Private Conversation by Jen Talty

Author:Jen Talty [Talty, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jupiter Press
Published: 2019-04-23T05:00:00+00:00

The daylight slowly turned to dusk. Gavin sat in a lounge chair by the pool, nursing a cold longneck, staring at Charlotte, who chatted with her very pregnant sister. The party had dwindled down to Charlotte’s immediate family and a few lingering relatives, including Lydia, who made her way across the deck.

He’d been hoping he could avoid actual contact, though he did enjoy making her cringe every time he chose to kiss Charlotte, which had been every time Lydia glanced their way.

“Gavin,” she said in a hushed tone as she sat down next to him. The smell of flowers infused with rubbing alcohol stung his nostrils. He’d tried a few times to get her to wear a different perfume, but she chose to smell more like a cheap bottle of whiskey than a warm summer’s night.

“You look really good.” Her kind words fell flat and he chose to ignore them.

“I hear congratulations are in order.” Gavin barely glanced in her direction. He hated admitting the humiliation of her leaving him still stuck in his mind and emotions. When he looked at her today, he felt nothing of the love he thought he once felt for her. All he saw now was a shallow shell of a woman who cared more about what people thought of her and how her life looked, than what really mattered.

Her poor fiancé.

“What are you doing here?” Her accusatory tone grated on his last nerve.

He swigged his beer, downing the last gulp, waving it at Charlotte when she glanced his way. She nodded, holding up her finger, letting him know it would be a minute.

“I’m meeting my girlfriend’s parents and family for the first time.”

“That’s bullshit,” Lydia said with venom dangling from her lips. “Yesterday is the first anyone has ever heard of you dating Charlotte.”

“So? Charlotte had her reasons for not telling anyone about me.” Yeah, because he didn’t exist until yesterday.

“If you can’t be honest with me, at least be honest with yourself.”

“Honest about what?” he asked.

“Why you’re really here.”

He jerked his head in her direction. “What the hell does that mean?”

She narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her forehead. “To try to ruin my wedding, but I won’t let you do that.”

He stared at her, blinking a few times. “What? Are you fucking nuts?”

“You’re out for revenge.”

He burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, but I can’t believe you just said that. I had no idea you were related to Charlotte.”

“Oh, please. She and I are like sisters and we tell each other everything.”

He leaned closer to Lydia, making her coil backward. “Like you told her about my accident and why you really broke up with me? Seriously, Lydia, you’re delusional.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlotte approach with two beers in hand.

“Here you go, babe,” she said, handing him a cold one.

He rested his feet on either side of on the lounge chair, patting the fabric between his legs, grateful, Charlotte snuggled herself against him. “Thanks.” He kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger.

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