wheeled out her bike then lowered her garage door.

“Hey, are you going for a ride now? I’m not doing anything, so I’ll come with you.” Bobby abandoned his ball in the middle of the driveway and raced toward their garage. “Dad, open the door so I can get out my bike.”

“I told you we have work to do around here.”

“All I do is work. I had to pack up our old house then clean it up. Now you’re making me clean up this house so I can unpack the same junk. You never let me have any fun. Why did you bring my bike if you’re never going to let me ride it?”

“Charlotte didn’t invite you.”

Bobby turned hopeful eyes to Charlotte. Yep, that was puppy love Rick saw in his son’s eyes. “It’s all right with you if I come, isn’t it?”

Charlotte’s face didn’t give anything away. That was a change from the girl he used to be able to read like a book. But back then she’d only had one page. Whatever her dad wanted was what she did. Now she seemed to have developed the ability to keep her feelings from showing on her face. “I ride fast.”

“I’m fast. Aren’t I, Dad. I can probably ride faster than you.”

“I’m riding a long way. I’m going to the beach and riding on the sand, which isn’t easy. You need strong muscles in order to do that.”

Bobby pumped up his chest. “I am strong. I carried those heavy boxes yesterday plus I helped bring in our beds. And I can ride a long time.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “Come on, Dad. Open the door.”

“I can tell him no if you want to go alone.” Rick made the whispered offer despite knowing how disappointed Bobby would be.

Charlotte looked at Bobby, who was holding his breath, his face revealing his anxiety. Her lips turned down but Rick could tell she was weakening. She nodded once. “Fine. This time.”

Bobby grinned.

“Okay. I’ll be right back,” Rick said, following his son.

He opened the garage door. Bobby wheeled out his bike and then Rick did the same. He’d loaded their bikes at the last minute, hoping he and Bobby could do something fun that would draw them closer again. Rick didn’t want to let the opportunity slip away. They could clean later.

“What are you doing?” Charlotte asked when Rick rode up beside her. She’d accepted his apology and even eaten dinner with him, but clearly she hadn’t forgiven him. Not that he blamed her for holding a grudge.

“You said you didn’t mind company.” Under other circumstances he wouldn’t foist himself on her, but this was a chance to get closer to Bobby. And who knew, maybe he would be able to show Charlotte how much he regretted his past behavior, that he wasn’t the same person he’d been back then.

Her lips twisted and her eyes narrowed, but she still looked ridiculously sexy. “I said Bobby could come.”

“Yeah, Dad, she said I could come. We don’t want you hanging around us.”

Rick froze. He knew his son was lashing out because he was in pain, but that didn’t make the rejection hurt any less. Rick met Charlotte’s eyes. There was some emotion there, but before he could figure out what it was, she blinked and it was gone.

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” she snapped, “let’s just go.” She pressed her pedals and shot down the driveway, Bobby not far behind.

She wasn’t kidding when she said she rode fast. Good thing he was in shape. Even so, it took him two blocks to close the distance between them. Their speed didn’t allow them time to talk, but it didn’t hinder him in checking out her spectacular body and the way her round bottom looked on the seat of her bike.

After about a mile, Bobby began to fall back and Rick slowed. Charlotte had been adamant about not adjusting her pace in order to suit them, so he was surprised when she slowed as well. Not enough that Bobby would notice and take a hit to his ego, but enough for them to catch up to her at the entrance to the beach. She stopped and stood with her legs on either side of the bike. “You’re a great rider, Bobby.”

His son beamed and stood a little taller. “Thanks. Are we going to ride on the sand? I’ve never done that before.”

“Yep.”

Bobby gave a cheer and his smile broadened. Incredibly, Charlotte had managed to get smiles out of his son without really trying. Maybe she’d be able to help him get Bobby back on the right track, since nothing he tried was working. But that was if she would agree to spending time with them, something he seriously doubted.

“Stay away from the edge of the water. The damp sand is murder to get through.” With that Charlotte once more began pedaling furiously. She set a good pace as they rode, but he had the feeling she was going more slowly than usual in deference to Bobby. Words couldn’t express how grateful he was to her for that simple kindness. It was such a sharp contrast to the way Bobby’s mother had walked away without giving him a second thought.

After about twenty minutes Charlotte made a U-turn and they started back across the beach. She didn’t stop when they came to the entrance, but rather sped onto the road. Then she slowed, and she and Bobby rode side by side. The wind carried their voices but Rick couldn’t make out the words. Once they laughed and he was filled with envy. To his shame he was jealous that Charlotte had established a rapport with his son that he’d lost. She’d gotten more smiles out of Bobby today than he’d managed in months. Worse, he envied his son for making Charlotte smile, something he had yet to do.

When they arrived home, they pulled into Charlotte’s driveway and hopped off their bikes. She unlocked her garage door and started to raise it.

“That was fun,” Bobby said, running to help Charlotte. “Thanks for letting me come.”

“Sure.” She smiled. “I guess you need to help your father clean up before your furniture gets here. See you later.”

Bobby sighed and Rick waited for the explosion. It didn’t come. Instead, Bobby nodded. Grinned. “Yeah. See you later.”

Rick tossed Bobby their keys. “Unlock the door and put up your bike. I’ll be there in a minute. I need to talk to Charlotte.”

Charlotte stiffened, but didn’t speak until Bobby was out of earshot. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”

“I just wanted to thank you for letting us come with you. I know you would have preferred to go alone.”

“I didn’t mind Bobby’s company.”

He tried not to wince at her direct hit. “Got it. Well, thanks. You made Bobby’s day.”

She turned and vanished inside her garage, pulling the door down behind her. He turned away from the closed door and pasted on a smile before he went to join his son.

Charlotte sat on her patio, staring into her coffee and trying to beat back the guilt that poked her conscience. No matter how hard she tried to block it out, she kept seeing the hurt on Rick’s face when she’d told him he was a nuisance. Okay, so she hadn’t said it in so many words, but her meaning had been unmistakable. Naturally she didn’t want him hanging around, but she didn’t have to be nasty about it. Especially since she’d allowed him to accompany her on her ride. He’d known he and Bobby had intruded and he’d been trying to be polite. In the blink of an eye she’d turned into the horrible person she was sick of being. A person she’d vowed to stop being.

She exhaled, but the guilt stayed with her. Now she owed Rick an apology. Unlike him, she wouldn’t wait twelve years to deliver it.

The sound of a large truck rumbling down her street yanked her away from her musings. Air brakes sounded followed by the slam of doors. Rick’s movers had arrived. Her quiet morning over, she walked to the front of her house just as Rick emerged from his door and spoke briefly with the men. A moment later there was chaos. Organized chaos, but chaos nonetheless.

Bobby spotted her and raced over. Apparently they were now best pals. He was one of a few. She frowned and forced herself to face the truth. He was one of one.

“Can I hang out with you?”

“Don’t you want to tell the movers where you want your stuff?”

“As if Dad will let me. He said I could decide where I put my bed, but the next thing I knew, he was saying I couldn’t put it in the middle of the room. He made me put it against a wall.” His eyes flashed with anger and he frowned.

“Did you really want it in the middle?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t you?”

“Nope. If you put it against the wall, it’s easier to shove stuff under it when you have to clean your room.”

He smiled. “I didn’t think of that. Where should I put the dresser?”

“I don’t know. It depends on the layout of the room. You know, like where the door is and the windows and closet.”

He rubbed his thumb over his nose. He hung his head a little although she couldn’t imagine why. “So there is a right place for things to be?”

“Not necessarily. You can put your furniture the way you like it best. It’s just putting it in a certain place will make it more convenient for you.”

“My mom always did things like that.”

“Oh?”

“She liked it. She liked buying pillows and lamps and stuff. And clothes. Dad used to tell her to stop spending money on so much useless junk, but she would just buy stuff and hide it. Then she would pretend she’d had it for a long time.”

Charlotte wouldn’t touch that wearing a hazmat suit. “Okay. Well, the next time you talk to her you can ask her for advice.”

His shoulders slumped so much he looked like a turtle going into his shell. “I don’t know how to talk to her. She left and never came back.”

Oh, no. Poor kid. “When?”

“A long time ago.” He sniffed. “She doesn’t want to be my mom anymore.”

“Then she’s a fool. You’re a great kid.”

He looked at Charlotte in surprise, then wiped his arm across his eyes. She saw the tears but knew better than to comment on them. She would hate having anyone witness her break down. As far as people knew, she was made of stone. Everyone knew stone didn’t cry.

“How come you aren’t at work?”

He’d shared his hurt. It was only fair that she do the same. “I used to work for my father’s company. I did everything he wanted. Not just at work, either. All the time. Last week, the day you moved to town, he gave the job I worked hard to get to someone else. So I quit.”

“Wow. Did you yell and throw stuff?”

She had to smile. “No. I just stood up and left the meeting.”

“Why didn’t he give you the job? Is it because you’re a girl?”

Was it? Maybe. But she had no control over that. “No. I think it’s because he doesn’t love me. Not really.”

Bobby grabbed her hand with his grubby one. “Then he’s a fool, too.”

Charlotte’s heart lifted as she looked at Bobby, his words helping her to see what she had a hard time believing. The problem wasn’t with her. She was lovable. If only to a ten-year-old boy.

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