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Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Charles

I took the turn onto the King property and paused to type in the security code. The large gate opened, and I stomped on the gas, going faster than I probably should. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now. The old lady had to know things. She’d ordered that doll from the store; she had to know that Melody … Paine was back in town and had wanted me to run into her.

Not that it had been bad to run into Melody. No. It had been quite interesting to see her beauty again. Her class. Her graceful ways. She was the same, yet so different.

I parked right in front of the house. Most of the staff and visitors usually parked in the garage or along the side of the house, but I wasn’t just anyone.

Technically, I owned the place. According to the law, anyway. Grandmother had turned things over to me a long time ago. My siblings inherited parts of the estate, but I was the sole inheritor of the main house.

I got out of my truck and slammed the door. After a moment of wondering what I was forgetting, I reopened the door and grabbed the doll.

As I walked inside, I ran into Henry. “How was your outing, sir?” he asked. Henry was in his early seventies, but he’d worked here as long as I could remember. His wife had passed away two years ago, and she was buried in the family cemetery. Henry belonged to this place as much as any of my family.

“It was fine.” I took off my coat and handed it to him. I had long ago learned to let everyone do their job. If I didn’t, my grandfather had taught me, then they wouldn’t have a job and there would be no use for them. Letting them do their job was what they wanted.

I began walking down the hallway toward my grandmother’s wing.

I was met by Hazel, her longtime nurse and friend. Hazel was in her late sixties. “Hello, sir. Your grandmother is sleeping right now.”

“Oh.” I knew it was better to let my grandmother get some much-needed rest. Her health had not been the best lately. Which was surprising, because she’d always been in good health, even at her age. When I’d gotten here a couple days ago, I’d been shocked to realize she was slowing down, and that her heart murmur had been acting up. She’d told me she had dizzy spells and was getting tired more easily. “Okay, Hazel. When she wakes up, will you come get me?”

Hazel nodded. “Right when she wakes up, sir.”

With the doll package in my arms, I headed back toward the center of the house. A large greeting area waited for me at the end of the wing, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the backyard.

I paused and looked outside. The weather seemed less windy and sunnier today. This property was not on the beach, but there were horses and stables. I’d loved coming here in the summers, and I had many fond memories of my brothers and friends swimming in the pool and going horseback riding. Maybe it was because I’d just seen Melody, but all those memories rushed back to me.

As if Henry could sense that I was thinking about being entertained with my friends, he emerged. “Sir, would you take lunch today?”

“No, thank you. I will take dinner with my grandmother later.” Even though I’d longed for chocolate muffins only an hour before, I was not hungry at all.

He nodded and headed back for the kitchen.

I moved toward the library and my grandfather’s office—my office now. I opened the double French doors and then closed them behind me. I put the doll on the couch and lit the gas fireplace, and then wandered past the desk and over toward the side window, which looked out on the property as far as the eye could see.

What would my life have been like if I had married Melody? I’d wondered the same thing many times over the years, but I’d pushed it aside because I knew she was happily married and had a child. I’d tried to stop her wedding, and I’d failed. Yet today, when she hadn’t answered my question about her husband and son … well, it led me down a mental rabbit hole.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, irritated yet grateful for the interruption. I answered. “Steve, sorry. Can I call back in about fifteen minutes? I was sidetracked.”

“You bet. Call back.”

I hung up and put the phone on the desk, trying to shake off the thoughts that were haunting me from the past. I had a deal to work out for King Enterprises. Of course, I didn’t have to be the point person on this project, but it was a billion-dollar deal, and that kind got my attention. I opened my laptop and went to the files that I needed to review quickly before negotiating this deal—a commercial real estate contract for half of the city of Boston.

I couldn’t push thoughts of Melody away. All the methods I’d used over the years to block her failed at the same time. The walls would no longer go up. Melody was on my mind, and I didn’t know how to get her off of it.

Finally, I called Steve back. “Can we push this deal until the beginning of the new year?”

He scoffed. “Are you kidding me? We were supposed to go over the dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s.”

“I’m sorry. Something has come up, and I won’t be able to do this until the new year.”

“Fine. I’m putting you down for a closing date of January third. That work?”

“Thank you. That’s great.”

“Okay. Merry Christmas. Bye now.”

“Thanks. Merry Christmas.”

I hung up and stared out the window. Melody Paine. What was her story?

As I walked into dinner that night in the formal dining room, Grandmother looked good. She was alert and vibrant, waiting for me in her seat. This was her custom. I’d been told that even when no one was here, she took her meals in the dining room.

“Charles,” she said. “Good evening.”

I bent and kissed her cheek. “Good evening, Grandmother.” I moved to the head of the table and took my spot.

Immediately, Henry brought in the food. “Salmon and a vegetable medley tonight, with mashed potatoes and brown gravy. As requested, ma’am.” He put the food on the table, then stepped back. “Would you like me to dish up?”

I put my hand up. “Not tonight. Thank you.”

Grandmother caught my eye and looked curious. She waited until Henry left before taking my hand. “I’ll say grace. Dear Lord, we are so grateful this night to have Charles home. To have this good food. To have so many blessings and so much of thy grace. We would ask for blessings on the rest of our family. And bless this charity event in Gracie’s name. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

“Amen,” I said. It was refreshing to be with my grandmother. We always prayed over the evening meal, and I attended church with her whenever I was here.

With the prayer finished, I dished some food for my grandmother and myself, starting with the meat and then moving on to the vegetables and mashed potatoes.

She put her napkin on the table and then lifted her fork and knife. “Hazel told me that you wanted to speak with me when I woke up, but I needed some time to get ready for dinner, so I thought we could just talk now.”

“I think you’re in trouble, old lady.” I always said “old lady” when I was teasing her. Even though I really wasn’t teasing her. How could I get mad at someone who was eight-three and had always been more like a friend than a grandmother?

Her eyebrows lifted, and she took a bite of meat and then chewed for a bit. She put her fork down and then lifted her napkin to dab at her lips, ever the mannered lady. “Is that right? Why am I in trouble?” Her face didn’t show a hint of teasing.

I swallowed a mouthful and said, “I picked up your doll today.”

“Oh, that’s right. Thanks for getting that. Who are the new owners, then?”

Did she really not know? I chewed on another bite and then took a sip of water. She just watched me, like she was anticipating the reason why she was in trouble.

I put my fork down and turned to her. “Did you really not know that Melody is here?”

She looked startled. “Melody Harris? Or Paine? No. Is she here for the holidays? What was she doing in the doll shop? She sold it a couple months after her grandmother’s death.”

My grandmother was good at keeping secrets, but she never kept them from me. “She still owns the store. Apparently, she runs the place.”

Grandmother’s eyes widened. “Really? Did you ask her what’s going on?”

I simmered on that question. “I tried, but she wasn’t chatty.”

Grandmother now leaned back and put her hands into her lap; she seemed to be sizing me up. “What happened?”

“I went in, and she was there. I told her you’d ordered a doll, and she seemed surprised.”

“I had Hazel order it, but she would’ve told me if it was from Melody.”

I grunted. “Of course she would.” The whole staff knew everyone’s business; that was how it had always been. “I don’t know. She seemed surprised that you’d ordered a doll.”

Grandmother smiled. “How did she look?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine.” I wasn’t giving that away.

Grandmother chuckled and then picked up her fork and took a bite of the mashed potatoes.

“What?” I asked, seeing that she was still grinning.

She shook her head. “The way you tried to stop the wedding had the town talking for years. For years . It was classic.” She turned and caught my eyes. “I was proud of you. Fighting for the woman you loved.”

I knew I was blushing. Looking back, it was so ridiculous. “Oh brother.”

My comment made her chuckle even more. “You didn’t get any other information? Did you ask?”

My grandmother knew me too well. I waited for a little bit and then said, “She didn’t have a ring on her left finger. When I inquired about Peter and her son, she didn’t answer.”

That startled her. Her fork slipped from her fingers and clanked down on her plate.

“What?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I’ll be. How have I not heard that Melody Harris—I mean, Paine—is back in town, running her mother’s store, and divorced?” She let out another light laugh. “I guess there’s a Christmas love story ready to happen.”

I gave her a pointed book. “Grandmother, really? It’s been nineteen years.”

She tsked her tongue. “Love has no boundaries. Not even that of time. Sometimes you just have to wait.”

I shook my head, unsettled. “You really are being ridiculous, old lady.”

She laughed again. “I guess we’ll have to see what Christmas magic has in store for us.”

All I could do was roll my eyes and take another bite of meat. There would be no Christmas magic for me. I’d learned my lesson about love from Melody and then from my wife: it only led to heartbreak.

“You’re going to take me and Hazel to the town Christmas movie tomorrow night, aren’t you?”

I was aghast. “At the public park?”

She nodded, and a smile spread across her face. “You know I can’t participate in many of the town’s Christmas activities, but I can go to the Christmas movie. I heard they are playing It’s a Wonderful Life. ”

“I am not taking you to a movie outside.”

She stuck out her bottom lip. “Why not? Hazel and I look forward to it. We need you to take us and take our chairs and bring your solar equipment so I can plug in my electric blanket and be toasty warm. Oh, and bring our popcorn and hot chocolate.”

I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but smile. It was a tradition, and I sort of looked forward to it as well. When in Rome. “Fine. What time does it start?” I couldn’t seem happy to be doing it.

“Seven pm. I figure we should leave about six-fifteen to get a good spot.”

“Yes, your highness. I will take you and your handmaid to the movie.”

She giggled and swatted at my hand. “I love it when you’re home, Charles. I’ve missed you.” She cupped her hand around her mouth. “Hazel, Charles just called you a handmaid. That means you’re young.”

Her words softened the center of my chest. I didn’t experience that feeling very often. “I’ve missed you too, Grandmother. I’ve missed you too.”

“I have a surprise for you, sweet boy.”

“Okay.” She was the only person who was allowed to call me “sweet boy.” I looked around, wondering what she had in store.

She gestured to the door and called out, “Henry, please let them in!”

Because manners had been drilled into me, I stood.

The door burst open, and three men tumbled into the room.

“I said I was going to be first!” Donovan, the baby, exclaimed as he pushed Liam, the third oldest, in the back.

Liam turned and half-cocked his fist in the air. “Why I oughtta!”

He didn’t get to finish.

“Break it up!” Sebastian, the second oldest brother, pushed both of them apart and grinned at me. “Bro!”

I laughed and moved toward them. “Look what the cat dragged in!”

Sebastian and I embraced first, and then Liam and Donovan both threw their arms around us.

“Ahh.” Liam laughed. “Look at all of my sisters finally back together!”

“You mean, you’re the sissy!” Donovan pushed him again, sending all of us falling. Good thing we caught our balance.

I separated myself from the group with a grunt.

Grandmother laughed. “Ahh, you boys.”

“Grandmother,” Sebastian said, straightening and hugging her.

Liam and Donovan actually hit the floor, then quickly got up.

I put my arms around their shoulders. “Enough, gentlemen. Or I’ll put you in the doll room.”

“Pfft, no way. I’m done,” Liam said, feigning a smile and moving to Grandmother.

A horrified look crossed Donovan’s face. “Why would you say the doll room? Who are you—the Nazi gestapo?”

I laughed. It felt good to share my fear with my brothers.

Grandmother looked puzzled. “Do you all hate the doll room that much?”

“Yes,” we all said simultaneously.

She snorted.

We laughed.

I gestured to the table. “Sit and tell me what you bozos are all doing home.”

Donovan sat next to me. “Home to bug you.”

Henry had already slipped in and put plates on the table for my brothers.

Sebastian sat across from me, reaching for a roll and stuffing a bite in his mouth. “Yeah, and we’ve been waiting to surprise you.”

Liam snatched a roll. “Waiting too long.”

I laughed and watched all of them dish up and dig into dinner.

Grandmother simply grinned. “Best Christmas surprise ever.”

My spirits were extremely lifted at the fact my brothers were all sitting here. “Did you all come home to be at the gala?”

All of them shook their heads.

Donovan took a sip of water and said, “We all coordinated, and we could only get leave together for tonight.” He shrugged and looked at the others. “I have to leave tomorrow at six am.”

Sebastian poked me in the side with his elbow. “Our focus was to try to see you and Grandmother and each other at the same time. I have to head out around midnight.”

“Really?” I turned to Liam. “What about you?”

He looked sad and wiped his face. “I’m out of here about 6 am as well.”

Grandmother tsked her tongue. “I’m just glad you all could be home together for some time. I do wish you could all be at the gala, but I’m sure glad you could all be together now.”

Warmth filled me, and I grinned at them. “Then we will take advantage of the hours we have and call this Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas.”

Everyone, including Grandmother, said, “Merry Christmas.”

Grandmother laughed. “You boys came at a good time. Charles, tell them who you ran into today.”

I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes.

Sebastian laughed. “This must be good. Look at the way he is blushing.”

“Just like this big sister we knew he was,” Donovan added with a smirk.

Liam studied me. “This is about… Wait. Could it be Melody?” He let out a loud laugh.

Grandmother laughed even harder. “They know you.”

I wanted to smack the smirks off all of their faces, except Grandmother of course. “It's nothing.”

Sebastian turned and acted like he would tickle beneath my chin. I flinched and pushed him back, almost breaking a chair. “Don't touch me.”

This set everyone into a ricochet of laughter. Even Grandmother.

Liam elbowed Donovan. “It is about Melody. What is happening? I only saw this look on your face when you tried to talk her out of getting married to that guy.”

Donovan pointed at me. “He's right. What's going on? Is she divorced? Back in town?”

Grandmother laughed even harder. When I turned my glare on her, she shrugged. “What do you want an old lady to do? This is my only comedy during the year. When you're all together.”

Sebastian cocked his eyebrow at me. “Bro, you better tell us, or we will have to gang up on you and throw you down and give you Navy taps. The way you used to do to us.”

Liam was on his feet and rushing around the table. “I don't care if he tells us or not. Let's do that anyway.”

I stood, putting my hands up in surrender. “Fine. Just give me a second. Fine.”

Donovan crossed his arms and said, “You better spill it within five seconds, or you will get those Navy taps.”

Giving them the rundown that Melody was back in town, and I had run into her at the store today led to a huge amount of teasing.

They all took turns giving me some type of jab and then fell into peals of laughter. Of course I was an easy target, being that the woman I loved and tried to talk into marrying me, in a church, right before she married someone else, didn’t help either.

Finally, Sebastian lifted his hand, signaling a cease-fire. “All right, bro, we will quit teasing you. If you tell us your action plan for getting this woman back.”

I sighed. “I don't have any plan.”

Liam looked dumbfounded. “Maybe this is a time to talk about the fact that the Deltas are better than the Navy SEALS. Because I'm pretty sure I would already have a plan.”

“Absolutely,” said Donovan.

Grandmother stood. “You can all discuss this while you take me and Hazel to the movie tonight.”

Sebastian nodded. “The town movie? Let’s go!”

I wasn't sure I wanted to take these guys to the movie and be grilled about my ex and deal with their antics, but I couldn't let Grandmother down. I laughed. “Let's go.”

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