One More Chance: A Small Town Love Story Read online

  He was the one who left her waiting in a prom dress she had worked two jobs to pay for. Hell, she should turn and thank him. She wouldn’t have left Chance Rapids if she hadn’t been the laughingstock of the town. She wouldn’t have met her mentor and become the number one real estate broker in the city. If it wasn’t for Logan Brush, she wouldn’t be Charlotte.

  As the lift crested the top of the mountain, Charlotte turned to face Logan. She took a deep breath and lifted her goggles, setting them on her helmet. Her eyes met his and she felt crisp and fierce, “I’m as local as they get.”

  His mouth gaped and familiarity registered in his eyes, and, for the first time on the Jurassic chairlift ride, he seemed lost for words.

  Charlotte put her goggles back on her face and lifted the safety bar. She pushed off with her poles and as she skied away, she turned, her dark ponytail blowing in the wind. “See you around, Logan Brush,” she yelled.

  She didn’t look back. Charlotte felt a certain satisfaction at the stunned look on his face, but it took a few high speed turns down the mountain for her hands to stop shaking.

  Chapter 6

  LOGAN WATCHED THE DARK ponytail as its owner disappeared down a double black diamond run.

  What the hell was Billie Jo Bunkman doing back in town?

  The icy cold reception he received from the brunette bitch on the rickety old red chair had surprised him. Now it all made sense.

  He couldn’t blame her for being pissed at him, what he had done was A1 top notch shitty. The rumors in the small town ran hot and rampant. Logan denied them but didn’t set them straight. He couldn’t.

  Over the last ten years, he thought about Billie Jo more than he would like to admit. She was a mystery. Nobody knew where she had gone. There were a few drunken nights he stayed up late searching for her on social media, but Billie Jo Bunkman didn’t exist, she was a ghost.

  A ghost that had just ridden the red chair with him.

  She was different, her hair was darker, but that wasn’t it, there was something about her he couldn’t quite place; she exuded a confident air that he usually only felt around celebrity. He realized that he had touched her hand, glove-to-mitten and his heart skipped a beat. Not one model or actress had made his heart race like it did while watching Billie Jo ski away from him.

  He needed to know why she’d walked out of his life without giving him the chance to explain, to grovel, to make it up to her.

  As Billie Jo’s pink jacket disappeared down the steep hill, Logan Brush pushed off and tucked into a racing position, his eyes trained on the run for any sign of the chestnut ponytail whipping down the mountain.

  Damn, she’s fast, he thought to himself as the vibrations from his skis shook his vision. He would never have skied this recklessly if he was still playing in the league, fearing a torn ACL or other career-ending injury, but today, he was retired and the best thing that had ever happened to him had just skied out of his life. He couldn’t lose her. Not again.

  As he crested the first roller, his heart sank, there was no sign of the pink jacket. The run forked and he glanced between the two options: a double black diamond mogul run named “Fiery Ferdinand” branched off to the left, a groomed green circle run named, “Powder Puff” meandered off to the right. If I were avoiding someone, which one would I choose? He had to decide and he had to make it fast.

  “Shit,” he muttered under his breath and braced himself for the bumpy ride down Fiery Ferdinand. His knees bucked into his chest as he bounced his way down the mogul-filled run. A treed glade ran down either side of Fiery Ferdinand, she could have ducked into the trees if she wanted to lose him. Regardless, he got his hopes up every time he reached a knoll in the run, only to have them dashed away with no sign of Billie Jo.

  He reached the bottom and scanned the busy lift line at Old Red for any sign of her. There was none. He had lost her once again. Sugar Peaks was a tall mountain, but not a wide one, so he rationalized that if he kept skiing the peak chair, he would eventually catch a glimpse of her. He had memorized her ski gear, watermelon-colored jacket and purple pants, mirrored goggles, and that ponytail, nobody would be able to miss that as it streaked down the mountain.

  He wasn’t giving up hope yet. He spent the rest of the afternoon lapping Old Red, but there was no sign of Billie Jo anywhere. Just like that, she was a ghost again.

  Chapter 7

  BILLIE JOE’S THIGHS burned like they were on fire, but there was no way she was stopping. She reached the bottom of the mountain and just as she did an aggressive hockey-style stop heard her phone ringing. She reached into her jacket and pulled out her phone. It was the instructor, Jessica. Tabitha was done for the day.

  Charlotte brushed the slushy spring snow from her skis with her leather mitts, threw them over her shoulder and headed over to the bunny hill.

  “Tabitha,” she yelled at her niece who was sitting at the picnic tables at the base of the slope.

  Tabitha whipped her head around and Charlotte breathed a huge sigh of relief when she saw the shit-eating grin on her niece’s face.

  “How did it go?” She set her skis down and straddled the bench seat, dying to know the details of Tabitha’s lesson, but keeping a wary eye open for a certain royal blue ski jacket.

  “It was super fun. I can turn and stop, and Jessica says that I can go on the rooster for our next lesson.” Tabitha was talking a mile a minute. The rooster was one of the chairlifts that went to mid-mountain.

  “The rooster! That’s amazing.”

  “She IS amazing,” Jessica smiled and patted Tabitha on the shoulder. “It was a bit touch and go at the beginning, but she stuck with it.

  “She’s bull-headed like her mom,” Charlotte grinned and squeezed Tabitha’s shoulder.

  “And she has your hair too, lucky girl,” Jessica said. “Do you want to sign up for another lesson? I have availability every morning this week.

  Charlotte looked to Tabitha. “What do you think, Tabby Cat?”

  Tabitha nodded so hard her helmet slid forward on her head. “Alright, Jessica. You heard my niece.”

  “Oops, sorry. I thought that you were her mom.”

  “That’s okay. I love her like a daughter.” It was true and she felt such a sense of pride walking away from the mountain, their cheeks pink from the wind.

  “What did you say about hot chocolate earlier?” Tabitha looked up at her aunt as they loaded the skis into the roof rack.

  “You don’t forget a thing, do you?” she laughed. “Let’s head into town and you can meet my best friend Megan. She runs the cutest little coffee shop in town.”

  “Auntie Charlotte?” Tabitha said as they drove away from the mountain.

  “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Can I have some lunch at the café too?”

  Charlotte felt her stomach drop - it had been in knots with the knowledge that she could run into Logan at any second. She hadn’t even thought about what she was going to feed Tabitha.

  “Of course. That was the plan.” It wasn’t the plan. What kind of awesome aunt was she? She forgot about feeding the kid.

  The windows were steamy, and the smell of coffee beans and croissants welcomed them into the only coffee shop in town. Charlotte hadn’t been to the café since opening day, so she was happy to find the place bustling. “Charlotte!” Megan called out from behind the counter and waved as Charlotte and Tabitha joined the lineup. Megan undid her apron, hung it on a hook, and jogged over to give Charlotte a huge bear hug.

  “You’re barely showing.” Charlotte pulled back from the hug and held her friend by the arms as she surveyed her slightly rounded belly.

  Megan ran her hand over her sweater and smiled. “I felt the baby move for the first time this morning.”

  “How exciting,” Charlotte said, her eyes glazing over. Megan was one of her last child-less friends and while she was happy for her, she was also sad that their conversations were now going to consist of diaper comparisons and complaints about lack o
f sleep.

  “Enough about that,” Megan extended her hand, “You must be Tabitha.”

  “I am,” Tabitha smiled and shook her hand.

  “She goes by Tabby Cat,” Charlotte smiled, and Tabitha mirrored the grin back.

  “Tabby Cat. I like it. One of Charlotte’s nicknames I’m guessing?”

  Tabitha nodded shyly.

  “Let’s grab a table in the back, it’s a bit quieter back there.”

  The three of them sat down at one of Josh’s handcrafted wooden tables. Charlotte ran her hands over the heavy piece of furniture, “That man certainly is good with his hands.” She winked at Megan.

  Megan opened her eyes wide and jerked her head toward Tabitha. “Yes, he is great at working with wood.” Megan’s attempt to steer the conversation back to one appropriate for a ten-year-old failed miserably and Charlotte giggled. “If you say so.”

  “Now,” Megan said sternly. “What can I get you two for lunch? Tabitha, the menu is on the blackboard behind the counter. Can you read it?”

  “Yep.” Tabitha’s eyes were trained on the menu. “May I please have a grilled cheese sandwich and a hot chocolate?”

  Charlotte turned and squinted her eyes at the menu. She was only thirty-three for god’s sake, but she couldn’t make out the writing. “Do you have any quiche today?”

  “You betcha,” Megan quipped. “Quiche Lorraine is the special today.”

  “I’ll take one of those with a green salad, and a cappuccino please.”

  “Coming right up.” Megan went back to the counter and rang their order in. When she came back with the steaming hot drinks, Tabitha was going into all the details about her ski lesson.

  “How was the mountain this morning?” Megan asked as she set down the drinks.

  Charlotte was about to launch into a tirade about running into Logan Brush when she noticed the sparkle on Megan’s hand and the whole reason for their meeting came rushing back to her. “Let’s see that rock,” Charlotte demanded and held out her hand.

  Megan giggled like a schoolgirl and placed her left hand in Charlotte’s. Charlotte ran her fingers over the delicate band and small diamond. “Where is it?” she joked, squinting at her hand. Megan tried to pull her hand from Charlotte’s grip, but she held on tighter, “It’s beautiful, Meg,” Charlotte said, and she meant it.

  Megan had been through so much over the past few years, Charlotte knew Josh could’ve given her a tinfoil ring and Megan would’ve worn it with pride. They were soulmates, anyone could see it as plain as day, and that made Megan’s modest ring one of the most beautiful that Charlotte had ever seen.

  “Megan is having a baby and getting married,” Charlotte explained to Tabitha. “Although, I’m not sure in what order...”

  “Josh and I wanted to wait until the baby came, but, well, we just can’t wait that long. I also want to do it before I’m a whale.” Megan’s eyes sparkled as she held Charlotte’s hand. “Are you free on April 10?”

  “April 10th? Holy moly, you two don’t waste any time, do you?”

  “I know that it’s last minute, but it’s going to be small, and everything is organized. But I need to know if you are free that day.”

  “I’ll make sure I’m free, you don’t need to plan around me.”

  Megan grinned at her friend, “I need to make sure that my maid of honor will be available on my wedding day.”

  Usually stalwart, Charlotte felt the tears spring up in the corners of her eyes. “Of course,”

  “Wait,” Megan interrupted. “Before you say yes –”

  “Stop it. It doesn’t matter. Nothing could stop me from being there for you.”

  Megan sighed and Charlotte saw her eyes drop; she traced her fingertips along the wood grain in the table.

  “What?” Charlotte demanded. “Out with it.”

  “Well, I’ll totally understand if you don’t want to do it...” Megan’s voice trailed off.

  “Spit it out.” Megan was her best friend, it was an unspoken rule that Charlotte would be her maid of honor, and if Charlotte ever got married in this lifetime, that Megan would be hers.

  “Josh has asked Freddie to be his best man.”

  “Okay. That makes sense, they’re friends.” Tabitha was watching the exchange with wide eyes, spooning the whipped cream off the top of her hot chocolate.

  “And... Geez. This is so hard. Josh didn’t understand why it was such a big deal, and I don’t really either...”

  “Megan. Oh, my god. Come on, what?” Charlotte was starting to lose her patience.

  “You might not want to be my maid of honor when you hear who Josh has asked to be in his wedding party,” Megan blurted out.

  “No.” Charlotte sat back in her chair like she had been shot in the chest.

  “I didn’t even know they were friends.”

  “How would you? You ran out of here with your tail between your legs and won’t tell us why you hate him so much.”

  Charlotte’s heart pounded against her ribcage. She inhaled and took a sip of her cappuccino, sullying the perfect leaf shape in the foam. She looked in Megan’s eyes and knew that she couldn’t say no to her, even though every fiber of her being was telling her to run for the hills. If it were anyone else in the world but Megan, she would back out. But since Megan was her bestie, she took a deep breath and smiled at her friend saying, “I’ll be your maid of honor.”

  “Even if Logan Brush is in the wedding party?” Megan picked at her fingernail.

  “Even if Logan Fucking Brush is in your wedding party,” she sighed. Megan jerked her head at Tabitha again.

  “I mean, even if Logan, the jerky jerkface, is in your wedding party. Is that better?”

  Tabitha giggled. Charlotte looked to her and winked.

  “Sheesh. Kind of.” Megan shook her head but then smiled. “Charlotte. I’m so happy.” Megan’s eyes brimmed with tears and she stood up to embrace Charlotte. “You have no idea how much I’ve been dreading this conversation.”

  “Anything for you, Meg,” Charlotte said into her friend’s neck. And it was true, she would do anything for Meg. Even face the man who had broken her heart and soul in half so many years ago.

  “Does Logan know that I’m your best friend?” she asked.

  “He knows that Charlotte O’Hare is my best friend, and as far as I know, Freddie agreed to keep it a secret for now.”

  “Do you think he has?” Charlotte asked. Although the shocked look on Logan’s face earlier that day told her that she was the last person he expected to see at Sugar Peaks.

  “I think so. Freddie really is a stand-up guy.” Megan stood up, “I should check on your order.” Megan walked away and Charlotte sighed.

  “What did he do?” Tabitha asked.

  “Who?”

  “Jerky Jerkface?”

  “Oh, my dear. That’s a story for another day.” Although, she knew that the story was going to have to come out sooner rather than later.

  Megan rushed back to the table with a quiche and grilled cheese sandwich. “Sorry ladies, we are short a barista today and the lunch rush is just starting. Char, can we chat tonight about the details?”

  “Sure, Meg. Just one question. When will I have to see Logan?”

  Megan smoothed her apron and blew the air out of her cheeks. “Well, the boys have planned our Stag and Doe party for Friday night.”

  Charlotte had forgotten about Stag and Doe parties. She wondered if they were a small-town thing, she had never been to a public wedding fundraising party in the city.

  “This Friday? Like the one just a few days from now?” Charlotte asked.

  “That’s the one.”

  Chapter 8

  CHARLOTTE AND TABITHA lounged in the great room in front of the fireplace. Tabitha was reading and Charlotte was responding to her work email and getting updates from her assistant.

  It had been dark for hours by the time Lauren got home. Charlotte looked at her watch, “Burning the midnight oil, Laur
en? On the first day?”

  Lauren set down her heavy briefcase, poured two glasses of wine, handed one to Charlotte and sat down on the couch with Tabitha.

  She sighed, “Char, I couldn’t make up the crazy stuff that is happening over there. The developers are terrible. I thought we’d found a loophole to stop them, but lo and behold, they’re in merger talks with an even worse developer.” Lauren took a sip of her wine and patted her daughter’s feet. “How was your lesson?”

  Tabitha looked up from her book, her eyes magnified from her reading glasses, “It was so much fun, Mum. I love skiing.”

  Lauren smiled and rubbed Tabitha’s feet, “That’s great to hear, sweetheart. I’m so happy you’re having fun with your Auntie. It must have slipped your mind to tell her that your bedtime is 9:00, right?” Lauren pulled the blanket off Tabitha’s legs and snatched the book from her hands.

  Tabitha groaned, “Aw, mum,” and flashed Charlotte a wry smile. She hugged both of them and headed upstairs to bed.

  “I had no idea,” Charlotte replied.

  Lauren relaxed into the couch. “She would read all night if you let her. How was your day?”

  “Almost as bad as yours,” she replied.

  Lauren sat up. “Oh no, was Tabitha a handful?”

  “Tabby Cat? No, she was perfect. I love hanging out with her. But you’ll never guess who I ran into on the mountain.”

  Lauren looked puzzled. “Who?”

  “Logan.”

  “No.” Lauren gasped. “Are you sure it was him?”

  “In all his six-foot-five glory,” Charlotte replied and took a sip of her wine. “I got stuck on Old Red with him.”

  “What the hell is he doing in town?” Lauren was perched on the edge of the couch, hanging onto every one of Charlotte’s words.

  “Oh, I guess you didn’t hear. He’s retired from pro hockey and is coaching the Chance Rapids Bobcats.”

  “Geez,” Lauren said and then whistled out slowly, “What did you say? What did he say?”