Deviant [Charles Leclerc]

CHAPTER XXII

"You know I love you, yeah?" She reassures.

"I know" I whisper. "I love you too. Goodnight"

"Night Ad"

Once I pull the phone toward my chest, I can't but replay, and I guess, overthink everything. All the phone calls, all the messages, the beach.

Maybe he wasn't leaning in. Maybe he doesn't even like me at all and he's just bored here? After all, I used him because I was bored, so there was nothing stopping him from doing the same thing.

Tonight was really fun, I'm glad you messaged me - Charles

When  his message comes in, it forces me back into the land of delusion. I know the game he's playing, he's played it so well before. I can't trust him.

Tonight was a mistake, I am sorry I did message - Adley

I shut my phone off, sliding it underneath my pillow and rolling the opposite direction from it.

The next morning, I wake up feeling hungover, even though I never got to the point of intoxication.

My emotions were everywhere and my head was scrambled.

I wasn't sure why I felt protective and defensive when I spoke to Oxland, but also, so closed minded when I messaged Charles.

I drag myself out of bed, my oversized t-shirt falling to around my knees. I pull my messy curls up into a ponytail which I'm sure looks absolutely atrocious, but I needed coffee, and I needed it now.

Tiptoeing down to the kitchen, I hear Grandpa taking with someone in the kitchen but when I hear no reply, I presume he's on the phone.

"Do you take milk?" Grandpa asks his guests just as I round the corner. "Good morning, Addy"

His guests whips his head around into my direction and my jaw hits the floor.

"Morning" Charles welcomes.

"What on earth are you doing here?" I boast.

"I'll leave you two to talk" Grandpa offers.

"It's okay, Grandpa, Charles was just leaving" I demand.

Charles pushes himself off the barstool and makes his way over to me.

"I just wanted to talk" He offers.

"I have nothing to say, why are you..." I pause, glancing over at Grandpa and realising I'm putting him in an uncomfortable position in his own house. "Balcony" I instruct, grabbing a hold of Charles sleeve and pulling him across the kitchen and out of the sliding doors, mouthing sorry to Grandpa as I close the doors between us.

As soon as the door closes, I get a glimpse of my reflection in the door and recoil.

"You look cute" Charles compliments and I shoot him a look. "I'm sorry for just trying up, but you wouldn't reply last night, or this morning and when I called, it was going straight to voicemail"

"Which usually suggests to a person that I didn't want to talk to them" I sass.

He drops his shoulders, looking defeated and lets out a sigh. "Ads, please, what happened between dropping you home and the message?"

"I asked you not to bring this around my family, Charles. Why are you here?" I ask in defeat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do" he admits.

"As history has it, we run into each other a lot on this island, why didn't you just rely on that?" I mock.

He shrugs his shoulders, just as Grandpa slides open the balcony door, two coffees in his hands.

"Thank you" I appreciate as he hands me one.

"Thank you, Mr Porter" Charles offers.

"Call me, Joe" Grandpa insists. "Oh and Addy, I forgot, I have a bunch of appointments and things to take care of today, so I'll have to take a rein-check on our day together"

Grandpa has never been the best liar.

"That's okay, I'll come with you" I insist, giving him a stern look.

He sends me a not so subtle wink, "No, it's okay. Why don't you two go out and enjoy the sunshine?"

He can't be serious?

"I'll take care of her, Mr.. Joe" Charles offers.

I glare over at him.

"Wonderful, I'll leave you two to it then. Lovely to see you again, Charles. I'll be cheering you on from the TV next race"

With that, Grandpa heads back through the doors.

"One second" I announce to Charles before going after Grandpa.

"Grandpa" I call out, running through the hall after him. "What are you doing? We had plans?"  I ask.

"Oh" he chuckles, resting a hand on my shoulder. "You don't want to waste the day away with an old grump like me, when you've got a perfectly good, young, handsome man out there who wants to take you out"

"Nothing about Charles is good, Grandpa" I inform.

The corners of his lips turn up as he smirks, "He told me what happened" he recalls. "It's quite romantic if you ask me"

I scoff, "I think he told you a different version of events" I sass.

"My advice, go and give the boy a day to make it right. Forget what happened before, pretend like this is the first time you two have ever laid eyes on each other and spend one day together. If by nightfall, you still think there is no good in him, I'll make sure he never sets foot on this property again. But I know I'm not wrong"

I let out a staggered breath, "Fine" I agree, "But when nightfall comes and I come home and tell you that you were wrong, you owe me the Cherry Pie recipe" I bargain with a chuckle.

He pulls me in and plants a kiss on my forehead, "You'll never get your hands on that recipe" he teases.