Page 56 of Paradise West
Again, he’d been adamant about her returning to Boston to take the case over, but she assured him there was nothing she could do on that front as the firm had stripped the case from her. Her hands were tied when it came to her old cases.
“You almost done there?” Charli jumped at Jack’s deep voice right behind her ear. She turned swiftly, slinging paint from the brush.
“Jack! You scared the crap out of me!” She fixed him with her most annoyed glare, but it didn’t work because he only grinned and stepped closer. “Why do you have to sneak up on me like that?”
“I wasn’t sneaking, baby,” he replied with a gentle smile. “You were just off in the ether. What are you thinking about so hard?”
Charli shrugged. “Work stuff.” She turned back to the section of outer wall she was working on.
She’d been avoiding Jack for the last several days trying to work though her chaotic feelings—leaving the compound early, ignoring his phone calls and texts—and she felt like a big jerk. He had been nothing but wonderful to her and she was acting like a complete jackass. After everything he’d done for her, he didn’t deserve that.
Releasing a rough breath, she turned her head to find him still there quietly watching her. “Would you like to come to dinner tonight?” she asked, half expecting him to say no after the cold shoulder she’d been giving him.
Instead, his smile deepened. “Sure. Anything I can bring?”
She smiled back. “A nice bottle of white wine would go well with what I have planned.”
His brows shot up. “Now I’m curious. What are we having?”
“It’s a surprise, but I can tell you it’s my favorite comfort food,” she answered in an attempt to be coy. It seemed to work because his eyes brightened.
“Mmmmm...I can’t wait.” He tossed a thumb toward his truck parked just outside the main gate. “I need to run this pile of scraps out to the dump on Stock Island. After that, I’ll head home and clean up. Then I’ll come over. Is 7 o’clock okay?”
Charli nodded. “Sure.” Realizing suddenly that she’d never seen where he’d lived. She’d been so absorbed in her own problems that she hadn’t tried to learn more about him.
Way to go Charlotte Dorothea. Incredibly hot gentleman who is clearly smitten with you and you decide to show absolutely no interest in his life. Can you BE any more self-absorbed?
Shame wasn’t a fun feeling—it was like a weighted blanket covering her entire body, smothering her.
She pressed her lips together, determined to change her behavior and stop acting like a bitch starting tonight. “So, I’ll see you in a few hours then?” She asked, hoping that Jack would forgive her.
“Absolutely!” He replied, grinning literally from ear to ear. He turned and walked off the porch moving along the main walk through the gardens.
She turned to continue painting, listening as he left. As his truck drove off, she dropped the brush in the paint pan and closed her eyes.
Jeez...I’m such an idiot. I’m falling for that man...I truly am. Why am I such an asshole?!
Releasing a rough breath she glanced at the front door and felt a powerful urge to go inside. Her stomach quaked at the thought, but for some reason, she sensed this was something she needed to do.
Standing slowly and rubbing her hands on her pants, Charli moved to the open front door and stepped inside. Crews were busy in both front rooms and no one bothered to look up as she moved steadily toward the main staircase. Reaching for the banister, she jumped and squeaked when Gus suddenly appeared at her side.
“Charli!” Gus bellowed, a huge grin on his face. “Have any trouble with the front porch?”
She pressed her lips together. “Nope. Just taking a break.”
Gus glanced up the stairs and then his gaze moved back to her, his brows dropped down. “Where are you going?”
Charli pointed to the upper floors. “Just thought I’d explore a little.”
Gus’s expression was forbidding, but he sighed. “Okay but stay away from that Widow’s Walk.” He glanced up the stairs and crossed himself. “There’s something up there and I don’t get the feeling that it’s happy we’re here.”
A chill shot through Charli at his words. She remembered vividly what had happened when Gus initially inspected the Widow’s Walk. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt compelled to investigate on her own. It both terrified and excited her, and her hands shook as adrenaline coursed through her body.
“Don’t worry,” Charli assured him. “I just want to snoop around in some of the old bedrooms.”
Gus bobbed his head. “If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.” He turned and walked away.
Charli stared up the staircase for a moment and took a deep breath, then slowly moved up to the next floor. She glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching. The coast was clear, so she walked to the next set of stairs and slowly, but purposefully, made her way to the third floor.
