A Winter's Promise (A Winter's Tale Series Book 2) Read online

  Ignoring his mother’s words, Nicholas repeated, “Say you didn’t like it.”

  “I liked it just fine, thank you, Muffy, everything was wonderful,” she said convincingly. Ugh, he is such a jerk. Why does he insist on irritating me? Charlotte wondered. Making a quick roll of her eyes in his direction, she sighed inwardly as she turned her attention back to the tasteless food on her plate.

  “So, Charlotte,” Spencer spoke, his tone too loud for the intimate space. “I applaud your confidence. You don’t seem phased in the least at the idea of Blithe returning to the Hamptons with Nicholas so close by.”

  “I’m sorry? Who?” Charlotte responded, looking to Spencer for clarification, confusion evident in her expression.

  “What are you doing?” Nicholas demanded, his silver gaze fixed on his father. “Maybe, you should put down that wine glass in your hand.”

  Ignoring his son’s reprimand, Spencer leaned back into his chair; folding his arms across his thick chest he regarded Charlotte with a crooked smirk on his thin lips. “Blithe and Nicholas were engaged a few years ago. Needless to say, the marriage never happened, still, it’s obvious that they are still very much in love with one another. Unresolved feelings are the hardest ones to get over, I’d say.”

  Nicholas’ laughter was short and un-amused. “How would you know anything about my feelings in regards to Blithe, or anything else for that matter?” he asked, his tone mocking. “I’ll say it again; maybe, you should put down that glass in your hand.”

  Muffy snapped her long skinny fingers in the air drawing everyone’s attention in her direction. “Enough,” she reprimanded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Spencer, Nicholas is finally with us, don’t ruin it.”

  “I’m not ruining anything. I was simply applauding Charlotte’s confidence in her relationship with our son. It’s not every day that a person is forced to be around their fiancé’s ex- fiancé knowing that unexamined feelings are still in the air.” Turning his attention back to Charlotte, he nodded his head in the direction of the neighbor’s home. “She’ll be staying with her parents two houses up that way,” he explained.

  Charlotte stared at the man sweetly, her expression never changing, not giving anything away. While her outer appearance seemed unbothered by his words in reality it felt like her heart had just exploded inside her chest. Blithe. Blithe. She fixated on the other woman’s name. She’s the woman Nicholas has never fully gotten over? Why hasn’t he ever mentioned her to me before? Yet, he makes me feel guilty for keeping things from him.

  “Nicholas proposed to her five years ago, right out there on the beach during Fourth of July weekend,” Spencer finished.

  His account of Nicholas’ and the other woman’s love story seemed to be never- ending. Charlotte nodded her head as she listened intently. The image of Nicholas bending down on one knee in front of another woman made her stomach ache. Or was it the horrible food? She didn’t know, but either way she felt vile rising in her throat. The overwhelming need to be free from his parents’ watchful gazes, and the building tension in the room was paramount. “Thank you, so much for dinner,” Charlotte said, giving her most practiced smile as she rose from her seat. “If you would please excuse me.” Gently pushing her chair away from the dining room table, she made haste as she left the room turning corner after corner until she found the long staircase that led to the second floor of the maze like house. Charlotte opened and closed several doors before she finally found their bedroom. Everything looked the same, all white everything. White stairway. White banisters. White doors. White walls. White ceilings. How do they live with so little color? She wondered. Sitting on the side of the bed Charlotte frowned. She knew that she was being a hypocrite; after all, she was engaged to Todd once upon a time. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but to feel slighted in not knowing that he still had feelings for a woman from his past. Sliding her ankle boots from her small feet she laid back on the bed resting her thin arms behind her neck. “Blithe,” she whispered in the empty room. “What kind of name is Blithe, anyway? It sounds like bacteria.” Pulling her cell phone from the snug back pocket of her blue jeans, Charlotte quickly scrolled through her contacts, slowing when she reached the letter M, stopping at Mom. Seconds turned into minutes as her finger lingered over her mother’s phone number, but she couldn’t make the call. God knew better than anyone how much she wanted to forgive the woman who had nursed her at birth and loved her through all of her successes and failures, but as much as her heart wanted to absolve her offenses, her mind just wasn’t there yet. Tossing her phone to lie at the bottom of the bed she closed her eyes and sighed. Whether she had forgiven her parents or not, in that moment she’d wished that they were there. With Nicholas being so cold toward her, his mother’s kind, yet snotty demeanor, and his father’s passive aggressive disposition, she couldn’t help but to feel alone.

  ***

  “Nicholas, calm down. He’s still your father,” Muffy begged. Listening to the two men argue was like poison to her ears.

  “Are you content, now? Do you feel as though you’ve accomplished some major feat in telling Charlotte about Blithe?” Nicholas asked, his voice hard.

  “What contentment could I possibly receive from such a thing?” Spencer countered, taking another sip from his wine glass. “How was I supposed to know that you hadn’t mentioned that Blithe would be returning for New Year’s weekend? Or, that you haven’t mentioned Blithe at all? Shouldn’t your soon- to- be wife know that you had been previously engaged?”

  Shaking his head at his father, Nicholas didn’t bother to respond knowing that the conversation would continue to go in circles. He would never win, not when the man sitting at the head of the table refused to admit that he was wrong. Leaving the dining room Nicholas ignored his mother’s calls, her cries for him to come back so that they could finish dinner as a family. The idea was a joke. His parents were comfortable with the notion of having the hired help take over their nurturing duties throughout his and his siblings entire childhood, yet when they became adults, and no longer felt bounded to the Elliot family way of living, his parents suddenly wanted to reclaim their roles as caregivers. It’s too late for all that, he thought as he took the stairs two at a time desperately needing to explain his father’s accusations to Charlotte. While her acting skills may have fooled his parents, Nicholas wasn’t bamboozled in the least. He had seen the hurt in her eyes before she had left the table. Opening the bedroom door, he quietly made his way inside the large room stopping short of the bed at the sight of Charlotte sleeping soundly. Combing his fingers through his hair, Nicholas turned and walked into the marble floored bathroom that was adjoined to his bedroom. Stripping down to his Zimmerli boxer briefs he turned on the shower lost in his thoughts, perhaps Charlotte being asleep was for the best. With all things considered he couldn’t help but feel that he owed Charlotte an explanation. Why? He didn’t know. It wasn’t as if she was forthcoming about her past relationship with Todd until she felt forced to admit what had taken place. Still, he felt like she deserved something from him. Honesty had always worked best between them. Closing his eyes as hot water trickled down his face Nicholas sighed. “Honesty,” he whispered to himself. I’ll just be honest.

  Chapter Nine

  The bright morning sun kissed Nicholas’ face causing him to stir in his sleep. Stretching his body this way and that he opened his eyes at the feel of the empty space beside him. Gathering his thoughts, he lay there for a moment staring at the ceiling in silence. Where did she go? He frowned. Did she leave? Nicholas pondered the thought, the realization that there was even a possibility of her heading back to the city alone unnerved him. Jumping out of bed he ran from his room and down the long hallway jumping from stair to stair like a wild man. Turning the corner that led to the open kitchen he stopped abruptly at the wide granite breakfast bar. Running his fingers along the paper towel covered plates that sat side by side on the counter space Nicholas couldn’t stop the faint smile that touched
his full lips. She cooked, he thought, removing the paper towels one at a time. Pancakes, turkey bacon, sliced potatoes with fried onions, and biscuits covered each plate. Shaking his head at her sweetness, he grabbed a piece of bacon and two pancakes making a quick sandwich of his meal before shoving it into his mouth.

  “Nicholas is that you?” his mother called from the sunroom. “May I speak with you for a moment?”

  Taking another piece of bacon Nicholas made his way down the back hallway passing his father’s study and his mother’s fitness room along the way. Walking into the bright room he made quick glances at the newly painted walls. “I liked the sky blue better,” he commented, sitting in the chair adjacent to his mother’s.

  “Well, I like the white. The blue was too much . . . too loud . . . it didn’t suit my taste.”

  “And what’s so great about white,” he asked. “White walls are boring.”

  “You say boring. I say elegant. I smile every time I walk past this room, it’s in such good taste,” Muffy bragged. “I see that you’ve made your way into the kitchen. It was awfully nice of her to make breakfast. I usually only drink my vegetable medley in the morning . . . I hope she’s not easily offended.”

  Nicholas snorted. “Like you would ever eat pancakes and bacon. The sight of it probably offended you to say the least.”

  “Don’t be so crude Nicholas. I was extremely grateful for her kindness. My body just doesn’t do well with starch.”

  “And the paper towels covering the plates probably made your head hurt,” he continued, leaning back into the cushioned chair.

  Ignoring her son’s snide words Muffy asked, “Have you forgotten where you are?”

  “What?”

  Frowning deeply his mother pointed at him, her long skinny finger motioning the length of his body in silent judgment.

  Nicholas looked down noticing only then his lack of clothing. Boxer briefs and socks were all that covered him leaving nothing for the imagination. Nicholas shrugged, “I guess I did,” he said, his eyes suddenly alight with laughter.

  “Well please do your best to remember,” Muffy reprimanded. “Our home will be filled with guests very shortly, and I don’t want to be embarrassed on account of my son’s inability to decipher proper dress attire in accordance to his surroundings.”

  “Impressing others has always been your greatest feat.”

  “It’s what I live for,” she laughed, ignoring her son’s condemning tone. “While we’re on the topic of what one lives for . . . has your father spoken to you about the company?”

  “He suggested that I come back, yes, but that’s nothing new.”

  “And what was your answer?”

  “I’m not going back to the company. I’m happy where I am. I’m confused as to why that concept is so hard to understand.”

  “I’m . . . I’m . . . I’m . . . that’s an awfully self- seeking word.”

  “Self- seeking,” Nicholas tasted the words. Smiling he said, “I wonder who I inherited that trait from.”

  “Nicholas! Be serious, would you please. While your plan to not take over the company isn’t hard to understand− it is quite selfish. Your father has worked extremely hard for this family and has built a legacy that he hoped his children would happily take over, yet not one of you seems interested.”

  “It’s not like the man is retiring tomorrow.”

  “That’s not the point. Your father is growing tired. We’re getting older, and he doesn’t need to be working fourteen hour days like he did in his youth. That should be the job of his sons, to maintain the company that he has succeeded in securing for the two of you for so many years.”

  “Dad loves money. And his company makes him exactly what he loves, money. So please forgive me if I’m not broken over the fact that I have zero interest in obtaining his position as CEO for an enterprise that I have no attraction to. And it doesn’t make me selfish to admit that fact aloud, it makes me honest.”

  “The man has two sons− if not both of you than at least one of you should step up to the plate for the sake of the family and do what is right by your father.”

  “And a daughter, perhaps Rebecca has an interest in the company.”

  “Rebecca’s only interest should be transitioning out of that dead end job and coming to her senses about finally getting married and starting a family.”

  “Dead end job?” Nicholas grunted, the sound heavy in his chest. “She’s an Elementary school teacher in Chicago, one of the toughest cities in the United States. I hardly call that a dead end job. Your daughter is making a tremendous difference in the lives of these underprivileged kids.”

  “She’s getting too old to have not settled down,” Muffy answered, unconcerned with her son’s acknowledgment of his sister’s work.

  “She’s twenty- five,” he laughed, though the sound was un- amused. “She has plenty of time.”

  “Back to you and your brother─”

  “I’m sure Caleb will eventually fold if the two of you put enough pressure on him.” Nicholas cackled inwardly knowing that his words would never come to pass. His brother had made a life for himself outside of the Elliot family prison and had no intention of returning anytime soon; a life far away from their parents, their father’s business, their family’s fortune . . . New York . . . the country. Caleb had left it all. If it hadn’t been for the fact that he had gotten word of Nicholas’ engagement to Charlotte, he wouldn’t have been on his way from Ontario, Canada to spend New Year’s around the people he fought so hard to escape from.

  “Oh, please. He’s even further gone from us than you are,” his mother sighed, knowing the lie when she heard it. “Just think about it,” she bid. “Your father would be upset if he knew that I told you, but he’s considering selling off a percentage of the company.”

  “To who?”

  “Your guess would be as good as mine. Though, I am assuming the highest bidder. It’s all becoming too much for him.”

  Nicholas sat quietly for a moment, taking in his mother’s words. Leaning forward he rested his upper body on his knees before standing to his feet. “It’s his company; let him do with it what he wants.”

  “Nicholas,” Muffy begged.

  “Mother. I didn’t come here to be manipulated, and I won’t allow dad’s simplistic attacks on my fiancé, or your artificial concerns control my life.”

  “I am concerned for your father,” she argued. “I wouldn’t pretend that I was if I wasn’t.”

  “If that’s the case than take joy in knowing that once your husband sells off pieces of his company he’ll have more time to spend with you, more money to spend on you, and then the two of you can sit together, comfortably, in the shelter of your white walls.”

  Chapter Ten

  Charlotte inhaled deeply, drawing air into her lungs as she sprinted along the beach. Sand and tiny pebbles added weight to her legs as her feet rose and fell to meet the uneven ground. Keeping a steady pace, she closed her eyes to the pain that had slowly began to creep its way into her shins. The pain her body felt was trivial in comparison to what her heart was currently undergoing. It took less than twelve hours to discover that her best friend had secrets of his own, secrets that curiously enough left her feeling shattered. Hearing that he was once engaged didn’t bother her as much as the theory of him still being in love with the other woman. Pushing past the pain she thrust her legs further out in front of her, building speed with every movement. What am I so angry about . . . it’s not like I’ve ever been open about my feelings for him, right? No, not right! I kissed him! I practically threw myself at him, and he rejected me . . . was it because of her? Does he really have feelings for another woman, a Blithe? Closing her eyes to the thought she ran harder, faster. Like a galloping horse, she bolted past beach house after beach house, ignoring their clear beauty, she focused on the never ending ocean shore that acted as a compass leading her into a timeless abyss. Charlotte’s lungs labored as she swallowed the remaining moistur
e that coated her tongue, still she pressed on, needing her body to ache beyond that of what her heart felt, only then would her mind have something else to focus on. Looking down, Charlotte stole a quick glance at the heart rate monitor that was wrapped snugly around her thin arm, the sudden noise sounding from the device causing a frown to form above her arched brows. Listening to her gadget’s warning, she slowed her speed to a cool down pace, exhaling deeply as she turned around and headed back toward the Elliot’s beach home, taking her time as she passed the many properties for the second time. Over an hour later she finally made it back to the snow globe like house, an elated smile reaching her eyes at the sight of her father’s royal blue Altima parked along the white gate behind Nicholas’ Chrysler. Running up the sand dusted steps she made her way to the large deck that overlooked the ocean, ignoring the throbbing pain that held her muscles captive.

  “Charli!” Adeline squealed. Sliding open the glass door she ran out to meet her sister, a bright smile on her tan face. “I’ve missed you!”

  “Adie, it’s only been a week,” Charlotte laughed, pulling the younger girl into her arms. “No way have you missed me already.”

  “Feels like an eternity,” Adeline giggled. “Everyone’s inside chatting up a storm. Nicholas’ parents seem nice.”

  “Yeah, his mother is a sweetheart. A lot like mom, but a sweetheart.”

  “Oh geesh, two Babets? Is that even possible?”

  “Possible, and scary,” Charlotte groaned. “Bossy does not begin to explain the nature of that woman.”

  “Which one?” Adeline asked.

  “Both.”

  “Charlotte, your mother has been waiting patiently for goodness sake, come inside and greet the woman,” Muffy called from the door way.

  “I’ll be right in,” Charlotte smiled pleasantly.

  “Oh, my word, it is two of them. Poor Charli. Mommy dearest and mommy dearest in- law,” Adeline grimaced at the thought. “You poor, poor thing.”