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Charlotte took this moment to slip away. Enough talk of babies. That wasn’t something she could even think about. She grabbed another drink, walked over to the circle of chairs on the lawn, and sat next to Shelby’s brother, Eric.
“Hi, Charlie,” said Eric. “My grandmother said you and your cousins would be here. Guess that’s why I agreed to come.”
“It’s nice to see you. What have you been up to?”Eric had a full head of red hair that he’d hated as a kid, but his classic features and green eyes were attractive.
Eric talked about the fact that he’d opened a medical practice in Tampa and worked with the Shriners Hospitals for Children. She soon became engrossed in learning about his work there, treating craniofacial conditions, cleft lip, and cleft palate.
“That’s impressive,” said Charlotte. As she began to answer questions about her career, she realized she wanted to do more than work in an office competing with men and women determined to do better than she, at any cost.
Shane Ensley pulled up a chair to join the conversation.
“What are you doing now, Shane?” Eric asked. “Last I knew, you’d graduated from law school.”
“That’s right,” said Shane. “I’min Miami, specializing in family law.”
“That must keep you very busy,” said Charlotte.
“Yes, I like it, though it can sometimes be depressing. But, Charlie, I understand you’ve been concentrating on marketing. Maybe you can help me on a campaign to build awareness of programs to help families in trouble.”
“I’d like that,” Charlotte answered honestly. “That’s much more appealing than trying to sell things to people who don’t want or need them.”
“Whoa. Unhappy job experience?” Shane said.
“Yes, I knew I didn’t like my life in New York, and I realize how much of it was related to my job. That, and my mother’s hopes for me to be a New York socialite.”
“You don’t want that kind of life?” asked Shane, his blue eyes boring into her.
She shook her head. “No. You may remember what my mother is like.”
“I do,” said Eric. “Beautiful but remote, now that I think of it.”
“So, you see why I’ve decided to leave the city, even though I don’t know where I’ll land.”
Their conversation was interrupted when Morgan Worthington sat next to Eric and slung an arm around his shoulder. “I hear you’re a famous, successful doctor,” she said, batting her long eyelashes at him.
Shane and Charlotte exchanged glances and stood at the same time. Poor Eric would have to handle Morgan on his own. Maybe, by the looks of it, he didn’t quite mind.
Charlotte went to find Brooke. She’d been a little nervous about the party, and Charlotte wanted to make sure everything was okay.
