I managed to make it to the table. “Hello,” I said, my voice cracking. I smiled first at Charlie and then at Laura. “I’m Erin.”
She stood and offered her hand. “Laura.”
I took it, and we assessed one another. Laura appeared composed, and her handshake was firm. She was a little taller than I was, pretty in a sort of Audrey Hepburn way, with soft brown eyes, beautiful skin, and a long straight nose. Like me, she wore jeans and a sweater, with a scarf looped around her neck. Hair in a loose, low ponytail. “Nice to meet you.” I gave her the warmest smile I could manage with trembling lips and turned to Charlie. “Hi.”
“Hi.” For someone who’d told me not to worry, Charlie looked nervous as hell. But he squeezed my shoulder in a reassuring way and leaned forward to kiss my cheek. “Thanks for coming.”
“You’re welcome.”
We all sat down, a layer of tension clinging to us despite the niceties. I reached for a menu just to have something to do. My throat was dry, too—water. I needed water. Thankfully, there was some on the table, and I reached for it but knocked it over by mistake. Water and ice sluiced out across the table, right into Charlie’s lap.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” My face burned with embarrassment, and I scrambled to find a napkin to offer.
Charlie used his own, mopping at his wet jeans. “It’s OK. Spills happen.”
“Don’t worry, Erin. You’re not the first woman to throw a drink at him,” remarked Laura with an amused grin.
“I didn’t mean to—Oh dear, I’m—” I put my hands on my hot cheeks. “This is really difficult.”
“Relax. Really.” Laura tossed her napkin Charlie’s way. “This isn’t a test.”
“See why I used to call her Red? Look at her face.” Still sopping up water, Charlie grinned wickedly at me.
Laura turned to me. “You want my water to throw at him, too?”
“I might.” I gave Charlie a dirty look. “You told her about that name?”
“Yes. Along with all the other mean things I did to you as a kid, and all the other names I used to call you.”
“Frankly, I’m amazed you want to speak to him, let alone date him,” Laura said.
“Sometimes I am too.” I met her eyes. “But he sort of grew on me.”
Laura exchanged a look with Charlie. “Yeah, you have to watch out for that.”
Oh, dear. I’d said something wrong already. Worried, I twisted my hands in my lap, unsure of what to say next. The waiter rescued me by coming over to take our orders, but since I hadn’t even looked at the menu yet and my stomach was way too gnarled up to eat, I just ordered an iced tea.
“So.” Laura addressed me after the waiter had gone. “I know you must be nervous. I would be too. But I’m not here to audition you. I asked Charlie to meet you so I could make a few things clear.”
“OK,” I said nervously.
“When Charlie moved back up here a year ago asking for a second chance with Madison, I thought there was no way he’d agree to my rules. But he did. To my knowledge, he’s never brought a woman around Madison, he’s never canceled plans with her, and he’s never made unkind remarks about me or my husband. At least, not right to her.” She gave Charlie another pointed look.
“Nor to me, either,” I offered. “Actually, he said he’d been a horrible husband and father and deserved to be left.”
“That was no lie,” she confirmed, shaking her head. “He was about the worst you can imagine. But.” She took a breath and exhaled, and I imagined it must be hard for her to say anything positive about the man who had treated her so badly. “Over the last year, I’ve seen a big change in him. He said he wanted to be a better father, a better man, and I think he’s becoming that. I’m not saying there isn’t work to be done,” she went on quickly, “and no doubt in his case there was nowhere to go but up, but I have seen progress.”
“Thank you,” Charlie said. He was trying to adjust his jeans so he could sit comfortably. I gave him an apologetic half-smile.
“When I made the no-women rule,” Laura went on, “it was for Madison’s sake, not mine. What he did on his own time was his business and I couldn’t have cared less, but I didn’t want him bringing dates around her. It would’ve been horrible and confusing for Maddie, inappropriate in every way. And I didn’t trust Charlie to see that, since he never had before.”
She glanced at Charlie, who made no move to defend himself.
“But now I find myself willing to relent a little.” Laura sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Clearly something is different. He’s cleaning and organizing his house. He cooks healthier food. He bought new furniture and matching dishes. And he took Madison to the ballet.” She shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe it.
My jaw dropped, and I stared at him. “You did?”
He nodded, looking pleased with himself. “She loved it. She wants to take ballet lessons now.”
“Charlie, that’s wonderful.” I beamed at him, my heart galloping happily. She isn’t a tomboy! She likes ballet!
Laura looked back and forth between us. “Yep. I knew something was up, and I was going to ask him about it, but he got to me first. He came rushing into my house last night and told me that he met someone he really cares about. But he also told me how he’d messed things up.”