AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Take care of him, will you?"she called out to Simon, her voice carrying a playful undertone, though herheart thrummed with earnest concern.
"Only for you," Simonresponded without missing a beat, shooting her a reassuring wink.
As the pickup truck ambled down thewinding path, Charlotte stood rooted to the spot, the loose strands of her hairdancing in the wind like the restless waves below the cliffs. She felt theweight of solitude settle upon her shoulders, though it wasn't unwelcome; itwas a chance to breathe, to think.
It was a chance to try one last time toconvince Roxie to come back.
In no time, she stood before Roxanne'sdoor back at Windnell’s hotel. It was a barrier more than just physical, aportal to uncertainty. She raised a hand, hesitated, and then let her knucklesrap gently against the wood. The sound was a declaration, a hope, a plea.
"Roxanne," she said softly,her voice barely above a murmur, though no response came. Charlotte took asteadying breath, closed her eyes, and imagined the door opening, imagined thewalls between them crumbling down, imagined the start of something new andbeautiful, like the dawn's first light kissing the horizon of their coastalhaven.
"Please," she whispered tothe silence, a single word infused with all the love of a sister reaching out.
The latch clicked softly, and the doorcrept open to reveal Roxanne, her eyes wide with surprise. The lines of tensionaround her mouth softened fractionally at the sight of her sister, but therewas a guardedness in her gaze that spoke volumes.
"Charlotte? What are you doinghere?" Roxanne's voice held a brittle edge, like thin ice over a frozenlake.
"Roxie," Charlotte began, herown voice a soothing contrast, warm and steady. "I came to talk. I’vemissed you at the inn."
"Missed me, or just the extrahelp?" Roxanne folded her arms across her chest, leaning against the doorframe—a barrier yet to be dismantled.
"Both," Charlotte admitted,refusing to let the conversation steer toward conflict. "But mostly you,Roxie. It hasn't been the same without you." Her smile was tentative,hopeful.
There was a pause, heavy with history.Roxanne sighed and stepped aside, granting Charlotte entry into the crisp hotelroom, where the bed was made with military precision and the curtains flutteredgently in the sea breeze coming through an open window.
"Fine, let's hear it then,"Roxanne said as she perched on the edge of a plush armchair, her posture stiff.
Charlotte took a seat on the bed,smoothing the duvet absentmindedly. She noted the stark difference between thehotel's sterility and The Old Crown Inn's warm charm.
"Roxie, I know things got...complicated. And I'm sorry for my part in that," Charlotte said, meetingher sister's eyes. A shaft of sunlight caught in Roxanne’s hair, turning it tospun gold for a moment.
"Complicated is one word forit," Roxanne muttered, her gaze drifting to the window and the vastexpanse of water beyond.
"Look, I won’t pretend tounderstand everything you’re going through, and you don’t seem to want to tellme, but I do know that this feud between us isn't what either of us wants.You're more than just help at the inn, you're family. Your sass, your boldness,they light up the place. We all feel your absence deeply."
"Charlotte, I..." Roxannefaltered, her bravado wavering.
"Please, Roxie. Let's fix this. Ivalue our relationship more than any misunderstanding we've had. Whatever itis, we can work through it. Together."
Roxanne's facade finally cracked, andher features softened, like waves retreating after crashing against the shore.She looked at Charlotte, really looked at her, seeing the earnest hope etchedinto her face.
"Let's talk about it then. Reallytalk," Roxanne said, the stiffness leaving her body as she leaned forward,bridging the gap between them. "Charlotte..." Roxanne's voice brokeas she spoke, a quiver running through her words like a fault line ready tofracture. She seemed to crumble right there, the last vestiges of her composuredissolving as she clutched at the fabric of her dress. "He... he said Iwas abrasive," she confessed through stifled sobs, each word ajagged shard of glass. "Thomas just got up and left—right in the middle ofdinner."
The sting of rejection was palpable,hanging in the air between them like a dense fog. Roxanne's usually fieryspirit appeared to have been extinguished, leaving behind only the smolderingembers of hurt and confusion.
"Roxie, come here," Charlottemurmured, her own voice barely above a whisper as she reached out, her armsopen in silent invitation. Charlotte wrapped her arms around Roxanne in atender, protective embrace. The luxury wallpaper, adorned with patterns ofserene seascapes, seemed to mock the turmoil roiling within the hotel room.Charlotte's heart ached for her sister, sensing the fragility beneath Roxanne'susually unyielding exterior.
"Shh," she soothed, strokingRoxanne's hair gently. "This isn't about you, Roxie. Thomas... he's gothis own issues to sort through. It's his loss, not yours."
Roxanne pulled back slightly, her eyessearching Charlotte's face. There was a vulnerability there that was rare forher sassy, bold demeanor. "You don't think less of me, do you? For scaringhim away?" Her voice quivered like the last leaf clinging to a branch inautumn, ready to fall at the slightest gust.
"Judgment? From me?"Charlotte shook her head, her expression earnest and unwavering. They stoodamidst the opulent decor, a stark contrast to the raw honesty shared betweenthem. "Roxanne, you could never scare me away. I've seen you at yourhighest and your lowest. Our bond—it's made of tougher stuff than some fancydinner date gone wrong."
"Really?" Roxanne sniffled,the corners of her mouth twitching upward in a shadow of her usualself-assurance.
"Absolutely." Charlotte heldRoxanne's gaze, her own determination reflecting the steely resolve of theocean that bordered their beloved Chesham Cove. "Remember when I movedhere after Daniel's bombshell? You were my rock. Now, let me be yours. We'resisters. Unbreakable."
Roxanne's breath hitched as sheabsorbed the sincerity in Charlotte's words. Together they stood, twolighthouses steadfast amidst life's unpredictable tides, finding strength intheir unity.
