Forbidden Love 💙

Chapter 3

Charlotte looks around her new apartment, taking it all in. She decided to put bookshelves on every wall not covered by a window in the den. It got great light and it wasn't an overly big room. She put a giant oversized chair in front of the window with a little table and lamp. She made the loft into an office with a desk and some chairs. She loved the apartment, almost as much as she loved being in Boston in general.

She went grocery shopping at a local grocery store she went to as a kid. She texted Chris to see if he wanted anything while she was there. As she was walking through the store, she rounded a corner almost running into someone. "I'm so sorry!" She looked up to see a familiar face, "Tommy? Tommy Brassel?" The man smiled at her. She recognized the sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Charlotte?" She watched as he looked her up and down, "are you back in Boston?"

"I am. I just moved back." She motioned to her cart, "need to fill the new apartment with food." She reached out to hug him as he pulled her body firmly to his. She noticed he wasn't wearing a ring.

He looked at his watch, and back up to her. "I'm sorry. I have to get going." He reaches in his pocket and hands her his card, "call me. I'd love to get dinner soon."

"Sure Tommy. I'd love that." Charlotte thought about Tommy as she continued shopping. He was her first love. They dated in high school but drifted apart when they went to college. She looked at his card, he was an Assistant District Attorney downtown now. She wondered if there would still be anything between them. She couldn't deny that he was still attractive and in shape. And she hadn't dated anyone in so long.

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When she finished shopping she took her stuff to her apartment, grabbing her laptop and taking the few things Chris wanted from the store and let herself into his place. "Chris?" She sees Dodger run up to her excitedly. "Hey bud!" She took Chris's stuff to the kitchen and put them away.

Chris enters the kitchen to find Charlotte putting stuff away. She was more casual this time, just wearing jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers. He watched her for a minute, leaning on the doorframe between the kitchen and dining room. "Charlotte! Hello!" He laughed as he saw her jump. "Sorry."

Charlotte turned around and laughed at him. "It's all good. Hi."

He handed her a credit card with her name on it. "This is for all things you buy for me. Including food, plane tickets, hotels. Whatever it is I need."

She took the card as she pulled her wallet out of her purse. She didn't notice Tommy's card fell out as she did. Chris bent over, picking up the card and handing it to her, "who is Tom Brassel?"

She accepted the card and put it in her wallet. "He's an old friend from high school. I ran into him at the store. He asked me out."

Chris felt like he had been punched in the stomach. But what did he expect, she was a beautiful woman. And he knew he couldn't date her, kiss her. Even as much as he wanted to. He tried to play it off, "so are you going to go out with him?" He sat at the kitchen counter, watching her. She wore her glasses and had her hair tied back in a pony tail. He was sure she wasn't wearing makeup this time too. He could see the freckles on her cheeks.

Charlotte hesitated for a minute before sitting next to him, opening her computer. "I think I'd rather keep my private life private, and separate." Before Chris could say anything she pointed to her computer where she had pulled up his calendar, "so in a few weeks you're going to be in New York for 3 months? You want a hotel room or do you want me to try and find you an apartment while you're there?"

"Apartment would be better. If you can find a two bedroom for both of us, that would be good." He so wanted to see her first thing in the morning after waking up.