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I swallow thickly and remind myself that she’s too young. Still in college, for Chrissakes. I can’t be thinking about her as anything other than an unwanted distraction. Edith is easy enough to snow, but I’m not foolish enough that I’ll be able to fool her and her granddaughter regarding my true purpose here.
“I sure wish I had an outfit like that.” Edith puts her phone down and beams at Charlie.
“You want one? I can order it for you. The shorts are from Shein, and I got the top off Etsy. The shoes were in a bargain bin at the grocery store near campus, but I’m sure I can find you something similar.”
“Sounds good to me.” Edith nods as Constance brings out a huge bowl of fried chicken. “I’ll give you the Wi-Fi and my credit card. Go to town.”
“Oh, no.” Charlie puts her hand over Edith’s. “I can get it. You don’t have to do that.”
“Fiddlesticks, dear. I want you to spend my money. It’s not like I can take it with me.” She pats Charlie’s hand. “What’s mine is yours.”
Actually, what’s Edith’s is mine, but that only concerns the diadem.
“Rowan, you seem out of sorts this evening.” Edith turns her eyes on me. “Is it so awful having to dine with an old woman and her beautiful granddaughter?”
“No.” I drape my napkin across my lap as Constance brings in a steaming casserole dish full of macaroni and cheese.
She bends low over the table, doing her best to give me a view down her shirt. I glance away. Edith isn’t the only reason I try to avoid the house at mealtimes. Constance has been sniffing around me since I got here. I don’t want to give her the wrong idea.
“This looks so good!” Charlie smiles big, her heart-shaped face lit with warmth.
God, why does that smile make my chest hurt? I rub my sternum for a moment, then see Edith staring at me with a smug expression, so I drop my hand.
“Dig in.” She reaches for a chicken drumstick.
“What piece do you want, Rowan?” Charlie asks.
“Whichever one you don’t,” I reply and grab the bowl, holding it out to her so she can choose.
“Oh, thank you.” She takes the other drumstick, and I grab the two thighs.
“It’s been a long time since I had fried chicken.” Edith takes a big bite, the skin crunching between her teeth. “And Constance is such a good cook.”
I scoop Charlie some macaroni and cheese, piling it on the side of her plate.
“No, that’s enough,” she says around her food. “I’ll burst.”
I want to see her full and happy. Which is fucking bizarre. Why should I care? I shake my head, trying to clear it, then put the serving spoon down.
“I’ll have some too,” Edith chimes in, that sly expression still on her face.
“Sorry.” I serve her, then add some to my plate.
When Constance brings a plate of sauteed broccoli, she leans over my shoulder, her prodigious chest pressing into my shoulder. I lean away.
“Excuse me, sugar,” she purrs.
I grunt a response, and once she’s gone, I pick up the serving tongs and put some broccoli on Charlie’s plate.
“Isn’t he just the biggest gentleman, Charlie?” Edith takes another huge bite of chicken, chewing with gusto.
“You really are.” Charlie nods. “Since I’m going to be around for a little while, maybe you can show me what you do here. I love watching home improvement shows–though I can’t really be a DIY-er since I don’t have my own place. I bet you know all sorts of cool stuff.”
God, her eyes are so warm as she looks at me. My kneejerk reaction is that I should tell her to mind her own business and I’ll mind mine. That’s exactly what would pop out of my mouth to anyone else who asked to snoop over my shoulder.
But as I look at her, those words don’t come out. In fact, something much more horrifying does. “That’d be nice. I get started at about nine in the morning, going to be taking down some of the painted tile on the front and refinishing it.” What. The. Fuck. Rowan?
She nods. “Oh my God, I’d love to help!”
I take a scalding hot bite of my macaroni and cheese and wonder why I just decided to up and fuck myself over because I was charmed by a kitten T-shirt and a pretty face.
“We’re going to have a good time.” Edith gives me a knowing look and waggles her brows. “A damned good time, indeed.”
6
CHARLIE
“So what do you think?” I pull at the bottom of my jean shorts. “Did I cut them evenly?” Dudley stares at me from my unmade bed. There was no way I could make it with him all cuddled up on it. “You’re not being very helpful.” I go over to the mirror to check for myself. “I think they might be a tad uneven.” I pull them down my legs and fold them over to check.
