Bittersweet Redemption

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Austin

The view from the terrace of my penthouse at the Regis had always been amazing. But tonight, there was something different about it. The sun was just about to set behind the New York City skyline and it was breathtaking. It had been a long week, but by god, I always made it a point to get out here every day-even if it was only for five minutes.

Draining my scotch, I gently laid the glass down on the ledge and lit up a cigarette.

This was not me-this damned penthouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It didn't matter how much I loved the view, this damn place was not me. Not in the least bit. It never would be. But I was an engaged man now- whipped and doing every damn thing my fiancé asked of me.

If you asked me, I had the perfect place to live before all of this-The Burkhalter Estate, my childhood home. Mother and Father no longer lived there...They were long gone both enjoying retirement at the luxurious beach house in the Hampton's. Who wouldn't want to make that place their life time home?

I'll tell you who-Charlotte Whitaker.

It wasn't that she made me do it. I think we all knew that Austin Burkhalter never did well taking orders from anybody. It was the look of pure sweetness on her face that made me cave. I had never been able to say no to Lottie. Not even when we were children.

Emily and Wilson Whitaker had always had their designated spot in my mother and father's social circle. Charlotte and I had grown up together. We'd slept in the same bed multiple nights when we were children. We'd never been romantically involved-not until now. But we'd known each other- from the moment our families bought side by side vacation homes in Nantucket and beach houses in the Hampton's to the moment Wilson Whitaker put a costly investment into Burkhalter & Co six years ago. Let's just say mother and father were thrilled when they'd heard the news.

It wasn't until Emily Whitaker passed away a year ago that I actually started seeing Lottie as the beautiful, classy woman that she had grown into. Even if she was only barely a woman. She'd been away at a prestigious boarding school in Vermont for the past four years. When she returned for the funeral, it was hard not noticing the beautiful woman she'd grown into over the years.

She would do.

She was actually just what I needed. Not only was she gorgeous, but she was ready to begin a family. And that's exactly what I needed right now.

Did I love her?

I had loved Charlotte Whittaker the moment she pushed me out of that swing set out in my backyard because I had been making fun of her dollies. Lottie rarely ever got angry, but when I did see the fire in her hazel eyes I felt at home.

The real question is: Am I in love with her?

No. Of course I wasn't in love with her. It sounded awful. But, I didn't believe in 'being in love' with anyone. No- not anymore. And I wasn't ashamed to admit it. These days all I believed in was finding that person that didn't make me cringe when the thought of spending the rest of my life with them popped into my head-that's all I was looking for. A nice and steady comfort.

And that's the way she made me feel.

So, why not take the plunge?

Even thinking it in my mind sounded appalling, but in reality, there were no real issues with it. Charlotte would have everything she could ever possibly want with me which was a more than comfortable lifestyle. She'd already gotten a nice home to call her own. Sooner or later I would give her the family she wanted. I would keep her happy; I know I would because she was Lottie.