Secrets and Lies | ✔️

Chapter 14 - Charlie

Chapter 14 - Charlie

Charlie was walking out the front door of the rental property when he noticed an ancient pickup slowly making its way up the winding, gravel drive. He recognized it immediately. He leaned against the porch rail, a slow smile forming on his lips, and waved. "Hey, Ryan," he said, after his friend parked the truck.

Ryan Sullivan shut the driver's door which stubbornly bounced back open forcing him to slam it again, harder this time. "Hey, buddy." He sauntered up to Charlie, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He took one last pull then tossed it to the ground, casually stepping on the butt. "I figured I'd find you here. You working on the house already?"

Charlie shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "No, not yet. Just opening it up, trying to push some of the stale air out. The renter will be here in a few days and I don't want it to smell like . . . Well, I don't want it to smell as if it's been closed up for the past three years." He took a deep breath. "I'll come back after the carpenters get here to finish painting the bedrooms."

Ryan nodded his head, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "You don't want to be in there alone, do you?"

Charlie smiled. Was it that obvious? "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

"Nope. You're an awful liar." Ryan's strawberry-blond hair gleamed in the early morning sunlight, giving him an angelic look. But Charlie knew better. As sweet and innocent as Ryan Sullivan appeared on the outside, the inside told a much different story. He was hard and tough and agile, thanks to three tours in Afghanistan, and when you looked into his emerald eyes you knew right away he was a man who had seen things. Things no human being should ever have to see. "Anyway, that's why I'm here. To see if you need some help. I brought my paint brush and I've got a twelve pack of beer in the truck—but I'm not sure what you're gonna drink," he said with a wink. He reached one hand up and pulled a cigarette out from behind his ear then stuck it into his mouth. Grabbing a lighter from the front pocket of his flannel, he ignited the flame and held it up to the rod. But before he could light it, Charlie playfully knocked his hand away.

"I'm gonna take you up on that—minus the beer. I haven't drank this early in the morning since college."

"Man, you've let marriage and fatherhood soften you. Or have you always been such a lightweight?"

"I'm not a lightweight," Charlie insisted. "I just have better things to do than sit around and drink—but don't let me stop you."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't," Ryan said with a laugh. "So, you want help then?"

Charlie nodded his head. "Yeah, thanks. The last thing I want is to be is stuck inside that house all day painting. I'd be perfectly happy if I never set foot in it again." He felt a shudder race through him, rattling his nerves. "Hey—how 'bout I feed you breakfast before we get started? I promised to make Talia some pancakes when I got back home. Might as well make your sorry ass some, too." Charlie smirked and threw a punch into his shoulder.

"So what—no time for a cigarette?"

"Not if you want inside the house. You know Talia hates smoking. Besides," he said, nodding his head toward the cigarette, "that shit'll kill you. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Ryan tucked the roll of tobacco behind his ear and dropped the lighter back into his pocket. "Yes, boss," he mocked, playfully. "Whatever you say." He looked at Charlie with arched eyebrows. "So, pancakes, huh? God, you're so fucking domestic you make the rest of us guys look like slackers."

Charlie laughed as the two started a slow stroll back toward the house. When he hired Ryan almost twelve months before to help out with a small project, he figured it would be a fleeting arrangement. Ryan had some construction experience, but hadn't so much as lifted a hammer since he'd left town for boot camp several years back. After he received an honorable discharge, he found himself in Florida once again, this time with a wife and a four year old daughter to support. It was Ryan who began to hound Charlie about starting up an architectural design company, and once he had Talia on his side there was no stopping him. Slowly, the seed was planted.

Why couldn't he start his own design business? He had the architectural degree behind him, and even though he'd only ever worked for a large company back in Atlanta, the thought of owning his own small business appealed to him. Over time, Charlie's plans for the future began to take shape, and Wilson Designs was born. Not only would he be in charge of designing the residential blueprints, he would act as project manager, overseeing each construction until the very end. And he would treat each new house as if it were his family moving into it. He would help his clients make it their home. A place they could raise their children in, a place they could live happily until the last days of their life.

"Are we still on for this weekend?" Ryan asked, interrupting his thoughts. "Betsy wanted me to ask."

Charlie nodded his head. "Yeah, I don't see why not."

"She also wants to know what she should bring. Of course Tallulah wants her to bring chicken nuggets, but I told her nuggets are not an appropriate cookout dish."

"And how did that go over?" Charlie asked, laughing.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, you know Lulu. She threw a fit. You just can't rationalize with a four-year-old female. You wait," he said, needling Charlie in the ribs with his elbow. "You'll see. Once Carter can talk, you're doomed, dude. Outnumbered by a bunch of women. Just like me."

"Oh, don't act like you don't love every second of it!"

"You know I do. What's not to love? Two gorgeous women looking after me . . ." Ryan looked up toward the sun, basking in its warm rays before turning back to Charlie. "But every once in a while the estrogen gets to be a little much. That's when I go hang out with the guys, drink a few beers, smoke a few cigarettes. You know, do the things I'm not allowed to do at home. Don't get me wrong. I don't know where I'd be without Betsy and Lulu—dead probably." He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Sometimes I just need a little break though, you know?"

Charlie nodded his head in agreement, even though he didn't get it at all. The only place he ever wanted to be was at home with his girls. He even loved to call them his girls. Talia and Carter, the loves of his life. Everything was finally coming together for them. And once this renter arrived they would begin a new chapter. Charlie looked over his shoulder at the house. It was getting farther and farther away with every step, a dappled image through the mass of cypress trees. This Jackson Levitt guy would help breath life back into those haunted four walls, making new memories to wash away the old.

And it was about damn time.

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Hello and welcome to Secrets and Lies! If you enjoyed this chapter, please remember to vote/comment! I am currently updating this story on Fridays.

So a new character, huh? Sounds like this Ryan guy might be a little rough around the edges, but hopefully he will balance out Charlie's generous nature. You never know, he might be a good guy to have around in the future. ;)

This chapter is dedicated to the lovely and talented Ysa_Arcangel! She has so many wonderful stories available on her page, from paranormal to romance. Go check her out!

My shout-outs this week go to readers in Kazakhstan, Zambia, Japan, Russia and Dominican Republic - thank you for reading! XO