Authors: Marie Coulson
Charlie
I must have written this letter a thousand times. I hoped so much that you would come to the party to see me off. I wanted to see you, talk to you, and tell you everything that I’ve been too afraid to say for far too long. Charlene, I love you. From the moment you rescued me in a school gym, I’ve been besotted. Every break up, every boyfriend who broke your heart, and every time you smiled at me, I’ve wanted to tell you just how much I love you. I tried so hard to get past how I felt and move on, find someone, but all of those women just paled next to you. When you told me that you and Brad were getting married, I was crushed. But you were so happy, and just being around you, being your friend, was better than not having you at all. So I said nothing. I should have told you how I felt. I should have been honest. When we made love, it was so much more than sex for me. It was everything I’d ever wanted. You have no idea how my heart broke when you said it was just a means to an end. I never used you. I never wanted anything more than to be yours exclusively. I screwed it up, and now it’s too late. I just wanted you to know that everything I’ve ever done, has only been to protect you and maybe, selfishly, myself too. Don’t hate Ness and Dana for this. I made them swear to only give this to you when the time was right. I’m assuming that since you’re reading it, they felt it was. I’ll always love you, Charlene. You’re beautiful, and I’ve always thought you were the sexiest and most gorgeous woman that ever existed. No matter what size your dress said you were. You’re a stunning creature. Inside and out. And I’ll miss you every day.
With hope and regret for not telling you sooner.
Adam xxx
Clutching the note to my chest, I held it tightly. I could hardly breathe through my tears, and as I heard the sound of music begin, I panicked. I had to get out! I couldn’t marry Brad! I had to find Adam! I didn’t care how far way he was, how stupid we’d both been, or how upset I was about to make my family. I was meant to be with Adam, and no wedding was about to stop me.
Opening the door, I checked the coast was clear and hurried across the hall to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I looked around for a tissue. I need to clean myself up and go out and face everyone. Glancing around, I caught sight of a slightly opened window.
Or … I could just climb out of that, run away, and they would all have to just … get the hint. It was foolproof. Climbing up onto the toilet, I balanced on the seat. Damn thing had no lid. I pushed the window hard, forcing it open. It looked big enough, so gripping the windowsill, I hoisted myself headfirst out of it. Now, I was right about my body fitting through the hole. However, I hadn’t accounted for my dress! Pulling myself through, I became stuck as my dress snagged on the lock.
“Damn it!”
The bathroom door rattled behind me, forcing me to still and stay silent. I held my breath for what seemed like forever. “Charlene? Are you okay? It’s Dana and Ness. What are you doing in there?”
I let out the breath I was holding and called back to them.
“Oh, thank God! I’m stuck! Quick, get the door open!”
I heard the rattle of the lock, and Ness asked Dana for a hairpin. That girl could have made a career as a professional thief! I’d once seen her open a car door with her bra wire!
I heard the door open and grunted.
“Charlene, what the hell are you doing?” Dana yelled.
I groaned in frustration. “Will you stop screaming? I don’t want to be discovered while I’m jilting the groom at my own wedding!”
Ness made a hissing sound and I could just make out the long tones of ‘yesssssss.’
“Oh, Charlene, I could kiss you! I’m so proud of you! Thank God, I thought I was going to have to wait for the guy to ask if anyone objects and then drag your arse back out!”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s so sweet of you, honey. Now, if you don’t mind, will you please get me out of here?”
Coming up behind me, the two of them pressed their hands against my behind and pushed. Reaching back I pulled, tugged, and clawed at my dress, desperately trying to get myself free. The distinct sound of fabric ripping caught me by surprise and as my skirt tore into two pieces, I hurtled out of the window and down onto the ground. I was now covered in mud, in a torn wedding dress, and my hair looked like a bird’s nest. To top it off, the heel of my shoe had also snapped. Classy.
Sitting on the ground, I looked up and saw Ness and Dana grinning at me through the window. “Hurry up and go! We’ll try and stall them all!” Dana bustled.
Standing up, I brushed myself down and looked around. Everyone was inside, and I could hear voices talking loudly. My mother’s was one of them. She sounded frantic. It was only a matter of seconds before they’d figure out I’d gone and come looking for me. Hobbling along in a now broken heeled shoe, I ran along the pavement, glancing behind me every few steps, waiting to see a crowd of people come pouring out of the registrar’s office. I was so busy looking behind me that I found myself suddenly bumping into a solid mass that knocked me on my arse. Sitting on the ground, I held my hand over my eyes to shield me from the sunlight and looked up. Standing over me with a look of both horror and relief on his face was Adam!
“Charlie!” Reaching down he scooped me into his arms and held me tightly. My own arms wound around his back, and I nuzzled my face into his neck.
“Oh Adam!”
I inhaled him deeply, and tears began falling down my cheeks. “What are you doing here?”
Putting me back onto my feet, he stood back and held my arms. “Dana and Ness told me about the wedding. I got on the first flight out here this morning. I tried to stay away and convince myself that it was for the best, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stay
there
knowing that my last chance to ever make you mine was slipping through my fingers and into Brad’s arms. I’m so sorry I made you feel that this was your only option, Charlie. And I know that your wedding day isn’t the best time to do this but—“
He paused and scanned me from head to toe. “Wait, did you? Have you? Am I too late?”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t say yes to him when my whole heart, body, and mind was screaming no.”
Pausing, I stared up at him, tilted my head, and smiled. “Wait, were you going to crash my wedding, Adam Fitz?”
He pulled me to him again, and this time he kissed me. He kissed me deeply, passionately, and with a sense of overwhelming love. Gazing down at me, he grinned.
“Damn right I was! There was no way I could let you get away from me again. Charlie, I love you. I’ve loved you forever, and I
will
love you forever. Just please, don’t go back there.”
I shook my head. “I won’t. I can’t. It’s done now. They’ll all be coming to find me soon. We have to go.”
I was panicked, and as I turned around, I could see Ness and Dana as they were pushed out of the doorway by Brad. Their attempt to keep everyone inside by blocking the door had been a temporary reprieve for me, but I could feel the storm clouds moving in. Brad wasn’t angry. Oh no, he was seething. Spotting Adam and me a little way down the street, he sprinted toward us.
“You son of a bitch!” he yelled, as his face turned red and he fast approached us.
Moving me behind him, Adam blocked me from his path and as Brad closed in on us, Adam pulled back his fist and rammed it straight into Brad’s nose. I gasped and held my hands over my mouth in shock.
Brad fell to the ground, rolling around and clutching his hand over his bloodied nose. “Oh, my face! You broke my fucking nose, you bastard!”
Shaking his hand out, Adam roared at him. “
That
is for cheating on her.”
Reaching down, he pulled Brad to his feet and ducked as Brad aimed a fist at Adams’s head. Adam responded with a low blow to Brad’s stomach. “
That
is for dumping her on Christmas day!”
Brad groaned and fell to his knees. Standing over him, Adam wiped the sweat from his brow before slamming his foot into Brad’s crotch. I was a sucker for a man in tears, but the heaving sounds Brad was making were purely out of excruciating pain. He wasn’t crying; no, he was sobbing heavy tears of agony. I was kind of enjoying it. Sick, huh? Adam crouched down and gripped his collar, forcing him to look at him. “And
that
, that’s just because you’re a dick. You don’t deserve her. You never did. I’ve been waiting a long time to wipe that smug smile off of your face you prick. Now, fuck off, cradle your swollen sack, and stay away from her.”
Letting him go, Adam turned to me and opened his arms. I immediately ran into them and held him tightly. Brad laughed breathlessly as he rolled around on the ground.
“You’ll regret this, Charlene. Your fat arse is never going to do any better than me. You think this tosspot is going to take care of you? From America?”
Adam moved to hit him again, but grabbing him by the shoulders, I looked up at him, shook my head, and scanned his expression. “Oh my God. Are you leaving again?”
He shook his head and kissed me gently. “Not if you won’t come with me.”
“Charlene! Charlene!”
I turned to see Ness, Dana, and my mother hurrying down the pavement toward us. A crowd of people were gathering outside the registrar’s office, gawping at us.
Turning my attention back to Adam, I shook my head. “I’ll go anywhere with you. Always.”
Lifting my chin, he closed his mouth over mine.
“I’m your girl, Adam. I always was.” I smiled against his lips and pressed my forehead against his. “You’ve always been so much more than that. Marry me, Charlie.”
My mother gasped as she stared at Brad, who I was pretty sure had lost consciousness by now. “My goodness.”
Gran stood behind her and laughed. “Ha! Stupid little prick. About time someone shoved his dick down his own throat.”
Ness and Dana giggled at her. “Well.” Ness beamed. “Answer him!”
Dana was bouncing on her heels as all of them stared at me, waiting. I didn’t need to think about it this time. There was no other answer I could possibly give.
“Abso-fucking-lutely!”
Throwing my arms around his neck, I pressed my lips to his. He spun me around and grinned.
“You’ll make me the happiest man alive. I promise to make you the happiest woman in the world.”
Smiling, I rubbed the tip of my nose gently against his.
“You already have.”
Adam and I were married the following spring. We had made the move to the States almost immediately, and Regina was devastated to lose me. However, she did promote me to senior manager at our L.A. office. Nicola and Denise were my new colleagues, and I had never enjoyed my job more. My mother was keen to visit as soon as possible, and the distance was doing wonders for our dysfunctional relationship. Even Gran had made the trip, though she had spent the majority of her time in the countless bars and senior citizen clubs. I was convinced she might actually consider moving out there with us, but the heat was more than she could bear. Thankfully.
Ness and Dana loved the States. I knew they would. Ness was right at home in Hollywood, and Dana was a typical tourist. I had suggested that while there, she look Kieran up, but it seemed to deter her so I dropped it. The only one who seemed totally unfazed by the whole ordeal was Jacob. The pampered pussy was totally at home in our large, three-bedroom house with its own pool. However, he wasn’t overly fond of the Great Dane next door. I would often catch him tormenting the poor animal by marching up and down the brick wall in our garden. But the dog really was his only complaint. Well, that and the week he spent in quarantine before he was allowed to join us from the UK.
The wedding took no time at all to plan, and with the girls only a Skype call away, it was fairly easy to organise, too! It wasn’t the big white wedding that Ness had begged me to have, and it wasn’t the formal affair that my mother had pleaded at us to have either. But as we stood at the end of the aisle, in a little chapel in Vegas, Adam was the sexiest groom I had ever laid eyes on. Dressed in his white Prince Charming outfit, he beamed at me. I had opted for a traditional, nylon Cinderella get-up, and my bridesmaids were the Little Mermaid and Snow White. It was the perfect wedding. The perfect dress, place, weather, day, and what’s more, the perfect groom.
I’d love to tell you that we lived happily ever after. But life doesn’t really work out like that. We had our up and downs, fights, and disagreements, but does the fairytale always have to be the prince and princess getting married, making babies, and living in a dream castle? Of course not. Our marriage was like everyone else’s; we had to work at it. It wasn’t magic kingdoms, ball gowns, and pixie dust. It was real. It wasn’t happily ever after … but it was pretty damn close. And as far as I was concerned … that was good enough for me.
~The End~
Acknowledgements
First, I have to thank my wonderful, supportive, inspiring family and partner. Thank you for being there when the writing cave got lonely. Thank you for making sure I didn’t over-do it and for taking such good care of my unborn child and me. You kept me grounded and reminded me of what is most important in life. I love you all.
To my friends, you will never know what a crucial part you played in this book. So much of the humour, wit, and fun would not be possible had I not experienced so much of it with you. I love you all deeply and am indebted to you forever.
My beta readers. You are an incredible group of women. You made me laugh and kept me sane! Rhonda, your comments and notes will have me giggling forever. Laura, Kerri, Jen, and Shaina, I cannot thank you enough for reading, discussing and helping me make this novel all it could be. Dana and Vanessa, I am truly touched that you allowed me to borrow your names. I hope I did you justice, and I thank you both from the bottom of my heart for your time and encouragement while beta reading this book. Many a wobble was diverted because of you fantabulous beta ladies!
Madison, thank you so much for all of your support, enthusiasm, and understanding while editing my mass of thoughts! Your professionalism, talent, skill, and eye for detail was amazing, and I would highly recommend your editing services to everyone! You made me smile when nerves set in.
And to you, my fans and readers, I adore you. There is no other way to describe it. I thank you all for your kind words and congratulations on my happy news. I am overwhelmed with how much love and support I have received. You rock.