Shattered Hearts

Chapter 18

Charlotte closed the living room door on her brother's mess determined not to tidy up after him for once. The empty beer cans and overflowing ashtrays made her see red, no way was she going to be treated like the hired help. She took a deep breath reminding herself that Sam was doing her a favour, and if he didn't want to tidy up before he went out she couldn't impose her standards on him. After living with Nick she should be grateful for more relaxed living arrangements.

Nick.

He was the reason she was in such a foul mood. Even though she should have been wise to his mind games he still managed to get under her skin - as if they could play happy families for Jamie's sake! She walked into the kitchen and flicked the light switch, forgetting that the bulb had gone. Cursing she grabbed a couple of candles from under the kitchen sink making a mental note to get some new lightbulbs. She had just lit the candles when a knock at the door startled her. She paused, instantly on edge, although it was probably only a friend of Sam's. She tightened her robe around her waist and went to the front door, opening it cautiously.

"Louis?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Hi, sorry it's so late."

She opened the door further, exasperated rather than fearful. "It's after nine o'clock. What on earth are you doing here?"

"I didn't think you'd want me coming around when your brother was home."

"You're right! But why are you here?"

His smile faded, making him look solemn. "We're friends aren't we?"

"Friends don't call around unexpectedly at this time of night." She really should have closed the door on him but instead, she beckoned him inside.

"I owe you an apology," he started to say and she rolled her eyes.

"Another one?"

"On behalf of my mother." He frowned slightly. "I suspect she overstepped the mark today."

Charlotte thought back to their encounter. She briefly recalled Mrs Kinsella trying to engage her in conversation and she'd given her the brush off, more concerned with meeting her ex-husband. "It doesn't matter, she caught me at a bad time."

"Right." He stood back surveying his surroundings, his eyes fixating on the candles. "Am I interrupting something?"

"What?" She looked around, seeing the room as he did. "Oh, you think I'm expecting company?" She couldn't help laughing. "This isn't a romantic set up, I'd have thought by now you'd have realised I'm not remotely interested in that sort of thing."

"That sort of thing," he said, barely hiding a smile. "Okay, keep telling yourself that."

She bristled. "I'll tell myself whatever the hell I want if it's all the same with you."

"Fine," he snapped and they glared at each other until he backed down. "How could you do it, Lottie?" His voice was weary, with no hint of anger. "How could you get in a car with your ex-husband as if nothing had ever happened?"

So that was why he was here? It was nothing to do with his mom, he wanted to know about Nick.

She turned away, opening the cupboard and taking out two mismatched wine glasses thinking they were somewhat symbolic of her life. She grabbed a bottle of opened wine from the fridge and filled the two glasses, passing one to Louis. "It'll probably taste like vinegar," she said deflecting for a moment as she silently cursed Darlene. "So you know about Nick, about the abuse?" He nodded. "Well it isn't that simple, I have a child to consider."

Louis frowned deeply. "But how could you let him go off with a man like that?"

She stepped back as if she'd been slapped. "Do you think that was an easy decision for me? Do you think I don't care?" She took a couple of deep breaths. "I have no choice, Louis. I can either cooperate with Nick and have some kind of control over the situation or I can dig my heels in and I'll lose out altogether."