A/N: This is my first attempt at writing Younger. I don't own any of the characters.

Liza had returned home after the picnic more confused than ever. Maggie was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Liza poured herself a glass of wine and joined Maggie.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Don't ask."

"That good, huh?"

"Kelsey invited Josh to the picnic and of course he brought Claire. She re-introduced him to Charles and things seemed to be fine until the potato sack race. Charles fell and Josh tripped over him. Charles got up and offered to help Josh, which he accepted but then he just punched Charles in front of everyone."

"Josh punched Charles? What did Charles do?"

"Surprisingly, nothing. He went off to the Pool House and I went to see if he was ok. He asked if Josh saw us kissing in the Hamptons and I said he did. He said he obviously deserved it. Then he kissed me."

"And?"

"He told me not to go home."

"Yet here you are. Girl, are you nuts? You are crazy about this guy. Why would you turn him down?"

"Pauline."

"You know what, who cares about Pauline?"

"Maggie, I want to be with Charles, I really do but there's Pauline and the fact that he's my Boss. I can't have these feelings for my Boss. Kelsey knows that Charles and I had a moment in the Hamptons and she asked if I slept with him. I said no and she said good. She said it can't ever happen because it won't be good for anyone."

"Then why don't you take that Jay guy up on his job offer? That way Charles won't be your Boss any longer and you can finally tell him the truth about your age and that you have feelings for him."

"That'll go over real big. The last time I left my job at Empirical, Charles tracked me down at the Paramus Mall and kissed me."

"He has it bad for you, Liza. I'm telling you."

"Don't remind me. I'm going to go take a shower."

"Ok."

Liza went to take a shower and then there was a knock at the door. Maggie got up to answer it.

"Can I help you?"

"Does Liza Miller live here?"

"Yes, she does. I'm her roommate, Maggie Amato."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Charles Brooks."

"Oh, you're Charles. Nice."

"She's mentioned me to you?"

"Oh, definitely!"

"Is Liza here?"

"She's in the shower. Please, come in and have a seat. She should be out in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Charles came in and sat down.

"Can I offer you anything to drink? Wine maybe?"

"Sure. That would be fine. Thank you."

Maggie went to get Charles a glass of wine and then she disappeared to tell Liza he was there before joining him in the living room. He was looking at her paintings.

"You did these?"

"Yes."

"You are very talented."

"Thanks. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How strong are your feelings for Liza?"

"I have never felt this way about anyone before and that includes Pauline, my ex. I was hurt when Pauline walked out on the 3 of us and I never thought I'd get over that. Then I met Liza and she changed all that for me. I just wish I knew why she keeps pushing me away. I have told her many times that I have feelings for her and the fact that Pauline is back in the picture doesn't change anything. I am in love with Liza and I want to be with her. I know there is something she is keeping from me but I don't know what it is. If she still has feelings for Josh, I'll understand."

"I really don't think that's it."

Liza came out from the bathroom.

"Hey, Charles."

"Hi Liza. Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll leave you two kids alone. It was nice to meet you, Charles."

"You too, Maggie. I hope to see you again soon."

"I have a feeling you will."

"Maggie, please stay."

"I can't and you know why."

Maggie walked past Liza and winked before she went to her bedroom. Liza sat down.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I think you know. We need to talk about us."

"There is no us, Charles. There can never be an us."

"Why? I don't understand. Are you still in love with Josh?"

"No. I am completely over him and we agreed to be friends. Look, I care about you probably more than I should but you're my Boss. As long as that is a factor, we can never be together."

"I really don't think that's the only reason."

"There's also Pauline."

"I don't have feelings for her. I want to be with you, not her. The girls love you and so do I. I love you more than I ever loved Pauline, even though she was my wife and the mother of my children. I don't care that you work for me. My feelings for you won't ever change. I just hope that one day you will reconsider your feelings for me. I want to be with you and I wanted you to stay with me tonight because of what had happened in my office when we were interrupted by George. I want to make love to you, Liza."

"Even though a part of me wishes we had gone farther that night, I'm also glad we didn't. I really don't want to be the subject of office gossip."

"As if the Empiriconda thing and Pauline's book weren't enough for that."

"It's not that I don't want to be with you because I do but it won't be good for anyone of we sleep together."

"If this is about your age, I don't care about that. I keep thinking that you're older than you really are because you are so much more mature than other people your age."

"I've always been mature for my age. I'm still sorry about what Josh did."

"Don't be. Like I said before, I obviously deserved it but I'm not sorry I kissed you in the Hamptons."

"I'm surprised you didn't punch him back."

"I probably should have but now I'm sure I'll get a reputation of being a wuss because I didn't fight back."

"I'm glad you didn't. You're too dignified for that. I really didn't want you two to start fighting over me. Pauline thinks there's someone else but I told her I didn't know anything."

"I appreciate that."

"She brought up Rahda but I said that was over."

"I'm afraid I dated her to make you jealous. Ever since I met you, I have felt something for you."

"The girls did not like Rahda. They told me."

"I know they didn't. They really don't know what to make of their mother being back in the picture. I don't want to confuse them any more than they already are with that situation."

"Do they want you two to get back together?"

"Actually, no. They told me that they wish you were around more."

"Really. Pauline knows that I've stayed with them before. They hugged her earlier and then they hugged me. She was surprised that I knew them and they told her I was their sitter. I said one of them and they said I was their favorite."

"They're crazy about you. It was bad enough that Pauline walked out on our marriage but it's worse that she walked out on Bianca and Nicole. Those girls are my entire life and have been since they were born."

"Believe me, I understand. I've been there."

"What do you mean by that?"

To be continued…