Deception (Infidelity #3)(102)

Looking back to Ralph, I said, “Please, please don’t say anything.” I handed him my keys.

Natalie reached for my elbow. “Mrs. Fitzgerald, I’m parked out back. I can take you so no one else sees us leave.”

I nodded as I took one last look at the table. The wine in the glass was red. It wasn’t six o’clock.





CHARLI WAS RIGHT. Not only did I know about Chelsea being in Savannah when she told me, but I knew a lot more. I also knew that my amazing girlfriend had shared more about her past than I had about mine. When Charli simply stared, I asked, “What the hell do you mean?”

“About which part?” she asked, bristling, “About Chelsea being me or your not telling me… anything?”

“Her being you,” I confirmed.

Charli’s lips formed a straight line as she stared at me.

I couldn’t help that I wasn’t ready to delve into my shadows. I hadn’t, not since that terrible night. As long as she was content with what I gave her, why would I want to relive what happened—what I’d done. And if I did open that door and shed light on that past, what would Charli do with that knowledge? What would she do when she knew the monster that I had been?

“I mean,” Charli said, “Chelsea’s living my old life.” She spun from my arms toward the computer. “Here, let me show you some pictures.”

What the hell?

“Chelsea sent you pictures?”

“No. I went to Facebook. I’m almost never on there, but after Millie’s weird email, I had to see.”

She was dropping names like bombs in a war zone. “Charli, calm down. Who’s Millie?”

“She used to be a friend.”

Used to be?

Charli’s large golden eyes peered up at me as her sexy body leaned over the desk and keyboard. In that instant, I noticed how sensual yet sweet she looked. Though I knew she’d been upset, she’d calmed. Her hair was different with lots of long curls, and her face was clear of makeup. For only a second, I wondered why she normally wore it. She didn’t need it. I reached out to touch the auburn curls.

She pulled her head away. “Stop it. I never dried my hair. It looks awful.”

“You could never look awful.” I tried a grin as I pulled gently on one of the spring-like curls wondering if it would bounce. It did. “I like it.”

“Look here,” she said, ignoring my attempt to lighten the mood and pointing to the computer screen.

The picture was of a group of women about Charli’s age, seated in a semicircular booth. I narrowed my gaze as I scanned across the women. By their clothes and the background, it appeared as though they were clubbing. The one on the end caught my eye.

I pointed. “Chelsea?”

“Look at her! She’s never worn a dress like that or done her hair that way. She’s being me!”

I tugged Charli’s hand and pulled her back to me. “No one can be you. There’s only one you, and I’m lucky enough to have you all to myself.” I touched her hair again, petting the ringlets. “And she doesn’t look like you. I mean, look at you. You’re all fun and curly, and she’s all pinned back and stuffy.”

The corner of Charli’s lips moved upward as she took an exaggerated breath. “We’ve switched. I’m living the bracelet, doing what Chelsea would do, and she’s doing what I did.”

The bracelet?

She was talking in riddles.

“No, princess. I’ve seen you all straitlaced and proper. I know she’s your friend, but she doesn’t come close to having your flair or class.” I cupped her cheeks. “I remember the first time I saw you all sophisticated. I’d seen you sexy as hell in Del Mar as well as bent over a sink in a roadside gas station.” Pink returned to her cheeks. “It wasn’t until you walked into that restaurant in San Francisco to have lunch with Senator Carroll and me that I saw the sophisticate from Savannah. My God, I almost forgot my own name.” I lifted her face toward mine. “Princess, you are you. Chelsea could never be anything more than a cheap imitation. And I don’t see her trying to do that. Do you?”

I released her cheeks as my hands slid to her slender shoulders.

“I don’t know,” she said as she released her breath and collapsed against my chest.

Allowing my hands to move lower, I wrapped my arms around her sensual body and held her close. Slowly, her muscles relaxed, melting into me.

“And you’re not her,” I went on. “She’s the one who hasn’t called. You’re too caring for that. You’d never do that.”

“God,” Charli said, now holding on to my waist, her hands locked behind my back under my jacket. “Next thing you know she’ll be married to him and pregnant.”

My jaw clenched at the word. I tilted Charli’s chin toward me. “Why would you even say that?”

“Because that’s what my mother has been telling me to do forever. Get married… to Bryce…” She spoke with an exaggerated Southern accent. “…and have babies. Hurry up, you’re not getting any younger.”

“You just turned twenty-four.”

“I know.” Her golden eyes were veiled by thick lashes. “I don’t know how to feel. I don’t give a damn that Bryce’s attention has moved away from me. Actually, I’m thrilled.” Her face tilted ever so slightly to the side. “I have my hands full with you.”