Winchester Abbey

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Charlotte was far too preoccupied with herself to be much concerned with Mary Catherine vanishing with Timothy. Her interest did not lay at all in the historical monument but instead, she was racking her brain, trying in vain to remember his name. What was his name? Had he ever said it? Had he ever mentioned anything other than America and his mom? He was going to take her to coffee but had other plans for his mom. What was his name? She could have stomped her foot in her frustration. She could still feel his gaze on her. Those electric eyes...That was the only adjective she could think to describe them. They were a really vivid, icy blue; intense, especially when they were staring so earnestly at her.

  "Charrrrrr-" moaned Han, waving an obnoxious hand in front of her face.

  "Totally listening," she replied hastily, flushing slightly.

  Madison and Hannah snorted.

  "What's up with you? Ever since the book shop, you've been kind of out of it," Madison asked. A buzz from her phone interrupted them, giving Charlotte a way out of the question.

  "What's Mary Catherine doing anyway?" she interrupted, finally noticing that one of her best friends had disappeared. Madison's head jerked up from her phone, but Mary Catherine reappeared wearing a smile and swinging her bag in one hand.

  "Hey, where have you been?" Charlotte asked innocently but Madison interrupted. She shifted her gaze between the two girls who were obviously in sync with one another and knew what was up, but her own secret hadn't been let out yet and she intended to keep it that way. She didn't want to be judged about men again. Somehow, this one seemed more permanent, more real than the actors ever had been. It seemed more fixed, and she, for one, didn't want to jinx it.

  Her phone revolved around in her hand as if that was going to make her phone magically receive a phone call from him. Or maybe even his name. She could've kicked herself.

  "My fiancee just texted me and since we haven't been talking much, I'm gonna have to bail on y'all for a little while until we get caught up. Sound good?" Madison asked, waving her phone in the air as if warding off their protests.

  "Sure," replied Mary Catherine, generously. Hannah's eyes narrowed as Madison walked away.

  "Am I the only one that didn't know about her boyfriend..." she began.

  Charlotte's mind was momentarily lifted from her mysterious book helper for a moment as she watched Madison sashay down the edge of the fountain in the middle of the square.

  "No, but then again, most of us seem to leave each other out of the whole boyfriend, getting proposed to, getting married deal," Mary Catherine said, briefly glaring at Hannah to make her point.

  "Or the pregnant part," Charlotte laughed, linking arms with Mary Catherine and pulling her away before Hannah said something back.

  "Wait, so, you're pregnant or what?!" demanded Hannah, tripping after the girls who were laughing at her confusion as they made their way back to the pub where they were having their dinner.

  "No, Han, I was referring to you," laughed Charlotte.

  Mary Catherine's words came back to haunt her though. She hadn't spoken of her mysterious guest and the tone of Mary Catherine's was accusing. Maybe keeping it from them wasn't such a good idea after all...but then again, she was making a bigger deal out of it than it was. He only bought her books and flirted with her. He probably wouldn't even call. He was hardly a boyfriend, or a husband or fiancee as the other girls seemed to be racking up. Mark what's-his-face could read all he wanted to the other girls. His eyes weren't that color blue.