Chapter 4

Tuesday after their date the night before, Charles proposes to Kelsey a lunch meeting with Liza, Kelsey and himself, to talk about the new author they met at the book fair. The girls had suggested that they have a meeting, so he feels that lunch is a great idea, plus it gives him time to be around Liza.

At their lunch Kelsey and Liza both take turns explaining the premise of the book, how they feel they can make it a possible best seller. Charles must admit that Liza is very good at her job, and it makes her even more sexy in his eyes. She is so intelligent and very passionate about books and editorial. He feels she will be a major player with Millennial and Empirical.

"Let me read the chapters tonight and I'll give you both an answer tomorrow."

Charles receives a call from Kelsey after their lunch meeting. "Charles I'd like to see you alone today. Do you have 30 minutes that you can see me?"

"Sure Kelsey, I'm free at 2:30, do you want to come by then?"

At 2:30 pm Kelsey walks into Charles' office for the meeting she requested. She closes the door behind her. Charles is wondering what she is wanting to meet about. "Hello Kelsey, so what's on your mind?" he looks at her with concern.

"Charles, I'm here for Liza, she doesn't know I'm here, but I'd like to propose that she get a promotion. She works hard for Millennial and she is very smart. She deserves to be given a better title with Millennial. I'm thinking co-founder and executive editor. Yes, I know that you gave me Millennial but I pulled Liza in on day one and she is stepping up to the plate and she's knocking the ball out of the park."

"Kelsey, I think that's a good idea. I don't know that I can pull her away 100% from Diana, but she has been doing both jobs and has been handling it well. I've not heard any complaints from Diana that she is slacking on her work for Diana, have you?"

"No. That's why I think she should be recognized for her hard work, she's more than just an assistant Charles, she's my equal partner at Millennial. Do you think you can make this happen?"

"Kelsey, I think it's a great idea. I'll have to meet with Diana and HR first, I'll crunch some numbers to give her a raise with the promotion, so just keep this between us for now. Let me get back with you."

At his townhouse and after his girls are in bed Charles calls Liza. "I've read the chapters and I'm thinking you both can make something with it. I'll be by to talk to you and Kelsey in the morning to go over what I'm thinking and what type of offer we can make."

Charles continues,"Liza I was very impressed with you today at lunch. I'm not just saying this because we're together, but I feel you are going to be a major player at my company. You have the drive and the intelligence to really go far."

"Charles that's nice to hear. I really love Empirical and Millennial. I hope to make you proud."

"Liza sometimes it's very hard to concentrate when you're in the room with me. I truly must make myself focus on what is being said by others. It's like we're the only people in the room. I wonder how no one notices that I'm struggling to stay focused." Charles admits and chuckles.

Liza and Charles talk for another hour, about their kids mostly. Liza is telling Charles that Caitlin is studying hard for her semester finals. "I'm so proud of her, she works hard."

"I'd love to meet her and I'm hoping that you will allow that to happen. I know we have to keep things quiet for now, but there is nothing wrong with a couple people knowing about us."

"I'm going to let her get through her finals and then I plan on telling her about you Charles. It's been so hard to keep from telling her already. I know she's going to love you."

They finally look at the time, they are not wanting to hang up, but then decide they should finally get to bed.

"I'll see you tomorrow handsome, good night Charles." She smiles.

"Until tomorrow beautiful. Good night Liza."

They managed to have a FaceTime conversation Wednesday night after his girls are in bed. Seeing him after hours in his home, wearing glasses, moving around in his t-shirt and sweatpants, just being a regular guy has made him even more sexy than ever before. She is looking forward to spending time with him this weekend, he has mentioned that he'd like to take her dancing, or make her dinner at his place, maybe even both. He says it's up to her, whatever she wants to do he's in.

Charles thinks how nice it is to see her at home in her room on her bed, he had to tell himself to behave and not go to a naughty place and suggest something more than just talking on the phone. He noticed that night as they were talking that there were lots of books on shelves at the head of her bed. They talked about their favorite books and that night decided that they would read to each other, both having a copy of Ernest Hemmingway's 'A Farewell To Arms', they would trade off chapters, she would read to him, then he'd read to her. It was a very sexy evening for these two book nerds.

Liza is getting through her week. She is working hard and has managed to make it to Thursday, her and Charles have had a few moments in the last couple days, but for the most part he has been very busy and not to available for any extended periods of time together, she has missed him.

Thursday evening after work Liza is out with Kelsey, Lauren and Maggie at a fun little bar that Lauren wanted them to check out. They have a few drinks, having some laughs and watching as Maggie and Lauren attempted to hit on a couple girls in the bar.

Kelsey asks Liza how she is doing since she broke things off with Josh. See Liza had broken things off with Josh after the pregnancy scare, about a month before heading to the book fair in the Hamptons and falling into Charles arms. Liza was very relieved that she wasn't pregnant, she was done having babies, she wanted to move on with her career, she had given up so much back when she had Caitlin, and she was good with that, those years raising Caitlin were the best and she'd never change that. But now was her time for the career she always dreamed of, 'publishing'.

Josh wanted to explore the idea of them becoming more than just lovers, he was really wanting kids with her. He had mentioned it to her before the scare and she had told him she didn't really want to have any more babies. She knew that she needed to let him go, he deserved to be with a girl that could give him kids, give him everything. Plus she knew that she was having feeling for Charles and even though she thought it would never happen with Charles, she knew that while she was with Josh she was basically lying to Josh and in some way cheating on him, even if it was just in her thoughts, she was having fantasies about Charles, a lot of fantasies about Charles and she even would think of Charles while she was intimate with Josh 'god I'm a monster, who does that shit!?' she scolded herself. Liza wasn't being fair to Josh. She was attempting to pull back on their relationship, breaking dates, using excuses to stay at work late, she had to break it off. So, after the scare, he again told her he wanted more with her, and he wanted kids with her, she knew it was time to end their relationship. Josh was upset, he explained that he was in love with her and he felt they'd make great parents. She hated breaking his heart, but she had to do it, it was best for him and someday he'd understand and find a great girl to have all the babies that he deserved.

"Josh I'm 14 years older than you, some day when I'm 50 and you're 36, you're going to realize that I'm not the woman for you. I can't bear the thought of not allowing you to follow your dreams of having children. I'm not going to have anymore, I just can't do it again. I want a career, and babies just aren't in the cards. You deserve more than what I can or am willing to give you. I do love you and I'll always look back on our time together fondly, but we both know it can't be forever between us. We just aren't meant to be that type of story."

Josh was upset, and Liza had heard from Kelsey that he may not be doing well. "Do you ever think you'll give it another chance with him Liza?" But Liza stood her ground firmly and let Kelsey know "it is over and that is it, please accept that I had to let him go Kelsey, it was best for him. We just want different things, I'm very into building my career with books and publishing. We really don't have a lot in common, he doesn't even really like to read books Kelsey, I just can't be with someone that I can't talk to about books. I'm not really into smoking pot and video games either. We just aren't that great together as a couple that would ever withstand a long loving relationship. I can't see myself growing old with him. He will eventually get over me and someone will come into his life and he'll love her more than he ever thought about loving me."

Kelsey still didn't know about Liza's age and Josh had been nice enough to not tell Liza's lie. He explained to Kelsey that Liza had used the excuse that they didn't have a lot in common for a long-lasting relationship.

Thursday night after her night out with the girls as Liza and Charles are talking Liza confides in Charles.

"Charles, I want to tell Kelsey about my age, she deserves to hear it from me and not someone else. I'm worried if she finds out from someone else then she'll never forgive me. I've been close to telling Kelsey about my true age ever since I told you. You took it so well and I'm hoping she takes it as well as you did. I need to tell her before something happens and she finds out some other way.

"Liza you should tell her, and you'll know when the time is right, hopefully she will be understanding. You are a great friend to her, so she'll be ok with it."

"I don't know, if I was such a good friend, then I should have told her a long time ago. I'm so worried that she will be upset, but I've got to tell her and soon. I've just got to pick a good time and place to tell her."

They talk a bit longer, she tells him about the night with the girls and stories about Maggie and Lauren trying to pick up girls.

"Did you try to pick up any guys?" Charles asks with a smirk on his face.

"You know that I'm in a thing with a handsome sexy guy I met at the office." She teases him. "He's the whole package and I really can't even think about stepping out on him. He's smart, handsome, tall, important, romantic, sexy and an exceptional lover!" She looks in to her phone suggestively.

Charles smiles back at her, "Great answer!"

They laugh together.

"It's getting late handsome, we should probably get off the phone and head to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Liza says.

"Liza I'll see you tomorrow morning, sweet dreams beautiful."

They hang up and both attempt to go to sleep, but both are longing to be in each other's arms.

Liza's phone pings on her night stand, she reaches for it and it's a beautiful text from Charles.

'As the sun goes down in front of me, it reminds me of where I want to be'

She responds 'your words are as beautiful as your soul'

They both fall silent in their beds, just thinking of each other. Eventually sleep finds them.

Breakfast the next morning with Maggie, Liza says she'd like to have Maggie and Charles officially meet. "Let's have dinner sometime in the next week or two, here in our home. Something quiet and intimate, I want my best friend to meet my new man, what do you think?"

"Absolutely I think that I should finally get to meet him. You've been working for him for almost a year, telling me how dreamy he is and now that you two have decided to pursue a relationship, it's time I feel him out and explain to him how he should treat you and if he hurts you, well he'll be sorry! Plus, I want to finally see him and see if this guy is as handsome as you say he is."

"Mags, don't you be too hard on him! I'm really feeling that this is going to be a good thing between Charles and myself. Don't scare him off, or I might have to kick your ass!" They both laugh out loud!

"So, are you going to introduce him to Caitlin? I think that if I give him my approval, then the next person he meets should be your daughter."

"I've actually talked to Charles about meeting her. He wants to meet her, but I'm going to let her get through her finals before I tell her. I don't think she'll have any issues with him, I'm hoping she will be happy that I'm happy and that I have a great guy in my life."