Charlotte woke up late the next morning. It was a strange feeling to wake up on her own without the aid of an alarm clock. She could definitely get used to this.
She hadn’t been to the store yet, so there wasn’t much to eat in the kitchen. She’d left the open bottle of wine on the counter overnight and she cursed herself for being so lazy.
Why do I care? She thought. It’s just me here now. I can leave anything I want out, when I want.
Outside, the sky was cloudless and Carolina blue. It was warm, but not too warm, and a breeze whipped by her as she stepped onto the porch to take in what looked like a perfect day.
Next door at the mansion she saw an older woman with platinum blonde hair shut the front door and strut over to a Porsche SUV, a cell phone to her ear.
“I guess that’s my new neighbor,” Charlotte said to herself. “Maybe I’ll go by later and introduce myself. When she comes back from wherever she’s heading.”
She watched the woman drive away and then faced the ocean again.
It was nice to be back. She’d thought it would be harder, that the memories of Declan and their summer together would still haunt her. But she’d found that happened no matter where she lived. And being here was so comforting in a way. It represented a beautiful time in her life, even if it ended badly. She could still appreciate what it had been, and being that she needed an escape, this was the perfect place to find it. For now.
It also helped that she knew Declan DeGraff was nowhere near this place anymore. No chance of running into him and her past.
She smiled. It was time to lay out, get some much needed Vitamin D. She headed back in to look for her new two-piece swimsuit and a People magazine.
Ten Years Earlier…
Charlotte had moved into the DeGraff carriage house a week after meeting Declan on the bridge. Allyn Legare seemed almost miffed that Charlotte had been able to find a place so fast.
“How did you manage it?” Allyn said as Charlotte boxed up some books. “I mean; I really didn’t give you like, any notice.”
“You sure as hell didn’t,” Charlotte said as she taped the box closed. “But it’s for the best. No roommates at this place I’m heading.”
Allyn guffawed, “How the hell are you affording that? Unless you’re like, living in North Charleston or something.”
“Nope,” Charlotte said, looking up at Allyn. “I’m living in a carriage house on Meeting.”
“South of Broad?” Allyn said. “How is that even possible? Who do you know there?”
“Declan DeGraff told me about it,” she said, not expecting Allyn to know who he was.
“Declan DeGraff?” Allyn practically yelled. “I didn’t know you knew him! He’s like… One of the richest guys in Charleston. And hottest. Since when do you know him? And does Saylor know about this?”
Charlotte looked at her, confused, “Who’s Saylor?”
“Saylor Embers. She’s in my sorority, she’s his girlfriend of like, forever,” Allyn said.
Charlotte had to admit that hearing Declan had a girlfriend pained her a bit, but she shrugged it off. She wasn’t looking for anything more than a place to live and he’d been kind enough to provide it. Besides, she wasn’t his type. Not if girls like Allyn were.
“Well, I don’t know anything about that. I don’t even know him that well, he said it was available for rent and I took him up on it,” Charlotte said. “So, everyone’s a winner.”
Allyn rolled her eyes, “Declan just offered you this place out of the kindness of his heart? I find that a little hard to believe.”
“Why?” Charlotte asked sharply. “Like I said, I met him, told him about how I was being unceremoniously booted from this place, and he told me about the carriage house. What do you care? I shouldn’t even be speaking to you after how you’ve treated me.”
Allyn’s mouth hung open unattractively. Charlotte had never been so assertive but now that they weren’t roommates anymore, it wasn’t like she had anything to lose.
“Well, I guess I was right. You never liked me,” Allyn said. “So I don’t feel bad about this. At all.”
“I know you don’t, Allyn,” Charlotte said, picking up the taped up box and heading out the door for the last time. “You never feel bad about anything.”
********
Declan thought Charlotte might change her mind about moving in. After he’d left her that day, he hadn’t been able to get her off his mind, and it had taken almost all of his composure not to text her constantly. Instead he’d kept it mostly professional and only texted her to confirm when and what time she’d be needing to move in. He’d offered to help her get her things, but she’d declined.