𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝙨𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣.

─☼☼☼─

—RAFE—

𝙍𝘼𝙁𝙀 𝙎𝘼𝙏 𝘼𝙏𝙊𝙋 one of the barstools at the kitchen island, watching with a smile on his face as Charlotte moved around kitchen, humming contently to herself as she prepared breakfast.

He hadn't seen her as happy as she'd been the past few days since before their breakup. He couldn't explain how much joy that brought him...how much relief.

That's all they had needed— to get away from the Outer Banks.

They were always destined for failure on that damn island with the prying eyes and opinions of others.

Here, they could finally be happy together.

Well, partially happy.

Rafe still knew that Charlotte longed for her sister and friends. It was evident that they were always on her mind, tugging at her heart.

That's why Rafe had told her he would allow that Mateo kid to keep looking for them. Hell, he'd even offered to pay him to do so.  Whatever it took to make her happy.

But, he also knew that the return of the Pogues into Charlotte's life would jeopardize everything the two of them had reestablished over the past five weeks.

So, that's why he had paid Mateo twice as much to stop looking.

Charlotte would never know. In fact, perhaps she would assume they'd already returned to Kildare. All of them alive and well. Maybe them she'd stop caring so much.

Rafe was sure that's where they were. Back in the Outer Banks...back to their Pogue ways.

It was better that way—them there, Charlotte and Rafe here. Where they could be together. It was how he had always wanted it. He was pretty sure it was what Charlotte wanted too—for them to be together.

"Morning, Wheeze!" Charlotte greeted jovially as the youngest Cameron entered the kitchen.

Rafe looked up from his cup of coffee, discarding his obsessive thoughts about Charlotte and the Pogues.

Wheezie grinned at Charlotte, examining the mixing bowl in front of the older girl, "Waffles?"

"You know it." Charlotte smiled, passing the bowl to Wheezie, "Stir while I get the chocolate chips, will you?"

Taking the whisk, Wheezie did as Charlotte said. "You know waffles are my favourite, right?"

"Why do you think I'm making them?" Charlotte winked, returning with the bag of chocolate.

The smile that covered Wheezie's face was one of pure joy and adoration. It was evident as ever how much she adored Charlotte Carrera.

The look on Charlotte's face alluded to the fact that the feeling was completely mutual.

The two had always been close, since the early days of Rafe and Charlotte dating. But they had been attached at the hip over the past few weeks that Charlotte had finally felt well enough to leave her bedroom in the villa.