When it came to his own child, Roman couldn’t imagine any woman other than Charlotte playing the role of wife and mother—but neither could he picture himself settling down into the family role at the expense of the career he’d built and loved. But a child was in his future. And he didn’t want to make that child with any woman other than Charlotte.
“No one else is in the running.”
Chase came up behind him and slapped him on the back. “Then I suggest you figure out a way to convince the lady she can accept a long-distance marriage, little brother.”
Now, that was a challenge, Roman thought. Charlotte wasn’t ready to hear the words marriage or babies coming from his lips. Hell, he wasn’t sure he was ready to say them either. But he had to begin somewhere. “What’d you tell me when I wanted to do my first interview and I chose the mayor?” He’d been sixteen and convinced he could take on the world as a reporter.
“Start slow and learn as you go. Same words Dad told me. You impress me. I can’t believe those words penetrated that thick skull of yours.” Chase grinned.
“You mean since I parked outside the mayor’s office until he’d answer my questions, instead of going to the president of the PTA like you suggested?” Roman laughed at the memory.
“When it comes to Charlotte, I’m going to follow your old advice,” he said to Chase. “But don’t let it go to your head.”
Roman would start slow. Spending time and getting to know her again would be a pleasure. He didn’t have to worry about seduction. The attraction handled itself whenever he and Charlotte were together. If things worked out, he’d have the career he loved, and the woman he’d always wanted, not just in his bed, but in his life.
He started for the door.
“Where are you going?”
He turned back to Chase. “To make sure I get under Charlotte’s skin and into her life—to the point where she never wants me out.”
Charlotte closed the store for the day at five. Saturday night was officially upon her. She rubbed her eyes and glanced up at Beth, who was twirling a pencil between her hands. “What are you thinking?” Charlotte asked her friend.
“Nothing.”
“Baloney. You’ve been avoiding any serious talk with me for the last two weeks. You need a friend and I’m it. So please, let me help you.”
Beth shook her head. “I wish I could, Charlotte, but you wouldn’t understand.”
Charlotte wondered if she should be offended. “Do I look that unfeeling to you?”
“No, just set in your beliefs. Any relationship that resembles your mother and father immediately gets your stamp of disapproval. I’m just not up to hearing it.”
Charlotte’s heart hammered in her throat as she walked over to her best friend. “I never meant to pass judgment. I just hurt for you. If anything I said or did came off harshly, I’m sorry. But Beth, you’re a beautiful woman, engaged to a man you love, and you’re still miserable. Why?” Charlotte swallowed hard, not wanting to sound disapproving. “Because you’re here and he’s in the city?”
Beth shook her head. “Not just that.”
“Please explain things to me. I promise to listen, not judge.” Charlotte tugged on Beth’s hand and led her to the chairs in the waiting area. “I’ll get us something to drink and you can talk to me, okay?”
Seconds later, a can of soda popped for each of them, Charlotte joined Beth. She curled her legs beneath her. “So you two met over Christmas?” She brought Beth’s memories back to the beginning.
“Yes. Norman had his annual party and David was in town visiting the Ramseys—Joanne is his mother’s sister. Anyway, we were introduced, started talking . . . I fell for him that night. I just knew he was the one.”
“What’d you talk about? How did you know he was the one?” Charlotte leaned forward, dying to hear that her suspicions about David were wrong, that he and Beth truly had more goals and interests in common than she’d seen so far.
“His job, mostly. He has famous clients, but he also had everyday women who needed a change to make the most of their potential.”
“Sounds interesting,” Charlotte lied. “And when he walked you home, did he kiss you under the stars?” For Beth, Charlotte wanted the happily-ever-after story she’d yet to come across on her own.
“No. Actually, he was a gentleman. He kissed me on the cheek and . . .”
Charlotte placed her hand over Beth’s. “And what?”
“Gave me his card. He said if I was ever in New York, to look him up. That he was certain he could maximize my beauty.”
Charlotte’s stomach plummeted, her fears coming to life. “Beth—I’m going out on a limb here, so hit me if you have to—why did you feel like you had to maximize what was already beautiful? None of us are perfect, honey.”
“Well, I wasn’t attracting the right man as I was,” she said defensively.
“Because Yorkshire Falls doesn’t have all that many right men.” Except Roman.
Charlotte shook the traitorous thought aside. He was the wrong man, right for only a few weeks, she brutally reminded herself. Then she turned her attention back to Beth. “What happened next?”
“I took a trip to New York. I’d always wanted to see a Broadway show and so I convinced my mom to go for the weekend. We stayed in a hotel, took in a show—my treat—and spent a nice weekend.” She bit down on her lower lip. “I sent Mom home on Sunday and on Monday I looked David up at his office. Things took off from there. A month later, we were engaged.”
“After you’d undergone implant surgery?”
Beth’s glance darted away. “He was amazing. So focused on me and my needs.”
On what he wanted to create, Charlotte thought. The man wasn’t interested in the incredible woman Beth already was. She downed a sip of soda. “Did you make a lot of trips there?”
Beth nodded. “And he came up most weekends after that. We had such incredible plans,” she said, her eyes lighting up with the memory, but the hint of sadness and reality remained. “He has this beautiful penthouse. You can see the East River and the shopping is incredible. There are baby stores galore. We agreed we wanted kids right away and he said he wanted me to stay home and raise them.”
“Can I ask you a personal question?” One Charlotte knew would sound judgmental and biased based on her mother’s experience, but in Beth’s case, Charlotte had a hunch she was dead-on accurate.