Chapter Twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY

C HARLOTTE COULDN ' T IMAGINE this ever feeling routine. Or anything other than simply amazing. Waking up in bed with Cal. Naked. And still sated and revving from the sex they'd had the night before.

This time hadn't been in a frantic hurry, and it hadn't started off as a need to comfort. There'd just been the need.

And a private place.

That had turned out to be her bed where they had ended up after the long, grueling day. A day that had been filled with emotion and upheaval, what with the ruckus Paul had caused and with Rowan's visit. Charlotte figured they hadn't seen the last of Paul, but she couldn't say that of Rowan. Cal's half brother hadn't left a very big gap in the proverbial door for any future visits.

Hence the emotion and upheaval.

That was probably twofold for Derek, and Cal had to be worried about the effect this would have on the man's health. So maybe the sex had been a little about comforting after all. If so, then she was glad Cal had come to her because the comfort and sex had brought her here to this moment.

Naked, cuddling, satisfied. In a wonderful room in an equally wonderful house that was quiet and settled. The morning breeze was even helping with the ambience. She'd opened the window the night before, and now the breeze was stirring the white gauzy curtains, shifting just a little to let slivers of sunlight slide in.

Definitely satisfying.

She tried to block out any unsatisfied thoughts that were pressing their way into her head, and while she was winning that particular battle for now, it wouldn't last. There were just way too many things up in the air for that. But now she blocked them out by snuggling even closer to Cal.

Charlotte aligned her body so it created the ultimate spooning with her back against his chest. Her butt against what felt to be the early stages of an erection.

"If you keep pressing against me like that," he muttered, "we'll need another condom."

Since there were several condoms in her nightstand, Charlotte smiled and kept wiggling. Cal didn't take the teasing torture for long. He slipped his arm around her, flipping her around to face him.

And he kissed her.

No, this would never, ever get old or feel routine. Cal always seemed to make each kiss feel as if it were that magical first time, but since her body knew what was to follow—a whole lot more pleasure—it instantly revved up.

Then instantly wound down when Cal's phone dinged. It wasn't the usual sound of a text, but it still made him groan and curse.

"It's a reminder on my calendar," he explained. "I'm supposed to call my commander this morning."

Well, that certainly didn't result in any sexual revving. But it did create a whole lot of questions, or rather one question, anyway. Why?

"Oh, is everything okay?" she asked.

He rolled over, located his phone and tapped something, no doubt so that it wouldn't ping again with a repeat notification. "Yes," he said. But then he paused. "I got an email from him yesterday, and he was asking about the job that Audrey offered me. He wants to know if I'm going to take it, or if I will be back from leave in five days."

Charlotte waited to see if Cal was going to add anything to that. He did after another long pause.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to say to him," Cal admitted. "That's why I didn't call him back yesterday right after I got his email. But I can't put off talking to him any longer, so I marked my calendar to call him at 0800."

She checked the time on the clock on the desk and saw that it was seven o'clock. So one hour from now. Of course, Cal likely intended to use an hour to shower, get dressed and go back to Saddlebrook, where he would be making that call. He didn't budge, though. He lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'll need to carve out some time today to have a talk with my dad," he added a moment later. "I'm worried about him."

So was she. Charlotte couldn't imagine the shock of walking in and seeing your own grown son for the first time.

"Do you think your dad will tell Audrey or your siblings about Rowan's visit?" she asked.

"Not Audrey," he was quick to say. "He still hasn't been able to forgive her, so he likely won't share any of it with her. But he might not be able to stop himself from spilling to Egan or Blue. I almost hope he does, and that way I won't have to keep the secret." He groaned softly. "It doesn't feel right to keep it from them."

"No," she agreed. "It wouldn't feel right. Maybe Rowan will relent and change his mind." However that it seem like a long shot after everything that Rowan had said.

Cal quit staring at the ceiling and turned to look at her and slid his gaze to her breasts. He smiled in a way that let her know he didn't think this would ever be routine or ordinary, either. This was something amazing that should be savored.

She hoped that savoring would require another condom. That's why she moved closer, taking his mouth in a long, deep kiss, a kiss that would've lasted a whole lot longer if her phone hadn't dinged. Her notification was for an actual text. Charlotte cursed when she saw it was from her mother. She cursed even more when she read the actual message.

"‘I need to see you. It's important,'" Charlotte read aloud. "‘I'm downstairs waiting, but I didn't want to just come up since Cal's truck is outside, and I figured he was with you.'"

Cal winced. "Sorry. I should have parked up the road and sneaked back here."

"No need," she assured him. "There's probably not one person within a one-mile radius who doesn't know we've been hooking up."

He looked at her again, his gaze locking with hers, and he seemed to be silently questioning the "hooking up" reference. Maybe he wondered if that was how she thought of them.

She didn't.

Charlotte didn't like to lie to herself, so she could admit with way too much certainty that she had fallen head over heels in love with Cal. So, in love while hooking up, which was probably what most people in love did. But since Cal wasn't in love with her, then she was going to keep that particular revelation to herself.

He finally tore his gaze from hers and got up to collect his clothes. That was always a task since the clothing items were always scattered. So perhaps there'd been some franticness to the night before after all.

Charlotte got up and dressed as well, and she considered a shower but nixed the idea. She'd do that after her mother left. And that brought her to the text itself. She'd been so annoyed with the interruption that she hadn't considered the actual content. This had better not be a visit to whine about poll rankings and such.

Cal kissed her after he finished dressing. "I'll call you later. Maybe we can go out to lunch or something. I mean, since everyone in a one-mile radius already knows what we're doing."

She smiled and returned the kiss. "I'd like that." In fact, she'd like anything that meant spending time with Cal.

Charlotte tried not to look all dreamy-eyed and in love when she said goodbye to him. Those kinds of reactions wouldn't send him ducking and running for cover. No, Cal would face any and everything head-on. But she certainly didn't want to add to his worries, and he would indeed have some of those. Especially if he ended up taking that job.

Since that particular thought ramped up her own worries, Charlotte went ahead and sent a response to her mother that it was all right for her to come up. She did. In fact, Izzie knocked on the door less than thirty seconds later, which told Charlotte she likely hadn't been waiting in the foyer but rather somewhere near her bedroom.

Charlotte opened the door, wondering if she was going to see a fretting, frazzled Izzie, the way she had been her last visit, or if her mom had gone back to her old self. On the surface, it was the old self with a perfectly tailored aquamarine-colored dress and heels, and every strand of hair in place. But Izzie certainly wasn't exuding her usual air of confidence and authority.

"I figure I'm the last person on earth you want to see," Izzie said in lieu of a greeting.

"No, there are a few people ahead of you," Charlotte remarked. Of course, she'd intended that to sound snarky, and it was, but then she instantly regretted it. She didn't want to snipe and snarl with her mother. With anyone for that matter, even the people ahead of Izzie on that list.

Her mother looked stumped for a couple of seconds. "Good. Well, I guess it's good." She was holding a folded piece of paper, and she thrust it out for Charlotte.

Charlotte opened it and saw the numbers written there. "What is this?" she asked.

"It's your father's phone number," Izzie answered without hesitation.

Charlotte certainly did some hesitating, along with nearly staggering back a step. She definitely hadn't seen this coming.

"I haven't personally tried to call it to see if he'll answer," Izzie went on, "but I have the assurance from a reputable PI that it's his correct phone number. Apparently, he's goes by the A. A. Wilson these days, and he's a financial adviser in Phoenix."

Charlotte shook her head to try to clear it. Nope, that didn't work, either. "What happened to Harper's mother?" No need for her to remind Izzie that he'd left town with her.

"Oh, they divorced about a year later. I wish I could say I felt sad about that, that he'd thrown away so much, only to have a year with the other woman." She put those last two words in quotes. "But I'll admit, I laughed like a loon. Twenty years isn't nearly long enough to let go of all the ill will that I feel for those two."

It seemed Paul felt the same way, but Charlotte...well, she wasn't sure what she felt. For those same twenty years, she'd thought her father's leaving was because of her, and look how that'd turned out.

Yes, look.

And she studied her mother now with what she was certain was some suspicion. "A PI?" Charlotte questioned, and she held up the number. "When exactly did you get this?"

Izzie's mouth tightened a little. "About four months ago when Taggert and I started dating. I just kept having this nightmare about your father showing up at Taggert's and my wedding. Not to try to win me back but to warn Taggert that he was marrying a cold, heartless bitch and that he should end things with me and run."

That caused Charlotte to sigh, and while she wouldn't put that particularly ugly label on her mom, Izzie could be demanding and self-centered. And could also withhold critical info.

"Four months?" Charlotte prompted. "Did it occur to you to tell me?"

"Well, of course it did." Izzie groaned softly and squeezed her eyes shut a moment. "Of course it did," she repeated in a much calmer voice. "Around the time of the PI report, your father had just married wife number four—who's your age, by the way—and according to one of his social-media posts, he said he was very excited at the prospect of becoming a father."

The surprise of that came out like a huff of air from Charlotte's throat.

Izzie scowled. "I'm assuming he wasn't talking about being a father to his new bride because of their age difference. Sorry about the sarcasm," she added in a grumble. "Anyway, the becoming got to me since he was already a father and wasn't acknowledging it. Actually, it pissed me off, and I thought it'd just end up hurting you. That he would end up hurting you."

Charlotte tamped down some of the surprise from hearing all of this and stared at her mother. And stared. Because she was pretty sure Izzie was leaving something out.

She was.

This time, Izzie scowled and huffed. "All right, that's true about me not wanting him to hurt you, but I also didn't want him back in my life. If he was to come back even for a visit, it would stir up the gossip. I'd be the center of Poor Pitiful Izzie talk. I'd be the wronged woman again and not just your mother, not just the mayor. I'd rather there be talk about my lousy poll numbers or, heck, even Taggert breaking up with me than the pity over my cheating ex-husband."

Charlotte didn't doubt a word of that. Her mother had been both selfish and selfless.

Some sadness crept into Izzie's eyes. "Things will never be the same between us, will it?" she said.

Charlotte considered her answer. "No. But maybe that's a good thing. We're on equal footing now. You can't play the dad guilt card anymore, and I...well, I don't have to feel pressure for anything fairy-tale."

Izzie stayed quiet, her gaze fixed to Charlotte's. "You're in love with Cal."

Crap.

Charlotte tried to deny it, but she only managed a splutter of sounds.

Izzie smiled. "Don't worry. Most people won't notice, but I know every inch of your face. I see it. You're in love with him. Does he know?" She paused a heartbeat. "No," she supplied while Charlotte just continued to hem and haw. "Oh, well. You should probably tell him."

No way. Charlotte didn't need actual words to convey that, either. She just gave her mother a flat stare that warned her that she'd better not be telling Cal herself.

Izzie smiled again, the touch of sadness sliding from her eyes. "Oh, well," she repeated. "You know best when it comes to Cal and you." She glanced at the note Charlotte was still holding. "Are you going to call your father?" Izzie asked.

Charlotte glanced at it, too. "Has he tried to call me in the past twenty years?"

Izzie's smile vanished. "No. And I'm sorry about that. As much as I despise him for walking out on me, I despise him even more for walking out on you." With that, Izzie brushed a quick kiss on Charlotte's cheek and left.

Charlotte stood there, her thoughts freezing her in place. But not freezing in her head. She thought of her father. Of the sixteen years he'd been in her life. Of the day he'd packed a single suitcase and walked out, leaving most of his life and all of his immediate family behind.

At first, it was hard for Charlotte to filter those memories of a kid and teenager through her now-adult mind. He hadn't been a bad father like Paul. No bullying or abuse. However, he also hadn't been a present father, either. There'd been lots of business trips. Lots of late nights at work. And also lots of arguments with Izzie, and in some of those shouting matches, Izzie had accused him of cheating. Considering that he'd left because of another woman, that had probably been the case.

She tore up the paper with the number, but not in a hurt, tear-filled rage. She let the pieces fall into the trash can like confetti.

Charlotte smiled.

It wasn't every day that a woman could rid herself of some emotional baggage, but today looked to be her day.

C AL STOPPED AT the bottom of the stairs on the first floor and considered going right back up to Charlotte's room. Izzie wasn't Paul, but Cal was still concerned that Izzie's visit would upset Charlotte. She might need to vent to him after Izzie had delivered whatever news she'd come to deliver. So he lingered despite the fact the minutes were ticking away, and the countdown was coming fast for the call that he needed to make to his commander.

Of course, that call could happen anywhere, including his truck since it wouldn't be FaceTime, but Cal had figured if he was showered and not wearing yesterday's clothes, then he'd have a better mindset. Something he would need since he wasn't sure what he was going to say to his boss, but Cal was hoping the right frame of mind would lead to the right words.

He turned when he heard the whirring sound of a wheelchair and spotted Harper. She'd come from the direction of the kitchen, and judging from the immediate dread on her face, she hadn't expected or wanted to see him. Still, that didn't stop her from moving toward him instead of hightailing it to her room.

"How'd your visit go with your dad?" he asked right off, figuring that topic was causing some of the dread on Harper's face. Cal figured Harper would never look at him and not feel at least some of those overwhelming emotions that had caused her downward spiral.

"It went..." she said aloud. "It went," she finished. Which was probably about the best she could say for a meeting with Paul. "So was that guy a long-lost brother or something?" she asked, using the computer this time.

Cal figured there was now some unease in his expression as well. "Or something," he settled on.

She rolled her eyes. "A brother," Harper communicated through the computer. "He looks just as shiny as the rest of you Donnellys."

"Shiny?" Cal said. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

She shrugged, and even though most people would have seen that as noncommittal, Cal looked at it as progress. Harper hadn't lashed out at him in her usual way.

"So did Charlotte tell you about the tree limb at the creek?" Harper's digital voice asked.

Cal was sure he looked confused. "Uh, no. What about it?"

Harper looked him straight in the eye while she typed. "I knew the limb was about to break, and I let you go up on it anyway."

He stared at her and realized this was truly bothering her. "I knew it was cracked, too," he said. "I heard it when you were up there."

Now she was the one to look confused. "And you went up anyway?" she asked, her own voice raspy but still conveying her shock.

"I was a kid and thought I was invincible. I figured it'd hold just one more time while I finished my turn. Obviously, I was wrong."

"Obviously," she repeated, and it had some of her snark to it. "It was a stupid thing to do."

"Hey, a kid," he emphasized, and then paused. "Have you been worrying about this all these years?"

She pulled back her shoulders, and it seemed to be an automatic defensive response. "Well, yes," she admitted. "I thought I'd set up an attempted murder because I was so jealous of you."

Shit. She was serious. "And you held on to it all this time," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

"You should be," she snapped, again in her own voice. She stared at him. "You really knew about the limb? You were really that stupid?"

"Yes, yes," he said, answering both questions. "Of course, if I'd known I was going to fall and hit my head, I would have rethought my decision. That life-pact with Noah has been a piss-off over the years."

Harper made a sound of agreement, with little snark, and that was enough to prompt him to try to go a little deeper with this conversation. Especially since he wasn't hearing any shouting coming from Charlotte's room.

"You want to talk about your dad?" Cal risked asking.

"No," she was quick to type out. "But I do want to talk to you about the job Audrey arranged for you."

Cal groaned and braced himself for some classic Harper attitude...which didn't happen.

"You should take it," Harper typed. "And, no, I'm not saying that because I want you gone." She switched to her own voice. "I'm saying it because if you win at it, then your winning could help people."

There it was. The best argument he'd gotten so far for accepting the job. It didn't give him an aha! moment, it just filled him with more dread over the decision he had to make.

It seemed almost selfish to turn it down, but it felt reckless to accept it. Like climbing onto a cracked limb and assuming it wouldn't fall. Because despite the progress Harper was making, she was still plenty broken.

And so was he.

But was he broken enough that he couldn't ever go back to the cockpit?

With that dismal thought racing through his head, he glanced one last time up the stairs. No Izzie or Charlotte appeared, so after he talked to his commander, he'd call Charlotte to make sure she was okay. He said a goodbye to Harper and headed out, hoping the short drive home would steady him some. It worked.

Until he saw the woman getting out of an SUV in front of the house.

Audrey.

Judging from the way her gaze went straight to his, she'd been waiting for him. She was in uniform and checked the time, which meant she was either annoyed that he hadn't been there when she arrived or else she was anxious to say whatever she'd come to say and leave. He didn't have to guess what the subject would be, and it was still plenty fresh because of the conversation he'd just had with Harper.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Cal immediately said.

Audrey's expression was already tight, and that seemed to annoy her even more. "Too bad, because time is running out."

"Yeah, my leave is up in five days," he said, and motioned for her to follow him inside, but she stayed put.

"It's more than that. Now that I created the job, people are anxious for it to be filled. If not by you, then someone else. Major Jack Colby's name has been bandied about."

"A good choice," Cal said, and that caused even more tightening in Audrey's face.

"No, you're the good choice," she snapped. "I didn't go to all the work and trouble to create the job for him but for you."

He nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry I can't just jump on it and accept. And I'm sorry you came all the way out here to get an answer I can't give you yet."

"I didn't come here just for that," Audrey informed him, that general's snap still in her voice. But her expression changed. Not so much annoyed-general but something else. "You met with Rowan," she threw out there. Not a question but a statement of fact. She clearly wasn't happy about that fact, either.

Cal didn't confirm the meeting, which was probably why she huffed.

"There are still people in this town who keep in touch with me. Gossip gets around." She glanced up at the second-floor window. His dad wasn't up there watching, but if Audrey had been parked out front for long, he had almost certainly gotten word of her arrival. "Did Derek see Rowan, too? Did you two go behind my back—"

"No." Cal cut off what seemed to be the beginning of a tirade. "No," he repeated to level out his tone of voice. "Rowan called and arranged the visit, but it was to tell me he doesn't want to be involved with any of us. Dad just happened to walk in as Rowan was leaving."

She studied his eyes as if checking to see if he was lying about any of that, and then she huffed. "Did Rowan ask about me?"

"No, but then he didn't really ask about any of us. He's got his own life, Audrey," Cal said, purposely using her given name. "And he doesn't want us to be part of that."

Audrey nodded. Swallowed hard. Then she closed her eyes a moment as if trying to block out whatever emotions were hitting her hard at the moment.

"All right," she said several moments later. She muttered those same two words under her breath and was making a visible effort to steady herself. "How did Derek handle seeing Rowan? Is he okay?"

Cal considered his answer and figured there was nothing he could say that was going to make this better. "It was a shock, of course. And painful. Just as it is for you. I believe it was painful for Rowan, too."

She nodded, paused again. "Did he seem happy?"

Now, this might make things better. "Yes." Cal was pretty sure it was true, so he left it at that.

Thankfully, that seemed to ease some of Audrey's tension, and she glanced back up at the window again. "No need for you to tell your dad about this conversation," she said. "He's got enough on his mind without adding anything about me to the mix. If he asks why I was here, you can just say it was because I was pressuring you to take the job. Which I am," she tacked on.

She was in the general mode again and already reaching for the door handle of the rental SUV. "I just hope the pressure works," she added.

"As you pointed out, someone else could do the job," Cal reminded her.

"Yes, but not as well as you could, and you know it." Audrey patted his arm, opened the door and got behind the wheel. "You're needed, Cal. Needed there more than here."

With that, she drove away with her words echoing in Cal's head. Echoing so loud that he actually listened.