The Game Of Love

Chapter 26

Colton's POV

I glanced at her and found her looking out of the window as the trees whizzed by. She looked a little rigid to me, so I assumed her headache hadn't entirely vanished yet. It isn't a surprise, though, considering the amount of whiskey she had.

It is a relief she doesn't remember anything at all until this moment, or she may act awkward.

I cleared my throat, "Do you feel better?" I asked, making her turn to face me again. I don't know why, but when I see her innocent face, it makes me feel happy.

She put on a sweet smile and nodded her head, "Yeah. It's much better than earlier, but my head still hurts when I nod it or anything. " She said , scratching the back of her neck.

"It will resolve soon," I assured her. "How's your parents back home? Have you called them since you returned?" I asked her as she kept blabbering about her father when she was drunk.

"They got back to their normal routine without me being the third wheeler," She answered with longing eyes, "I did call her a couple of times, and my mother reassured me that everything was fine."

"That's good," I said, "You should put on some pressure on them, so they finally come here to be with you. Keep talking to your father about it. "

She sighed, "Easier said than done." She shook her head, "It is almost next to impossible for him to change his mind when he has decided on something." Her lips turned slightly down.

"You can try. Maybe this time it will be different. " I nodded at her in encouragement. I did talk to her father about going to live with her, and he seemed like he really wanted to go, but something is stopping him.

She gave me a look, "I am asking my mother about it every day, and she kept saying no and no." She sighed.

I shook my head. She was persuading the wrong person, "You should talk to your father about it. It is your father who doesn't want to come. Try to change his mind first before asking your mother, " I said, "Fake a few tears, and he will be here the next day. "

Charlotte laughed at that, "I'll keep that in my mind."

I didn't want to stop talking. I wanted to know more about her. I raked my brain to come up with something to keep the conversation going, "Your friend Lana? Doesn't she know about fake dating?" I asked, remembering how she behaved earlier when Lana was around.

"Lana is a sweet soul with big mouth" Charlotte sighed, leaning her back against the cushioned seat, "At first I wanted to tell her but decided against it when I realized she wouldn't able to keep it as a secret"

My mind went to Keith, my only best friend. He is pretty much the same as Lana, but I didn't think of anything as I told him everything about Charlotte.

"You look like you're thinking hard about something." She repeated my words from earlier, pulling me out from the train of my thoughts.

I looked up at her, "I think I made a mistake. I have a best friend like Lana, and I stupidly told him everything about you, " I admitted, "Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. "

"No point crying over the split milk. Just make sure he knows you will skin him alive if he tells anyone about it. " She shrugged as if it was not a big deal.

I laughed at that, imagining Keith's horrified face, "I will tell him that."

To my disappointment, we reached her apartment earlier than I thought, "Thank you for today, Colton. I had fun at the arcade and the cat cafe. You can say I also had fun at your place as well as I was high. " She grinned.

"I am glad you did," I said, watching her opening the car door and stepping out, "Go upstairs and call me once you walk through your doorstep."

Her fingers tightened around her bag strap, "Is that necessary?" She asked, biting down her lower lip.

The lips that met mine a couple of hours to go. My eyes went down to her lips involuntarily, but with herculean effort, I lifted them to look at her face again, "Yeah, it is necessary. I can only get home in peace if I am sure you're safe in your house. "

She smiled, "Okay. I will call you but when you get to your apartment, you have to call me too. So I can sleep in peace when I am sure you're safe in your house. "

Strangely, that made me happy. "Are you still drunk?" I asked, joking.

"Maybe I am," She said, flicking her hair from her face, "Alright, I have to go now. Don't show up unannounced at my workplace. Always text before coming, okay?" She didn't let me answer, "Bye" She waved at me quickly and bounced away from there.

I watched her until her body disappeared from the line of my sight. I waited a couple of minutes for her to call me once she entered her house. My phone rang once before I answered it.

"I am safe at my home. You can leave now."

She didn't exactly give me a chance to say something to that as she cut the call right away. I sighed at that and asked my driver to start driving again.

That woman was sure something.

I looked out of the window and scanned the area around her apartment, "How is the safety around this place, John?" I asked my driver.

"I wouldn't say this is the safest place in NYC, but it is okay," He answered, "The crime rates are not that alarming."

That is not enough for me, "Have someone guard her when she is alone here. Don't get too close, or she might find out about it. She is too smart for her own good, " I sighed, shaking my head.

Her ex-boyfriend did warn her about her return in New York City. From the look in his eyes, I am sure he will come back to harass her again.

"Did that private investigator say anything about Jake Sanders yet?" I asked John.

John shook his head, "Not anything yet."

"Put some pressure on him. I need to know about Jake Sanders and his capabilities. " I hated to even utter his name. I knew he was a common man. There is no such name in the corporate world for now.

John nodded his head, "I will see what I can do about it," He said before clearing his throat, "Do you like her that much, Mr. Lockwood? I haven't seen you care for someone else before this except your grandma and Ms.Helena of course. "

Do I care about Charlotte? Definitely, yes. I care about her and want her to be safe. Was it because I am slowly starting to fall for her? I don't know the answer to that. I am not sure.

It is too soon to conclude that anyway. It might just be an infatuation.