Lexie strode into the Paradise Public Library forty minutes later, after leaving Nate’s house with a chunk of anger in her throat. She might have promised him that she’d accept his relationship with Charlotte, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do some digging. In secret, of course.
Truth was she didn’t trust Charlotte farther than she could throw her. And now she trusted her less after she’d learned the truth about Nate and Charlotte’s breakup. She could only imagine what Nate must have said in order for Charlotte to storm out of town in the middle of the night. Lexie remembered having breakfast with her parents at Betty’s at eight in the morning, and Charlotte had already been gone by then.
As she’d told Nate, women didn’t forget. Even the ones who claimed to be over a betrayal still thought about it late at night, imagining ways to torment the jerk who hurt them. Lexie ought to know—she’d been fantasizing about kicking Cooper in the balls since he’d thrown her out of his house yesterday.
Anger shot through her. Damn it, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t think about Cooper today. Or ever. The bastard didn’t deserve her. He’d never deserved her. She’d only gotten involved with him to try to forget about Gabe, but now she was even worse off. Now she had to forget two assholes instead of one.
Focusing on Charlotte Hill and her evil plans for Nate was a better way to spend her time. And she had no doubt that Nate’s new—or old—girlfriend was up to something. Now she simply had to prove it.
When she strode into the spacious main room of the library, she immediately spotted Charlotte sitting at one of the computer terminals lining the wall. The library was otherwise deserted, which meant that Wanda Easton’s youth club meeting had ended for the day. Perfect. She didn’t want an audience when she confronted Charlotte.
Squaring her shoulders, Lexie made her way to the bank of computers. The sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor made Charlotte lift her head, and she turned around, frowning when she spotted Lexie.
“What are you doing here?” Charlotte asked with a sigh.
Lexie peered past the redhead’s shoulder, noticing the email account up on the screen, but she couldn’t read anything from that distance. Shifting her gaze to meet Charlotte’s pale green eyes, she gave a frown of her own. “We need to talk.”
“Do we really have to? Because I was having a really nice day until you walked in.”
Lexie’s lips tightened. God, what a bitch. She was suddenly glad that Charlotte had snubbed all of her attempts at friendship back in the day. Lexie had tried, she’d really tried to be nice to Charlotte. She’d actually thought the other girl seemed cool. She knew better now, though.
“I just came from Nate’s, and he told me you two are back together,” Lexie said, ignoring the jab. “So again, I have to ask, what the hell are you up to?”
“Nothing,” Charlotte snapped, rising to her feet. “I’m just spending time with a man I care deeply about. Is that so fucking wrong, Lexie?”
Was that a flicker of guilt in those green eyes?
Oh yeah. Definitely.
Lexie’s instincts hummed. There was totally something off about this entire thing. Charlotte waltzing back to town, luring Nate into bed, into a relationship…
“There’s nothing wrong with that, if you’re being honest,” Lexie snapped back. She suddenly smiled. “Nate wants me to be nice to you, you know.”
The redhead laughed. “Well, don’t strain yourself. I’m fine if the two of us stay far away from each other.”
“Actually, I plan on doing the opposite.” Her tone took on a sugary-sweet note. “I’m going to be your new best friend.”
Alarm washed across Charlotte’s face. “What?”
“You heard me. We’re going to be best buddies. We’ll go shopping and have long lunches and maybe I’ll tag along to dinner with you and Nate sometimes.”
“Why the hell would we do any of that?”
Lexie’s smile widened. “So I can keep my eye on you. I don’t trust you, Charlotte, and I won’t let Nate get hurt again.”
“You are… Christ, you’re nuts,” Charlotte muttered, her cheeks turning beet red as she took a step to the side. “We’re not going to be best friends, and for the last time, I’m not going to hurt Nate! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”
“Heading over to Nate’s?” Lexie asked innocently. “Maybe I’ll come along.”
“Don’t you dare. Seriously, quit antagonizing me. Sooner or later, I’m going to fight back.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Lexie murmured as she watched Charlotte stalk off.
The other woman’s back was as rigid as a board, only confirming her suspicions. It was one thing to get angry, but Charlotte had been far too defensive when Lexie voiced her doubts. Good, let her be defensive.