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Charlotte frowned, feeling confused and a bit hurt. What was Simon doing sneaking around her inn? Here he was, acting like a trespasser.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to keep the accusation out of her tone.
Simon ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to see..." He trailed off as the sound of crunching gravel signaled a new arrival.
Charlotte turned to see Isla approaching from the other direction. The woman slowed as she spotted Charlotte, looking at her questioningly.
Charlotte's eyes darted to Simon, who was now behind a nearby bush. She felt a knot forming in her stomach. Charlotte stared after him in surprise. Why was he hiding? What was Isla’s connection to Simon?
Isla smiled, waved, and went into the inn.
Charlotte let out a breath, even more perplexed. As she watched Isla disappear inside, Simon emerged cautiously from the bushes. Clearly, he had some explaining to do.
Charlotte turned to Simon with a bewildered look. "What on earth is going on? Why were you hiding in the bushes from Isla?"
Simon ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "It's complicated. Isla is...my ex-wife."
"Your ex-wife?" Charlotte repeated in shock.
"Yes. We've been separated for years, though not formally divorced yet," he explained. "I saw her in town yesterday, and I remembered your annoying, needy guest from the other night, and I connected the two. So I came to see what she was doing here."
Charlotte's mind raced, trying to make sense of this new information. Isla's probing questions suddenly seemed less innocuous. And Simon—well, to say that she was hurt over his sneaking and hiding was a bit of an understatement. Suddenly, her old insecurities about the two of them reared their heads. And, she thought, with good reason. Her voice was cold when she spoke.
"But why is she staying at my inn?" Charlotte asked. "Does she know about...us?"
Simon shook his head. "I don't think so. She's probably here to finalize the divorce paperwork. Though with Isla, I can never be sure."
He gazed up at the windows of the inn, his expression unreadable. Charlotte felt a pang of jealousy flare up despite her attempts to keep herself even. Clearly, there was still a lot of history between them.
"I should get back to work," Charlotte murmured, feeling suddenly deflated. The encounter with Isla had shifted something intangibly. Charlotte wasn't sure where she and Simon stood anymore, but a shadow of uncertainty had been cast over their deepening bond.
Charlotte took a deep breath to steady her nerves before turning back to Simon.
"I appreciate you telling me the truth," she said. "But I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit shaken up by all of this. I thought we were building something meaningful here."
Simon stepped closer and took her hands in his. "We are," he said earnestly. "Nothing has changed between us just because Isla showed up. The past is the past."
Her father leapt into her mind. The past is the past?
Charlotte searched his eyes, wanting to believe him but still plagued by doubts. "It's not that simple though, is it? You have a history with her that I'll never fully understand. And you didn’t tell me she was here!"
"A history I'm trying to put behind me," Simon insisted. "You're the one I want to move forward with. And, Charlotte, I—I wasn’t trying to deceive you. I’m as shocked as you are."
He gently tucked a strand of hair behind Charlotte's ear. She felt her pulse quicken being so close to him.
"Please don't let Isla's presence here undermine what we have," he implored. "This thing between us - it's real."
Charlotte nodded slowly. She knew in her heart he was speaking the truth. She wouldn't let her insecurities sabotage their chance at happiness.
"You're right," she said finally. "I'm sorry for doubting you. It's just...it's been a long time since I've let someone in."
Simon smiled, visibly relieved. "I know."
He pulled her close, and she rested her head on his chest, taking comfort in the steadiness of his heartbeat. Charlotte wanted to believe Simon's reassuring words, but a nagging doubt still lingered in the back of her mind. As much as she tried to push it away, she couldn't ignore the questions swirling through her thoughts. Charlotte lifted her head from Simon's chest and took a step back, folding her arms across herself protectively.
"I care about you, I really do," she began hesitantly. "But I need you to be honest with me. Is there more going on with Isla that you haven't told me?"
Simon sighed and ran a hand through his windswept hair. "I should have known this wasn't going to be easy," he muttered, almost to himself.
