JOE’S POV
I held the phone away from my ear as Nate continued to yell through the line. Miley, Nick, and Kevin all started to laugh at me. I was about to pull the phone back to my ear to try and calm him down when Charlie rushed back in from the kitchen. She had a panicked look on her face as she began to speak softly into the phone soothing her brother.
“Who is that?” Kevin asked walking over to where I stood.
“Her brother,” I said absentmindedly as I watched her. She was currently telling her brother that he had no business butting into her personal life.
“Is he her only sibling?” Kevin asked. I looked over at Kevin in surprise. It was an innocent question, but I didn’t have an answer for it. I was saved from answering when Charlie started shouting into the phone.
“I am twenty-five years old Nate!” Charlie screeched into the phone. “You cannot just demand I move home!” Charlie faltered as Nate continued to ramble on. “No, I haven’t been published yet, but I’m working on it. I have a job. I’m well—I can’t really explain it to you.” She looked over at me as she said the last sentence. I felt bad that she had to keep something from her family. “I’m fine Nate. You do not need to come up here and see for yourself—.” I frowned as she pulled the phone from her ear on the verge of tears.
“Charlie,” I asked, “Are you okay?”
“He hung up on me,” Charlie said. “My own arrogant, stupid, lovable brother hung up on me.” I walked over and folded her into my arms. “He’s never done that before.”
“It’s going to be okay,” I said stroking her hair. “He’s just surprised is all.”
“He’s never been that mad at me. We’ve both always been so stubborn, but he’s never been that mad.” I wasn’t sure why, but the anger from her brother really hurt her. “He said he was coming down here next week to see me.” I gulped unsure of how her brother would take the sudden introduction of a new boyfriend who also happened to be a musician known around the world. I was saved by the entrance of my mother announcing that dinner was ready. Before I knew it we were sitting at the dinner table surrounded by my family.
“Charlie, you are just the sweetest,” my mother said as she passed over the butter. Mom had been gushing over Charlie the entire evening.
“Uh, thank you Mrs. Jonas,” Charlie said. “This dinner is delicious.”
“Please, call me Mom.”
“She never let me call her mom when I was dating you,” Miley whispered loudly to Nick.
“She didn’t let me call her mom until I married Kevin,” Danielle said making everyone laugh. “I think Charlie might be the new favorite.”
“Oh hush,” my mother said as she looked fondly over at Charlie. “Tell us about your family Charlie. Are you from around here?”
“Actually I just moved here from Washington state,” Charlie said. Impulsively I rested my hand on her thigh stroking it softly. She smiled up at me as if she was thankful for the contact. “I grew up on a farm that my mom and dad run.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
“I have an older brother Nate. He’s married to Marie, and they have twin daughters. Eliza and Clara [AN: The actual names of my own nieces!] are four years old now.” She grasped my hand in her own as she talked about her nieces. The glow of her smile made it evident that she loved them very much. My mind wandered off as I pictured her surrounded by her own children. A little girl who looked just like her, and a little boy who looked like me as a child. I shook myself awake at that thought. I wouldn’t be having children with Charlie. Our contract was for two months and two months alone.
“What about you sister Della?” Miley asked innocently from the other side of the table. Charlie gripped my hand so tightly I winced in pain.
“Sister?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah,” Miley said pointing at her right hand. “You said at the nightclub that your sister Della gave you that ring.”
“She did,” Charlie said glancing at the ring with pain in her eyes. “I don’t talk about Della anymore.”
“Why not?” I asked my curiosity getting the better of me.
“Because Della killed herself five years ago,” Charlie said softly.
[AN: Why is it that in all my stories Mr. Jonas barely speaks? And Frankie is like a non-entity…]
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Purchased Affection: A Joe Jonas Love Story
ФанфикJoe Jonas has made a lot of poor decisions lately. His family and his fans have had enough of his bad attitude. Then he meets Charlie Ryan who thinks he's an egotistical jerk. But Charlie needs money to make her own dreams come true. Could she be th...
