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“I think Charles is better suited for her,” Grace commented without an ounce of humility.
Having enough, Charlie stood up from her seat, prompting her mother and John to look at her.
“If you’re not willing to be fair, then there’s no reason for me to stay. And don’t expect me to talk to you for a while.” Ready to make her leave, Charlie gathered her purse and pushed her chair back.
“Wait, Charlotte. Let’s not get too upset,” John said, then turned to Grace. “It’s one meal. There’s no harm.”
Grace glared at him before crossing her arms. Normally, John would stay out of an uncomfortable situation, but Charlie was grateful and stunned that he was championing for her. When she thought her mother would put up another fight, her soul almost flew out of her body when Grace relented, but not without scorn.
“Fine.Onemeal, and I’ll pick when and where.”
Her stepfather sighed in relief and smiled at Charlie, who was too astonished for words.
“I… uh, yes,” Charlie stumbled. “Wherever you want…”
Should she count this as a victory?
Whatever it was, she and Rick had work to do.
Twenty-Seven
I know it’s sooner than expected, but can you make it?
Rick lookedat Charlie’s messages. There were ten sent before he even picked up his phone. She’d sent them in the morning, when he was driving to Nick’s auto shop to get his oil changed. Once he pulled in and spoke with Nick, he had a moment to sit down and saw the stack of frenzied texts.
It was only a few days ago she’d asked about meeting with her mother, to which he’d agreed with great hesitance.
Rick didn’t mean to show his reluctance, but he’d hoped there would be more time before the big meet. He expected it to go poorly, if he was going to be honest with himself. In Charlie’s idyllic mind, she was looking at a picture that didn’t exist. A painting of her family getting along with him wasn’t in the works.
High society people liked him. He knew how to bring out the charm, but when it came down to numbers and class, he was at a different tier. The compatibility didn’t always align.
He couldn’t avoid it forever, and had already promised to go along, but the last thing he wanted was to disappoint Charlie.
“It’ll take about an hour to finish. We’ve got two cars before you.” Professionally dressed in dark coveralls with his hands smudged in oil, Nick walked into his office and reached for a rag. Rick only noticed his friend breezing in, and didn’t quite hear what Nick said, his mind still engaged in Charlie’s messages.
“You look weird,” Nick commented. “Something up?”
Rick grimaced before answering. “Charlie wants me to meet her family.”
“That sounds serious,” Nick said, walking to sit behind his desk. “So,areyou?”
“I already said I would. I just didn’t think it would be now.”
“Would this be your first time meeting the in-laws?”
Rick glared at him.
Nick laughed and shrugged. “That’s what they are, right? In-laws.”
Not in the mood for jokes, Rick remained contemplative.
“If you’re doing it, then this means that Charlie is the real deal?” It was a remark more than a question. Nick started typing on his computer, occasionally glancing at Rick. “I don’t think you’ve ever officially met the parents of the women you date.”
“Neither have you.”
“I’ve never gotten there.”
Only because he didn’t want to, Rick knew, but that was beside the point. Nick had goals, and relationships were secondary until he reached them. Rick… his goals were spotty. His career had been on a steady drill for a while. After ten plus years of traveling and being away for work, it grew tiresome. Thirty-plus hours of plane rides only to come back to an empty space felt hollow sometimes.
