Page 55 of Live Like There's No Tomorrow
Charlotte stared at her. “Do you really think I’m the wrong one?”
“I don’t want you to be. You know I’d love to see the two of you live your happily ever after. I just don’t want to see the two of you screw it up and him be left forever alone.”
“And what about you?” asked Chance. “Do you know for sure that this is it? Are you all in? Or are you just back to test the waters, to see?”
Charlotte shook her head adamantly. “I know, I’ve always known. It’s easy for me, he’s the only one I’ve ever wanted. But then, I’ve been married to someone else, too.”
“I can see that,” said Chance. “I can see how it did give you a different perspective. Ben’s never explored his options. He’s neverseenan option other than you. But I’ll tell you what I think. I think he’s a man who knows his own mind, he knows what he wants, and all he’s ever wanted is you. I don’t think you should question that. As a guy, I can tell you that you can have a spark with a woman that you never want to explore, especially if there is still another much more important woman in your past.”
Charlotte didn’t know what to say. She knew that Chance was talking from experience, and it was so sad that he would never be able to get back the other, more important woman in his past. Chloe was dead. She nodded and had to swallow back the tears that threatened to fall. “Are you saying I should forget it?”
“Yep. That’s exactly what I’m saying. If he’s told you it means nothing, then he doesn’t want it to mean anything. Now, that’s not saying it doesn’t, just that he doesn’t want it to. You might have to be prepared for it to come and bite you in the ass. But for his sake, I think you should let it go.”
Charlotte looked at Missy. “I think he’s right, hon. I’m sorry I interfered. It’s hard not to, you know? I want to see you both happy and the last thing I want to see is you hurt each other again.”
Charlotte nodded. “I know you’re only looking out for him, and for me. There’s no need to apologize.” Her phone rang and she fished it out of her purse. “It’s him. We were hoping to meet up this afternoon. I’m going to go, I’ll take this outside. Thanks, guys.”
She hurried out the front door and closed it behind her before she answered. “Hey!”
“Hey. Are you going to be free this afternoon?”
“No, I hope not.”
“Oh.”
“I hope I’m not going to be free, because I hope that we’re going to spend the afternoon together.”
She could hear the smile in his voice. “Good. Shall I come to you?”
“Yes. I’m just on my way home now; I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Great. I’ll see you there.”
~ ~ ~
Ben smiled when he pulled up in Charlotte’s driveway and saw her sitting on the front steps waiting for him. She got up and ran to greet him. It took him back, all the way back through the years to the times when he used to pick her up from her grandparents’ house.
“I’m so glad you came.”
“Me too. I think it’s finally time I face the fact that that I don’t have to be at the resort all day on Saturday. It’s about time I started living.”
“I never thought I’d see the day you would feel that way. But I’m so glad I’m here for it.”
“I only feel that way because you are here. We have so much lost time to make up for.” It was true, they’d lost so many years, and he wanted to make every moment count.
“So, how about we start making up for it? You said you liked to take a boat out? How about we wander down to the marina?”
He smiled. “That sounds like a great idea. It should be fairly quiet down there.”
“Let’s go, then.”
Less than half an hour later they were out on the water. It was a beautiful day and the sun shone warmly down on them. Charlotte looked so beautiful with a big smile on her face and her hair blowing in the wind. Ben took out his phone and snapped a picture.
“I still keep a picture of you in my wallet too, you know?”
“You do? I have one of you in my purse, but it’s almost worn out now.”
“Yeah, the one I have is faded, to say the least. Now I have a new one.”
