Bennett (On the Line Book 2)(35)

“How are we, Charlotte?” he asked, glancing down at his clipboard.

“We’re pretty good.”

We listened to the baby’s heartbeat, and he talked to Charlotte about her diet and how she was feeling. It was a quick appointment, and Charlotte hustled toward the parking lot as soon as it was over. It was snowing, and she practically dove into her car.

“You in a hurry?” I asked, leaning down next to the open driver’s side door to look at her.

“Kind of.”

“You going back to work?”

It was 4:30 in the afternoon, which seemed late to go back in to a job that ended at five.

“No, I’m going to the grocery store.”

“Let me drive you. The roads may be slick.”

She gave me a look. “You think I can’t drive on slick roads?”

“Come on, Char. Let a big, strong man handle this.” I winked at her. “I just want to spend a little more time with you. I miss you.”

“Okay. Just make it snappy.”

I arched my brows at her, amused. “You hungry?”

“I want some chocolate peanut clusters. I’ve been fantasizing about them since I woke up this morning.”

I offered a hand and she took it, getting out of her car. Once I’d helped her into my car and cleaned the snow off of it, I drove us to the nearest grocery store.

“I feel really weird lately,” she said as I parked the car. “Maybe it’s just the stress of my mom’s visit, I don’t know. I started crying over a commercial on TV last night. Full sobbing.”

“Maybe it’s your hormones.”

She gave me a sharp look. “Let’s just get the peanut clusters.”

“Okay. I wish I could make you dinner, but I guess that won’t work.”

“I wish you could, too. I’d much rather spend my evening with you than my mom.”

We went into the store and she headed straight for the candy aisle. I followed, hands in my pockets, not wanting to block the way between her and her peanut clusters.

“What the actual f*ck?” she whispered as she stared at an empty spot on a shelf. “Where are they?”

The tag on the shelf indicated that if the store had peanut clusters, they’d be here. Charlotte looked at me, her eyes glistening with tears.

“All I wanted was peanut clusters.”

“Chocolate-covered peanuts?” I suggested, grabbing a bag from another shelf.

“No,” she said miserably. “It needs to be the clusters.”

“I’ll find someone who works here. Maybe they’ve got some in the back.”

“Would you?”

I found a pimply kid in a green apron, but he told me they were, in fact, all out of peanut clusters. Charlotte was crestfallen when I told her.

“So we’ll try another store,” I said.

“Do you think I’m hormonal?”

Well, damn. There was no right answer to that question.

“I think if you want peanut clusters, I’m gonna make sure you get some,” I said, putting an arm around her shoulders.

“You always make me feel . . .” She shook her head, considering. “Calmer. Warmer. Steadier. I could really fall for you, Bennett . . . if I let myself.”

I was frozen. I wanted to say something sweet and right, but all I could think about was Kelly saying something similar to me five years ago.

“You’re the calm in my storm, Bennett.”

But I hadn’t been. When she needed a steady presence most, I’d failed her.

“You okay?” Charlotte asked, her brow furrowed with concern. “Did I just freak you out?”

I cleared my throat. “No. Let’s get going to another store.”

“Sure.”

We found the peanut clusters at the next store and I drove Charlotte back to her car. I gave her a quick kiss, still shaken from thinking about Kelly. Then I followed her home, and once I made sure she got there okay, went home and lost myself in a video game with Liam. Some things were best left buried.



Charlotte

“Why hasn’t Christopher been back?” my mom asked. “You two didn’t have a fight, did you?”

“No. He’s just been busy.”

“Why don’t you invite him over for dinner tonight? I’ll help you make chicken marsala. It’s true what they say about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach, you know.”

I glanced up at her from the magazine I was reading in my recliner. It was Saturday, and my hopes of a relaxing day had been short-lived.

“I don’t cook,” I said. “No reason to make him think I’m someone I’m not.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “That’s not what I’m suggesting. Just show him your best side until you’ve got a ring on your finger. Then you can ease away from cooking a bit.”

“A ring?”

“He’s a catch, Charlotte.”

I cocked my head at her in surprise. “How do you know? You met him once for like ten minutes.”

She held up five fingers, folding them down as she went through her list. “Good job. Very attractive. Clearly likes you. Intelligent. Has all his hair.”

“What?” I set the magazine down in my lap. “The fact that he likes me is not a redeeming quality. You act like no man would want to be with me.”