Chapter 2: A Big Surprise

“I’m sorry, guys! I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Mary said, giving Edward a kiss on the cheek. "But this man forgot his lunch!"

"My bride to be, ladies and gentlemen," Edward said to the cheer of the conference room.

Mary looked at Charlotte and mouthed an “Oh my god” at her as if she herself was just hearing the news for the first time.

“Oh darling, how I’ve missed you!” she then said, giving Charlotte a hug as Floyd said the meeting was over and the men exited the conference room. Charlotte stood there with her arms to her sides, transfixed on the wall behind Mary.

“I… When did you arrive?”

There were far too many questions fighting to burst through Charlotte’s mouth, and the one that came out was the most innocuous of them.

How had this happened? No one had told her anything about Mary and Edward. When had they even started seeing each other? How the hell did the love of her life end up with someone else?

“We flew in together,” Mary said, pulling away. “I’m staying at your house. Well, your mom’s house. Didn’t she tell you?”

Now that she remembered it, her mother had mentioned that Mary would be visiting. But since Charlotte had no interest in seeing her, she had dismissed the news. Never in her wildest nightmares could she have envisioned that Mary was coming here to be with Edward.

To marry Edward. HER Edward.

“Yes, I believed she mentioned it. I… congratulations! I had no idea you two were even dating!” Charlotte managed to say.

Edward walked back into the office.

“Sorry, I had to greet some people before they went to the other floors,” he said, smiling at Mary and Charlotte. “This was the surprise!”

“A big surprise indeed,” Charlotte said, struggling to keep her mouth in a smiling position.

“She was asking about how we got together,” Mary said, putting an arm around Edward’s.

“Well, I was a bit lonely down there in South Carolina, so I decided to call on old acquaintances. We already knew each other from so long ago that it sort of just happened,” Edward said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Nooo, there’s nothing to be sorry about,” Charlotte said. “If anything, it’s my fault for not keeping in touch more often. With the both of you.”

“Now we’ll have all the time in the world to correct that. You must help me with the wedding plans,” Mary said. “Your mom has already suggested a few decorators and bakers, but there’s just so much to do!”

“Yes, of course,” Charlotte said. “I… have to go back to work. It was great seeing you.”

With that, she left the conference room and tried very hard not to run back to her office. Before she realized where she was going, she was in the lobby.

“That was the man you were asking about so much?” Janet stood behind the desk, peering at Charlotte with a coy look behind her thick glasses. "I believe the woman looking for him said she was his fiancé." 

“Don’t talk to me,” Charlotte said, turning and almost bumping into someone.

She needed to calm down and get it together. Floyd. Yes. First, she needed to talk to that backstabbing asshole. How could he pass her over for someone who was just joining the firm? She had a perfect record of victories in court. She had done an excellent job of bringing in new clients, and she was practically the face of the firm! This was more important than the other bomb that had just exploded in her face. She’d think about Edward later.

She entered Floyd’s office without knocking, but no one was there.

“Charlotte?” someone said behind her.

It was Edward, standing in the doorway. Charlotte’s heart seemed to have stopped. She had to talk to him, too, to clear this out. It was possible he just hadn’t known. Maybe she hadn’t been forward enough throughout the years, and he had no idea she had been pining for him all this time.

“Floyd went downstairs. I was looking for him, too,” Edward said.

“Can we talk?” she said, pulling him inside and closing the door after checking no one was looking.

“Yes, of course. Look, I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you about Mary and I. We… sort of just happened as I said, and it was all really fast.”

“You can’t marry her,” Charlotte said all of a sudden.

“What? Why?”

“Are you honestly going to tell me you don’t feel anything for me? That all these years of… flirting and dancing around us taking a step further didn’t happen?”

There were a few seconds of silence before Edward spoke.

“Charlotte… I don’t know what to say.” He stood with his back against the closed door, hands in his pockets. He kept his eyes focused on the floor. “We’ve always been friends. I know that we’ve always toyed with the idea of being more than that, but I just didn’t think you were ever that interested in me.”

“I went to college in South Carolina to be near you! You knew that! I’ve never even been in a serious relationship with another man. You always talked about us as if we’d be together someday.”

“I know. I see that now and how it could have been misinterpreted. Charlotte, my darling. You’re the fiercest and bravest woman I know. How could I not love you and everything you are? But- “

“Then call it off. You said you love me, and now you know I’ve always loved you, too. Leave her,” Charlotte interrupted, tugging at his suit with her two hands. “You will never be happy with someone like her.”

“Someone kind and completely selfless? I could never do that, and you know it. Mary doesn’t deserve that. It would be dishonorable.”

“Who gives a shit about honor?” Charlotte let go and took a step back. “You know what? Go ahead, marry her. Marry Little Miss Virgin Mary and live your honorable miserable lives. You deserve each other.”

Charlotte didn’t recognize the person who was spitting out all these horrible things. She never lost her temper like that, not in front of another person, anyway. But her heart was shattering. The last time she had felt such a strong ache in her chest was when her father died, and it seemed like the carpet had been pulled out from under her feet way too quickly.

“I know you don’t mean what you’re saying, Charlotte. You’re just upset.” Edward turned and placed a hand on the doorknob. He seemed to be thinking something over and then took a step towards Charlotte. “Please, darling. You have to understand…. Mary and I see things the same way. We…”

“I couldn’t care less,” Charlotte said, giving her back to Edward and holding on to Floyd’s desk for support. She was having trouble breathing. “Forget what I said. We are done.”

Just this morning she was imagining them spending the rest of their lives together. Together for real, not just dancing around the idea. Now, it was all gone.

“We can never be done, Charlotte. We’ve been friends since we were children. I couldn’t….”

“GET OUT!” Charlotte yelled and impulsively threw a massive book that had been sitting on Floyd’s desk. Edward ducked out of the way, and the book hit the door, landing on the floor with a thud.

To his credit, Edward said nothing and gave her a solemn nod before exiting Floyd’s office.

“I was not expecting that,” said a cool, grave voice from the direction of the couch.

Charlotte screamed and almost knocked back the rest of the things on Floyd’s desk. A head popped up behind the couch, revealing a pair of blue eyes.

“Who are you?” Charlotte said, placing her hand on another book to use as a projectile if need be.

The man slowly rose from the couch and straightened his dark tailored suit. He had long dark hair, perfectly combed back. Charlotte had never seen him around the office and was completely flabbergasted as to why this stranger would have been lying down on Floyd’s couch.

Was he a client? If he was, she was doomed. She struggled to fight back the tears that were threatening to gush out any moment now.

“Whoever that man was, he’s a fool,” he said, looking at Charlotte up and down. “And so are you, for going after someone like him.”

“I demand to know who you are,” Charlotte said, straightening up. “I will not be insulted by… by a stranger.”

“My name is Logan,” he said, walking around the couch. “From what I gathered, you’re Charlotte. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” He gave her a respectful nod, but it was anything but. He seemed to be laughing at her internally.

“What are you doing in Floyd’s office?” Charlotte said.

“I have a meeting with him, but I didn’t feel like waiting outside.”

It had to be someone important if Janet had let him in when Floyd wasn’t even here. A surge of panic rushed through Charlotte. Not only had she been passed on for a promotion, but she could possibly get fired if this man was an important client.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” he continued, eyeing Charlotte’s hand. “And you don’t have to throw that book at me. I don’t intend to hurt you.”

Charlotte removed her hand from the book.

“A man like that doesn’t deserve someone like you,” he said, raising an eyebrow and giving Charlotte a crooked smile. “You’d step all over him.”

“What do you mean a man like that? He’s a perfectly respectable person,” Charlotte said, not even realizing she was defending the man who just broke her heart.

Logan laughed.

“I thought you couldn’t care less about him. Yes, he’s so respectable that he’s marrying someone else even though he’s clearly in love with another.”

“Get out!” Charlotte yelled at the man. She didn’t care who he was; he had no right to mock her that way.

“But it was you who intruded upon my nap,” he said coolly.

“Fine!”

Charlotte stomped out of Floyd’s office and slammed the door behind her. A few people poked their heads out of their cubicles, but Charlotte didn’t care. She needed to get out of here before she murdered someone.