AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Then you're more of an old fool than even I gave you credit for," she spat, venomously.
"Why are you doing this, Charlotte? How come you're jealous of me? Aren't you supposed to be with James?"
"I'm supposed to be with Sawyer," she ground out. "What happened was as much Sawyer's fault as it was mine. He left me for months at a time while he went to be with those stupid halfwits he plays in that band with." I had to agree with her band comment, if with nothing else.
"And as his partner, you were supposed to support him in doing what he loved while he was away. Weren't there two of you in the relationship? I'm sure, knowing the kind of man Sawyer is, he would have missed you too, but playing in a band is his job, and having seen them play, I'd never interfered with that side of Sawyer's life. He loves what he does."
"I did support him." I decided frustration wasn't a good look on Charlotte as her lip curled in an angry sneer and she leaned in toward me.
"I need you to step back. You're crowding me," I stated and placed my hands up in front of her. Oddly, she obeyed my command and took a step back. "Funny, I heard you supported him by fucking his brother. That was very mature of you," I responded, deadpan with a puzzled look on my face.
"You'd know all about being mature, right?" she snapped back. "I mean look at us," she said, throwing her hand out at both of our side by side reflections in the mirror. "What do you see? Don't answer that," she said, holding her hand up at me.
I hadn't thought to respond because I didn't like what I saw. She was perfectly presented, tall and sophisticated and stylishly graceful. I thought I looked like an attractive secretary. Then I remembered the adoring look on Sawyer's face when he gazed into my eyes, and the words he'd said to me came back: "When we get there remember, you're all that matters to me."
"I do, and though I agree we look very different, I guess you are what Sawyer used to go for. Now he prefers me," I responded and tried to keep my voice even. "You asked me to look and I'm looking, and to be perfectly frank with you, Charlotte, I'm not thrilled with being compared. Don't get me wrong, you're a pretty girl … on the outside. But the fact you've felt it necessary to corner me on my way from this restroom speaks volumes about the kind of person you are."
"You know nothing about me," she retorted.
"See, that's where you're wrong. I'm a mature woman, you said so yourself. With maturity comes experience and insight. Experience in how to conduct myself in a social setting, experience in how not to compare me based on looks alone, and most importantly how not to behave when in a committed relationship. When Sawyer was with you, you weren't much more than a girl. Now that he's spent time with me, he's fallen in love with me and we're happy with what we have. It's a pity you didn't value him the way I do. He did nothing to deserve what you did to him, what both you and his brother did to him. I didn't expect to do this, but take this as your official warning. If you think there might be a way back in with Sawyer, forget it."
"I've seen the way he looks at me when you're not around. He still wants me." The passion in her voice left me in no doubt that she still had deep feelings for him. "You don't fuck someone for six years and walk away unscathed."
"That's true, I'll grant you that one thing. But you had your time with him and he's moved on. I'm the one he's in love with now. You asked me to look at the difference between us, but the difference has nothing to do with how we look, it's about how special I know he is. Perhaps it was my maturity you lacked that made you pass up the awesome chance you had. I won't make the same mistake, Charlotte.
"That's what you think?"
"No, it's what I know. I've been married and know now what I felt for my ex-husband is nothing like how I feel about Sawyer. He tells me the same thing—that what he had with you wasn't the real deal either." Charlotte's eyes flared and her mouth opened and closed but before she could speak again I continued. "According to my boyfriend, your ex-boyfriend, I'm 'the one.'" For the first time, I had no hint of reservation about claiming Sawyer as mine and protecting what we had.
"Keep telling yourself that, because should I decide to do something about my feelings for him, you'd better watch your back."
I scoffed. "No matter what I've said, you still don't get it. He doesn't want you, Charlotte; he wants me. Besides, aren't you still dating his brother? I wonder what James would say about you cornering me in here, attempting to warn me off and stake your claim on his little brother again." She looked stunned and I knew I couldn't have had more of an effect on Charlotte's snotty face if I had given her a sharp, hard slap. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my boyfriend is waiting for me."
Moving her gently to the side of the door, I pulled it open and saw Sawyer leaning on the wall right beside it. Judging by the stormy look in his eyes and the grim expression on his face, he'd heard every word of our heated exchange.
