Page 24 of Shadowing Charlotte

Chapter twenty-four

Alexander

T his time, when I woke, Charlotte was beside me. Her eyes were closed, and she was snoring softly. She looked relaxed, completely oblivious to the world and all its suffering. My princess. I wanted to keep her like this forever; completely worry free, happy and safe.

I reached out, ghosting my fingers down the side of her cheek, smiling when her face twitched. And then I caught sight of the clock on the bedside table.

"Fuck. Charlotte. It's almost nine." She bolted from the bed with a loud squeak, her foot catching on the blanket and making her stumble. Laying back on my hands, I watched her run around the room, frantically pulling out clothes and tying up her hair. "Baby, you're already late. Just relax."

"Do you know how many strings my dad had to pull to get me that job without a fucking BA?" She huffed and threw a scathing look my way.

"Alright, get dressed then," I told her, reaching for my shirt. "I'll order some coffee for pickup and give you a ride." I couldn't very well have her driving to work in a car with the word SLUT written down the side.

"Can you get me a bagel or something?" she shouted as she hurried into the bathroom.

I added the items to the order and then finished getting dressed. By the time Charlotte was ready, I was waiting for her at the door. "Relax. Shit happens. Your boss will understand," I promised as she scooped up her purse and shoved her glasses on her head.

"I'm going to have to stay late…" she mumbled under her breath as I closed the door behind us. She was silent as we drove to the coffee shop, her knee anxiously bouncing all the way to Hewart. "Pick me up at six thirty?" she asked, flinging open the door .

"Charlotte!" She spun around to face me, and I passed her the bagel and stack of papers she'd almost forgotten.

"Have a good day, babe." A sweet smile spread across her face, and she slid into the car, leaning over to offer me her lips.

I gladly complied, gripping her chin and kissing her until she was panting against me.

"Thank you… Find something to do today! Love you!" The car door slammed behind her, and I sat there, frozen. Did she just say…? Surely, it was just habitual, something she said to her father and friends.

Fuck… My stomach knotted and my chest tightened. Did she love me?

"Hey, man! You can't park here!" I was startled from my thoughts by the security guard, nodding and putting the car in drive.

For a while, I cruised blindly, not paying any particular direction to where I was headed.

Charlotte's absentminded slip had rocked me to my core, leaving me confused, terrified, and elated all in the same knotted ball of emotion.