Starving For You

Chapter 3

Charlie tosses his keys on the bench as the door slams behind him.

Whistling, he flops down on the couch, clasping his fingers behind his head, putting his long denim cladded legs up on the cushioned seat.

Smiling, he closes his eyes as he allows thoughts of today start running around in his head. It had been such an unexpected surprise and so nice.

Shelby hadn't been what Charlie imagined when Maggie had told him he was going to be interviewed by an up-and-coming journalist.

But from the moment Charlie had sat down, a feeling of ease had washed over him.

Drinking in her appearance as he had watched across from his seat. Seemingly about 5" 7, short cropped brown hair with velvet red highlights and a beautiful smile.

Her lips had twitched with excitement as Shelby shuffled her papers and organised her phone, ready to record.

She had actually listened and talked to him like a normal person, not like all the other so-called journos that consistently pressed him for gossip, scandal, wanting to know who he was sleeping with.

It was refreshing, and she looked really cute when she checked her phone to make sure...his eyes flew open and panic set in.

Shit! He had forgotten to organise a new phone. Quickly, he gets up and grabs his keys to go to the store when there's a knock at the door.

Opening it, Charlie sees a delivery guy standing in front of him, holding a plastic pen and mini electronic device in his hands, asking for a signature.

Giving him a confused look, Charlie takes the device and pen, signs, and then hand them back.

After dropping them back in his bag, the delivery guy pulls out a small rectangular parcel and gesturing to him to take it.

As he does, he finally meets Charlie's gaze, which he had been avoiding since opening the door.

"Sorry, can I just say I'm a huge fan and loved you so much in SOA. You were the best, and it's such an honor to meet you in person." He gushes.

Relaxing a little, Charlie smiles.

"Thank you, that's nice to hear."

"Do you mind if I get a picture with you? Nobody will believe me when I tell them."

Sighing inwardly, he replies. "Sure."

So Charlie shuffles them both away from the door to pose in front of the forrest that's positioned at the rear of the house. Charlie figures that will disguise his hideout for a bit unless the delivery guy sells me out and tells everyone where he's hiding.

The guy thanks Charlie again and shakes his hand vigorously. Then, he all but skips away, back to his van, that was parked near the entrance of the drive.

Smirking, Charlie walks back to the cabin and opens the parcel. There were no markings on the outside of the packaging, so he couldn't tell where it had come from.

Once open, Charlie tips the contents onto the countertop.

A phone.

With a post-it note:

C,
I thought you might need a new one 😉 It's all ready to go and I have your new number. Never doubt me.
See you soon.
Your best manager ever,
XXO

Shaking his head, Charlie takes the phone out of the box and turns it on. After seconds of it starting up, it is indeed obvious that Maggie has set it up and already put her number in and a few others, including Shelby's.