What if something happened to her or the baby? The thought hits me like a punch to the gut. My mind instantly spirals into every terrifying possibility, and I curse myself for ever thinking giving her space was a good idea.
Charlie’s voice breaks through the initial panic. “Heath, are you listening?”
I swallow hard. “Yeah, of course. Are you and the baby okay?”
She nods, her hand drifting to rest over her stomach. She might not be showing yet, but knowing she’s carrying my baby sends every protective instinct I have roaring to life.
“We’re fine.” She blows a piece of hair from her face. “I just had to hunt you down, and your guys were totally useless since you didn’t tell them where you disappeared to.”
I lean against the doorframe, smirking. “Tell me, hellcat, you weren’t actually worried about me, were you?”
Charlie snorts, waving me off. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m upset I wasted time searching for you when I could’ve kept the shop open for another hour.”
I don’t buy it. If that’s all she cared about, she would have given up when she found out the guys didn’t know where I was. No, she had to track me down, and I suspect I know why.
“Right. Well, sorry for the wild goose chase. I was elbow-deep in tractor repairs earlier and swung by the loft for a shower.”
Her eyes drift downward to my exposed chest, fixated on the lingering water droplets that still cling to my skin. Whatever cutting retort she’d planned dissolves as she stares, transfixed.
“I’m starting to think I should ditch my shirt permanently,” I muse.
Charlie’s eyes snap to mine. “Why?”
“It’s one of the only two things I’ve found that leave you speechless,” I reply with a wink.
“What’s the other one?” she questions, curiosity getting the best of her.
I lean in closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. “When I was buried inside you and you were moaning my name.”
Charlie draws in a sharp breath that catches in her throat, then quickly steadies herself and narrows her eyes. “You’re impossible. Screw it, I’ve changed my mind about wanting to find you.”
She pivots to leave, but I gently catch her wrist. A wave of déjà vu hits me, flashing back to the afternoon she told me about the baby. We obviously don’t have the best track record of effective communication, but I’m not letting history repeat itself.
“Charlie, don’t go. Please,” I murmur. “You came out here for a reason. Tell me what you need.”
She turns back around, and for a long moment, she simply stares at me, her lips pressed into a tight line. Whatever she has to say has her visibly torn, a deep flush climbing up her neck as she wrestles with it.
“I’m probably going to regret this,” she mutters before clearing her throat. “I came to tell you I’ve changed my mind.”
Hope surges through me so sharply I almost forget to breathe. “About what?”
She hesitates for another beat, squaring her shoulders. “I accept your proposal.”
“I didn’t quite hear you,” I say, fighting to keep the smile off my face.
“I’ll marry you,” she states boldly, her voice ringing with conviction.
I lean back against the doorframe, fighting to appear unaffected while my heart hammers violently in my chest. Charlie’s just given me the one answer I was starting to believe I’d never get, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to pull her in my arms and kiss her senseless.
She’s not here because she wants this… or me. No, I’m pretty sure it’s at least partly because of those overdue bills I saw at the shop. She’s agreeing out of necessity. I wouldn’t expect any less since she’s told me on multiple occasions that I’m far from her favorite person.
I might not be able to change the past, but I can find a way to remind her there’s more between us than clipped conversationsand veiled insults. And give her a reason to stay even after the necessity fades.
That doesn’t mean I’ll make this easy for her. She put me through the wringer twice and would absolutely shy away if I accepted too quickly, assuming it was out of pity—which it most certainly is not.
I cup my hand around my ear. “Hmm? I couldn’t quite catch that. Can you repeat it?”
Charlie shoots me a withering glare. “I said I’ll marry you.”