TEASE ( A Stepbrother Romance ) By Caitlin Daire

5

Chapter Five

Charlotte

Today was the day.

Mom and I had finally left the hotel, and we were moving into the Blackwell’s house so we could all play happy families. I had to admit, it was a damn nice place. It was set on a huge property about fifteen minutes out of Fairview Ridge, and it bordered on a forest which seemed to stretch endlessly beyond the horizon.

The house itself was enormous; a three story Tudor-style mansion with high ceilings, picture windows all through the lower floor, and dark wood trim. It was a far cry from the small place Mom and I had lived in back in Philly, and I marveled at the interior design as I hauled my first bag in from the car.

“Cade, show Charlotte where her room is,” Keith called out from the front entrance as he headed out to grab a box.

Cade wordlessly directed me upstairs and down the second floor hallway, and when we reached a dark wood door down near the end, he turned to me. “This is your room,” he said. “It has its own bathroom.”

“Cool. Thanks. Where’s your room?”

I blurted out the question before I could even think about it, and he flashed me an amused smirk. “Wow, you’re being a bit forward. Haven’t even been here five minutes, and you’re trying to get in my bedroom.”

I flushed. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just want to know how far away you are from me. The farther the better, obviously.”

His face darkened, and the playful gleam in his eyes vanished. “Sure. I’m down the other end of the hall. Hopefully that’s far enough for your satisfaction,princess.”

He performed a dramatic and clearly sarcastic bow before turning and striding back down the hallway, and I sighed and entered my new room before putting my bag down. It was dim, but decorated beautifully—obviously done by a professional interior designer. The furniture was dark cherry-wood, which matched the trim and the hardwood floors, and the curtains were a dark forest green. I opened them up to let some light in, and I looked down across the spacious property before spying something out of the corner of my eye.

My mother was pulling out of the garage in what appeared to be a brand new silver Volvo with an enormous red bow stuck to the front. She reversed a bit more and then stopped, and when she got out, she saw me up at my window and waved before dangling the car keys in the air and motioning for me to come down.

I headed downstairs and outside, and she approached me with a wide smile. “Surprise, honey!”

“Surprise? What’s going on?”

She gestured towards the car. “I’ve been doing some thinking for the last few days, and I realized how inconsiderate I’ve been in making you move here with me on such short notice. You had to leave everything and everyone you knew behind, and I know how hard it’s been for you to make friends in the past. So I’m sorry, Charlotte. I thought I’d try and make things up to you a bit by getting you a brand new car to get yourself around in, seeing as there’s not really much in the way of public transport out here. So this Volvo is all yours!”

“But Mom, that must’ve cost a fortune,” I replied, trying to remember how much the average brand new car cost these days.

“Well, Keith helped a bit,” she said. “Do you like it?”

Her forehead was creased with anxiety, and I broke into a grin. “I love it. Thanks, Mom.”

I threw my arms around her, and she squeezed me tight. “I know it’s just a car, but I am thinking about you as well as myself, sweetie. I think moving here was the right choice.”