Rewritten (Unwritten Book 2) (14 page)

W
e drive to Vacaville for Mason’s birthday party at a local park. As we walk up to the party, Mason and Leighton come running up to Charlie, tackling him like they always do.

“Hey Guys,” Charlie yells out as they jump on him. “Happy birthday, Mason. Look at what I got you?”

He hands Mason a gift bag that he tears open instantly, grabbing the football that Charlie got him. “Cool! Thanks Uncle Charlie. Come on, let’s play,” Mason says tugging on his arm.

Charlie looks at me, smiling. I just laugh and continue my walk up to where Jason, Jen and their families are sitting.

“Allison,” Jen holds her arms open for a hug as I approach. We embrace as Jen says, “I’m so glad you’re here. Let me introduce you to everyone. These are my parents, Tim and Sue, my best friend, Alicia, and over here are Jason’s parents, Steve and Carol. This is Charlie’s girlfriend, Allison.”

“Oh, Allison. It is so nice to meet you,” Carol jumps up, wrapping her arms around me.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“Mom, jeez, don’t be so obvious,” Jason yells out.

Carol laughs, “Sorry. It’s just that Charlie has always been like a son to us. We are so happy to hear he has found someone.”

Steve reaches out his hand, “Allison, it’s a pleasure to meet you finally.”

I sit down on the picnic table with everyone and watch Charlie play catch with Mason. The look on his face melts my heart. He is so at ease with Mason and I can tell he loves every minute of playing catch.

He really does want to be a dad. Ugh, I just wish it wasn’t like this. I wish it was with me… Our baby… Later on, down the road…

“Allison?” Jen says, taking me out of my daydream. “Would you like a slice of Pizza?”

“Sorry, yes, please,” I grab the plate while Carol sits down next to me to eat.

“So, Allison, how did you and Charlie meet?” Carol asks.

I light up at the chance to tell our story. “Funny story really. We saw each other at a concert for our favorite band, Unwritten Law, in the City, but it wasn’t till he saw me sitting at Starbucks the next day that he came up to say hello.”

“Oh, I love it,” Carol claps her hands together, “Just like you guys were meant to be.”

I smile, “I like to think so.”

“So what do you do for a living?”

“I actually just finished photography school. We just got back from Paris where I had an internship and I got to shoot some of Paris’ Fashion Week.”

“That’s wonderful. I don’t know what that is but it sounds fabulous.” Carol laughs. “I’m not up on the whole fashion world.”

Jason jumps in, “Yeah, if it doesn’t have anything to do with a good book or her church, Mom doesn’t know it exists.”

“Don’t lie, I know some things. I just got my first Smartphone didn’t I?”

Jason laughs even harder, “See what I mean? She just got one. Mason had to show her how to work it, too. It’s ok Mom, I still love you.”

“I love you, too, honey,” Carol pats his hand.

Charlie is smiling the entire way home. He loves playing with those boys and they really bring out a special side of him. My heart starts to break even more just watching how happy he is.

I knew he couldn’t stop this pregnancy. Really, I should love him more for that. But man, why does it hurt so bad? I want it to be our baby. Not his and a crazy woman who paid him for sex. Ugh, at least she won’t be part of the picture. My God, that would just be the cherry on top. There is no way I could deal with that.
I drop my head back as the thought makes my stomach turn.

Charlie turns down the radio, “What’s wrong, baby?”

I perk up instantly, trying to pretend, “Oh, nothing. Just tired. Still on Paris time, you know.”

Charlie reaches out his hand, gripping mine, “You sure?”

I smile, trying to change the subject, “Yeah. So how long have Jason and Jen been married?”

“Gosh, this is Mason’s seventh birthday so a little more than eight years, I guess. Wow, that went by fast.” He looks at me with what looks like hope in his eyes. “Maybe we will be there one day?”

My stomach is still turning and hearing him say that makes it turn a little more. I smile back as I can’t get any words out in fear of throwing up.

I do want to marry you, Charlie. I wanted to spend to the rest of my life with you but now, now I just don’t know.

I look out the window as a small tear falls down my face.

My phone beeps with a text message from Nichole:

Hey, you two heading back yet? Paul and I wanted to go out tonight, you guys want to come too?

I look at Charlie, “Paul and Nichole want us to go out tonight. You up for it?”

“Sure, sounds like fun. What did they have in mind?”

I text back:

Sure! Where do you want to go?

Thinking Ruby Skye. I want to dance with his sexy ass.

I roll my eyes at both my sister’s reply and her choice of where to go. I never told her what happen last time we were there.

I look at Charlie, “They want to go to Ruby Skye…”

Charlie laughs, “You promise you won’t dance with another guy?”

I snap back, instantly pissed off by his comment, “You promise one of your clients won’t kidnap and threaten to kill me again?”

Charlie glares back at me. I know he’s shocked I would say something like that but I don’t care. He crossed a line and needs to know.

“Allison…” he pulls off at the next exit, coming to a stop as soon as he can. He drops his head to his steering wheel not saying a word.

I sit back in my seat, crossing my arms in frustration.

“Allison, I thought we were over this. I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am that happened to you.” He looks at me with his eyes sagging he’s so ashamed.

I can’t stand to see him look like this and my frustration eases slightly. “I’m sorry, Charlie. That was a low blow. It’s just… I’m sorry.”

I can’t bring myself to say what I’m thinking or feeling. My thoughts of Jacquelyn and the baby brought back feelings I’ve tried to compress and it was just bad timing.

That’s all that was, just bad timing.

Charlie leans over to hug me tightly, “I know you’ll never forget what happened but please know that I’ll do everything in my power to make you as happy as you can possibly be.”

“I know,” I hug him back and I’m not lying. I know he is sorry and that he loves me. I just don’t know if I can forget.

He starts to turn the car around and get back on the freeway. “Maybe we should suggest somewhere else to go.”

“No, we can’t let what happen dictate our lives. Besides, remember the last time we went dancing?” I lift my eyebrows to him, remembering our time in Paris at the VIP Room.

Charlie’s eyes light up as he looks at me, “Do I ever…”

I smile back, glad that happy memories of us together have filled the air around us. “Ok then.”

I text back to Nichole:

Sounds good. Meet at Charlie’s place?

Come up to Paul’s. You have to check this place out!

“She said to meet up at Paul’s place. She wants me to check it out.”

“Oh shit, I didn’t even think about that. You said that Nichole stayed at his place, right?”

“Yeah…?”

He looks at me, shaking his head up and down, “Damn. Ok, maybe you were right about them making a connection. You said that Nichole never has guys stay the night, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, Paul has a strict no girl in his apartment rule.”

“What? That’s weird.”

“Wait till you see his place.”

“Ok, why? I don’t get it.”

“He’s an architect. He actually designed the building I live in.”

“Shut up. Paul, the guy with all the tattoos, is a high-end architect?”

Charlie laughs, “Yup. Hard to believe, huh?”

“Um, yes. I would have never imagined that. Wait, so why the no girl rule?”

“He has the top floor penthouse in my building. Since he was the architect, he built it to be exactly what he wanted and man, it is bad ass.”

“So, I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t he want to show it off to girls?”

“He’s pretty adamant about girls not wanting him just cause he has money, so he acts just like a normal dude and doesn’t show them.”

“That’s weird, why have this huge place if you don’t want to show it off?”

He stops to think, “Not sure. I’ve never really thought about it I guess. Just thought it made sense. He always says, ‘I don’t want no gold digging whore,’” Charlie laughs.

I sit back in my seat, “Hmmm, maybe we made a connection for them after all.”

We walk into the elevator, and Charlie presses the 49
th
floor plus a four-digit code.

I look at Charlie, “Wow, you weren’t kidding.”

“No, I wasn’t,” he laughs.

Nichole comes walking out of Paul’s bedroom when she hears us arrive. “Hey guys. You ready to go dance your ass off?”

“Yeah. Man, you weren’t kidding about this place,” Allison says in shock.

Nichole smiles, still trying to act like it’s not
that
big of a deal. “Yeah, it’s cool.”