Notice Me (26 page)

“I did yes, but I got nowhere. They just died that is all I know. The papers that came with me when I was a baby weren’t the most legible to read either. It didn’t help, but then I thought. ‘Why look? They are gone. I am alone whether I find out who they were or not. It will never change anything’.” Charlie pulled me close against his chest as he kissed my head.

“You will never be alone anymore sweetheart.”

I sighed in his tight grip knowing that was true. “What was it like in the orphanage?”

“Dark, cold and lonely,” I murmured. “As soon as I turned ten I went into foster care. I lost count of all the families I lived with. It was lucky one of my parents gave me some brains or I would have probably been in the gutter somewhere by now.” I laughed to myself.

Charlie wasn’t happy with what I said. “Don’t say that!”

“Sorry, but it was true. My teacher Mr Ashton sort of took me under his wing. He got me the work experience at Field Organisation.” I froze. I hated when our conversations began to involve Megan. “The rest is history,” I finished. Charlie knew the rest.

“Well, I think it is all fate.”

“Fate?”

“If you hadn’t met Megan,” Charlie winced at her name he knew how I felt. “We would not be here now. Everything happens for a reason you know?” He kissed the tip of my nose. “I can still remember the first time I saw you.”

“Really?” I asked shocked. I loved reminiscing about how we fell in love. Seeing as I never noticed it at the time.

“Yeah. I spotted you in your champagne colour dress from the far corner of the dance floor. You never realised that, did you?” Charlie laughed.

“But you liked Megan then,” I argued.

“Yeah, but it didn’t stop me thinking how beautiful you were. It was your eyes. I had never seen anything like them.” He was so romantic I just sighed. “I think it was a few months later I wrote the first letter. I kept it in my studio for about three weeks until I decided to give it to you. I was hoping you would know it was me straight away. I was trying to be pretty obvious.”

“No, you weren’t,” I laughed.

“Well
I
thought I was. I mean I gave you the first letter personally, Shannon.” Charlie chuckled. “Every time I was with you it was on the tip of my tongue. That night we went to the new nightclub in London and you wore that black dress. Do you remember?” I nodded. “You looked so sexy. I could hardly control myself. When Will told me at the bar he was falling for you, I can’t describe how it felt. I thought I had lost you.” I placed my hand on his face and stroked his cheek. “I finally lost it when you and Will got together. I wrote a lot of angry songs with my guitar.” Charlie laughed at himself. “They were awful too. I had more or less decided to try and make a go of it with Megan. Thinking you would fall in love with Will, but I never realised how hard it would be to watch you with him.”

“I’m sorry if I had known.” I didn’t like to think of Charlie in pain even though it was from the past.

“Sweetheart, don’t worry. I always wanted to protect you. Megan is an evil piece of work. I was never going to open you up to that.” He gently kissed my lips. “I know I have put you in danger now, but we will find a way.” I just rested my head on his chest playing with the buttons on his shirt. “Maybe we should just runaway?”

“I wish we could.” If only it could be that simple. With Megan’s wealth she would hire a hit squad to track us down.

“Don’t worry. We
will
sort it.” Charlie almost cooed as he began to play with my hair again. I slipped into a light sleep, comfortable in his strong hold.

Chapter 19

“So you and Charlie are just friends then?” Lorna asked for about the tenth time in that hour.

“YES!” I was becoming impatient now.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“Lorna, come on. We have so much work to do. I really want to get home at some point tonight,” I moaned.

“Is that because Charlie will be waiting?”

“Very funny. Have you sent this invoice to accounts yet?” I asked trying to change the subject back to work.

“Yes… If he is single and you are single… what is the problem?” I loved Lorna, but sometimes she was too much.

“We are just friends!” I glared at her.

“But you guys would make…”

“Please shut up. You are starting to give me a headache,” I interrupted.

“You know I wouldn’t tell anyone, right? I mean you are probably the closest friend I have here now. I mean I have to be wearing you down. I ask you every day. I know something is going on. The way you look at each other. It’s bloody beautiful.” I trusted Lorna and Bradley, but it wasn’t something I wanted anyone to know. It was dangerous for so many reasons.

“I would tell you if there was something to tell.” I laughed rolling my eyes.

“Why don’t I believe you?” Lorna looked at me dubiously with a smirk on her small agile face. “All I am saying is, if I was single with someone like Charlie around I…”

“I know what
you
would do thank you, Lorna,” I laughed looking disappointed at her.

“You know me too well, Shannon.” Lorna giggled. “I just think you should get in there. I mean he sure as hell isn’t going to stay single for long.”

“Are you ever going to shut up about Charlie?” We really had a lot of work to do.

“Not until you admit you fancy him.”

“For God sakes Lorna, of course I fancy him. Who wouldn’t?”

“Thank God, I thought you might have been a lesbian.”

“I’m not a lesbian,” I laughed frantically. I really didn’t like where the conversation was heading. Lorna was fishing more than usual.

“So if he fancies you and you fancy him. What’s the problem?”

“Um let me think… MEGAN? Who says he fancies me anyway?”

“What about her. She is dating an actor now anyway. Of course he fancies you. Charlie has puppy eyes every time he steals a look at you.”

“You are unbelievable. Anyway, if we did it just wouldn’t feel right.”

“I think you are scared.”

“What do you mean scared?”

“You don’t think you can trust Charlie. I mean I bet he has a string of girls on his speed dial.”

“No he doesn’t!” I answered too defensively. Lorna could read my face. I had totally put my foot in it.

“Oh. My. God!”

“What? What?” I was hysterical trying to read Lorna’s face. What had she worked out?

“You
are
seeing him. I am right aren’t I? The chemistry between you two it’s so obvious you must be seeing him. I just know it... You’re blushing!” I searched my mind, trying to fight my way out of her questions, but I was tired of lying to everyone. Charlie had told his mother about us so why couldn’t I have one person to confide in?

“Oh for God sakes, if I tell you will you shut the hell up?” I moaned. Lorna beamed nodding her head frantically. “Yes, Charlie and I are seeing each other. It is totally top secret do you understand?” Lorna nodded again. “We sort of got together before I came to New York.” Lorna’s eyes widened as I began to tell her the whole story. I actually made her cry. She may have been in love with Charlie as much as I was by the time my story was told.

“Oh that is so beautiful Shan. It’s like the most romantic story I have ever heard,” Lorna replied wiping her eyes. “I promise I won’t tell anyone. Not even Bradley. I can’t believe it you and Charlie… I so knew it!”

It felt good to have finally told someone just how much Charlie meant to me. Lorna had become a cherished friend, who honestly helped lighten my burden. In her eyes she believed Charlie and I were doing nothing wrong because we loved one another.

Charlie didn’t flip like I expected he would. It gave him the hope that one day I could tell Megan. I doubted if I would ever feel that brave.

Bradley came in on the secret a week later. Lorna couldn’t help herself plus she was hooked on the idea of double dating. Charlie and I trusted him. Bradley was probably the most honest straight talking guy either of us had ever met.

“So you are meeting his mother at the weekend?” Lorna asked me alone in my office one afternoon.

“Yeah,” I sighed as my stomach turned nervously. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to meet Charlie’s mother. I just was scared encase I wasn’t good enough for her son. Two months ago he was dating Megan Field.

“You will be fine. I remember meeting Bradley’s folks for the first time.” Lorna began to laugh to herself. “Mind you, mine and Bradley’s relationship is too straightforward to compare it to yours.”

“Thanks,” I laughed back.

The final details with Cadman Limited were slowly coming together. The week flew by in a daze of spreadsheets, telephone agreements and pie charts. Mr Caldecott was so impressed Lorna and I had been given the chance to present the marketing strategy to Cadman Limited ourselves. We still had another week to put the finishing touches to our presentation.

I sat in my baby blue frilly dress. I had gone for the girl next door look with Charlie’s mother. I sat impatiently in his apartment waiting for them. Dusk had spread over Brooklyn it seemed almost peaceful from this high up. Thousands of twinkle lights scattered across the skyline, glistening like crystal water.

My heart thudded unevenly as Charlie’s door opened. I stood up flattening my dress to make the best first impression I could.

“I’m glad that Jennet Downing gave you the evening off mum,” Charlie commented as he walked through his door. He caught a look at my nervous face smirking at me. “Here she is mum,” Charlie spoke proudly as his mother came into my view.

“Pleasure to meet you Ms Collins,” I replied trying to swallow the butterflies in my throat.

“Call me Rachel dear.” Charlie’s mother pulled me into a tight hug. “Charles was right. You are lovely.”

Charlie featured his mother. I could see him in her face. Their eyes were a complete match. She had a gentle face, with light brown hair that was layered to her neck.

“I said Shannon was more than lovely, mum,” Charlie laughed as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Shannon knows what I mean Charles. So shall we take a seat?” I nodded as we made our way to the couch. Charlie went to get the drinks while his mother and I made small chat.

Charlie cooked an astounding meal. It was clear to see how close he was to his mother. They appeared very similar.

“You don’t need to worry dear,” Rachel whispered while Charlie was loading his dishwasher. I looked at her confused. “I know how worried you are about Megan Field finding out, but you two have done nothing wrong.”

“Oh… I… well, it’s just she is my friend.”

“If she were your friend, Megan would be happy for you.” I looked at her, tears coming to my eyes. It was a hard conversation for me to have. Most of the time I tried to put it to the back of my mind. “I have had a lot of dealings with the Field family, Shannon. They are a horrible family. Totally ruled by money. What they have is never enough. Jennet hates them all with a passion.”    

“Megan isn’t like that,” I wanted to add that the rest of the Field children weren’t like that, but defending Will in front of Charlie was wrong.

“I wouldn’t be so sure, dear. Jennet Downing was in a meeting with Sir Philip Field last week. I won’t go into detail but Field Organisation can fight dirty when it comes to business. William Field is turning into his father that’s for sure.” I just nodded not really understanding what she meant. Rachel put her hand on my cheek. “You have the most beautiful eyes Shannon, like emeralds.” Rachel seemed lost in thought for a few seconds. “I have to thank you Shannon. You have made my boy complete. All I want is for him to be happy. It’s hard to be so far away from him, but you can understand why I had to do it. Downing International Organisation was a massive opportunity for me. Eight years I have worked for them. It’s amazing how time flies.”