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After dinner, Case led Fancy to the library. She had the feeling he wanted to tell her something important. His features were creased with strain.
She reached up and smoothed her palm against his worry lines. “What’s wrong? You look so tense all of a sudden.”
“There’s something that needs to be addressed before we can truly move forward.” The serious tone of Case’s voice sounded alarming.
She raised a hand to her neck. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”
He reached for her hand. “Trust me, Fancy. It’s nothing to fear. It’s closure.”
Fancy turned her head toward the door as it creaked open. Charlotte walked inside the room, her movements hesitant. She also had a look of tension etched on her face.
“The two of you look like something terrible has happened. What’s going on?” Fancy asked, swinging her gaze between Charlotte and Case. Charlotte moved toward Fancy and reached for her hand.
“Charlotte, you’re trembling,” Fancy said, noting the tremors in Charlotte’s hand.
“Yes. It’s nerves, I guess. I’ve never really been good at dealing with things head-on.”
Fancy studied her friend’s expression. Charlotte’s cheeks were flushed and she kept breaking eye contact with her. All of a sudden, Fancy’s mouth felt as if it was filled with sawdust. Did Charlotte have an objection to her rekindled relationship with her brother? Hurt flared inside her at the possibility. Charlotte had always been so enthusiastic about them being together. Was she afraid of Case getting hurt again? Did she believe that they weren’t a good match for each other?
“I should have told you something a long time ago.” Tears slid down Charlotte’s face and her voice quivered.
“Hey, don’t cry. Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Are you sick? Or in some sort of trouble?” Fancy asked, gripping Charlotte’s hand even tighter.
Dear Lord, she prayed. Please don’t let Charlotte’s problem be one that takes her away from us. I need Charlotte and her sweet, gentle nature. Her unwavering support.
“No.” Case interrupted. “It’s nothing like that.” He nudged Charlotte. “Go on, Charlotte. You insisted on telling her. Go ahead.”
The siblings exchanged a loaded glance. Charlotte swung her gaze back to Fancy and bit her lip.
“I love you like a sister, Fancy. And I never ever wanted to hurt you. Please believe that.” Charlotte’s tone was pleading.
Confusion swirled around Fancy. What was Charlotte talking about? “And you never have.”
“It was me, Fancy,” Charlotte sobbed. “I was the one who betrayed you. I told Case about you and Marc.”
Fancy let out a shocked gasp. Charlotte! For over two years she had wondered about the identity of the person who had detonated a bomb in her world. It had been Charlotte the whole time!
For so long she had been certain it had been one of her dearest friends. That sense of betrayal, along with her broken engagement, had driven her away from Savannah for almost two years. Her friendships had shattered under the weight of her suspicion. She hadn’t known who to trust. And so she had trusted no one! All because of Charlotte!
Although she felt an immediate sense of vindication, she also felt gutted by this revelation. Why hadn’t Charlotte told her a long time ago and spared her all this angst?
“You.” Fancy choked out the word. “It was you?”
“I never meant to hurt you or Case. I told him because I knew things might be misconstrued if anybody found out, which is exactly what happened in the end. I hoped that Case would realize things weren’t right between the two of you and that it would be a wake-up call. I was trying to save your relationship, not sabotage it.”
Fancy released Charlotte’s hand and took a step backward. “That makes no sense.”
Case stepped up so that he stood beside them. Charlotte was now openly weeping. It hurt Fancy’s heart to see her friend so torn up inside. But at the same time she wanted to lash out at her.
“Charlotte came to me as a sister. And as your friend. She wanted everything on the table so our relationship didn’t buckle under the weight of everything,” Case explained. “She thought our relationship was falling apart, so she stepped up to try and help us save it.”
Fancy met Case’s gaze. “But it did buckle, didn’t it? And then it snapped in two.”
Never in her wildest dreams had she thought it would be Charlotte. Gentle, sweet, loving Charlotte. She’d never hurt anybody in her life. But she had destroyed Fancy’s future with Case.
“Please forgive me,” Charlotte begged, her pretty face smeared with makeup and tears.
Case locked gazes with her. His eyes were doing a fine job of pleading as well. He was silently asking her to grant his sister forgiveness.
