AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 17
Charlie Morgan
The following day
"Don't be mad at me, Maximus."
Charlie shook his head at his brother, Casey, as he drove. "You told me it was right down the street, and we were halfway to Little Rock."
"It was twenty minutes, tops."
"Yeah, but that was an hour ago. How do you already have access to that place if you haven't bought it yet?"
"Why are you in such a hurry to get back to the house?" Casey asked, ignoring the other question.
"Because Hope is already over there. She took off early and said she'd be at the house by four. What are you doing buying a house out here in the middle of nowhere, anyway?"
Casey didn't answer.
Charlie didn't usually ask Casey or his father about the odd things they did with their work. He honestly didn't want to know. They had work colleagues who they would entertain and travel with, and Charlie figured this house in the middle of nowhere Arkansas was part of that. He didn't know every detail about their work, but he knew they were good men. They weren't into anything immoral in spite of a few rumors. He didn't talk to anyone about their dad's house in the woods, and he wouldn't tell anyone about Casey's new real estate venture. He knew that his dad and brother talked to each other about all of that, but he didn't mention their business to anyone.
"It's just a rental. I would have just borrowed your truck instead of you driving, but you said you'd give me a ride."
"I didn't mind giving you a ride. But that's when I thought it was right down the road," Charlie said.
"Since when are you freaking out to see AJ's girlfriend?" Casey laughed and covered his mouth with his fist when he said it, watching and waiting for Charlie's reaction.
Charlie knew his brother was saying that to try to get a rise out of him. He had succeeded. Charlie's blood pressure was through the roof as a result of that comment.
"I know you're just joking and everything, but I seriously never ever want you to call her that again."
Casey laughed and covered his mouth even more, teasing Charlie for being so wound up about it. Charlie smiled a little and shook his head.
"You laugh, but I'm protective of her. Please don't say any of this in front of her or AJ. It would make her uncomfortable."
"I didn't know you were that serious about her."
"I am so serious. I saw my future running toward me in the sand in a pair of fuzzy socks last night."
"What do you mean?" Casey asked, laughing.
"She chased me down at that beach in Graham Springs last night and she ran through the sand in these big fluffy socks. She drove in them."
"She drove in socks?"
"Yeah, and then trudged through the sand in them. I stood there with her for a half-hour before I brought it up and we laughed about it. I looked down at those socks in the sand, and I realized I was going to be old with this woman."
"You have got to be kidding me. How can something like this happen twice to one guy? Are you just good at falling in love or something?"
"I don't know. I don't think I am. I wasn't trying to fall in love. I didn't come here for that. Even last night, I told myself I should leave her alone, but I just couldn’t. If anything, I'm trying to hold myself back from falling in love so soon. I don't want to make myself susceptible to that type of heartbreak again. But I just couldn't let her go. I couldn't get her out of my mind. I know you've heard me say this before, and it's unbelievable, even to me, that I'm saying it again. But I love her. That's why I don't want her over there with AJ right now."
"You should just tell AJ the truth if you love her so much."
"I would, in a heartbeat, but Hope doesn't want to yet, and I understand. AJ and Aunt Astrid are only going to be at the house for a couple more days, so we're going to be neutral in front of everyone and not make it weird. That's why I'm telling you about all this though. If you see me trying to sneak around with Hope, don't call us out. Tell dad, too. Just stay neutral till the Camerons leave."
"And then what happens when they come back for Christmas they just see y'all married?"
"They probably will," Charlie said. "And we'll deal with it then."
