MY KEYS MADE a loud crash when I dropped them onto the table. Mr. Pootie, my orange cat and the only man in my life, came running up to me. He didn’t rub around my legs like a normal loving cat would. Oh no. He had his priorities. First came food, then came loving on me. He jumped up at me, begging for food as he let out a meow that sounded more like a dying calf.

“Well, look at you, my sweet baby boy! You got your hair cut today.”

Mr. Pootie responded with a drawn-out meow. “Don’t act like you don’t like it. We both know you sat in the mirror and looked at yourself all day.”

It was true. I’d caught my cat on more than one occasion staring at himself in the mirror. He was worse than me. The first time I ever got him shaved, Lily threatened to commit me. I thought it was adorable and have had it done ever since. If anything, he was a topic of conversation when I threw dinner parties.

Mindlessly, I walked to the pantry and grabbed a can of cat food. Mr. Pootie ran in and out of my legs, attempting to trip me, because apparently I wasn’t moving at the speed he preferred.

Bastard.

Once I opened the can, I dumped the food onto the plate and sighed. “Happy?”

He didn’t even say thank you. He simply dug into his food like he hadn’t eaten in weeks, when in reality, it was eight hours ago.

Rolling my eyes, I mumbled, “Men.”

Making my way to the sofa, I fell face-first across it. That may have not been as thought out as it should have been because my face landed on a decorative pillow with little diamonds that stuck out and embedded into my cheeks. I let out a groan.

With a quick flip of my body, I stared up at the ceiling. The words from my father’s lawyer swirled around in my head.

“In order for you to become chairman and CEO, you would need to be married.”

Married! What in the hell?

The look on Ricker’s face was enough to make me hurl. He thought he was going to win, but I had other news for him.

Of course, the worst of the news came after my initial shock. I had to prove it wasn’t an arranged marriage. How in the hell was I going to do that? They expected me to find a man, fall in love, and plan a wedding in three months and three weeks’ time? The only good thing that came out of this was I found a flaw in good ol’ granddaddy’s evil plan. I only had to be married one year. If after one year I divorced, I was still able to maintain control. What he didn’t know was divorce was nothing these days. Hell, I’ve had friends marry and divorce a week later without so much as batting an eye.

My phone rang, causing me to sit up quickly. I recognized that ringtone. Jumping up, I ran over to my purse and pulled out my phone.

I smiled when I saw her name.

Terri.

“Hey,” I said as I made my way to my bedroom. I lived in a historic loft apartment in downtown Austin. It had killer views and cost more money than should be legal, but it was my place. I rented it from a friend of my father’s who owned the whole historical building. I had spent countless hours on Pinterest looking for ideas on decorating it. My parents thought I was nuts investing so much money restoring a penthouse loft I was renting, but I was working on the old man into letting me buy the place. My pappy, my mother’s father, owned half of Texas, I swear. His love of buying and selling real estate was passed down to me. I just never had the time to really learn more about it. I’d love to someday buy old houses and restore them. Then flip them and make a shit ton of money.

Another dream I had given up for this clusterfuck of a situation I was in now.

“I got your text. What’s up?”

Heading to my closet, I pulled open the doors and walked in. I needed a dress, a sexy dress.

“I need two things.” Really I needed three. The last one I would keep to myself. I’d spent the last week hiding in my apartment, crying endlessly for my parents. I needed a night out in the real world. Something to take my mind off the hole in my heart.

I could hear Terri’s boyfriend, Jim, in the background. “Wh-what two things do you need?”

My hand came up to my hip as I stopped what I was doing. “Are you having sex right now?”

“What? No! Oh my God. I’m at Jim’s parents’ house. I just walked outside.”

“Oh. Well, it sounds like moaning in the background.”

Terri giggled. “I wish. Now what are these two things you need?” Smiling, I went back to scanning my closet. I knew I could count on Terri. She had been part of my large group of friends from college, and we’d been close ever since freshman year. We had all stayed friends and got together once a week still, even if it was for drinks only. It was hard because most of the time that meant seeing Tucker. My heart ached every time I saw him. Especially when he had his latest girlfriend on his arm.

Ugh.

“I need to get laid, and then I need to get married.”

I had to admit, I wasn’t too surprised by the silence on the other end of the line.

“You still there, Terri?”

“Ah. Yeah. I got the get laid part; it’s the get married part that’s thrown me for a loop.”

I let out a frustrated moan. “Can you meet me for drinks? I really need to talk to someone.”

“Sure, babe. Where did you want to meet?”

“I don’t care. I need a hard drink and an even harder dick, which I’m not even sure I know what that is anymore. It’s been so long since I actually had sex. After that, then I need to get married.”

“Jesus,” Terri said, scrambling with something. I was pretty sure I heard something crash on the floor. “My God, Charlie! I had it on speakerphone.”

Rolling my eyes, I took a red cocktail dress off the hanger and headed over to my bed. “Why would you have me on speakerphone? You know the shit that comes out of my mouth.”

“Well, I didn’t at first, but then I needed to come back in and help Jim and Tucker move something, and I needed both hands.”

I froze in place as my hand covered my mouth. It felt as if an elephant sat on my chest. “Please tell me they didn’t hear me say that.”

Please tell me Tucker didn’t hear me say that!

“Everyone heard you say it, which is why I dropped the phone,” she mumbled.

Shit.

Note to self: Always make sure I’m not on speakerphone before talking about sex.

“Am I still on speakerphone?” I asked.

“No. I quickly walked off. I’m pretty sure it was only Tucker and Jim who heard you.”

My hands started sweating. Great. The last person I wanted to hear me say that was Tucker. Not that he would care. He hardly ever even looked at me, let alone talked to me.

“Well, that’s nice. Now they both think I’m a slut.”

Terri chuckled. “I’m pretty sure they don’t think that. I will say though, Tucker sure perked up when he heard you needed a ‘hard drink and a harder dick’ and then the whole married thing. I’m thinking he wouldn’t mind helping you out with one of those needs. Hell, it’s been long enough for you two, maybe both!”

My lower stomach pulled. I’d been with two guys since I slept with Tucker in college. While all my friends had revolving doors of boyfriends, I was stuck in law school studying my ass off. The first guy, Sam, was more of a fuck buddy, and that didn’t work out so great after I found out he had a girlfriend. The second guy was Josh. We met in law school and dated off and on for four months. It would have never have worked out for us. He wanted a commitment, and I had no desire to be tied down. Plus, he wasn’t … Tucker.

With a frustrated sigh, I sank down on my bed. Jesus. My grandmother’s vagina saw more action than mine.

Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat. “I doubt that. In case you haven’t been around for the last seven years, you’d know that Tucker Middleton can’t stand me.”

“Uh-huh. If you think so. At any rate, be ready in an hour. I’m heading home to change then coming to get you. I have the perfect place to go tonight.”

I stood and pushed my skirt then slip off and kicked them away. “Good. The sooner I forget this day the better.”

WHEN THE TAXI pulled up, I glanced up at the blue neon sign that read Sedotto. “What’s this place?”

“New bar. Just opened.”

Stepping out of the car, I read what it said under the name. “Sports bar and craft beer. I like it already,” I said with a big smile. The fact that it was in a historical building also piqued my interest.

“Ready?” Terri asked me as she wrapped her arm around mine.

“Most definitely. By the way, Sedotto? What does that mean?”

“Seduced in Italian.”

I let out an awkward-sounding laugh. How fitting was that, seeing as I had a little more than three months to do just that? And I couldn’t forget it had to be to a man who held a fucking business degree. “That’s perfect. But why not just call it Seduced? What’s with the Italian?”

With a wink, she replied, “You’ll have to ask the owner.”

What the hell did she mean by that?

The moment we walked into the bar, I took it all in. It was sophisticated and sexy as hell, yet most of the bar maintained that old historical feel to it. I could totally see why they picked the name they did. The ambient lighting set the perfect mood. I loved the Warehouse District in Austin and was glad to see we would have a new place to come and hang out.

My eyes scanned the place. The place was packed. From what I could see, there were two bars. Large-screen TVs were all over with every kind of sports game on you could imagine. “This place is pretty cool. Better not let Tucker see it. He’d be jealous.”

After college, Tucker had decided to piss away his degree. He became a bartender in one of the places we hung out in our last year of college. Needless to say, his father, a prominent businessman in Austin, was not too pleased with his son’s decision to continue that occupation rather than pursue an actual career by going to work for him at his marketing firm. Lily did, though, and she was making a name for herself in Austin. We’d even used her for a few of our clients, and I hoped to utilize her even more now that I was in charge.

My stomach twisted.

In charge for now. I have to keep reminding myself that.

Terri pointed to a half-round booth toward the back corner. “There’s our table. Come on.”

“Our table?” I shouted at her. Trying to keep up with her in my new Jimmy Choo shoes was proving more difficult than I anticipated. Even though money wasn’t an object, I was still tight with it. My mother always told me the sky could fall at any moment and if it did, you had better be prepared. I didn’t own a lot of expensive shoes or purses. I gave myself gifts, like the shoes I had on, when good things happened. I didn’t go crazy, and my closet wasn’t filled with overly exaggerated expensive items. I was by no means frugal, but more logical.

But I’d took my mother’s sense of urgency to heart. I’d bought two hundred acres out in the hill country last year without telling my parents. The small cabin that sat on the property was stocked with freeze-dried food that would last me for years. I wasn’t one of those prepper fanatics, but damn if I wouldn’t be ready if shit hit the fan.

Terri pulled my arm. “Yeah. The owner held it for us.”

“Do we know the owner?” I asked as I let her lead me like a dog.

It was right then that something in the air changed. My body came to life as I quickly looked back over my shoulder. That never happened unless he was nearby. No matter how much I tried to fight it, I couldn’t. He had to be here somewhere. I was going to strangle Terri, I swear.

As if this day couldn’t get any worse, right before we got to the booth, I slipped and started going down.

Great. I was going to bust my ass right there in front of everyone to see.

But at the last minute, I was saved. My body caught on fire when his arms grabbed me, preventing me from falling with utter embarrassment.

I looked up and his gray eyes met my blue.

Tucker.

I smiled, and he quickly looked away.

Ugh.

How long was he going to be pissed about what happened between us in college? It was ages ago, for Pete’s sake.

Note to self: Buy Tucker a book about forgiveness and never wear these fucking shoes again.

Tucker looked back at me quickly and said, “You always were a klutz, Charlie.”

That warm fuzzy feeling I had from his touch was extinguished by his shitty words of reprimand. Snarling my lip at him, I shot back, “You probably tripped me, Tucker.”

He winked and my insides melted. Yep. They melted.

Damn him!

“You would have deserved it after what you did to me,” he whispered against my ear, causing my lower stomach to heat up.

With a sigh, I shook my head. “Get over it, Middleton. It was ages ago.”

His unshaven face brushed against my cheek and caused my breath to hitch. The way his eyes flamed, he obviously noticed what his touch still did to me.

“That’s funny, seems like only yesterday to me.”

My body shuddered. His voice had a bit of sadness in it that rocked me to the core.

“By the way, Pumpkin, I’m sorry about your parents.”

Pulling back, the only thing I could do was stare at him as I swallowed hard and reminded myself I needed air. Tucker had given me the nickname the very first day I met him. I never told him that my father called me Pumpkin too. Of course, Tucker hadn’t called me that since our last weekend together all those years ago. Until tonight. Tears threatened to fall as this shitty day came flooding back to me along with all the guilt I had for walking away from the only man I’d ever cared about. Add in the bitterness that was slowly replacing the sadness of my parents being taken from me too early, and you had one emotionally fucked-up woman.

I tried like hell to get my mouth to move. When it finally did, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

His brows lifted, then pulled tight in confusion. “I mean, thank you for the sorry. I’m not sorry. Well, I mean, I am sorry about my parents and all, but … thank you for your sorry. That means a lot to me that you said sorry, and I’ve really said the word sorry a lot in the past twenty-three seconds, so I’ll stop now.”

For some strange reason, I couldn’t pull my gaze away from him. What in the hell? I was a very educated young woman, and I just sounded like a goddamn teenager trying to figure out how to talk to her crush.

Terri pulled me into the booth as Tucker shot me a funny look and turned, walking over to the bar. I hadn’t fumbled over my words like that in at least seven years. Of course, that was the most Tucker had talked to me, or touched me, in the last seven years.

“Jesus, sit down before you fall again,” Terri said.

Feeling humiliated, I let out a frustrated groan. “Are Jim and Tucker joining us?” I asked, looking back at her with a dirty look. I had wanted this to be a girls’ night only.

Terri grinned an evil grin. “Yep.”

A waitress walked up and flashed us both a huge smile. “What can I get ya?”

“I’ll have a Blue Moon,” I said with a grin of my own.

“Same for me! Thanks!” Terri blurted out all chipper sounding.

My body sagged. I wasn’t in the mood to be around Tucker. I didn’t have the energy to pretend like I was okay. Not tonight. Tonight I needed to talk to Terri and get her advice on this fucked-up situation. I didn’t need members of the XY gender joining us and offering their sage words of wisdom that always involved their penises.

“Why, Terri? I needed a girls’ night out, and I needed to talk to you about something very important, like life-or-death important.”

Before she had a chance to respond, Jim slid into the booth. “So, what do you think about Sedotto, Charlie?”

I couldn’t help my reaction to Jim, though; he was infectious to be around. With a wide grin, I glanced around the bar again. “I love it! I foresee this being our new weekend hangout.”

“Hope so, since it’s my bar.”

His voice alone sent shivers down my spine. Turning around as I peered up, I got a better look at Tucker and swallowed hard. A few moments ago my eyes had been pinned to his, not allowing me to take him in fully. Now I got to study him closer. Something I enjoyed doing very much.

He was dressed in jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked completely fuckable. Then again, he could have a bag over his head and I’d think he was fuckable. And gorgeous.

No, I don’t mean that. Yes, I do. No. No, I don’t.

Then his words replayed in my head.

It’s my bar … My mind did a double take. “What do you mean, it’s your bar?” I blurted with a noticeable amount of time between when he said it and when I spoke. I hadn’t meant for it to come out so bitchy and condescending, yet I knew he would take it that way.

“I mean, it’s my bar, Pumpkin. I am capable of owning and running a business, not just serving drinks.”

Thud.

There went my heart … straight to the ground. My cheeks heated at the memory of Tucker whispering into my ear as he sank balls deep into me.

“Does that feel good, Pumpkin?”

Tucker stared at me with a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. That bastard. It was almost as if he knew the endearment would bring back that memory.

Oh, Jesus, Charlie. Stop this! Focus.

“You … own … this place?” It felt like I had to force the words out.

His smile grew bigger and those damn dimples appeared. “I sure do.”

That voice made my insides heat up. It didn’t help he hadn’t shaved in a few days either and from our previous interaction and him rubbing that scruff on my cheeks, all I could think about was that scruff roughing up the inside of my thighs. Damn, he looked hot as hell. I was suddenly fixated on wondering what his face would feel like between my legs. Would he take his time or quickly bring out an orgasm? I could still remember what it felt like to have him buried deep inside me, and I longed for that again.

My mouth went dry as I let the mental image of Tucker buried between my legs play out.

Terri leaned over and whispered in my ear, “What in the hell are you thinking? Because your face is turning ten shades of red, and I can practically feel the lust pouring off your body, you whore! Are you about to orgasm in front of Tucker? If so, I need to excuse myself.”

Shaking my head, I got a grip on myself.

Note to self: Pick up batteries for BOB on the way home. Rechargeable ones.

Glancing over to Tucker, I smiled. He stared at me. Almost as if challenging me to question his ownership of a bar. I didn’t want to act like a bitch around Tucker, but it was almost as if it was expected of me by him. Plus, it pissed me off that he treated me like an outcast.

I shrugged and casually said, “Huh.”

His head pulled back. “What does that mean—huh?”

With a smirk, I answered, “I’m surprised with all the girlfriends you filter through that you have time to commit to something so … long term and serious.”

His eyes turned dark, and heat pooled in my lower stomach. Leaning in closer to me, he spit out, “Committing was never my problem. That’s all on you. Remember?”

My lust quickly turned to anger. Heat swept over my body as I tightened my fists.

“Besides, I’m not the one out tonight hunting for another quick fuck. Or were the exact words a ‘hard drink and a harder dick’? But that’s what you do best, right, Charlie? Fuck ’em and then leave without so much as uttering a word. Take what you want and screw what’s left behind.” Tucker challenged me to a stare-off when he finished his almost silent tirade in the bar that he owned.

My heart raced. This was not where I was going to finally have this out with him. For years I had wanted to talk to him about that night and explain why I left like I did. Tucker refused to take my calls, and my texts went unanswered. After seven months of trying, I called it. I wasn’t going to beg the bastard to listen to me.

“Jesus H. Christ, Tucker. It was years ago. If you remember, I did try talking to you, and you ignored me. So, you and your dick need to get over it.”

Standing, he placed his hands on the table and leaned in closer to me. Hell, you could put me in front of a bunch of old men who could take me down with their experience and knowledge and I’m not the least bit afraid of them. But have Tucker lean over and look into my eyes and I was a complete mess.

“Oh, I am over it. And over you.”

“Good!” I spat at him.

“Good!”

I shot him the finger. “Good plus a million.”

He pinched his eyebrows together. “What are we in, grade school? And this, coming from a woman who holds multiple degrees and is now being touted by major newspapers around the country as being one of the richest women in America. Kind of sad. Probably why you’re still single. Maybe I’ll give the Times a call and let them know why that is.”

Standing, I went to hit him when Terri grabbed my arm.

“Oh, for shit’s sake. Would the two you just stop?” Terri said as she looked between us.

Tilting my head, I gave him a look that dared him to keep going. He took the challenge and won.

“I’ll let you go, Pumpkin, but since I’m providing that hard drink, I’ll leave you to your mission so you can find that harder dick you need to forget all about your shitty day.”

“You’re the biggest asshole I’ve ever met!” I hated that my voice cracked, and he noticed it. I thought he would let me have the last word, but when I narrowed my eyes at him, he proved me wrong again.

“And you’re the biggest bitch.”

Terri stood. “Tucker, maybe you should keep greeting your guests.”

Giving her a tight smile, he nodded in agreement then walked away.

I let out a gruff laugh and sat. “He really thinks he has the business sense to run a bar?” I blurted it out, but I knew Tucker did. With a sigh, I took a drink of my beer and scanned the place. I knew a good thing when I saw it … and this was a good thing. My heart rate was through the roof. Damn, why did I let him do that to me?

Terri chuckled. “Well, he does have a master’s in business, so I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.”

My heart stopped.

Snapping my head back to Terri, I asked, “What did you just say?”

“Uh … about Tucker having a business degree?”

I grabbed her and pulled her up. “We need to talk. Now!”

“Ah, okay. Ladies’ room?”

Shaking my head, I searched for Tucker. When I found him talking to some blonde, I dragged Terri behind me and made my way over to him.

“Be right back, Jim!” Terri called out over her shoulder.

Tucker ignored me when I stopped in front of him. “Excuse me, Tucker?” I asked politely.

The girl looked my way, but he didn’t. “Tucker. I need to ask you something.”

He turned his body slightly away from me and kept talking to the girl.

“Oh, look at you acting like a ten-year-old. Who’s in grade school now?” I spit out.

He whipped back around and pointed to me. “You drive me nuts! I swear if I could sew your fucking mouth shut, I would.”

I gasped and turned to the girl. “Did you hear what he just said to me?”

She shook her head. “I certainly did. Asshole.”

I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as we watched the pretty young thing stomp away.

“What in the hell is your problem, Charlie? Jealous that someone other than you was getting my attention?”

With a roll of my eyes, I responded. “Hardly. I need to use your office. It’s an emergency.”

He stared at me like I was nuts.

I sucked my lower lip in for a brief moment, then said, “It’s about my parents.”

Ugh. I didn’t want to use the my parents just died card, but I knew he was pissed at me and wouldn’t let me in his office if I didn’t. Plus, it was kind of true.

His eyes softened immediately and for a moment I saw something pass over his face. It was too quick for me to catch it before he went back to giving me a blank stare. The same one he had mastered so many years ago.

“Sure, no problem. It’s down the hall to the back, the passcode is the year we graduated college.”

I gave him a sweet grin and then dragged Terri down the hall with me. As I typed in the passcode, I shook my head. “He really needs to change this. Anyone can figure it out. He uses this as his passcode into his office and he thinks he can run a bar.”

I knew damn well Tucker would be great at running this place. My pride made me act like a bitch, but deep down I was so proud of him for following his dreams, not caving into his father’s demands, but doing what he wanted to do. I actually envied him, but I’d never let him know that.

“Will you please tell me what is going on?” Terri pleaded.

The door opened, and I pushed her in, causing her to stumble.

“Oh my God, Charlie! What has gotten into you?”

My eyes scanned the room. I swore I heard angels sing when I saw it.

Rushing around his desk, I grabbed the degree off the wall. “There it is!”

Flipping it over, I showed it to Terri, who pinched her thumb and finger between her eyes and asked, “What are you doing?”

Ignoring her question, I placed the frame on the desk and started to take off the back.

“Oh my God! What are you doing? You can’t take that, Charlie! What is wrong with you?”

I stopped what I was doing. Shit. She’s right. I can’t just show the board a degree. I have to show them a relationship. A real relationship.

Jesus. I was losing my mind. I think between losing my parents, The Twilight Zone board meeting, and now running into Tucker in his bar had finally caught up with me. I was honestly feeling as though I was going crazy.

Dropping into Tucker’s chair, I turned the degree over and stared at it.

Could I do this? Could I honestly do this?

The idea of being married to a man for a year made my stomach sick. But being married to Tucker? That might work. As much as I couldn’t stand being near him, I longed to be near him. He was the reason no other guy was worth the effort. Tucker was and always would be the only guy I’ve ever felt this way about.

Wait. That totally sounds insane.

“Holy shit. I have no choice,” I mumbled as I buried my face in my hands.

“Okay, I’m really starting to get worried about you, Charlie. I think you’re stressed. Really stressed, sweetie. Maybe we should go home. Have you thought about talking to someone? It’s a lot to handle, with your folks and all.”

I dropped my hands onto Tucker’s desk and looked at her. My entire body sagged as I let out a moan that would make even Mr. Pootie proud. “I don’t want to talk to anybody about my folks.” Maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea though.

Closing my eyes, I dragged in a deep breath. One thing at a time. “I have to get married, and I only have three months to do it. Correction. Three months and some change.”

Note to self: Put a countdown clock on my phone for Doom’s Day.

She sat in the chair opposite the desk. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why do you have to get married, and why in three months? Holy fuck, you’re pregnant, aren’t you? And the baby is due in three months and you need a baby daddy?”

“Terri, be serious, this is heavy-duty shit I’m talking about here. I found out today that my dear old granddaddy had a bylaw written into the articles of incorporation that said in the event something would happen to my father before I turned forty, in order for me to take over the company, I had to be married. And not just married to any random guy, but to someone who held a business degree. I have to stay married for at least a year, it can’t be arranged, and I have to be able to prove to the board that the marriage is real.”

She stared at me. Then her mouth fell open.

“No. No. No.” She stood and started to pace.

“I know! It’s fucked up in a huge way.”

Shaking her head, she faced me. “No, what I’m saying no to is I know what that mind of yours is thinking. You’re thinking Tucker is the guy.”

“Yes! It’s perfect. We’ve known each other for years so it would make sense. We start dating, we fall in love, and bam. I can sell it to the board as two lovers who rekindled an old college flame. We get married. It’s perfect. I just need to figure out how to seduce Tucker and make him fall in love with me enough to marry me. In three months and three weeks.”

My best friend stared at me, her mouth gaped open.

“Please tell me you’re not being serious.”

“I am! I don’t know what else to do!”

“So you’re going to lie to Tucker and pretend you’re falling in love with him?”

I gave a small shrug. I had to force myself not to say I really was in love with him, as that made me sound even more pathetic than I really was.

Good Lord, who was I kidding? I was the queen of pathetic.

“Yes. I mean, we all know I like Tucker.”

“How can they even do that? Force you to marry? Charlie, you went to law school, is that even legal?”

I chewed on my lip. “I can have the board vote on it, but there are a few old codgers on there who I’m pretty sure want me gone. I’m the twenty-eight-year-old daughter of the former CEO who is only in this position because she’s the heir apparent. The lawyer said if I fight it, it could be months. I don’t have months. I just need to get married, then work on getting this stupid thing to go away.”

“This just all seems so far-fetched. I mean, you’re being forced to get married.”

“I know. I sat with the stupid lawyer nearly all day trying to find a loophole. I’ve got nothing. But if I can get Tucker to marry me, I can buy myself more time.”

She turned away from me. “Charlie, this is the most insane thing I think you’ve ever done. Maybe you need to go and talk to someone. Maybe you misunderstood things, with your parents’ deaths it might be—”

I held up my hand, forcing her to stop talking. My eyes teared up, and I could feel the breakdown coming. You know, the one I had been putting off for the last week.

The door to Tucker’s office opened. When I looked at him and saw the immediate concern in his eyes, the floodgates broke free. I stared at him, and I broke down and started to cry.

But in that moment, I wasn’t sure if I was crying for the loss of my parents or the loss of Tucker.