All She Wanted (2) by Nicole Deese Read Free Book Online Page B

said.
    Kai put his hand on my shoulder as if
he knew what I was about to do, but I pushed him off.
    “Charlotte, I need a word with you… now !”

 
    Charlie
    I froze.
    Everyone froze—except for Briggs who
was marching toward the back deck.
    I hadn’t been called that name since…since
a lifetime ago. I was so shocked by his outburst I could do nothing but follow
after him.
    I felt sick to my stomach as I closed
the door behind me, watching him pace like a mad man on the deck—the same deck
we had been on only moments ago. What had
happened?
    My mind raced to make sense of what
this could be about. Had he heard something from my parents in the last ten
minutes? Did he miss a dose of anti-psychotic meds? Fear started to rise inside
me, but I reminded myself that I had two witnesses just on the other side of
that door.
    He turned to me—finally, his face like
granite.
    “Who is he, Charlotte?”  
    He was seething . I had never seen the living definition of that word until
this moment. I opened my mouth, but sound refused to come out. I had no clue
what he was asking, or why in the world he was using that name?
    “Or maybe, I should start by reminding
you to call the Tux shop and confirm the fittings!”
    Still I had nothing, confusion holding
onto me with a tight grasp.
    My heart started to race. So, this must be what it looks like to watch
someone lose his mind.
    “You have nothing to say for yourself?”
He threw his arms toward the sky, “Now that’s the biggest surprise of the night,
right there! I’m onto you now, Charlie. Call it off—call the whole thing off! Ya
know, it’s one thing to let you go out at night when I’m with you, but I’m not
going to let you have some secret wedding while your parents are in Greece!”
    I felt like someone had just thrown me
to the ground and kicked me, repeatedly. I was literally stumbling in shock. I
grabbed onto the chair near me and gripped it with every fiber of strength I
had.
    I took three deep breaths before
looking up at him again, “It’s already off, you moron.”
    Silence.
    “Come, again?”
    “There is no wedding. I. Am. Not. Engaged.”
    I pushed my left hand out as if the
evidence—or lack thereof—could prove my truth. It shook with an unanticipated surge
of adrenaline.
    His eyes narrowed further as he took
several steps closer to me. “I saw it, Charlotte. I saw the reminder on your phone…don’t lie to me.”
    That did it.
    That stupid name did it. I snapped.
    “Don’t call me that! Don’t you ever
call me that! ”
    I put my hands out in front of me and
pushed him—hard.
    His body barely budged, as if he had
anticipated the force of my shove more than I had. But as he watched me, his
face changed—it softened.
    “Charlie, I-”
    “No! You had your turn, Mr. Drama
Queen. It’s my turn now. I was engaged, okay? Last December—not that it’s any of your business, but it’s over now. All of it. The relationship, the engagement, the wedding! It’s all over!”
    Tears poured from my eyes faster than I
could wipe them away. I was mortified. I hadn’t seen this coming—heck, hot lava
pouring out of the kitchen faucet would have been less shocking than this
conversation had been.
    I covered my face with my hands.

 
    Briggs
    My bad.

 
    Charlie
    My back was turned away from him, but even
still, I knew he was there.
    A heavy hand pressed down on my
shoulder after a few quiet seconds, and I didn’t shrug it off. Even though his
stupid tirade had brought this on, he was not the reason for my pain; he was
not the reason for my tears.
    “Shortcake, I’m…I’m so sorry.” Though
his voice sounded gruff, his words were heartfelt.
    I nodded, my face still buried in my
hands. I sniffled.
    “Hang on-”
    He left, coming back a minute later to
hand me some Kleenex.
    “Thanks,” I whispered, lifting my head
so I could wipe my eyes and nose.
    He moved to stand directly in front of
me, looking visibly distressed. Although, I was