Page 48 of Break the Rule
All Eden needs is one more night to forget Charlie King. Then everything will go back to normal.
10CHARLIE
“Denise,my love. You’re looking radiant as always.”
“You have a lot of nerve showing up here after skirting Amanda yesterday,” Denise frowns. She crosses her arms, tilting her face up to meet Charlie’s. She might be a foot smaller than him, but she has the energy of someone much bigger, and Charlie finds himself lowering his chin.
“I did sign most of her papers yesterday,” Charlie points out. He leans on the doorway, peering inside the shop. “Place is looking wonderful, as always.”
“It looks the same as it did last week when you were here with your brothers.” Denise doesn’t move a muscle, still blocking him from entering. “Why are you here?”
“You told me to pick up my suit, remember? There was a voicemail from you where you said, ‘Charlie, my dear, my favorite customer, come pick up your suit so you can look even more handsome than usual.’”
“Bullshit,” Denise says, uncrossing her arms. Somehow it makes her look even more menacing. Or as menacing as someone her size can look. “I also left a second voicemail telling you to send Andrew instead.”
“Andrew was busy,” Charlie lies.
“You’re so full of shit. Andrew is at home reading.”
“How do you know that?” Charlie asks.
“Because I love that man, and someone needs to check up on him.”
“What does that mean?” Charlie frowns. First Juanita and now Denise. “I’m with Andrew every day. I check up on him. He’s fine.”
“Andrew is always fine, isn’t he?” Denise says in a tone that offers more questions than answers.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Denise sighs. “Nothing. Just get your ass inside, and let’s get you your suit so you can leave.”
“You know if you’re not careful one of these days I’m going to start thinking you don’t want me around, Denise.”
“Can that day be today?”
“You’re extra cranky today, love. There’s no trouble in paradise is there? Relationships are way more trouble than they’re worth.”
“One of these days you’re going to find someone worth that trouble and realize what you’ve been missing.”
“Bite your tongue,” Charlie groans. “First Alec went and got all domestic, and now Jason and that Emerson guy?—”
“Say one bad word about Emerson, and you’ll never get another suit out of me,” Denise says in a tone that manages to sound somehow both friendly and threatening all at once. It’s kind of terrifying and impressive—and also surprising.
“Denise, are you adopting another neurospicy queer?”
“None of your damn business,” Denise grumbles, swatting his arm. “That boy is the sweetest thing I’ve ever met, and you’re not going to do anything to upset him, or I’m cutting you off. Do you hear me, Charlie King?
“I never upset people on purpose,” Charlie frowns, a prickle of discomfort nagging at him. He’s funny, and honest, andmaybe a bit intense, but he’s not mean. He only teased and flirted with Emerson last week because it got a rise out of Jason. Surely his brothers and Emerson knew that.
Besides, Emerson was beautiful. Maybe he wasn’t exactly Charlie’s type because he wasn’t feisty enough, but Charlie wasn’t lying or anything. He’d meant the compliments.
“Hey, do you think?—-”
“Just get in the back and try on your suit to make sure it fits.”
“Sure,” Charlie agrees, unable to shake his unease. The feeling stays with him all through his final fitting as Deniseoohsandaahsover her creation. It really is incredible. There’s a reason Charlie keeps begging her to use Andrew to fit him suits. Part of it is because Denise is in his social circle, and he loves supporting independent, queer-owned businesses, but it's also because she’s damn good.
To Charlie’s dismay, not even his appreciation of how good his ass looks is enough to bolster his mood. It’s not until he’s following Denise back into the front of the shop, suit bag slung over his shoulder, that something—or someone—provides the kind of distraction Charlie needs to get out of his head.
