The Grand Duel (The Grand Men #4)

Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

Charlie

W e land before lunchtime, our meeting still on the cards.

Lissie has been busy on the way home, straight back in work mode.

I, on the other hand, am still back in our hotel room.

I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve not been with a woman in years like I was with Lissie. And the way she felt in my arms, the sounds she made…I can’t help but wonder if maybe there’s another way rather than the one I’ve been living.

“Did you get my email about the Jimmy Renswrath case?” she asks from beside me in the car. “They sent over those receipts you wanted, but I thought they looked a little…”

“Great,” I conclude, knowing what she’s about to say.

“Yeah. They don’t seem of the real world.”

“I’ll have a look.” I peer down at her as she opens a new email and reads it over before hitting reply and typing. “Will you be free to come with me to my meeting this afternoon?” I ask.

“Not likely,” she says without looking up or pausing in her typing. “I have a very important meeting myself.”

I frown. “An important meeting with who?”

She glances up at me and smiles. “Do you need to know, Charles?”

“I think as your boss, it would be pretty acceptable for me to want to know.”

She grows coy. “Just a couple of old friends. I plan to work through lunch and take it late if that’s okay.”

No.

Take a late lunch with me.

Who’s she taking a late lunch with?

“Sure,” I eventually say, looking up at Scott in the mirror. He shrugs, clueless. “Can I give you a lift?”

“I have a lift.”

I look out the window, the feeling in my gut foreign and not one I like. “Well, if you need a lift home,” I tell her, the office coming into view beyond the glass.

I hear her laptop snap closed and her seat belt unbuckling. “I won’t.” I turn to look at her, finding her waiting for me with a twisted smile on her face. “But if I do.”

Is this because I rejected her?

I nod once and then climb out of the car, waiting for her to pass me before shutting the door and following her to the main doors of Charles Aldridge.

She barely makes it to her office before Luna has cleared the gate and is on her.

I attend my afternoon meeting and then make the drive out to Lowerwick Estate to check in on Scarlet. The house is a beautiful property on the outskirts of London, just under an hour away from my home.

I drive down the lane and park next to Nina’s car.

The dogs pant and climb over one another in the back of the car, desperate to be freed so that they can explore.

I step from the car and let them out, watching as they disappear on a sprint for the fields.

When I walk into the house, I pause, appreciating the quiet but also hating it. Mostly because it’s a house that’s earned its noise.

For a long time after leaving for university, Mason refused to visit, leaving Scarlet to look after her dad alone until his death, and yet the second his sister needed him, when Lance went away and she gave birth to Ave, Mason came home. And with him he brought a family.

With the most lived-in rooms all empty, I make my way up the stairs and to Ave’s room. When I walk in, I find her asleep. I lighten my steps and walk to where she lies, leaning down on the side of the cot as I watch her sleep.

She’s the split of Scarlet, but I know that under those lashes she has her dad’s green eyes.

I can’t help but ache for my friend when I look at his daughter who, not for our lack of trying, he has no idea exists.

I stare at her, knowing there’s nothing more I can do but still feeling sole responsibility for this tiny, beautiful little girl to know her dad.

“I should have known it was you.”

I turn to find Nina leant in the doorway. When I put my finger to my lips, she smiles and walks to where I’m standing, hugging my side. “Did you have a good time away?”

“It was okay,” I say, glad she can’t see my face. “You on auntie duties today? Where’s Mase?”

“Yep. Mase had a late meeting with a new client and an early start tomorrow, so he’s staying in the city tonight.”

“You’re not staying with him?” She normally would.

She looks up at me, giving me a sad smile. “She had a rough day today,” Nina says, referring to Scarlet. “She didn’t say much, but I think she may have lost a patient.”

“Where is she?”

She looks towards the garden beyond the window where Scarlet and Mason’s parents are both buried. “If she’s not out there, she’ll be at the lake.”

I nod and look back towards Ave. “I’m very jealous, you know.”

“I know.”

I smile and knock her shoulder with mine. “Ellis okay?”

“He’s good.”

“And the bump?”

I see her smile out of the corner of my eye and turn to look down at her. “Growing.”

“Won’t be long, and we’ll have two mini Mases running around.” I chuckle. “I’ll go get Scar. Why don’t you head into the city? Be with Mase. I’ll stay here with the kids tonight.”

“You don’t have to. I’m not as tired as I look, I promise.”

“You’re pregnant and have the neediest husband alive, Nina. Go see him. I missed the kids this week.”

“Don’t you have work in the morning?”

“Yeah. I’ll start a little later and bring them with me. What time does Scarlet’s shift at the hospital start?”

“Early. Mase is going to have them after his meeting so that I can go to work. You could drop them to him once he’s done.”

“Sure.” I kiss her cheek and go to leave the room.

“Charlie?” she asks, and I turn. “Are you okay?”

I fight it. I fight my smile like an ass, and it makes me want to smile harder. “I’m really good.”

The dogs have already found Scarlet when I walk up behind her on the hilltop. She still has her hospital clothes on, her faded lavender hair pulled up in a knot on her head.

She looks up at me when I reach her, and I smile. “Shit day?”

“The shittiest,” she tells me, giving me a small, forced smile back. “I’m okay, though.”

I sit beside her and look out on the lake.

“Liar,” I eventually say.

I don’t need to look at her to know she’s fighting back her emotions, her body coiled tight at my side. Without a word, knowing she needs it but wouldn’t ever ask, I slip my arm around her shoulder and pull her into my side.

And then I have to pretend it doesn’t fuck me up inside as she breaks down in my arms.

“It’s okay, Scar,” I tell her. “You’re okay.”

She sniffles and wipes her face. “I’ve been doing so much better. Today just hit me out of nowhere. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“You’ve been doing incredible,” I correct her. “And nothing is wrong with you. You think I don’t have bad days? Stop being so hard on yourself. You’re training to be a doctor whilst bringing up a child alone and running this place.” I gesture to the estate. “I’m pretty sure I’d cry daily if I was in your position.”

She chuckles at that before growing quiet again. “I just wish I could turn it all off, Charlie. All the feelings. Life used to be so uncomplicated, and I didn’t even know it. I had no idea how hard it can be.”

I sit and listen, not really having an answer.

“I was working today, and this woman crashed on me. I started chest compressions, and they brought the defib, and I did everything to the book. Everything. And yet midway through, right as I was shocking her chest, already knowing I’d lost her, I thought about Lance.” She looks up at me, eyes red and shining. She shakes her head. “I know I’m doing better, but I don’t think I’m alright at all. I’m angry and sad all the time.” A fresh wave of tears come, and she hides her face, dropping her head in the space between my neck and shoulder again. “I think I want you to stop visiting him.”

I swallow, a frown pulling my brows together.

“I know you don’t just go for Ave and me, but I can’t keep on waiting. I will.” Her voice cracks, and I lock my jaw, my own eyes burning. “I’ll wait forever for him. But I can’t keep hoping. Not when it steals so much of my happiness and your time.” She looks up at me when I don’t say anything. “What do you think?”

I stare out at the lake, my chest feeling heavy. “I don’t honestly know,” I say, although I do. I think if I stop showing up for visitation, Lance will think he’s lost me, too. And no matter how angry I am at the bastard for cutting us off, he’ll be the best man I know until the day they lay me in the ground. “If you think it’s the right thing for you and Ave, then you know I’ll respect that.”

She sits quiet, but I can feel her mind whirling. “I still write. He’s still receiving my letters.”

“Good. I don’t think you should stop those.”

She nods. “Can I leave it with you? I can’t stop you visiting, and I wouldn’t. But I can’t keep wondering if you’re going to show up with a different answer each week. Especially when I somehow manage to convince myself it’s going to be different every time.”

“Sure,” I tell her, already knowing that I won’t be stopping.

She blows out a heavy breath, her shoulders sagging. And as heavy as the weight is on my chest, seeing it leave her makes it an easy one to carry.

“Did you go see Ave first?”

“Of course I did,” I tell her, and she chuckles, sitting up and out of my hold.

“I knew you had when the dogs came up here without you.” She wipes at her face, giving me a tentative smile as she only makes her smudged makeup worse. “She’s teething so badly. I wanted to wake her up when I got home, but Nina said it took her over an hour to get her down.”

“She’s growing too fast. I swear Lowell kids are born different.”

“They are,” she agrees. “Ellis is talking so well already.”

“Yeah, that boy is going to be one of those who’s good at everything.”

She chuckles. “Mainly because his dad is a competitive, overdramatic fool.”

I don’t disagree.

“Why did you come out here tonight?” she asks, peering up at me. “You normally call on weekdays.”

“I got back from Italy this morning.” I shrug. “It’s been a few days. I just wanted to see Ellis and Ave.”

“How was Italy?”

“It was good.” My lip curls despite all I do to stop it.

“What even is that?”

“What?” I look at her and frown.

“Your smile. It looks painful.”

“I’m not smiling,” I say defensively.

“You were.” She looks me over, amusement lighting up her eyes. “Did something happen in Italy?”

“No,” I say, my poker face firm.

When she doesn’t say anything, I turn to look at her and find her waiting.

“You’ve got makeup all over your face.”

“What happened?”

I focus my attention on the lake, shaking my head at her. “Since when did you get so intuitive?”

“I didn’t. You’re just acting off.”

“By smiling?”

“It’s not your normal smile.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

She laughs lightly, and I can’t help but like the fact after how emotional she was just now. “What am I so intuitive about, Charlie?”

I wet my lips and chuckle, resting my arms on my knees. Shit . “I took my assistant away with me.”

“Shut up!”

“Don’t be like them,” I say, referring to the other girls.

“Charlie.”

“I told you because you’re not an idiot, Scarlet.”

She puts her hand on her chest. “Are you serious? You expect me to not react?”

“I expect you to be an adult. I know what the girls would be like if they knew.”

I can feel her eyes glued on me. “What happened? What’s her name again?”

I twist my head to look at her, my gut growing a little tighter. “Lissie,” I tell her.

“Lissie,” she repeats. “Tell me things. What’s she like?”

“Stubborn,” I say instantly. “She drives me wild.”

Scarlet’s eyes light up. “Charles, this is huge.”

“I don’t know. We had a bit of a thing when we were away.”

“A bit of a thing?”

I lock my jaw, my gaze refocused on the lake. “Well, I did things with her.” Scarlet goes utterly silent at my side. “It was fucked up because I wanted it to happen, and I don’t regret a second of it, but it’s so far from what I know, you know.” I shake my head and look towards her, not expecting her to have answers. “I messed it up a bit after.”

Scarlet’s eyes are shining.

“What’s wrong?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing. I’m just very emotional, and…you shocked me.”

“I shocked myself.” And then I rejected her. I don’t think I can share that with Scarlet. As much as I want to, maybe even need to, I don’t think my pride can quite handle reliving it for a second time.

She knocks my shoulder, and then drops her head to it. “I like her.”

“You like her?”

“Lissie,” she confirms.

“You’ve never met her.”

“No, but I’ve known you for over fifteen years and never once have you mentioned another woman’s name.” She squeezes my side. “You feel different, Charles. I don’t know how to explain it, but you feel a little more whole than the last time I saw you.”

“You’ve been breathing in too much country air. I promise you this can only end terribly.”

“Why would it?”

“She’s my employee. Eleven years younger than me and fucking beautiful beyond anything I’ve ever—” I catch myself, cutting myself short. “Don’t say anything,” I warn.

I can tell she’s smiling. “You said something before.” She looks up at me, eyes brighter now but still heavy from a day at the hospital. “You said she drives you wild.”

“She does.”

Her lips quirk, her face growing wistful as if she’s lost in a memory. “Let her.” She stands and holds out her hand for me.

“That’s your advice. To let her drive me wild?”

“Hopelessly so. Trust me.” She looks down at her clothes. “I am a doctor.”

I take her hand and stand.

Lissie

My afternoon meeting went beyond well, and with the first three hours of my shift at The Nightingale feeling like they’ve flown by, I feel a little bit lighter.

I mean, it might also be down to the six-foot-three, blue-eyed man who took me away for the night and had his way with me.

“You’re all gooey.”

“Gooey?” I repeat with a smile.

“You are, girl.” Iona reiterates Christian’s point. “It’s nice to see, though.”

“Is it?” Christian asks.

“Um, I’m sure it beats watching you two pine after each other for an entire shift. Let me have my moment.”

Iona chuckles, stepping around me to pick up a tray of drinks. “He pines,” she says, nodding towards Christian. “I just exist.”

He watches as she heads out into the room and to a table of three men and two other women.

“Falling in love, Christian baby?”

He looks towards me and tips his chin. “Piss off, lawyer fucker.”

I can’t help my chuckle. “I didn’t sleep with him.”

He shakes his head. “Do I even want to know?”

I check the bar and see that Lily is making drinks for Sam, but there’s no one else waiting.

I make my way to where Christian stands. “You’re loitering a lot more than normal tonight.”

“I was promoted whilst you were away.”

I frown. “What?”

He smiles. “Yep. Officially deputy manager.”

“Bronwyn offered it to you?” I ask, knowing it’d been hinted at before.

“I spoke to her about it.” He tips his chin, and I move in closer. “I had an anonymous donation to Thomas’s fund. He’s set to go to America next month.” He shrugs, but it’s a happy, weightless shrug. “This way I can plan everything in the day and take evenings off when he’s home and needs me.”

My heart warms, and I reach out, squeezing his hand. “That’s amazing.”

“It’s crazy,” he corrects. “Six hundred and fifty grand. Who drops that on someone without a word?”

“Does it matter? You’ve got the money for Thomas.”

He smiles. “Yeah. And the extra I can use to travel. The weight off is…” He shakes his head, sitting back on the stool. “Mad.”

I sigh and smile as I watch him. “Let’s have our one?”

“Different rules for you and me, Shoes.”

“But you’re the manager. Don’t you make the rules?”

He smirks and sits forward. I turn and reach for the tequila, pouring out two shots.

“Not still holding out on a visit from cop boy, are you? I’d hate to have to put a stop to it.”

I grin, making sure the shots are to the rim.

“Cop boy?” Lily asks from my side, her nose screwed up. “Why is everyone still calling him that?”

I pick the shots up and look at her, taking in her gorgeous face. “What?” I say with a smile. “He’s the guy I was with my second week here. Hasn’t been in since.” I roll my eyes but smile, not really caring at all.

“I know who you mean,” she tells me. “It’s just that he’s not a cop. He’s a lawyer. One of the best in the world, from what I’ve heard.”

I frown.

“What did you just say?” Christian mutters as my breath catches.

“Charlie, wasn’t it?” she asks, looking between us as she casually starts to make the order that’s come in. “Syd started calling him cop boy years ago and it stuck. I’m certain it’s the same guy.”

The blood drains from my face.

“Fuck,” Christian mutters beside me. “Are you messing?” Christian asks her. “Shoes?” he snaps at me.

I look at him wide-eyed. I shake my head. “Oh my god, I don’t…there’s no way.”

“Where did you get the card?”

The card.

The office.

I place the shots down as my hands start to shake, the contents spilling all over them.

Christian must stand, his hand on my back as he pushes me to walk forward and down the stairs to the staff lounge.

The second I’m through the door, I run my hands through my hair. “It’s him.” I say the words, my gut churning as it rolls. “What the hell, Christian. It was him.”

“It might not be.”

“It is.” I shake my head. “Charles Aldridge. Charlie.” A sharp pain jabs me in the chest. “He told me to call him Charlie. It’s him.”

I cover my mouth, Christian seeming just as rattled as I am.

He pulls out his phone.

I walk to his side, watching as he types Charles’s name into Google. The second his picture pops up on the screen, Christian’s body jars. But so does mine. Not because his reaction confirms that it’s the same man I was with in the room that night, but because the picture is of the two of us, at the charity event in Italy.

I’m sat next to him at the table, laughing as he smiles down at me. His eyes…

“Fucking hell, Lissie.”

I step back, the reality of the situation making my body shake. “What am I going to do? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Do you think he’d have recognised you? You were wearing a blindfold.”

My heart drops.

Is that it?

Did he not recognise me?

Does he even know?

“I—”

I think back, all the way to the first day in his office. The way he could barely look at me. The way he spoke to me as if he hated me, and then barely could at all. The way he ignored me for weeks.

I’m well aware that you work at The Nightingale, Lissie, and I’m well aware of what that entails. It’s not something that you need to hide from me. You have nothing to worry about.

My eyes fill with tears, and Christian reaches for me, pulling me into him, holding me. “It’s him, he knows,” I say into his chest.

My heart pounds, the thought of how he was with me that night. How he touched me that first night in the room. And then this morning. The way he touched me this morning. “It’s him.”

And he knew.

I pull back, knowing my tears will spill over if I don’t.

My lip trembles as I look at my friend. “I feel so stupid.”

His nostrils flare. “Don’t.”

“I need to go home.”