Page 67 of If My Wishes Came True
He shakes his head. “No way. I already committed to dinner with you. And Iwantto have dinner with you. I won’t let work get in the way.”
“Charlie, it’s one thing to be up all night having mind-blowing sex,” I begin. “I’ll allow that…”
He grins.
“But losing sleep because of work is nowhere near as satisfying. It sounds like you’re in for a busy week now that your dad’s back, and you’ll need some rest if you’re gonna stay focused. Ipromise I’m fine,” I tell him.
“You sure?” From the worried look on his face, I’d be willing to bet that Charlie’s job has interfered with his past relationships.
“Yes,” I assure him. “I’ll come over with pasta in a little bit.”
“Thank you, Jenna. Seriously. You’re the best,” he says before kissing me.
I walk him to the door and say goodbye with a smile.
But I can’t ignore the sinking feeling in my gut as soon as he turns to leave.
“Ifailed my assignment,” I tell Esther two days later.
Her brow crinkles. “What assignment, dear?”
I bite my lip. “I had sex with Charlie.”So much sex with Charlie.“The best sex of my life, actually.”
To my surprise, Esther grins. “Good for you, honey.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Really? But what about the thirty days to get to know each other?”
My therapist’s lips quirk up with the hint of a smile. “It was only a suggestion. You wanted to make sure you were ready for a relationship. Sounds to me like you didn’t need a month to make your decision.”
“I told him everything there is to know about me. I showed him who I am, and he said he loved what he saw.” I let out a swoony sigh. “I’m head over heels for him, Esther. And I think he feels the same way. He says he’s smitten.”
“I’m happy for you,” Esther says. “You deserve this. It’s been a long time coming.”
“Thank you,” I reply, looking down at my lap. “There’s just one thing that concerns me.”
My gaze meets Esther’s again. She’s nodding, encouraging me to continue.
“Charlie’s a regional vice president for his family’s business…and his dad works him like a dog,” I explain. “His parents just got back from a week’s vacation, and his father’s been making up for lost time by slamming Charlie with assignments over the past three days. He’s still made every effort to see me, but…I can tell how stressed he is. He’s like a different person, compared to the man I spent the weekend with while his dad was away. Charlie was so happy and carefree then. And you should have seen the way his eyes lit up when he was taking pictures. His real passion is photography. But his dad doesn’t approve, of course.”
When Esther’s neutral expression turns into a frown that matches mine, I can tell she understands. “Sounds like someone else you know.”
“Yup…my father.” I blow out a breath. “I feel like Charlie’s stuck in the same place I was years ago, when I still cared about my dad’s approval. When I let him convince me that painting was a waste of my time. But now I’m in a place where I finally feel confident enough in who I am to do what makes me happy…”
“And you’re worried Charlie will never get there,” Esther finishes for me when I pause.
I nod. “Charlie’s so perfect in every way. He’s intelligent, sweet, and talented. He’s gorgeous…and an amazing lover.” My cheeks warm. “It’s hard to believe some lucky lady didn’t snatch him up a long time ago. Maybe this is the red flag I’ve been afraid of. If his job is ruining his relationships, and he can’t stand up to his dad, it doesn’t bode well for us.”
Esther sits forward in her chair. “Let’s focus on whatyoucan control in this situation.”
I tilt my head, considering her question. “Well…I’ll stay committed to pursuing my passion, for one.”
“That might inspire him to do the same,” Esther adds. “You never know.”
“He already said as much,” I tell her. “I guess that’s a good sign. He also said he’d love to see my paintings, whenever I’m ready. I know I’ll muster up the courage to show him eventually…but the idea of displaying my work at a gallery still terrifies me, for some reason. Which is frustrating, because that’s my ultimate goal.”
Esther’s gaze is sympathetic as I continue.
“I figured the confidence I’ve gained in therapy would carry over into sharing my art with the world…but I don’t think it has yet. I mean, it’s one thing to show my pieces to the people who know and care about me. But baring my heart and soul to strangers, who may not connect with my paintings or understand them? It makes me feel so vulnerable.”
