the other side of us | ✓

1.20 | get down to business

Charlotte had been miserable over the entire weekend, and even her father had noticed. It was Monday now, and he'd asked her about it during breakfast that morning.

"What's got you down, Lottie?" he asked, dumping creamer into his travel mug of coffee.

"Why do you think something's wrong?" she asked, trying to play it off.

"You've been moping around all weekend. Did something happen at the shop?"

"No, the shop's fine."

"Did you and Devin get into a fight? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Dev and I are fine, dad. Stop worrying."

"It's my job to worry about you," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

"I-I had an argument," Charlotte stuttered.

"An argument?" He raised his eyebrows. "That's not like you."

"I know."

"Who'd you get in an argument with?"

"A . . . friend."

"Must be an important friend for you to be this upset."

"They are. He is."

"He?"

"He," she confirmed, mentally preparing herself for the onslaught of questions that were soon to come.

"A he that isn't Max?" he asked.

"A he that isn't Max," she confirmed again.

"Do I know him?"

"You . . . may have met him before," Charlotte hedged.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, dad. He didn't hurt me. It was just an argument."

"You know you can tell me if you're in trouble."

"I know, dad."

"Okay, so just an argument then. How are you going to fix it?"

"Do I have to?"

"Well," he asked, taking a bite of his toast. "Was the argument your fault?"

Charlotte played with a strand of hair. "Maybe."

Her father looked at her.

"Okay, yes. It's completely my fault."

"And is it something that you can fix on your own?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of?"

She sighed. "He's my boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend?"

"I do."

"This boyfriend," He said, eyeing her. "He's important to you?"

"He is." Charlotte confirmed. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Would that fix your problem?"

"It would."

"Then I'd love to."

***

By the time Mason made it into work that afternoon, he'd changed his shirt three times. He ran his tongue over his teeth nervously before pushing open the door and cautiously walking into the shop. Devin was at the counter, flicking through her phone with a bored expression on her face.

"Morning, Dev," he said, hanging his coat on a hook and grabbing an apron, smoothing it over his light blue button down.

"Hey, Mason. Boss wants to see you in her office," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Mason tried not to grimace when he nodded his thanks and made his way to the back hallway. He hadn't spoken to Charlotte since their fight, which was more difficult than he thought it'd be.