20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Charlotte

"I can't believe you didn't call me immediately with all of this juicy goodness," Rebecca, my sister, says. She stopped by the school during my planning period with lunch and an invitation to dinner at her house as soon as school lets out for the summer. To say it was a surprise is an understatement. Living in Jacksonville makes it difficult for her to drop in for a quick lunch.

"I'm sorry, Becs. The reality is that I'm not sure what will happen. He's kind of amazing, but I'm trying to take it slow and steady so neither of us gets hurt." She brought me a roast beef sandwich from her friend's sandwich shop. It's delectable.

She swallows and recrosses her legs in the opposite direction. This is her giveaway. She wants to tell me something too, but she's being as patient as possible so she doesn't seem pushy. "I get it. You loved Rory, and that doesn't disappear overnight even if what he did was despicable."

"Except I'm over it. Yeah, I loved him, but there is no sense in dragging out the inevitable, right? I don't want to be with him. It's over, and unless I want it to be just Ginger and me forever, I have to leap into the unknown with someone else."

"Sounds like this Andrew guy has been good for you. You don't seem as mopey over the end of your relationship as you did even a few weeks ago." She nudges me and brushes her light red hair over her shoulder. We were both blessed with the ginger gene, but hers is much fairer than mine. While I'm a deep, autumn-inspired red, she's a sunny, beachy reddish blonde.

"I am, but you didn't drive all the way up here just to see how I'm doing. What's going on with you?"

Rebecca narrows her eyes and scoffs. "I did come to see you because I love you, but yeah, I have news. What would you think about getting to see me more often?"

I hold my breath. Her husband applied for a transfer to Savannah, but it's been almost a year with no updates. The wait list is significant, so we didn't hold out much hope that he'd get anything, let alone a permanant station change for them to move closer.

"Yes," I drawl. "Does that mean…Did he get the transfer?"

Rebecca squeals. "He finally got it. It'll be a few weeks before it's finalized, but we can officially begin packing and home searching!"

I practically leap to my feet. "What? Becs, that's amazing!" Hugging my sister is always an event. We made up a funny sister hug when we were little kids, and it never went away. We high five each hand, then smack our palms together, stretch our arms wide, hop three times, swing around, and finally end in a real hug.

This is less than ideal to do in a classroom filled with desks, but we manage. We're giggling when my phone rings. One glance at the caller ID and it brings an even bigger smile to my face. "Oh, speaking of Andrew. Want to say hi?"

"Oh, you know I do. Lemme see this hunky guy in all his glory." She snuggles in close and I tap accept to answer the call in video mode.

"Hey, you," I say and rest my head against my sister's. There is no mistaking we are related. We're almost identical, save our hair shades and eye color. Hers are more brown while mine are more green.

"Hey, gorgeous," he says with a grin.

"Well, thank you." Rebecca flips her hair over her shoulder and flutters her eyelashes.

Andrew grins and leans back on the hotel bed. I'm not ashamed to admit I've missed him the past few days, but our video chats are fun. "I'm going out on a limb and guessing you are the infamous Rebecca?"

"Ah, my name precedes me, I see. Whatever she said about me, is all lies." Rebecca gives me suspicious side eye and a snarky smile. "Unless it was that I'm the most phenomenal sister in all the world, then I'd have to humbly accept my award."

Andrew gasps. "So you're not, in fact, a professional xylophonist? I'm disappointed."

My sister's cheeks pink. "Oh, I am that. The best Georgia had to offer in my prime, if I do say so myself."

Andrew's charm oozes even over the phone. "I'd love a full concert between the two of you."

We both laugh because there is no chance of that happening. Sure, we're both good at our chosen instruments, but there is no time and place in which a xylophone and a drum sound good together without additional instruments to round out the banging.

"We'll have to put a pin in that," Rebecca says. "I have to head back home, but I look forward to meeting you in person, Andrew!" My sister waves to him and dips off the screen. When she's no longer visible to him, she drops her mouth open and motions over her face, mouthing he's hot. I cover my cheeks and shake my head. This only invites her to stick her tongue out at me in the most childish way before she squeezes my arm. "I'll talk to you soon. Love you, Lots."

"Love you, too, Becs. Keep me updated on the move."

Rebecca gathers her things, points to the phone to encourage me to talk to Andrew, and waves once more on her way out.

"She didn't have to run off. I can call you later if you want to talk to your sister." Andrew shifts on the bed and brings the phone a bit closer to his face.

"She has to get back anyway. She drove up from Jacksonville to tell me that her husband got a transfer to Savannah. We've been hoping they could move close, and it's finally going to happen."

"That is awesome. I'm really happy for you, and I might have some news that will make you smile even more."

"Oh, do tell." I lean on one hand and prop the phone on my massive planner.

"I managed to get a video meeting with Quade Dawson today, one of the team owners, and he's not going to donate money."

I frown. I get it, not everyone wants to donate funds to a school they've never even seen. I can't figure out how this is supposed to make me happy though.

"Don't frown at me yet. He's not donating money because he's going to outright pay for new roofing on all of the buildings."

I jolt so fast I knock my phone over. After adjusting it, I blink a few times. "Wait, what did you say?"

"He and his brothers want to fund the roofing for every building on campus."

The fact that we need new roofs never even came up during the meeting. I can't figure out how he would know that information, especially since we had given up hope on raising enough for that early in our planning. The best we hoped for was that the insurance company might offset some of the expense.

"Dawsons do their homework. I have no idea how he found out, but he's fronting it all. Six buildings, done and done. Actually, he's probably in a meeting with your headmaster about it right now."

It isn't often I'm speechless, but I can't think of a single thing to say. Thank you doesn't seem like enough after the lengths this man has gone to for my school. For me. I don't think it's because he's trying to impress me or reel me in. He's done it because he's a decent, good man who cares about his community.

"Andrew, I…don't…know what to say. This is amazing. It's so much more than we could have asked for, and…I just thank you so much."

Andrew's expression softens. "You don't have to thank me. It isn't my money, but that said, I'm happy to do whatever is needed. I grew up at a crummy school, and a lot of kids didn't have as bright a future as I did. I want to give back, that's all."

"Well, I'm lucky to have you in my corner. I want you to know that. And I might miss you a little," I say with an eye roll. This earns a deep laugh that sends chills down my spine.

"I might miss you a little, too." He sits more forward. "I actually miss you a lot but I've gotta get ready for the next game. See you in a couple of days?"

"Yeah. Absolutely. I wish your team luck tonight."

His expression sours but he doesn't elaborate. "That makes two of us. Bye, Lottie."

"Bye," I whisper. I want to ask what brought out the sudden expression change, but I don't because he has things to do. That, and Headmaster Charles knocks on the doorframe of my classroom just as I hang up my phone. My smile makes a reappearance because I haven't seen Headmaster Charles look so excited in a long time. "I assume you had a phone call from Mr. Dawson?"

"Charlotte, they're going to pay to repair the roofs! Can you believe it?" He's as downright giddy as an elderly man can be.

"I know. Andrew just told me. It's certainly more than I expected, but God has blessed us."

"It's thanks to you, you know. I almost shot down the idea of a carnival, but if it's successful we have a very hopeful future. We might even be able to offer more scholarships. Won't that be astounding?"

My heart warms. "Very much so, yes." The bell rings indicating our break is over and students will be rushing in to learn statistics. Actually, they'll be rushing in to ask me a hundred questions about the status of my friendship with Andrew, then I'll remind them that their teacher's personal life is not up for discussion and bore them with new homework.

"Well, I'll let you get back to it, but I thank you again for all of your hard work. These kids and this school are lucky to have you." He nods, adjusts his glasses, and disappears down the hallway as students make their way to their seats.

Only two more classes and I'm free for the evening. Unfortunately, I won't get to see Andrew, but I will get to see my best friends for another impromptu dinner. Things are looking great, and I can't wait to update them on all things Andrew Rossi.

"You mean he managed to convince you to go to one of his games?" Josie asks and shares a quick glance with Amelia, then both look at Carmen. She only shrugs, so Josie turns her attention back to me. "The last we spoke, you were writing him off because he's an athlete, and now you've had not one but multiple dates with the guy? Including going to one of his practices?"

I shrink in my seat while Rafael refills our glasses. Delmonico's is busy tonight, but there was no chance we'd miss out on getting together again. Twice in one month is unheard of, but discussions of my love life are just too juicy for them to ignore.

"She went to a practice. Not a game with other fans, but a practice," Amelia adds for emphasis. "That's pretty serious. Isn't it?"

"I think we were about to kiss too, then the backup pitcher interrupted us. But yeah, it got intense there for a minute." My cheeks burn and I press my palms to them.

Carmen giggles and swirls a lemon in her water. "She's smitten. Look at her! Aren't you glad I stole that business card and enrolled you on that dating app now?"

Rafael almost spills water on the table. "You signed her up for a dating app without telling her?" He's down for the juicy gossip, too, even if it does mean he officially has no chance with any of the ladies in his favorite regular group.

"Hey, don't judge. It worked, didn't it?" Carmen narrows her eyes at our waiter.

"Rafael! Tiramisu at table five!" His father shouts across the entire restaurant, reminding him he's at work not a social circle.

"Excuse me, ladies, the senile old man beckons again. Should I bring dessert?"

"Have we ever not ordered dessert?" Josie asks.

Rafael shrugs and disappears across the room, knowing well that there will be a round of desserts shared at our table. We'll order one of everything and dive in like a pack of wild, starved dogs. Except somehow, Josie will end up with most of the chocolate cake.

"I, for one, happen to think they make a cute couple," Amelia says and holds her phone up beside my face. She has a picture of Andrew front and center—in his uniform, no less—and sighs. "Won't they make the most beautiful babies?"

"Oh, stop! We're not even officially dating. I hate it, but I still have to make sure Rory knows he has no chance."

"I think he already did that when he sucked face with their social media manager. Why should you feel guilty for moving on?" Carmen stabs her pizza repeatedly, which tells me two things. One, once again her eyes were bigger than her belly, and that third slice is going home with her. Two, it's going home macerated because she's envisioning Rory's face on it.

"I don't feel guilty. I just don't like the idea of moving on with Andrew when Rory might still think he has a chance. It ended weirdly when he picked up his stuff, so I want to clarify that it's over. I want to be in an emotionally stable place where I can forgive my ex for being a moron and let it go."

"It's been almost a week since the impromptu meeting with Rory happened. Seems like you're stalling, if you ask me." Amelia bites her lip and wrinkles her nose as if calling me out physically pains her. It probably does.

And she might not be completely wrong.

"Maybe I'm not handling this right, but I just…need to…I don't know, hear him out and try to forgive him, then I can go about life not hating him. Andrew deserves someone who is emotionally stable and ready to move forward with him, wherever it might lead. He's serious about dating, and I don't want to waste a man's time who is looking for lasting love by not being on the same page emotionally. I'm a little scared of that, okay?" I lean back and cross my arms feeling a little too exposed.

Carmen picks up on the slight edge to my tone. "Okay, ladies, let's ease up on her and discuss how Rebecca is coming back to town. Now we really need to figure out how to make a monthly meeting."

I raise an eyebrow and fake scoff. "Oh, so my sister comes back to town and suddenly there's more effort to spend time together? Am I not good enough for you?"

I have a feeling I would wear her slice of pizza if not for Rafael showing up with arms full of our desserts. We spend the rest of the evening laughing and catching up, making plans and talking about family. At one point, Josie reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. She gives me her softest smile and mouths, "Welcome back, Lottie."

I am back. I feel better. I'm me again, and I think I have Andrew to thank for that.