Marrying the Billionaire - Macie St. James Page 0,40

is that something you’re just telling me?”

Charlie’s instinct was to continue to deny it. But she knew better. Brooke saw right through her. What was the point?

Charlie let out a long breath. “What am I going to do?”

That question was met with a nod, as though Brooke had been waiting for the admission all along. “First, you can tell him how you feel. What do you have to lose?”

Now Charlie laughed. “My dignity. My pride. My self-worth. Plus, he’s Justin’s best friend. Don’t you think that will make things awkward between the three of us?”

“The three of who?” Brooke asked.

“Me, you, and Justin. We have to face each other at work every day. I don’t want to be known as that woman who was dumped by my boss’s best friend.”

Brooke looked around, as if to point out that Justin was nowhere to be seen. “Don’t tell him. It’s that simple.”

“I thought you told him everything. No secrets in good relationships. Remember?”

“What’s shared between friends stays between friends, especially if it’s a secret. You’re in love with Nicholas. You can’t leave here this weekend without letting him know. If you do, you’ll never forgive yourself.”

“But if I tell him, and he gives me the ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t feel that way about you. I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea’ speech, I don’t know if I can live with myself. How embarrassing.”

“Love is always a risk. You put yourself out there and hope you don’t get your heart broken. But if you don’t put yourself out there, you never get to experience it. You just live your life in the safe zone. That’s not living.”

Charlie thought about that a long moment. Most of her life, she’d lived in the "safe zone,” as Brooke had put it. She’d chosen relationships where the guy was obviously more into her than she was into him. Sure, she’d had her heart broken, especially when she was younger, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d really felt swept off her feet by a guy.

Until Nicholas.

A man speaking very loudly into the microphone interrupted their conversation. He was announcing the arrival of the wedding party. Charlie was glad for a reason to table this discussion until later. Maybe forever.

No, she knew better. It wouldn’t be that easy. Brooke would ask her what had happened with her and Nicholas first thing Monday morning. She’d have to give an answer.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the ring bearer and flower girl.”

From there, it was just a parade of people. Charlie tried to relax and watch the action, but it wasn’t easy. Her mind was spinning. She knew toward the end of that line, Nicholas was standing with the maid of honor, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he would acknowledge her existence. They had to occupy the same space for the next couple of hours. Would he go full-on fake couple for his mom’s sake, or would he ignore Charlie in favor of spending time with people he actually cared about?

Just a couple of hours and breakfast in the morning. Then he’d drive her to her place and they would never have to see each other again. But the question was, would she pour her heart out to him? Did she have the courage to put herself out there and see if he felt the same, especially since she was pretty sure he didn’t?

Charlie had an answer to her question as soon as Nicholas came through the door. His gaze went straight to her, and he gave her a big smile. She wasn’t sure what to make of him today. He seemed to run hot and cold. During their stair-hike, he seemed so distant. But while the wedding ceremony was in progress, he’d given her a couple of intense looks that made her think maybe she hadn’t imagined that he had feelings for her, after all.

Justin, who had stayed behind to hang out with Nicholas and his brother during the pictures, came rushing in behind the bride and groom. He took his place next to Brooke as though intent on pretending he’d been standing there all along.

“Everyone, have a seat. Dinner will be served shortly.”

The seating. Charlie groaned out loud as she remembered. When they first arrived, she and Brooke had scoped out the table arrangements, noting that Charlie’s place card was next to Nicholas’s. No surprise, but the bad part of that was it put her at the same table as Nicholas’s mom. Charlie