Page 47 of Because You Said Yes

She slipped off her shoes and curled up in her chair before grabbing her glass of wine. “What could I say? It was my job to find him a wife, and I did that. He's paying me a lot of money,” she said with resignation. “Hey, Honey, I changed my mind. You kissed me, and I don’t want you kissing her?”

Charlotte looked out at a rolling green landscape with white fences marking the property boundaries. She could just make out a cliff edge in the distance where the sun shimmered off the bay's surface. She took in the sweeping views of far-off hills and never-ending sky that were so different from Emmaline's beach resort.

“Do you miss it?”

Em stared at her. “Miss what?”

“The Brown.” Em had been filled with purpose since the day she was born. She was driven to prove she could run her family's resort, even though they had been doubtful. Charlotte was raised to be happy, but happiness didn't necessarily drive ambition. As she watched her friends grow up to become something, her only claim to fame was wearing a beauty queen crown by default and being able to take ten years off any face with her makeup tricks. That was no small task, but it didn't make her feel like she'd created something or made the world a better place. Deep down she knew her true gift was touching people’s lives in ways that made them infinitely better and changed them, but she had a hard time giving herself credit for that thinking because wasn’t that what everyone did?

“Oh, hell no. I thought I would, but while The Brown drove me to do something, it mostly drove me nuts. I'm glad things worked out the way they did. It took me thirty years, but I finally got what I wanted all along—Miles.”

Charlotte smiled. “I'm so happy for you.” And she genuinely was. Charlotte celebrated the successes of her friends as if they were her own. Jealousy and envy were not in her DNA, and she was grateful for that without realizing what a rare gift it was.

“Your fairytale ending is just within reach. All you need to do is put your Southern charm into action and go get it! Let’s both admit we know you have feelings for him—will you let him slip away?”

Charlotte sighed. Fairy tales were for someone else, and they implied she needed saving. She was equal parts pragmatist and romanticist. How else could she have held out all these years without settling for less than the perfect man for her? She knew she felt something strong for Bastien, but she couldn't put a word to it—was it love? Or was it make believe? Was she making Bastien into someone or something he wasn’t? The kisses were real. Holding him and him holding her was real. His loving gaze was as real as a sunrise, but his proposal was so matter of fact. Maybe it was simply admiration for all that he was doing to keep Ivy. Without a doubt, Charlotte was smitten with Ivy, but kids were easy to fall in love with. This circular dialog was making her dizzy.

“I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Em. I feel like I’m on one of those glass bridges high above a canyon where you can’t tell if your next step will be another move forward or a fall deep into the abyss.” Her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

Em grinned and winked at her knowingly. “I know you well enough to know the circular conversation you’re having with yourself. Stop the spin, Charlotte. Go after him! You two were made for each other. You’re both scared, but if I can see how perfect you are together, you can too.”

Charlotte smiled and shook her head. Was this happening? She'd known Em for years, and never once had they discussed love—at least not in any profound or meaningful way. Yet here they were, discussing matters of the heart as if Em believed Charlotte might do the unthinkable and chase after Bastien Richmond—confirmed billionaire bachelor extraordinaire who seemed uninterested in a real committed relationship. He tossed money around like he could buy anything, and it would seem that he could as she'd just procured him a fiancée and possibly a wife. What if Tiffany was the one? She had a little girl, and if Charlotte was honest, it made perfect sense to set them up. Sure, Tiffany was on the younger side, but lots of women liked older men, and Bastien didn’t look even close to his age. Good genes, she imagined, because his mother looked darn good too. If everything was so perfect, why was it sitting so uncomfortably with her? The truth hit her like an oncoming train. Her heart knew what her head wouldn't admit. Bastien Richmondwasthe perfect man for her.

Charlotte drained her glass of wine before turning back to Emmaline. “It seems I’m a day late and a dollar short,” she admitted softly.

“But you don't have to be,” Em said decisively, refilling Charlotte's glass with more wine before pouring one for herself. “What are you so afraid of? You have to be willing to take risks when you want something badly enough.” She paused before continuing, “Fear has never stopped you before. I believe in you, and I think you should go after your man!”

Charlotte couldn't help but smile at her friend's excitement. Risky or not, maybe it was time she took a chance on herself...and on Bastien too, but she needed the night to think about it.

“Can I stay over?”

Emmaline sat up and looked around their chairs. “You'll have to. Ollie's stolen your left shoe. It will take until morning to find it, anyway. And we’ve enjoyed too much wine for you to drive.”

* * *

Charlotte woketo a weight on her chest. She opened her eyes to find Ollie on top of her and her left shoe in his mouth.

She patted Ollie’s head, took her shoe, and rolled him off her before she climbed out of bed. Today was the first day of the rest of her life. All morning, Charlotte went through the motions, trying to gather the courage she needed to face Bastien. By lunchtime, armed with Em's words of encouragement and her own determination, she stood on the weathered porch outside of Bastien's house, ready to take control of her destiny. She knocked on the door, but the sound echoed unanswered. She looked around and noticed that his car was missing and turned her attention to the shore. She hadn't made a wish for the past two days and picked up a shell to toss as an offering. It was mostly white with a pink center, and when she turned it over, she noticed the faded markings of a black pen. Four numbers were barely visible. This was an old wish, but it had been returned to her. It didn't matter what the number said, because she always wished for the same thing—a life filled with joy and happiness. She tucked the shell into her pocket, considering it a good sign, then headed back to her house. If she was going to prepare for her future, she didn't want to step into it wearing yesterday's clothes and no makeup. While Bastien's absence was disappointing, it was probably a blessing in disguise. She showered again, thinking about how Marybeth always said cleanliness was close to godliness. She had chosen her prettiest floral dress for the day and sat by the window with hopeful anticipation, watching the sun track its way across the sky. As four-thirty came and went, she felt her expectations sink as she realized Bastien wasn't coming home anytime soon.

She was desperate to find him, so she bravely ventured into town. As she drove down Main Street, she spotted his car in front of Cricket’s. Her heart raced as she searched fruitlessly for a place to park her car. With each passing moment, her anxiety grew, but her mission remained clear—she had to find him and tell him how she felt. She passed by her store but didn't stop, Because You Said Yes wasn't her priority at that moment. Besides, her shop wasn't much to look at right now. The only thing remaining was the polished concrete flooring and some drywall.

She found a parking spot in front of Sweet On You, and exited the car. She passed by a woman who looked out of place on Main Street. Dressed in what was most definitely Chanel or perhaps Valentino, she was more suited to a boardroom meeting than a stroll through Willow Bay.

Charlotte peered inside the diner's window and glimpsed Bastien and Ivy. They were both smiling and looking so happy. Ivy adored her uncle and clearly felt safe and nurtured when with him. And Bastien, of course, loved Ivy more than he ever knew possible, a love that only deepened the minute he knew she was his. As Charlotte craned her neck to see what was causing such joy, she saw Tiffany, who seemed equally cheerful.

Her heart sank with the realization that there was no future for her and Bastien. She turned to leave and heard the woman in the black dress say, “I'm telling you. That's not the girl who was kissing him. This one is younger and prettier. I told you. It's all scripted so he can keep Ivy.”

At the mention of Ivy, Charlotte stopped. The woman on the phone had to be Bastien's mother, who was on to his game. In an instant, she recognized her from the brief encounter at the funeral. There was a minute of hesitation where her brain and her heart battled it out. Her brain told her to walk away and let Bastien deal with the fallout, but her heart told her to do what was right. Preserving Ivy's happiness counted the most.

She spun around and entered the diner, making a beeline straight for Tiffany and Bastien. She smiled at Bastien while Ivy crawled across her uncle to get to Charlotte.

“You're here. I missed you so much.” Ivy wrapped her arms around Charlotte and held on like a vise.

“I missed you too.”

She turned her attention to Tiffany. “You need to go. Bastien's mom is outside.”

“Oh good, we were waiting for her,” Tiffany said.

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