Page 32 of Secret Cinderella
Charlotte’s eyes welled and tears fell down her cheeks. He patted her hand and knew he’d help. He knew how important this really was to her and he would find a way. They could stay in Pittsburgh for as long as she needed.
Charlotte sniffed. “I can’t let her just destroy everything.”
A nice house, a nice life, all were still possible. “Tell you what, let's get our passports, and I’ll talk to my half-brothers…”
Her eyebrows shot up. “To get the money? I swear it’s a loan and I’ll make back every dime and then some.”
On that he believed. She’d told him countless times how her stepmother didn’t understand the store, merchandising, being online, or basic displays. Her father had explained everything as he'd done it. Jack's throat dried as he realized he would be giving Charlotte the means to leave him, if she wanted to. “Yeah. But promise me that we’ll still be together.”
She raised her hand like she was a Girl Scout. “I will pay back every dime. It’s a business loan.”
He sipped his coffee. “You’ve said that twice now, but you didn’t answer my question.”
Her eyes were like windows into her soul when she said, “You’re being sensitive, Jack. It’s sweet. I’ll marry you. You’re all I have in the world, in my corner, and all I ever wanted. Is it wrong to want to preserve the pastandwant a future with the best man I know?”
And there it was. Her sincere words made him feel like he was King of the Universe. He finished his coffee. “Okay, so let’s go get your passport pictures taken and head back to the hotel so I can talk to Peter.”
She drank the last of her latte. They stood together and walked outside. “Can’t we do the passport thing later?”
He opened her car door for her. “It will only be ten minutes out of the way.”
Charlotte took her seat next to him—the same thing she’d been doing ever since he’d had a car. She made the most boring tasks fun when she was around with her funny dry side commentary. Once he got in, she asked, “And then you’ll help me get a loan where I can buy the store, and fix it in my father’s memory?”
Charlotte was clearly determined. He started the car and squeezed her thigh. “I still have another year of college to finish here. You can get the store up and running, and I'll get my degree… then maybe we can travel?”
He’d always wanted to see the California coast. She threw her hands in the air like he’d just solved all her problems. “See? Perfect. That’s a good compromise.”
This time when he turned the radio on, she sang along as they headed to the passport store. Jack checked them in and squeezed her shoulders when the clerk waved them over. “We’re going on vacation together! Smile big.”
She took a seat, flipped her hair in front of her, and offered a half-smile. The camera clicked and she jumped up. The clerk asked, “Would you like to see the picture?”
She waved her hand without even looking at it. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”
Jack looked at her photo, which wasn’t bad but she seemed focused on something else. He paid and followed her to the door as he said, “Thank you.”
Charlotte was already outside and waiting by his car when he clicked it to open. He wanted to ask about why she didn’t look at the picture, but she opened her own side and hopped in. He quickly joined her and drove to the nearby hotel.
She jumped out of her seat the second he stopped and he handed the keys to the valet.
He sped up to join her in the hotel lobby where she linked arms with him. “Now, which Morgan are you going to talk to?”
At breakfast Peter had seemed like the one with money answers and he’d said not to spend his own money without talking to him. Jack had the freedom to help Charlotte no matter what. He led her to the elevator banks. “Peter, he has the Presidential Suite.”
“Great.” She pressed the button to call the glass car for them.
When it arrived, they let other guests get on and he hesitated before swiping his card. Then he did, but pressed his own floor, two stories down from Peter's. “I don’t want to storm his suite. He’s going to be at the family cocktail party at four. Can we wait until then and go to our room?”
She nodded but patted his arm. “Okay. Are you nervous? Is it too much?”
The ride down was fast. "No." The doors opened. “I could just give you the money right now.”
Her face went white. They walked beside each other down the hall. “Why didn’t you just say that?”
They went inside and there were more bags from the House of Morgan placed on the table. Someone in the extended family must have thought of them. Jack picked up the card. The money in his account was because of the Morgan family and he owed it to them to follow their rules. He'd give Charlotte the twelve million but he needed to talk it over first. Morgans not fighting Morgans seemed a sensible rule. “I promised to talk to the Morgans before making a large purchase…and they are family. I owe them that courtesy.”
The card was from Victoria and Caro both and readengagement party scheduled tomorrow night at eight--we hope you and your Charlotte enjoy our clothes.
He showed her the card and she pressed her lips together. “And if they are the ones buying my store?”
