I turned to find her standing with one hand on her hip and a smirk on her face. She was clearly pleased with her comment.
I ignored what she said and asked where the cleaning supplies were.
“I know where everything in this house is,” she said, walking to the fridge and pulling out a broom and dustpan from beside it.
When I extended my hand for them, she shook her head. “I got it. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
I rolled my eyes and tiptoed out of the way, sliding open a drawer in search of a corkscrew. Charlotte acted like the ranch was her territory. But the question was, how far would she go to protect it, and what would she do if she couldn’t?
She pulled one from a drawer I hadn’t yet rummaged through. “Here,” she said, handing it to me.
Charlotte opened the cupboard and grabbed another wineglass, placed it on the counter, and then went back to sweeping.
I brought the glass and corkscrew to the kitchen table to uncork the bottle. My eyes bounced back and forth between Charlotte and the task at hand. I didn’t trust her.
“I’m curious,” she said, pausing her sweeping. “Why would a girl from New York City vacation alone in this blip of a town?”
I glanced back at her.
She raised her brows and stared into my eyes. “And why this ranch? Why Calvin?”
I tilted my head. “People want what they don’t have. I have the bustling and loud concrete city. I don’t have the quiet countryside. The rest was random . . . or fate, as some would call it.”
The cork made a plop when I removed it from the bottle, and I poured a hefty glass for Patsy.
Charlotte leaned down and swept the broken glass into the dustpan. “I don’t believe in fate.”
“I don’t either.”
She walked to the trash can, dramatically stepped on the pedal to open the lid, and looked to me. “It’s funny how something that once had a purpose can end up in the trash.” Charlotte tipped the dustpan, letting the broken glass fall into the garbage.
I’m not sure if she was threatening me or just trying to be theatrical. In my experience, insecure women were other women’s greatest enemies because they’d do anything to further mask their own uncertainties. I brought that out of Charlotte. She clearly wanted Calvin but couldn’t have him. Perhaps she had convinced herself that Calvin just wasn’t interested in anyone, but with me here, her previous notions were proven false.
“Did something happen between you and Calvin?” I asked.
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips together. “Why? Did he say something?”
If I told her yes, I knew she’d tell me more. If I told her no, I knew it would anger her. Did I want to know more, or did I want to just piss her off right now? I was tired of her hanging around, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could bite my tongue.
“No, he doesn’t talk about you at all.”
Charlotte’s eyes looked like glass. She inhaled and exhaled sharply. Her hand clenched into a fist by her side.
“You know what. In four days, you’ll be gone, and I’ll still be here.” She raised her chin and smirked.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
Charlotte let out a huff and returned the broom and dustpan to their place. She stomped across the kitchen and threw open the sliding door. Before exiting, she turned and looked at me. “I hope Joe keeps you here permanently.”
I drew my brows together. But before I could ask her what she meant by that, she slammed the door closed behind her.
28.
Calvin Grace walked out onto the deck with a full glass of wine and handed it to Patsy. She had a worried look on her face, and I wondered what it was she was bothered by. Maybe it was spending the afternoon with my friends and family. But she was fitting in real nice here. I took a long swig of my beer while I watched her. She had no problem talking to anyone. Some people enter your life and it’s as if they were always there. Grace was one of those people, and I hoped she would always be there.
Betty tapped me on the shoulder. “You knocking boots with Grace?”
I coughed and choked on my beer as it went down the wrong tube.
“What?” I asked. My voice croaked.
Betty patted me on the back. “You heard me, Calvin. Are you knocking boots with Grace?”
I looked over at Grace. She bent down and grabbed two beers from the cooler. My attention went back to Betty. “Why would you ask that?”
“Just want to make sure you’re protecting yourself. She’s gone in, what, four, five days, so don’t go falling in love with her, Calvin. She don’t belong.” Betsy spoke softly and sternly.
“I know you mean well. But I’m grown, and you don’t need to watch out for me anymore.”
“I’m always going to watch out for you, Calvin, like you were my own,” she said, raising a brow. “And that ain’t ever gonna change.”
“Thought you could use another.” Grace interrupted, handing me a beer. She smiled at Betty, and I saw Betty’s mouth twitch as she forced one back.
Betty backed away. “I’m going to put all the food out.”
“Let me help you,” Grace offered, taking a step toward her.
Betty put her hand up in protest and then lowered it. “On second thought, I’d love the extra help.” Her smile twitched again.
I wasn’t sure what she was up to, but she was clearly up to something. With Betty off her meds, her behavior could be quite unpredictable.
“Char, come help us with the food,” Betty called out, beckoning her with her hand.
Charlotte nodded and followed them inside.
“Damn, Calvin. You look at her as if the sun won’t rise tomorrow,” Wyatt said with a laugh.
Joe smacked him in the arm. “Since when are you poetic?”
“Since I’ve been trying to win Charlotte back.” Wyatt slugged Joe’s shoulder. “I’ve been reading a lot of them Colleen Hoover romance books while I’m working speed traps. Ain’t no one getting tickets, but I’m learning a lot.” He swigged his beer. “And that lady sure can make me cry,” Wyatt said, shaking his head.
I laughed and turned to the grill, lifting the cover. Some of the meat was done so I started taking it off and placing it on a platter.
“What happened between you two anyway?” Joe asked.
“I don’t know. Just one day she told me she didn’t want to be with me anymore. No reason given.” Wyatt sighed.
“Think she was cheating?” Joe asked.
I glanced over my shoulder at them.
Wyatt frowned. “Well, I didn’t think that. But now I do.”
“Why would you say that, Joe?” I shot daggers at my brother for putting that thought in his head.
Joe shrugged. “Girls don’t just go breaking up with guys for no reason.”
I flipped the steaks again, ensuring they had nice grill marks on both sides.
“Enough about C and me before I get weepy. What’s going on with you and Grace?” Wyatt patted my shoulder.
I slid a thumb into the loop of my jeans and rocked back and forth on my heels. “That, I don’t know.”
“You kidding me?” Joe laughed. “I walked in on you two. You were naked.”