The next day, Charlotte was at the local grocery store picking up a few things when she could not help the feeling that she was being watched. She nonchalantly looked around to see if she saw anything out of the ordinary and when she did not, she returned to shopping. She was humming softly and looking over the bell peppers when she caught a quick movement of a blonde woman ducking behind a shelf a few aisles away. Charlotte sighed to herself and quickly cleared her mind; she knew who was lurking, waiting to interrogate her. Her suspensions where confirmed when Sookie came up beside her and cleared her throat to get Charlotte's attention.
"Can I help you?" Charlotte asked without making eye contact and choosing a few more bell peppers.
"I was hoping you could. I'm Sookie Stackhouse." She cheerfully replied as she extended her hand.
"I know who you are." Charlotte said dryly as she tied the bag of bell peppers and just looked at Sookie's outstretched hand.
"Oh, well I don't know you who are." Sookie said dropping her hand but keeping the grin plastered on her face.
"Charlotte. Sam has told me a lot about you." Charlotte said holding back a smile. After all she could not pass up an opportunity to give her a sense of false hope about the chance of Sookie and Sam getting together.
"What did he say?" She asked eagerly.
"I'm not the kind of girl to kiss and tell, Sam doesn't like that type." Charlotte said casually.
Sookie's face fell a little, "You know Sam pretty good don't you?"
"We go back." Charlotte said looking at Sookie.
"I have never seen him act like the day he did when you walked into the bar." Sookie said tilting her head and looking at Charlotte.
"What can I say, I have that effect on people." Charlotte replied disinterestedly as she shrugged her shoulders.
Sookie smiled and before she could say anything else Charlotte interjected.
"It's been nice listening to you chat, but I have to get to work."
"Oh, yes of course. Where do you work?" Sookie inquired.
"In Shreveport, so it's a drive." Charlotte said as she began walking away.
"Have a safe trip!" Sookie called out after her.
Charlotte's reply was just a wave of her hand in Sookie's direction.
Sookie pulled into Merlotte's parking lot and sat in her car for a while. She did not see why Sam was so in love with this Charlotte. She was pretty, Sookie would give her that, but her attitude was standoffish with sarcasm. Maybe she was completely different around Sam because they had known each other, or at least Sookie hoped. After all, Sam deserved someone that would be supportive, encouraging, honest, and could make him smile. Sure, when Sam wanted a relationship she did not want one because at the time she thought it would be weird since he was her boss and she had relationship issues with Bill. Now, that her and Bill were at a deadlock in their 'relationship', she was willing to move on and her and Sam where making progress, she thought, when Charlotte had stepped into the bar. Everything she thought they had, she watched being erased.
She shook her head as she got out of the car and walked into Merlotte's. She tried to avoid everyone on her way to Sam's office, not wanting to talk. She was not having any problems keeping her mind closed from others' thoughts because her emotions where running high. To make matters worse she had to see Sam and talk to him for eight hours. She sighed as she walked into the office to put away her things, hoping that Sam was elsewhere and not in his office.
"Hey, Sook. What's up?" Sam asked as she came trudging into his office.
"Oh, nothing really. Why?" Sookie asked as she slightly shook her head and plastered on a smile.
"It just seems something is bothering you." Sam replied leaning forward in his chair.
"No, not really. I officially met Charlotte today…"
"How did that go?" Sam asked hesitantly.
Sookie just sighed and took a seat across the room from Sam. Sam looked to her for an answer as confusion crossed her face.
"I don't think it went well at all." Sookie finally said as she leaned back in the chair.
"Why do you think that?"
"She just kinda blew me off." Sookie said looking at Sam.
"I don't think she did, she must have had been busy or something." Sam said giving her a small smirk.
"I'm not sure, I just don't think she likes me." Sookie confided with defeat as she rose and walked toward Sam, who rose.
"Why, did you read her thoughts?"
"I tried, but when I tried to listen in, her mind was completely blank." Sookie replied hugging Sam.
"Mhm." Sam said thoughtfully, "That doesn't really sound like her, she is usually the sweetest person, especially when she first meets someone. I wonder why she wasn't herself…"
"I don't know Sam, you are the one that knows her." Sookie sniffled as she leaned more into Sam.
"I do. Don't worry about it; I'm sure you weren't the reason. I'll talk to her, alright."
"Thanks Sam."
"No problem, Sookie." He said releasing her.
After Charlotte left the grocery store, she drove back to her house and put the groceries away. She showered and then faced the issue of what to wear, after a few minutes of deliberation, she decided on her short and fitted, dark purple off the shoulder dress with the sleeves slit, exposing the arms. At first she was skeptical about the wardrobe her bosses picked out, but they were right about her looking stunning. The dress would be paired with black stilettos, black and purple chandelier style choker with earrings to match. Her stilettos would wait until she arrived at work before she would wear them; there was no way she was driving to Shreveport in them. Her makeup was a smoky eye of purple, black and a dark grey with black eyeliner and mascara. Finally she fixed her hair to look slightly messy, with a little curl. She took one last look in the mirror, smiled in approval as she grabbed her purse and keys from the counter and headed out the door.
Charlotte was headed to Shreveport when her phone began ringing. She fumbled around in her purse trying to find it and eventually did.
"Hello?" Charlotte answered the phone.
"Hey, what took you so long to answer?"
"Sorry, Sam. I'm headed to work. Why, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing much, just sitting here in the office. Speaking of my office do you think you could do me a huge favor?"
"Yeah, sure. What is it?"
"When we have time, could you help me organize and everything?" Sam asked sheepishly.
"Of course, it will be just like back in the day when I would organize everything yours." Charlotte replied cheerily.
"Thanks, CJ."
"No problem, Lottie."
"How was your day?" Sam asked conversationally.
"Pretty good I guess. I ran into Sookie at the store."
Yeah, about that, Sookie said that it didn't seem like you liked her." Sam said curiously.
"What are you talking about?" Charlotte asked innocently.
"Sookie told me how you acted around her, like you didn't want to talk to her or anything."
"Ohhh." Charlotte replied defeated.
"Look, I'm not saying that you have to be best friends with her, but at least try to be a bit nicer. She was really worked up."
"I don't know about you, but I don't like being stalked like some kind of animal when I'm doing my grocery shopping. It is kind of hard to be nice to her when she is waiting to have chance with you. I've seen the way she looks at you, Sam, and I don't like it."
"She doesn't look at me any differently than the other guys in the bar."
"Sam don't play dumb you can't pull it off, there is no need to lie to me, I know ya'll had a thing in the past but obviously she still thinks that she has a chance to be with you again."
Sam chuckled on the other side of the line.
"What?" Charlotte asked confused.
"You think that I would leave you for Sookie?"
"Well… there is always that possibility…" Charlotte said hesitantly.
Sam chuckled again.
"Sam?" Charlotte asked uneasily.
"You are crazy; you know I wouldn't do that to you."
Charlotte replied with a nervous laugh, "Yeah. Sorry, I guess I haven't been sleeping well the past couple of nights."
"Work?" Sam asked worried.
"Yeah. It's been pretty crazy the past few days."
Charlotte heard someone yell in the background.
"Well, I hope everything works out and you are able to get some rest. I got to take care of a few things here. See you tomorrow?"
"Thanks and no problem. I'll see you tomorrow if everything goes according to plan, but if something comes up I'll text or call to let you know." Charlotte replied smiling at the thought of seeing Sam for the majority of the day.
"Just let me know what's going on. Love you."
"Love you too, Lottie. I'll keep you posted."
Charlotte closed her phone as she pulled into the parking lot.
