Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"Ms. Bass, CEO Bass would like to speak with you," Charlotte's boss told her just as she was finalizing the last of the reports she was working on for one of her coworkers.
"Is everything alright?" Charlotte heard the seriousness in his tone.
"He's expecting you in two minutes," her boss refused to answer her question.
Charlotte made her way to the elevator and up to the top floor.
"Mister Bass is expecting you," Eugenia greeted her with a slight smile, so different from the way Charlotte was used to being greeted by her father's long time assistant.
Charlotte knocked slightly on the doorframe to get her father's attention and waited to be asked in.
"Close the door and have a seat," Chuck replied, waiting until her back was turned to take a deep breath to prepare himself for the conversation they were about to have.
"Is everything okay, Mister Bass?" Charlotte was unsure how to address him at the moment, so she went with the most professional. She wasn't sure if she was speaking to her boss or her father. Worst case scenarios were running through her head.
"I don't know how to start this conversation," Chuck admitted after opening his mouth several times and then stopping before he could get a word out. "There have been some allegations made against you."
"What!" Charlotte shrieked in reply, "What kind of allegations?"
Chuck picked up a file and handed it to her. "One of your coworkers is claiming you are using your last name and my influence to be given the easiest of assignments for the most recent project which allowed you to finish well before the deadline. This person is also claiming you bullied them do some of your work for you."
"That's just ridiculous!" Charlotte exclaimed while reading the file, "I didn't ask for any special treatment. I certainly didn't ask anyone to do any work for me, and I even offered to help one of my coworkers because they weren't going to be able to finish on time."
"I'm not going to lie, Charlotte, this is a serious allegation. HR has a duty to investigate," he responded.
"Let them," Charlotte thrust the file back at him, "I didn't do anything wrong. I don't want any special treatment."
"They're going to be looking through your files and your computer logs. They're going to access your badging information on your ID to see what and when you're accessing while at Bass Tower," Chuck stated, "If there is anything you're doing you shouldn't be, you need to tell me now."
"Dad!" she gasped, "What do you think I'm doing?"
"I don't know, Charlotte, but I will protect you in any way necessary," he replied.
"All HR is going to find when they go through my logs is me doing my job," Charlotte insisted.
"And no one has been helping you," he prompted.
"No!" Charlotte cried, "Dad, I'm doing what I was hired to do. You know me. You know how important it is to me to do a good job. I would never take shortcuts."
"I know," he took her hand to give her assurance. He could feel her practically shaking with rage. "Char, we're going to figure this out, and then we're going to reassign you to a new department."
"No!" Charlotte gasped, "Dad, you can't do that. If you do that now, you're letting this person who made the allegation win. You're only encouraging this kind of behavior in the next place I end up."
"If the allegation is indeed false…" Chuck began.
"Of course it's false," Charlotte protested.
"When the allegation is proven false, HR will have to take serious steps. Filing a false report with HR is a fireable offense," Chuck stated, "We will have no choice in the matter, and honestly Sweetheart, this is going to get messy. Your coworkers are going to pick sides, and I wouldn't count on many of them to be on yours."
"I know," she nodded as a tear tumbled down her cheek, "I didn't do this, Dad. You know I wouldn't."
"Yes, I do," he nodded, "This is my fault. I should have brought you in at a higher level within the organization. You wanted to work your way up, but I should have known something like this was going to happen. You should have started in my office and worked under me."
"How would I have learned the company then?" she protested.
"Same way I did," he responded.
"It was different for you," more tears started to tumble down her cheeks. Chuck quickly retrieved a tissue for her. "Grandpa Bart was gone, and the company needed a CEO. You had to jump in."
"Grandma Lily and her team of advisers were doing just fine," Chuck stated, "I jumped in because I wanted to. I wanted to prove to everyone, including myself, that I wasn't the failure they thought I was. I wanted to prove to your mother, that the trust she placed in me was well deserved."
"And you did all that," Charlotte replied, "I have something to prove too, to everyone including myself. I want to earn that seat in one of the corner offices on this floor. I don't want you handing it to me because my last name is Bass! I don't want to be seen as some spoiled princess!"
"Okay," he nodded, "You have an appointment with HR in ten minutes. You need to be completely truthful. I'm staying away from the investigation so it doesn't appear I'm influencing things, but Sweetheart, if there is something…anything I need to know, now is the time to tell me."
"This is about the flowers from last weekend," Charlotte realized.
"Are you seeing someone who works here at Bass? Is this someone helping you…guiding you?" Chuck asked.
"No…I mean yes, I mean no," Charlotte became flustered.
"Whatever you tell me, I promise not to overreact," Chuck replied. "Are you seeing someone?"
"Yes," she bobbed her head, "It's kinda complicated. We wanted to keep it quiet for a bit because we didn't want any unwanted attention."
"Is it Eddie Fraser?" Chuck asked. His nostrils flared a bit as he closely watched his daughter's reaction.
"How'd you know?" Charlotte was taken aback by his accurate guess.
"I'm not as clueless about your romantic life as I may appear," he chuckled slightly, "I tend to let you and your mother think I am, but I'm not."
"It's very new," Charlotte admitted, "We've only been out once, and it's not against company policy…I checked…a couple of times. As long as we're not in the same department, and we're not in a supervisory relationship at work, it's okay."
"I really need to rewrite that policy," he grumbled.
"Dad, don't be silly," Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"He's a few years older than you, and his rank in the company is higher," Chuck added, "The two of you need to be…discreet."
"Are you saying you're okay with me dating Eddie?" Charlotte was taken aback by his apparent approval of her relationship. Her father had never once liked anyone she had dated. His reply almost felt like a stamp of approval. That baffled her more than the false accusations made against her.
"Princess, I'll never be one hundred percent okay with anyone you date, but I've known Edward Fraser for most of his life. I know what kind of man he is. He also knows what kind of man I am and what kind of actions I'm capable of if he hurts my little girl," Chuck replied, adding a slightly sinister grin at the end.
"You wouldn't dare!" Charlotte scowled at him.
"Tell you what," he patted her shoulder, "I'll pretend to be oblivious to your relationship, until such time as you two are ready to reveal yourselves to all of us, formally."
"Promise me something, Daddy," Charlotte stated.
"You know I'd promise you the entire world if I could," he gave her a paternal smile.
"No matter what does or doesn't happen with me and Eddie, his career path at Bass stays on the same heading. He's climbing the ranks rapidly. I don't want that halted because of me," she responded.
"The sky is the limit for Mister Fraser," Chuck replied, "He can rise as far and as fast as he'd like, so long as he knows the top seat is off limits. I'm saving that for my princess."
Charlotte rolled her eyes when he added a wink.
"You'd better get down to HR," Chuck guided her to the door.
Charlotte felt all sorts of trepidation when she stepped out of her father's office. Her father's office had always been a sanctuary for her. He could protect her from in there, but in the rest of the tower she was on her own.
Eddie was leaning against his mother's desk, looking to Charlotte with great concern.
"I'm going to be fine," Charlotte reached for his hand.
"Come find me when you're done in HR," he caressed her cheek tenderly, surprising them both with his display of affection, putting it out there for both families to see just how close they were becoming.
"I will if I can," she nodded. She could feel her father's eyes on them. She wondered what thoughts were going through his mind at the moment.
"Whatever you need, I will support you," he vowed.
"I know," she nodded.
He walked her to the elevator but allowed her to ride down on her own.
"Mister Fraser, a word," Chuck called out to the younger Fraser in the room.
Eddie nodded and followed Chuck into his office. He felt a mild sense of panic when he heard the door close behind him. All the stories of how protective Chuck was of his children he'd heard from his mother started flashing through his mind.
"I suppose you're wondering what the exchanged you witnessed moments ago was all about," Eddie was surprised by the lack of nervousness in his voice, especially since he figured he was moments away from unemployment.
"Charlotte and I have spoken. She revealed the two of you have become close," Chuck chose his words carefully, "I will respect Charlotte's decision so long as you respect my daughter. She made me promise no matter what happens between the two of you I will not redirect your career path here at Bass. I will honor her wishes so long as you do not disrespect my daughter. I love Charlotte more than anything, more than my own life, more than Bass Industries, if you hurt her…"
"Mister Bass, my intentions towards Charlotte are honorable," Eddie halted his mentor from continuing, "You have my word I will treat her with the respect and care she deserves. I would not have risked all I have worked for on anyone less."
"She's young," Chuck stated, "She has not seen much in the way of cruelties in this world. She is only now truly experiencing life on her own. I want her to experience all the joys it can offer."
"So do I," Eddie nodded.
"I'm hoping you can do what I no longer am able," Chuck's jaw clinched as he spoke, "Keep her safe."
"You have my word I will do as much as she allows," Eddie nodded.
"This tangle with HR…do not let her take this lightly," Chuck responded, "I cannot get involved no matter how much I want to."
"She didn't do what she is accused of," Eddie was quick to defend her, "I've watched her work. I've read her work. It's good. She has natural instincts for what she's doing. This is nothing more than an attempt by a jealous coworker to tarnish her name and her work ethic."
"I agree," Chuck nodded.
"What are you going to do about it?" Eddie asked.
"Wait for the investigation to be concluded, for Charlotte to be vindicated and then deal with the situation appropriately," Chuck replied.
"Make it look good and then take whoever this is to the unemployment line," Eddie translated with an amused smirk, "They certainly picked the wrong person to mess with."
"They did indeed," Chuck agreed.
"I didn't expect or seek out a relationship with Charlotte," Eddie began.
"But," Chuck prompted him.
"I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone I've ever dated," Eddie replied, "You need to know that I will treat your daughter as she deserves."
"You know who I am, Edward," Chuck reminded the younger man, "You know the lengths I go for my family."
"Yes, my mother has had a front row seat," Eddie nodded.
"Which is why I'm choosing my words carefully," Chuck's words were laced with an intimidating edge, "I will end your career if you ever…"
"Mister Bass," Eddie cut him off, "With all due respect…"
"No," Chuck returned the favor and cut the younger man off, "I need to say this, so you know exactly what is at stake. The woman that you're professing to have powerful feelings for, she is my world. Everything good I've ever done is for her. You say your mother has had a front row seat and that you know exactly what I'm capable of but your wrong. You have no idea what will happen if you hurt my daughter because even I don't know. Keep that in mind, Mister Fraser."
"Yes, sir," Eddie could hear the conviction in his idol's voice, and quite frankly he hoped Chuck followed through on whatever threat he was making. He would feel horrible if he ever hurt Charlotte.
After Charlotte finished answering her questions, she was escorted by a member of Human Resources to her office to gather her personal effects. She would be on administrative leave until the investigation was complete. She was relieved she'd turned in her files on the merger to her supervisor earlier in the morning, so her assignment was complete. She saw the nearly completed files for her coworker on her desk and it made her a bit sick. She was tempted to shred them, but with HR looking over her shoulder she left them sit on her desk. She never should have offering to help anyone in her department, especially after the interrogation she'd gone through for two plus hours. She didn't know if she could ever come back to the department she was working in.
Her coworkers were all staring at her when she left her office with the HR representative. She didn't look. She squared her shoulders and kept her head held high. She'd done nothing wrong. She wanted everyone to see that.
The HR representative took her badge when she left the building. Her father's driver was waiting for her with the limo. He gave her as comforting a smile as he could when he held the door for her.
"This sucks, Arthur," Charlotte stated before climbing into the car.
"It's merely a bump along the road," he offered her the only words of wisdom he had for the situation.
She pulled out her phone and called Eddie to let him know she wouldn't be able to meet him. He offered to stop by her place after work, but she refused. She wanted to be alone. He let her know he was available night or day if she needed to talk.
Daniella was waiting at the elevator door with a sympathetic smile. Charlotte's father had obviously called ahead to warn her.
"I'm going to take a bath," Charlotte stated.
"It's already drawn and the wine is breathing," Daniella smiled.
"Anticipating my needs already," Charlotte smiled slightly, "Thank you. If anyone stops by, please tell them I'm not up for visitors."
"Yes, Ma'am," Daniella nodded.
Charlotte was a third of a glass into her self-pity party when her mother burst into her bathroom.
"Mom, what?" Charlotte covered herself as best she could with the bubbles of the bath, "Have you ever heard of knocking?"
"Your father told me what happened," Blair handed her daughter a towel and turned away too allow Charlotte to dry. "You are not going to wallow alone. I'm taking you to Bendel's, and we're going to get mani-pedis. Serena is meeting us there."
"I see the news is quickly making the rounds with the family," Charlotte kept herself seated in her bath, "I'll stay here."
"I'm not taking no for an answer. You've thirty minutes to get dried and dressed. I'll take you to Bendel's in a bathrobe if it comes to it, and don't think I won't do it because I will," Blair spun around and crossed her arms in front of her chest to show she was holding firm.
"Fine," Charlotte huffed and motioned for her mother to turn around again so she could get out of the tub.
"Twenty nine minutes," Blair cautioned her daughter, "I'll be waited in the foyer."
Charlotte muttered under her breath the entire time she dressed. Fortunately she hadn't yet gotten around to washing her hair or face, so she still looked presentable.
"I even have four minutes to spare," Charlotte told her mother. She was in her favorite yoga pants and tee Brice had sent her from France. It bared the emblem of her grandfather's vineyard in France.
"Arthur is waiting for us downstairs," Blair linked her arm with her daughter's, "Daniella, don't worry about dinner. I will be taking Charlotte for a bite after our mani-pedi's."
"Yes, Ma'am," Daniella nodded her head and then scurried away to resume her daily routine, which had been interrupted by the sudden arrival of her employer.
"This day can't get more humiliating, can it?" Charlotte asked when they emerged from their building to a few paparazzi who had arrived to photograph the pair.
"Those vultures never miss a chance to intrude on our lives," Blair did her best to ignore their presence and ushered her daughter into the waiting vehicle.
"How in the world did they find out about this anyways?" Charlotte frowned, "HR told me the investigation would be sealed until they made their determination."
"There is always someone out there ready to make a quick buck on our apparent misfortune," Blair rubbed her daughter's shoulder, "Don't worry about the paps. Your father will take care of things."
"Doesn't he always," Charlotte smiled, "God, Mom, it was so embarrassing being ushered out of the building like I was some common criminal."
"I know, Sweetheart," Blair hugged her daughter around the shoulders.
"Why would someone do something like this? There is nothing to gain from it," Charlotte replied, "I've tried to fit in, but no matter what I did, they couldn't look at me as anything other than Charlotte Bass, the CEO's daughter."
"Perhaps your trouble was trying to fit in. You've always stood out in a crowd because of your beauty and intelligence and compassion," Blair responded, "You made friends at Bass before. You'll do it again by being yourself."
"Those friends at Bass were friends because they didn't know who I was," Charlotte replied, "I should go back to being Charlotte Black. It was so much easier then."
"Life isn't always easy," Blair stated, "People are going to have to accept who you are, and it starts by you accepting yourself. You're Charlotte Evelyn Waldorf Bass. Your father and I are so proud of the woman you've become."
"Maybe I don't know who Charlotte Evelyn Waldorf Bass really is," Charlotte sighed, "I wanted to be CEO because I wanted to be like Daddy. Maybe being a CEO isn't for me."
"It is," Blair encouraged her, "You graduated from one of the most competitive business programs in the country with the highest marks. You've met and impressed some of the smartest and most well connected people in the world. Don't let this little bump in the road get you down. You'll get through this."
"Do you think Daddy will really stay out of the investigation?" Charlotte asked her mother.
"Yes, I think he will," Blair nodded, "After the investigation, I think the gloves will be coming off. Your father is furious with the entire department, especially that spineless boss of yours. Expect some changes when you do go back, none of which have anything to do with you or this investigation. Your father is kicking himself for putting you in the department to start with. You would have done better with a stronger leader."
"Daddy knows about me and Eddie," Charlotte replied.
"I should have known he wasn't as clueless as he seemed," Blair laughed, "He was alarmingly calm about the flowers you received on Sunday. He didn't ask any probing questions…he didn't really ask me any questions at all that afternoon."
"That's all I need to hear about that," Charlotte cut her mother off before she could go into more detail than Charlotte was comfortable with.
"What has Eddie said about what is happening?" Blair asked.
"He knows I didn't do anything wrong and is willing to give HR his side of things. It's not like he'll be kept out of it anyways. HR already knows we've been spending most of our lunch hours together and leave the office together most nights."
"Sweetheart, have you been keeping details from me?" Blair eyed her daughter curiously.
"No, it's not what you're thinking," Charlotte replied, "It was just friendly bantering back and forth at first. It's only been the past few days where he's ridden home with me and walked me to my apartment."
"And," Blair prompted her.
"And kissed me goodnight," Charlotte felt herself blushing.
"And," Blair prompted a second time.
"That's been it…so far," Charlotte admitted, "We're taking things slow, remember."
"And now that your father knows, are things going to speed up?" Blair asked.
"I don't think so," Charlotte shook her head, "I still want to keep things quiet, as quiet as we can with the stupid paparazzi camped outside our building. It's still so new, and who knows where it will lead, maybe nowhere. Why drag him through the mud unnecessarily?"
"You were singing a completely different tune this weekend," Blair reminded her, "You were gushing over him and saying things like he was your soul mate. Don't let this mess at work change your mind."
"I just wish I didn't have to drag him into my mess," Charlotte sighed.
"None of it is your fault," Blair stated. They arrived at Bendel's and were greeted by a very sympathetic Serena who immediately engulfed her goddaughter in a warm hug.
An afternoon of mani-pedis and then dinner at her favorite sandwich shop was exactly what Charlotte needed. Even returning to a paparazzi infested building didn't seem quite so daunting.
Charlotte was stunned when she arrived at her apartment to Eddie waiting for her with a bouquet of white roses.
"You didn't have to stop by," Charlotte went immediately to embrace him, ignoring her mother and the really bad excuse she was making for leaving them alone.
"Of course I did," he held Charlotte close. "How are you doing?"
"Better now," Charlotte inhaled his scent. He was still dressed in his business attire from the office, but his jacket had been shed, tie loosened, and sleeves rolled up. "How long have you been here?"
"Not long," Eddie shrugged, "Twenty minutes or so. Daniella was about to bring me a sandwich. She told me you were on your way home."
"You haven't eaten yet?" Charlotte realized.
"Came straight from the office," he offered her the flowers still in his hand, "After one stop at the florist."
"They're beautiful," she inhaled their scent.
"I went back and forth between the roses and the lilies. I already gave you two bouquets of lilies this week. I thought three might be overkill."
"I like roses too," Charlotte assured him, "Any flowers really are always welcome."
"I'll keep that in mind," he chuckled.
"Dani, will you bring Eddie's sandwich into the dining room," Charlotte called out to her housekeeper and then lead Eddie further into her home.
As it was the first time he was seeing more than the entryway, Eddie couldn't help marveling at the lush surroundings. He'd been to Chuck and Blair's penthouse apartment numerous times over the years. There were some similarities between the two residences, but this home clearly was Charlotte's. It had touches of her everywhere.
"I'll give you the tour after you eat something," Charlotte caught him looking around, "You must be starving."
"I am," he confirmed, "I skipped lunch today because my lunch buddy wasn't available to join me…How'd it go with HR? Can you even talk about it?"
"I can talk in general terms," she replied, "It went okay…I guess. I gave my side of things. I answered all their questions honestly. I've done all I can really. I have to trust everyone else will do the same…God, this just came out of nowhere. I thought I was really starting to make headway with my coworkers."
"Do you know who it was to make the complaint?" he asked.
"I wasn't given a name, but I have a pretty good idea," she stated. "Has HR gotten around to you yet?"
"Yes," he nodded, "I was pretty high on their list of witnesses."
"I hope you're not affected by any of this," she frowned.
"So what if I am," he waved off her concern, "I'd put myself in the middle of this if it helps you. You're good at your job. I know you just started, but everything you've done so far is beyond brilliant."
"You're just saying that because we're…what are we exactly? We're not just friends anymore," Charlotte replied, "We're way more than acquaintances."
"Confidantes," he offered.
"Confidante, huh," she rolled the word around a bit in her mind. She liked it.
"With benefits," he added.
"What kind of benefits?" she raised a brow.
"These kind," he leaned in and kissed her lips softly.
Daniella came in and discreetly placed the sandwich in front of Eddie and disappeared before either were aware of her presence.
"Think she magically poofed this plate of food in here?" Eddie was taken aback by the food in front of him.
"Dorota used to do this sort of thing for my parents too," Charlotte laughed, "She must be sharing tricks of the trade. Dig in, Mister Fraser. It looks good."
"Have you eaten?" he took a bite of his sandwich.
"Mom and I met Aunt Serena for manis and pedis at Bendel's, and then had a bite to eat," Charlotte's head bobbed as she stole a chip from Eddie's plate and popped it in her mouth.
"How are you really doing, Charlotte?" he reached for her hand.
"Not so good," she admitted, tears welling in her eyes, "I'd been prepared for a certain level of distrust amongst my coworkers, but not what I experienced. A couple of them said really horrible things about me when they didn't think I could hear. I thought I was past these sort of things having an affect on me after getting some experience with them at Constance and Columbia, but I guess graduating has graduated me to an entirely new level of mean girls."
"It shouldn't be like that, Charlotte," he squeezed her hand, "No one should ever have to experience those types of things in any level of life, certainly not in a professional place of business. Did you make HR aware of these issues?"
"I did today," she swallowed the lump she felt forming in her chest, "Until today I figured it would take a bit of time to warm up to me, but I'd say that period of frost definitely solidified into a full blown sheet of ice when they took their ridiculous claims to HR."
"I have a theory," he replied.
"About what?" she looked puzzled by his statement.
"About why someone went to HR," he elaborated.
"Fire away," she responded.
"There were a few within your department who were in danger of missing their deadlines on the merger. One in particular is already on probation for missing other deadlines. To cover their own asses, they went after you, claiming you were impeding their efforts."
"Interesting theory, but we have no proof," she replied.
"Accept when they miss their deadlines," he replied, "It's tomorrow after all."
"I was helping them and this entire time they were plotting behind my back," Charlotte sighed, "I won't make that mistake again."
"Don't say things like that," he scolded her, "You were trying to be a team player. Don't let this one bad incident ruin who you are. One of the greatest things about your father is his willingness to pitch in where he can. I heard stories all the time about him from my mentor in London. According to him, your father could probably walk all the way across the Atlantic simply by the way he conducted his business. Bass is a great company with a lot of great employees. You'll see that when you get back to work."
"If I get back to work," Charlotte amended.
"You will," he assured her.
"I hope so," she bit her lip, "Did you finish your reports?"
"Turned the last one in before I left the office today," he nodded, "Hopefully your father agrees with my recommendations."
"If he's smart, he will," Charlotte smiled.
"Your father knows about us," Eddie admitted.
"I know," she nodded, "He asked me straight out today when he called me into his office to discuss the HR situation. I think it will be okay."
"I think so too," Eddie brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly before resuming his meal, "What are you going to do with your day tomorrow?"
"I'm heading to the Hamptons for the weekend," she stated, "I need to get away from the city and all the noise for a few days. With the summer season over and the weather cooling down, it will be exactly what I need."
"Is your family joining you?" he asked.
"No," Charlotte shook her head, "Aiden's school is having a fundraiser. Naturally Mom and Dad are attending. He's already being given a showcasing spot. Considering he's only two months into his training, I'd say he's the star of his class."
"Mom says he's a really brilliant chef," Eddie responded.
"He is," Charlotte agreed, "CIA is really a waste of his time, but it's what he wants."
"What's his ultimate goal?" Eddie asked.
"He wants his own restaurant," Charlotte stated, "He's been working on a menu since he was fourteen. The dishes he has set already are amazing. We're talking Michelin five stars here."
"Think he'd ever need a new guinea pig to try out his dishes?" Eddie inquired, "My palate may not be quite as refined as one Charlotte Bass, but I'm quite a foodie in my own right."
"I'm sure he'd jump at the chance," Charlotte responded, "He loves hearing new opinions. I'll make sure to mention your offer next chance I get."
"Since you're going to the Hamptons, I guess we'll need a rain check on weekend plans," he replied.
"I totally forgot all about our plans. I'm so sorry," she gave him a sheepish look, "Is it too late to cancel? You aren't going to lose a security deposit or anything, are you?"
"I told you it was a casual place. Reservations weren't even an option," he assured her, "It will still be there when you come back and things have calmed down."
"Why don't you come out to the Hamptons?" she suggested, "There is more than enough room at my parents' castle."
"Castle?" he raised a brow.
"That's right, you've never seen the Hamptons estate. It's legitimately a castle," Charlotte laughed, "Dad bought it for Mom a long time ago, even before they were married. I think it might have been an engagement gift or something. Who knows anymore, but really you should come. There are plenty of great places to eat even now that the summer crowds have disappeared for the year."
"Are you sure I wouldn't impose?" he asked.
"You couldn't possibly," Charlotte assured him, "You'll see what I mean when you see the size of their place…it's ridiculous."
"There is a lot about your family's wealth which is ridiculous," Eddie pointed out.
"I'll have Daddy put the chopper crew on standby for you," she continued on as if she hadn't heard him, "You could leave right from the office if you want. It's a short ride from New York."
"Making my case quiet nicely," Eddie added.
"It's a perk of rubbing elbows with the Bass family," Charlotte scolded him with a look, "Enjoy it for what it is."
"I'll try my best," he snorted.
"So yes or no to the chopper?" she asked.
"I'll take the Jitney," he shook his head.
"Suit yourself," she shrugged, "The chopper is more fun."
"I'll probably be able to get away a bit early tomorrow. What time are you planning on leaving?" he asked.
"Noon," she responded.
"Perhaps we could share a chopper?" he suggested.
"Are you sure you can get free that early?" she asked.
"I've been putting in seventy hours work weeks for nearly four weeks straight. I'd say I deserve an afternoon off," he replied, "I'll call you tomorrow after I swing it with my boss."
"Deal," she smiled, "Fortunately being banished from the office doesn't mean I'm banished from the Bass family perks. I still have access to all the toys."
"I hate to break it to you, Charlotte, but you sound a bit spoiled when you say things like that," he chuckled.
"Good," she laughed.
"Thanks for coming over even though I said you didn't have to," Charlotte saw Eddie to the elevator after spending the evening together. Most of the night was spent simply enjoying being together. They watched one of Charlotte's favorite movies in her theater with a bowl of popcorn between them.
"Of course I came over," he kissed her cheek, "I was worried about you."
"You must have broken a lot of hearts in London," she traced his chin, "With these dimples and smile and these green eyes, I'm sure you had your choice when it came to the ladies."
"Didn't have the time," he shook off her suggestion.
"Didn't make the time," she amended, "Works out well for me. I'd hate to pull out my lacrosse stick and swat away the competition."
"There is no competition," he cupped her chin and pressed his lips to hers. Charlotte sighed into the kiss. She could get lost in his kisses. "I forgot about lacrosse. You certainly were well rounded as a child…ballet, acting, horseback riding, and lacrosse. Is there anything you couldn't do?"
"I'm not altogether musically inclined," she admitted, "I took piano lessons for a bit, but they were just dreadful. Thankfully Daddy let me stop. Brice is extremely talented when it comes to the piano. If the vineyard thing doesn't work out, he could work as a pianist and make a very good living. Mom used to call him her little Mozart."
"My apologies to Brice, but my focus is on you at the moment," his lips went to hers again. "I'll call you tomorrow with an update."
"Good night, Eddie," she smiled.
"Good night, Charlotte," he echoed.
TBC…
Alright, the cat is sort of out of the bag. So Chuck's reaction is pretty mild so far, right? Don't expect that to last.