She hung up then glanced at the breakfast tray Sue had left outside her door this morning. A piece of toast, some jam and a big mug of coffee glanced back at her, but she suddenly had a craving for something more filling. She pictured the bacon and egg platter Betty served at the diner, and her stomach growled in response. Might as well kill two birds with one stone—satisfy her appetite and make another appearance in town. She didn’t particularly want to do the latter, but she’d promised herself that she wouldn’t hide away while she was here. She was Charlotte fucking Hill. She wasn’t allowed to be scared of a bunch of mean-spirited, judgmental jerks. Not anymore.
After a quick shower, Charlotte slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and a sleeveless green tee that hung down to her knees, tied her red hair in a high ponytail and left the suite. As she stepped into the balmy morning air, she inhaled the clean summer breeze and admired the cherry blossom trees lining the quiet street. She hadn’t bothered renting a car, and so she took off at a brisk walk and headed into town.
Her ponytail swooshed back and forth, tickling her neck and bringing a smile to her lips. It had been so long since she’d taken a walk by herself. In New York, her bodyguards accompanied her almost everywhere. Here, she could go unnoticed and enjoy the fresh air, without worrying about anyone popping out of a bush to get her autograph. She was surprised that Mayor Price had actually complied and kept her presence hidden from the media. The press still believed she was in New York, and Georgia would be driving to and from the recording studio in Charlotte’s tinted-window Town Car, to fool any curious reporters into believing Charlotte was still in the city.
When she entered the busy diner ten minutes later, she could swear the entire place went silent. It lasted only a second, but long enough to make her experience a flicker of insecurity. She was used to whispers and stares from New Yorkers she passed on the street, but in Paradise, whispers and stares only meant she was being belittled again.
To her surprise, the waitress was a girl who’d gone to her high school. Jessie something or other. Jessie greeted her with a genuine smile and led her to a secluded booth in the back. The morning chatter picked up again, and she received only a few curious glances as she sat down and picked up the menu.
After she’d ordered, she settled back in the familiar vinyl seat and sipped on the coffee Jessie poured for her. Relief filled her belly as she realized that nobody seemed to be interested by her presence. Nobody was pointing and laughing at her. No low taunts about her mother being the town bicycle. Just thinking those words—town bicycle—brought a sour taste to her mouth. It was bad enough that her mom had worked as a stripper in the next town over, but the parade of men she’d invited into their home had been tantalizing fodder for the town’s hunger for gossip. And Charlotte had suffered the consequences.
But this wasn’t too bad. A nice morning in the diner, listening to the clinking of glasses and cutlery as the townsfolk ate their breakfasts and drank their coffees.
And then Lexie Price walked in and Charlotte’s nice morning went up in smoke.
She instantly stifled a sigh at the sight of her nemesis. Dressed in a short, navy blue business suit, with a white silk scarf tied artfully around her neck and her hair in a complicated-looking French twist, Lexie looked like the wealthy princess she was. Charlotte suddenly felt like a slob in her faded jeans with the hole in the knee, but she forced the insecurity down and mustered up some confidence. Who did Lexie think she was, anyway, dressing this way? She ran the Paradise Post, for Pete’s sake, not the New York Times.
Lexie greeted the waitress with a smile, chatted with an older couple sitting near the door then made her way toward the booths. Please don’t come over here, Charlotte repeated in her head, but her silent plea went unheeded.
Without invitation, Lexie slid into the seat across from Charlotte’s as if she belonged there. “Good morning,” she said with a cool smile.
Charlotte frowned. “What can I do for you, Lexie?”
“I thought we could have a little chat.”
Lexie signaled the waitress, who hurried over to take her order—a cup of herbal tea. Figured.
“What do we possibly have to chat about?” Charlotte asked with a weary look.
Lexie raised one blonde eyebrow. “I want to know what kind of game you’re playing.”
“Game? I’m not playing any games.”
“Then why are you here? You haven’t been back to Paradise since you left town. Why now?”
“I got an invitation to the reunion.” Charlotte shrugged. “I decided it might be fun.”
“Bullshit.”
Now Charlotte raised her eyebrows. She’d never known Lexie to curse, and it was downright strange hearing the expletive come out of her mouth. “For some reason, you’re under the impression that I answer to you,” she said stiffly. “But I don’t. What I choose to do isn’t any of your business.”
“If it involves Nate, then it is my business.”
Charlotte faltered for a moment. What? The way Lexie spoke, it was as if she and Nate had something going on. But that couldn’t be. Nate would have told her if he was dating someone. Besides, she’d seen him and Lexie last night at the reunion, and neither one had acted like they were a couple or anything.
“Nate is my best friend,” Lexie added, putting an end to one bout of confusion and creating another.