Page 89 of Floored (Frenched 3)
“So.” Laura addressed me after the waiter had gone. “I know you must be nervous. I would be too. But I’m not here to audition you. I asked Charlie to meet you so I could make a few things clear.”
“OK,” I said nervously.
“When Charlie moved back up here a year ago asking for a second chance with Madison, I thought there was no way he’d agree to my rules. But he did. To my knowledge, he’s never brought a woman around Madison, he’s never canceled plans with her, and he’s never made unkind remarks about me or my husband. At least, not right to her.” She gave Charlie another pointed look.
“Nor to me, either,” I offered. “Actually, he said he’d been a horrible husband and father and deserved to be left.”
“That was no lie,” she confirmed, shaking her head. “He was about the worst you can imagine. But.” She took a breath and exhaled, and I imagined it must be hard for her to say anything positive about the man who had treated her so badly. “Over the last year, I’ve seen a big change in him. He said he wanted to be a better father, a better man, and I think he’s becoming that. I’m not saying there isn’t work to be done,” she went on quickly, “and no doubt in his case there was nowhere to go but up, but I have seen progress.”
“Thank you,” Charlie said. He was trying to adjust his jeans so he could sit comfortably. I gave him an apologetic half-smile.
/> “When I made the no-women rule,” Laura went on, “it was for Madison’s sake, not mine. What he did on his own time was his business and I couldn’t have cared less, but I didn’t want him bringing dates around her. It would’ve been horrible and confusing for Maddie, inappropriate in every way. And I didn’t trust Charlie to see that, since he never had before.”
She glanced at Charlie, who made no move to defend himself.
“But now I find myself willing to relent a little.” Laura sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Clearly something is different. He’s cleaning and organizing his house. He cooks healthier food. He bought new furniture and matching dishes. And he took Madison to the ballet.” She shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe it.
My jaw dropped, and I stared at him. “You did?”
He nodded, looking pleased with himself. “She loved it. She wants to take ballet lessons now.”
“Charlie, that’s wonderful.” I beamed at him, my heart galloping happily. She isn’t a tomboy! She likes ballet!
Laura looked back and forth between us. “Yep. I knew something was up, and I was going to ask him about it, but he got to me first. He came rushing into my house last night and told me that he met someone he really cares about. But he also told me how he’d messed things up.”
“He did,” I admitted.
“He’s good at that.” Laura gave Charlie the icy look only an ex-wife can master. “But somehow I think he’s sincere in wanting to make things right now.”
“I told her I was in love with you.” Charlie reached over and touched my arm. “I’m sorry, I know I keep doing this in the worst places—Starbucks, voicemail, Grizzly Peak—“
“Wow, Starbucks and Grizzly Peak. How romantic.” Laura noisily sucked the last bit of her water through the straw.
My head was spinning. “You told her that?”
Charlie opened his mouth to answer, but it was Laura who spoke first. “He had to, Erin. One, I could see it, and two, I wasn’t going to let him introduce our daughter to some floozy he’d just picked up at a bar. Sorry.” She shrugged. “It’s nothing personal, but Charlie has a rotten record. That’s when he told me how he knew you from childhood, and how this was something different.”
“It’s more than different.” Charlie squeezed my arm.
I looked at him and felt my eyes filling. Closing them for a second, I looked back at Laura. “So…so this is OK with you?”
“It probably shouldn’t be. But…” In a tone that said I-want-to-hate-you-but-I-just-can’t, she finished, “He’s always going to be the father of my first child. I don’t like what he did in the past, but I don’t want to hold this grudge forever, and who am I to say he doesn’t deserve a second chance? If you’ll give him one, I’ll give him one.”
I smiled at her through tears. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She seared Charlie with another look. “Do right by her, Charlie Dwyer. Don’t make me sorry I let her into Madison’s life.”
“I won’t,” he promised, taking my hand.
The waiter appeared with my iced tea and their lunches, and I felt so much better I ordered a kale salad, which Charlie teased me about. “What the hell is that? It looks like it grows at the bottom of a lake.”
Considering the fact that I was having lunch with my boyfriend—Charlie Dwyer was my boyfriend, how insane was that?—and his ex-wife, I actually enjoyed myself, once I relaxed. And there wasn’t even wine!
Outside the restaurant, Laura shook my hand and said it was nice to meet me. “Madison is going to love you. Probably too much.”
“Thank you. I know I’ll adore her. I’m not a mom, so I can’t imagine how protective you must feel, but I’m very grateful you trust me enough to spend time with her.”
Charlie pulled me into his arms. “Thank you. We have a lot to talk about,” he whispered in my ear, “but I’d like to thank Laura for meeting us and giving me this chance.”
