The Bodyguard

Chapter 37

Something about being on his motorcycle made me feel carefree than I've ever been in my whole life. I can't imagine not being in his life, I've 100% fallen in love with him, he just doesn't know it yet. As we drove to my parents' house, I realized this is the stress reliever that I need since my nerves are literally to the roof right now. 

Once we get there, I look at the house I spent my childhood, and I freeze. "I can't do it." 

"Charlotte..."

 "You don't get it! They hate me. They told me to never come back. This was an awful idea." I go to grab the helmet off the seat but his arms wrap around me. He pulls me back against his chest, leaving me powerless to resist him. 

"What's going on? You seemed fine when we left. What happened between you guys? You can tell me." He said as he looked down at me, cupping my face in his hand. "I've never seen you this worked up. If I'd known it would make you this upset, I would have found us a different place." 

"We had a bad fight."

 "You can talk to me about anything, Charlotte. You know that right?" 

 I nodded. "I haven't spoken to them in five years. Five FUCKING years! No phone calls, no birthday cards, nothing. They don't want anything to do with me."

 "Baby, you can do this. Anyone who wouldn't want you would have to be out of their damn mind."  I roll my eyes and giggled. "There's my beautiful smile." 

 "Oh stop." 

 "Stop making you smile? Never." We grin and each other, but my smile fades. 

 "I'm scared." 

 "I know you had a rough patch and I'd never judge you. Tell me what happened, please." 

 "I know you wouldn't. I do trust you completely, it's just hard to even think about." 

 "Have you always had a bad relationship with them?"

 "Truthfully? No, I had an amazing childhood. They spoiled me rotten." I gave him a sad smile. "We were all so close. They brought me on so many business trips around the world and sent me to the best private schools in the area. I couldn't have asked for better parents."

 I can see the sympathy on Jamie's face. It wasn't fake, it was real sympathy for me. I hate people feeling bad for me, it's never my intention but he seems to really feel awful. "What happened?" 

"It's quite simple. Adam happened."

 "And they disliked him?"

 I shook my head. "They hated him. The thing is, I met him when I was at the top of my A game. A Princeton graduate with a wonderful future. I had a 10 year plan. Join a firm, become a Junior Partner within 3 years then a Senior Partner 4 years after that. But he came in and completely tore my plan into millions of pieces."

 "He didn't support you?" Jamie asked, scowling. 

 "You guessed it. He was very subtle about it. He at first didn't care." I scowled, "He started hinting that my workplace didn't appreciate me. I was filing paperwork instead of dealing with cases. Obviously, you can't just jump right in and be a lawyer, and you have to pay your duties first, but he made me greedy. Little things that really threw me off my game. I became cocky and arrogant, thinking they weren't giving me what I deserved." 

 "That doesn't sound like you."

 "It wasn't. I wanted to earn my place, but he somehow convinced me it should be handed over on a silver platter. He finally got me to quit by asking me to be his campaign manager when he ran for mayor." 

 "Why would you give up your dream job for that?"

 "He made it seem like it was picture perfect and that he couldn't win without my assistance or advice. He claimed I could easily return to work after the campaign was over. Why I believed his shit, I don't know. No one wants a graduate that isn't dedicated to becoming a lawyer." 

 "And your parents...?"

 "They were so mad at me. They demanded I break up with him and beg for my job back." I feel his hand slip into mine and squeeze his fingers lightly. "They didn't know Adam and I eloped many months prior. I think that's what broke their hearts the most" 

 "You... eloped?" 

The surprise on his face is evident. I nod. "They gave me an ultimatum in the end. Either come home with the signed divorced papers, or never come back at all. I called their bluff. I told them that I loved Adam and that he only had my best interest. Now I wish I'd listened to them. Things would have been so different right now. Maybe I'd still be working my way up the ladder, or maybe I'd be making Senior Partner at a prestigious law firm. But there's no point bothering about the what-ifs." 

Jamie raises my chin with his fingers and makes me look up at him. "Your parents will still love you, Charlotte. They never would have demanded that kind of ultimatum otherwise." 

 "What do you mean?" 

 "Don't you see it? They were willing to sacrifice their relationship with you to try and get you to see things from their point of view. Obviously, their choice to completely cut you off is a bit much. But then again, we wouldn't be here right now if that didn't happen. I never would've met you." He said with a sad look on his face. 

 "No. We wouldn't have met. If I could do it all again, I think I'd still make the same choices so that we'd still end up being together regardless and I..." I stopped myself. "I'm sorry, I..."

 He kissed me and smiled. "Don't be sorry babe. I'm glad you feel the same way. Anyways, I think you would have succeeded no matter what path you chose to take. You're exceptional at things you put your mind to." 

 "Thanks, Jamie." 

 He shifts from one foot to the other other. "So, do you think it's time?" 

 I glance over at my parents' house and shudder. "You should go ring the doorbell." 

 "But.." 

 "I know you're scared, I get it. But I will be right behind you the entire time." I smiled and kissed him. "It'll be okay, Charlotte."

 I take a deep breath and follow him toward the house. All of my insecurities come back, making my palms sweat despite the bitter cold. What if they don't answer? What if they ask me to leave as soon as they see me? What if they call the cops?

"Don't overthink it baby. You can do it."