was staying. I kept the check, by the way,” she supplied, her scrutiny like a magnifying glass determined to analyze every detail and nuance of his expression.
And he held nothing back—not the devastation over his father’s lies. Not the grief over what they’d cost him. Not the pain of knowing she’d believed the worst of him. Yes, he might be guilty of being a man-whore, but not a deadbeat father. Not a poor excuse for a man, who would walk away from his responsibilities and ignore the existence of his child.
“I don’t give a fuck about a check,” he ground out, mind whirling a thousand miles a minute. “Why did you keep the letter?” he asked, holding it out to her, studying its perfectly folded edges that seemed permanently creased into the paper—as if it’d been opened and reread dozens of times. “Why are you carrying it around with you in your wallet?”
“As a reminder.” She tugged the paper from his fingers and carefully refolded it, stowing it away in her purse before lifting her head and meeting his eyes. Resolved hardened her gaze. “Whenever I start to doubt myself, or am so tired I don’t think I can go on, I pull this out and reread it. Remind myself that I did it once before, and I can do it again. Also, to remember that the only person I can truly count on is myself. Others might have failed me, but I refuse to do the same to myself.”
“I didn’t know, Charlotte,” he murmured, that quiet but fierce statement a brutal blow to his chest. “I didn’t know you were pregnant, and I never wrote you a letter telling you to get rid of my baby. I wouldn’t...” He scrubbed a rough hand down his face. I wouldn’t abandon you, or my child. Not after he’d been on the receiving end of that by his own mother. He understood the pain, the confusion, the sense of unworthiness. No, he wouldn’t ever inflict that on another child, much less his own. “Give me a chance to prove to you that I can be a good father to Ben. A co-parent with you. I understand you don’t owe me or my family anything, but I need you to give me a chance. Please, Charlotte.”
She shook her head, and for the first time, indecision flickered across her face. “I—”
The door to his office swung open, and his sister strode in, frowning down at the tablet she held in her hand. “Ross, Valencia Donovan with Donovan Horse Rescue called. We need to send over—” She finally lifted her head, and spotting Charlotte first, jerked to a stop. “I didn’t...” Gina glanced at Ross, then back at their ex-employee. “I’m sorry, Ross. Your assistant wasn’t at her desk, so I just...” Her voice trailed off again, but with a small shake of her head, she gathered the poise and manners that had been instilled in her from the cradle. “Charlotte Jarrett. It’s been a while,” she greeted, walking toward Charlotte with her hand extended. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”
“Thank you,” Charlotte enfolded Gina’s hand in hers for a quick shake, before dropping it. The smile she summoned for his sister was small, weak. “It’s good to be back home.”
“Not to be nosy...” Gina grinned, shrugging a shoulder. “Forget that, I’m definitely being nosy. What’re you doing here? Is your family okay?”
“Billy and I ran into her at Sheen a few nights ago. Charlotte’s the new head chef there. I asked her to stop by and talk about hosting a tent at Soiree on the Bay, and possibly serving on the advisory board.”
Gina smiled, nodding. “Wonderful. I’ve heard so many great things about Sheen and its new chef. I can’t believe I didn’t know it was you, Charlotte.” She glanced down at her tablet again. “This can wait a little while, then. Could you find me after your meeting, Ross?”
“I can. Give me a few more minutes, and I’ll come to your office.”
“No need,” Charlotte interrupted, and the desperation in her voice might not have been clear to his sister, but Ross caught it. “I need to get going anyway.”
He almost objected; they weren’t finished with their conversation, not by a long shot. But at the last moment, he swallowed the vehement protest, unwilling to draw undue attention to them. He wasn’t ashamed of Ben—even now, he wanted to rent a billboard, post it on top of the Texas Cattleman’s Club and declare to