Page 52 of Reckless Chances
Chapter 20 – Charlie
Leaving Emma at TheLast Chance had been hard, but Charlie didn’t want to be in the same room as the woman. He couldn’t believe her audacity, showing up at the bachelor party like that. He spent the night on the cot in the back of the Brewpub, tossing and turning under his wool blanket. Something just didn’t feel right. Adam’s behavior at his bachelor party had been embarrassing; if he had to guess at the cheater in that relationship, he would’ve guessed it was Adam, not Emma who had stepped out.
Dawn had broken and the grey light filtered in through the front windows of the Brewpub. He walked into the fully functioning kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He had a big day of work planned and regretted agreeing to go for breakfast with Jason before their eight-a.m. tee time.
“There’s no way he’s showing up,” Charlie said to himself as he finished the glass of water and poured himself another. If Jason bailed on their breakfast he was going to start unpacking and washing all of the new glassware. He got dressed in the paint clothes he had worn the day before. He gave the armpit of his plaid shirt a quick smell check, and satisfied that no one would die in his wake, he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready to get to work.
As he loaded up the dishwasher, he heard a loud bang and a rattle from the front door. “No way,” he muttered to himself. He made his way through the pub and couldn’t believe that his very disheveled looking brother was standing at the front door. “You’re alive?” Charlie opened the door and was almost overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol coming off his brother. “Whew.” He waved his hand in front of his face. “You smell like a brewery.”
“You’d better hope not, because if this is what a brewery smells like, your place is going to stink.” Jason stepped inside. “Man, the place looks great.”
Charlie looked at the brewpub through his brother’s eyes and felt his chest swell with pride. Now that the artwork was installed, and the big copper pipes from the brewing system gleamed in the light from the new fixtures, it looked like an honest and true brewpub. His dream had become a reality. “Thanks, Jay.” How could he bail on breakfast now? “I can’t believe you showed up.”
“I passed out early and slept in my car,” Jason shrugged sheepishly. “I invited the rest of the groomsmen for breakfast, is that okay?”
“Sure.” Charlie didn’t care one way or the other.
“Cool.” Jason tossed Charlie the keys to his car. “You’d better drive, I might still be drunk. We have to pick up the guys.”
Charlie snagged the keys out of the air. “Should I be proud? You went to bed early and aren’t drinking and driving?” He joked.
“I guess I have to grow up sometime.” Jason elbowed him as he locked up the front of the pub.
“You do realize that someone shaved half of one of your eyebrows off, right?” Charlie pointed to his brother’s face.
“What?” Jason got into the car and pulled down the visor to examine his face. “Those assholes.”
Charlie laughed. “Those guys are never going to grow up. Where are we picking them up?”
“The Sugar Peaks Hotel.” Jason slammed the visor shut and let his fingers linger on his forehead.
“You okay?” Charlie looked at him as he navigated the rental car from downtown and headed to the covered bridge. As they slipped into the temporary darkness of the wooden structure Jason sighed. “I’m tired of all this, Charlie.”
They emerged back into daylight. “You know you can change your life anytime. I did it.”
“I know.” Jason was staring out the window as they wound through the switchbacks of the wealthy neighborhood that housed all the second homes of the seasonal ski crowd. Compared to the tiny mining homes that lined the downtown streets of Chance Rapids, the ‘cabins’ of the Sugar Peaks subdivision were palatial.
Charlie parked the car and the two of them headed to the fancy hotel at the base of the ski resort. Instead of being filled with skiers, the summer guests of the Sugar Peaks Hotel were the golfing crowd.
“Jason.” A woman’s voice shouted as the two of them reached the hotel. They turned to see a pretty brunette walking towards them, an overnight bag slung over her shoulder. Charlie didn’t recognize her and knew that she didn’t live in town.
“Alison,” Jason smiled and quickly hugged the girl. “This is Charlie.”
“Hi, Charlie,” she smiled and extended her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you, it’s so great to finally meet you.”
“Same,” Charlie lied. Until that moment he didn’t even know Adam’s fiancée’s name.
The doorman opened the door for the trio and Alison’s high heels clicked on the gleaming hardwood floors of the high-end lobby as they headed for the shiny gold elevator doors.
“What are you doing here?” Jason asked as he pushed the button for the penthouse level.
“I thought I’d surprise Adam with a helicopter tour.”
Charlie wondered how Adam, the dog he’d seen the night before, managed to get these beautiful women to fall for him. It didn’t make any sense. First Emma, now this girl, who was pretty and seemed quite thoughtful. How did he do it?
“Ooh,” Jason grabbed at his stomach as the elevator headed upwards. “I hope that he’s in better shape than me, I don’t think I could get in a chopper today.”
“Did you guys have fun last night?” she smiled.
