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“So, it was right before you started college?”
“Yeah. I didn’t want to go. I mean, I did, but I hated the thought of leaving Audrey behind with Aunt Miranda. It wasn’t that she was neglectful, but she just wasn’t the loving adult we were used to. The first few months were really hard for both of us, but we made it through it.”
I think back to the first time I met her. It was freshman orientation, and while she was easily the most beautiful woman in attendance that day, she was quiet. Reserved. I chalked it up to first-day jitters and took a shot at asking her out anyway. She shut me down immediately and then again the next time, and I judged her for it. I pegged her as thinking that she was better than me, when in reality, she was grieving and missing her little sister.
“I didn’t know,” I say, my voice hoarse at what a fuckup I was back then. “That first day we met. I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“Charlie, baby, I fucked up.”
She turns her chair to face me. I do the same, and our knees are touching, but I have her full, undivided attention. “I thought you were being rude. I thought that you were blowing me off. I was intimidated by your beauty, and when you shot me down, I just assumed you thought that you were better than me. That’s why I gave you such a hard time all these years.”
“What?” she whispers.
Leaning forward, I rest my palm against her cheek. “I never wanted to compete with you. I never wanted to fight with you. My ego was bruised, and I made assumptions. You were grieving the loss of your parents and missing Audrey, and I treated you terribly.”
“You didn’t. We competed. We tossed some insults back and forth, but you were never mean to me.”
“I was an asshole.”
Her eyes well with tears. “I missed them. I didn’t mean to be rude. I just didn’t have it in me to start a new friendship or relationship. I worked my ass off for my grades to keep my scholarship. We had to sell the house to pay it off, as well as some other debt. My scholarship was my only option for staying in school. If I’d let my grades slip and lost my scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to finish. I didn’t have a back-up plan.”
I need to be closer to her. I need— Fuck, I don’t know what I need.
I move my chair closer, her legs now between mine. I lean in close so that I hope she can see the sincerity in my eyes. “I’m so sorry. I was young, and I didn’t stop to think about the fact that it could be something more, something other than you thinking you’re too good for me that you turned me down. Fuck. No wonder you want nothing to do with me.”
“That’s not true, Spencer. I thought you hated me. You were nice that first day and even the second time we ran into each other. That time was a blur, but I remember that. Then you weren’t. I immediately went on the defensive. I was competing with you as much as myself to make sure my scholarship stayed intact. I didn’t care if I was top of the class. I just wanted to be in class.”
Leaning in, I press my lips to her forehead. I want to do more than that. I want to pull her into my arms and hold her. I want to tell her over and over and over again how sorry I am.
It just goes to show that when you make assumptions, you truly do make an ass out of yourself. To think of all the years we wasted. If I had just kept trying, maybe she would have opened up to me like she has today. She could have been mine all this time.
“Can we start over?” I ask, my lips barely a breath from hers. I’m aware that anyone could walk into this conference room at any time and see us like this, but damn if I care. I vow in this moment to treat her like the queen that she is. I don’t recall a time I was truly mean to her, but I wasn’t loving her either. I could have been loving her.
I want to be loving her.
“We don’t need to start over.”
“Yes, we do.” Sitting back in my chair, I hold out my hand. “Hi, I’m Spencer Pennington. CEO of Charleston Memorial.”
She smiles, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Nice to meet you, Spencer. I’m Charlotte Krause, practice administrator of this fine establishment.”
“I’m very aware that I’m going to be your boss once this deal goes through. I’m also very aware of the hospital handbook. There are no rules about employees dating. You won’t be reporting directly to me.”
She laughs. It’s a happy sound that fills the room and the crack in my heart when I learned the truth about that day. “Aren’t you jumping ahead of yourself?” she asks.
“Charlie girl, I knew the minute I laid eyes on you that I wanted you to be mine. I might have been too young and too intimidated by your beauty back then, but that’s not me now. I want you.” I peer into her deep blue eyes, willing her to see the truth in my words.
“This is crazy, Spencer.”
“Have dinner with me.”
“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
