Chasing Charlie: A Romantic Comedy (The Texas Two-Step Series Book 1) by Kathy Carmichael Page A
Authors: Kathy Carmichael
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Do you think you can make it?"
Charlie desperately tried to think up some excuse for not going but her brain seemed to be malfunctioning.
"I’m looking forward to introducing my future daughter to my friends. You can make it, can’t you?"
Charlie’s stomach sank. How many people were going to become embroiled in Davis’s little scheme? Sooner or later, this was all going to come back to haunt her, and she suspected it would be sooner, not later. "I may have a conflict but I’ll do my best to come."
"Thanks so much, dear. I’ll let you get back to work. Do try to come. I’d love to have the chance to chat."
"I’ll do my best. Thanks so much for calling. I’m ashamed that I hadn’t thought to ask you about what to wear." Charlie found another pen and placed it in the cup, then wiped off her desk.
"Don’t worry. Davis is like his father. When we were engaged, I didn’t know whether I was coming or going." Ellen laughed, "I’m sure Davis has you as confused as I was."
"I’m relieved you understand."
"Oh, I do. And here’s a tidbit to relieve your mind." Ellen paused. "At least it was in my mind during Davis’s father’s courtship. Murphy men play the field before marriage, but once they make a choice, they take it seriously. They mate for life."
"That’s reassuring." She wondered if Murphy wives were known for their rose-colored glasses. She couldn’t imagine Davis ever deliberately choosing to settle down. "Thanks for telling me."
"Good. See you later, I hope."
After hanging up the phone, Charlie placed her head in her hands. She’d been doing that a lot lately. Rubbing her temples, she fought off the headache that threatened. She didn’t have time for it. Somehow, she had to figure out what to wear to the wedding, and if she didn’t have anything suitable, she’d have to buy something.
And then there was the shower. She had to make up her mind.
The phone rang again. "Research, Charlie Nelson. How may I help you?"
"Hi, this is Lily del Rietz. I’m president of Murphy Title."
"How can I help you?"
"We’re throwing an impromptu wedding shower for Ellen Murphy today and I called to invite you. It’s at five-thirty at Murphy Title."
"Yes, Ellen called, too."
"Oh great, you’re coming then. We’re all dying to meet the woman who finally lassoed Davis’s heart." Lilly chortled. "You should have seen him mooning around here until you agreed to marry him. Kept referring to you as an elf."
Charlie bit back a laugh. Elf was probably his substitute word for something not quite so polite. "I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best to be there."
"Thanks. I’m looking forward to meeting you."
The headache Charlie had been fighting came roaring to life as she hung up the receiver. Immediately, the phone rang again. She cautiously lifted it. "Research, Charlie Nelson."
"Charlie! This is Jim."
"Oh, hi." Not another of Davis’s cohorts. "If you’re calling about the shower—"
"I see someone else beat me to the punch. Are you going?"
"I’m not sure if I’ll be able to—"
"I sure wish you would. Davis told me all about his scheme. I’d sure appreciate it if you went tonight. It would make Ellen mighty happy."
"It wouldn’t be wrong to go?" She pulled a pencil from the cup and twiddled it in her fingers.
"Staying away would be worse. Now, don’t forget to get your ring from Davis first."
"Shoot. I’d forgotten all about the ring."
"Ellen will want you to show it off to all her friends."
The pencil snapped. Looking down, she saw she’d broken it cleanly in half. "I’ll give Davis a call and see what he wants me to do."
"You do that, hon. Now, I’ve got an appointment, so I’d better let you go."
"Thanks for calling."
As she hung up, Charlie asked herself how all this had started. She’d wanted to take a few little risks. Baby-step risks. Something small. And what had it gained her? A whole community of people to deceive.
The red dress. That crimson man-trap must
Charlie desperately tried to think up some excuse for not going but her brain seemed to be malfunctioning.
"I’m looking forward to introducing my future daughter to my friends. You can make it, can’t you?"
Charlie’s stomach sank. How many people were going to become embroiled in Davis’s little scheme? Sooner or later, this was all going to come back to haunt her, and she suspected it would be sooner, not later. "I may have a conflict but I’ll do my best to come."
"Thanks so much, dear. I’ll let you get back to work. Do try to come. I’d love to have the chance to chat."
"I’ll do my best. Thanks so much for calling. I’m ashamed that I hadn’t thought to ask you about what to wear." Charlie found another pen and placed it in the cup, then wiped off her desk.
"Don’t worry. Davis is like his father. When we were engaged, I didn’t know whether I was coming or going." Ellen laughed, "I’m sure Davis has you as confused as I was."
"I’m relieved you understand."
"Oh, I do. And here’s a tidbit to relieve your mind." Ellen paused. "At least it was in my mind during Davis’s father’s courtship. Murphy men play the field before marriage, but once they make a choice, they take it seriously. They mate for life."
"That’s reassuring." She wondered if Murphy wives were known for their rose-colored glasses. She couldn’t imagine Davis ever deliberately choosing to settle down. "Thanks for telling me."
"Good. See you later, I hope."
After hanging up the phone, Charlie placed her head in her hands. She’d been doing that a lot lately. Rubbing her temples, she fought off the headache that threatened. She didn’t have time for it. Somehow, she had to figure out what to wear to the wedding, and if she didn’t have anything suitable, she’d have to buy something.
And then there was the shower. She had to make up her mind.
The phone rang again. "Research, Charlie Nelson. How may I help you?"
"Hi, this is Lily del Rietz. I’m president of Murphy Title."
"How can I help you?"
"We’re throwing an impromptu wedding shower for Ellen Murphy today and I called to invite you. It’s at five-thirty at Murphy Title."
"Yes, Ellen called, too."
"Oh great, you’re coming then. We’re all dying to meet the woman who finally lassoed Davis’s heart." Lilly chortled. "You should have seen him mooning around here until you agreed to marry him. Kept referring to you as an elf."
Charlie bit back a laugh. Elf was probably his substitute word for something not quite so polite. "I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best to be there."
"Thanks. I’m looking forward to meeting you."
The headache Charlie had been fighting came roaring to life as she hung up the receiver. Immediately, the phone rang again. She cautiously lifted it. "Research, Charlie Nelson."
"Charlie! This is Jim."
"Oh, hi." Not another of Davis’s cohorts. "If you’re calling about the shower—"
"I see someone else beat me to the punch. Are you going?"
"I’m not sure if I’ll be able to—"
"I sure wish you would. Davis told me all about his scheme. I’d sure appreciate it if you went tonight. It would make Ellen mighty happy."
"It wouldn’t be wrong to go?" She pulled a pencil from the cup and twiddled it in her fingers.
"Staying away would be worse. Now, don’t forget to get your ring from Davis first."
"Shoot. I’d forgotten all about the ring."
"Ellen will want you to show it off to all her friends."
The pencil snapped. Looking down, she saw she’d broken it cleanly in half. "I’ll give Davis a call and see what he wants me to do."
"You do that, hon. Now, I’ve got an appointment, so I’d better let you go."
"Thanks for calling."
As she hung up, Charlie asked herself how all this had started. She’d wanted to take a few little risks. Baby-step risks. Something small. And what had it gained her? A whole community of people to deceive.
The red dress. That crimson man-trap must
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