Saving Charlie

Chapter 3

Charlotte Henson

I'm aware of Braxton Greco every time we're in the same room, because he always puts me on edge. The top of my head only comes up to the middle of his chest. His huge arms and even bigger legs are not what you expect to see from a man that spends every day in an office building driving a desk.

From his expensive haircut to the tips of his overpriced Italian leather shoes, Braxton Greco ooze's male masculinity. While the rest of him screams money, confidence, and a very shrewd business sense.

I've known Braxton for awhile and he still makes me nervous, not that he means to. However, I try to avoid him at all costs. I hate to come off as rude, it is my own insecurities that cause me to act how I do. Maybe if Braxton wasn't so smart, calculating and intimidating I could lose some of my nervousness.

Most men are easy to read. My colleagues, for example, don't put me on edge. However, Braxton is different. He eludes me every time. I just can't put a finger on who exactly he is and what he's about.

As we entered the restaurant, I looked around for Allison, spotting her quickly standing at the bar and waved her over. She smiles and makes her way over to us. Allison is very beautiful, she's tall, with a thin yet curvy body, nice brown eyes and gorgeous silky black hair dropping just past her shoulders.

I hugged her quickly and turned to introduce my grandfather and Braxton.

"Allison, this is my grandfather, Peter Henson, and his business partner, Braxton Greco."

I said, motioning to each man as I introduced them.

"I'm surprised you know my name." I heard Braxton mutter.

I look into his face, unreadable as always as he shakes Allison's hand.

I don't know if he's teasing me or not. That's the thing with Braxton, he always sounds so serious.

"Of course," I replied, quietly, giving him an awkward smile.

I turned to the hostess asking for a table for four and we followed her to a table by the window.

I sat down with Braxton on my right side, grandpa across from me and Allison across from Braxton.

Thank God Braxton is sitting next to me and not across. This way, I wouldn't have to move my head to constantly avoid looking at him. It's not that I find him unappealing, his dark hair and light blue eyes are beautiful. Brynn, my sister and her friends don't

even call him by his name, he's just known as 'The Greek God'. It's just the predatory way I perceive him, it's what he could be capable of that alarms me.

My therapist, Dr. Mitchell Brown thinks I'm being paranoid about Braxton. Projecting onto him my past. Dr. Brown believes that I demonize men, especially large men, because of my insecurities and control issues. My rational brain tells me Dr. Brown is right.

I know logically most men are not bad and that Braxton wouldn't hurt me. Yet, I can't control my irrational fear of him. Dr. Brown insists I try exposure therapy.

Which is basically forcing myself into being around Braxton and even talking to him. He's confident that by getting to know Braxton or any man I project my bias on, I'll be able to move on from my fear of men and accept what happened to me. It was soon after he said this that I stopped going to see him.

"How do you like working at St. Joseph's?" Grandfather asks Allison.

" It's been great. Everyone has been very nice and welcoming," Allison replies.

"The city is so busy, its great to be part of the energy. I'm sure I'll like it here."

"Charlie, you should take her out to the local clubs. Show her around the city." Grandpa encouraged.

He's always wanting me to live a little.

I've made work my number one priority and he detests the thought of me continuing to hide from my past.

"Clubs and bars aren't really Charlotte's thing. You should introduce her to Brynn. I'm sure she'd be happy to help." Braxton states, coldly. I can't help but think that he just put Grandpa 'in check!'

"Of course. We don't want Charlie to be uncomfortable." Grandpa replies, smirking at Braxton.

"No. We don't." Braxton says, pointedly.

Holding up his hands in surrender, grandpa responds,"I just agreed with you. Charlie doesn't like going out of his comfort zone. Brynn would be a wiser choice." He nodded in agreement, his face showing his amusement.

I looked between the two of them. They're having a conversation without words, as they often do.

"What's going on?" I question, sensing some underlying tension. It's something I should be used to with these two. It's often about work and it gets dragged out in public with them. It doesn't matter what the subject is, they just want to argue.

"Nothing, I just like pushing Braxton's buttons." Grandpa replies, emphasizing the word 'pushing', and they continue to glare at each other.

"Pushing?" Braxton, questions.

"Shoving, coercing, brow-beating, all the above." Grandpa jokes, earning a small smirk from Braxton.

I smile at the banter between the two as the tension lessens. I'll never be able to understand how these two men get along. They respect and care for one another, but they rarely see eye to eye on anything. They don't tend to argue loudly, they just bicker until they come to an agreement.

Its amusing at times.

"You don't go out with the rest of the staff? On, what did Jamie call it, Nurses gone wild nights?" Allison asks me, laughing.

Still a little surprised to hear I don't like the club scene that so many of my coworkers do.

"No, not really." I admitted and shifted uncomfortably in my chair. Please don't ask why...

I continued my response, she continued, "I told Stella we'd go out for drinks after work tomorrow. I'm sorry. I just assumed you went with them all the time. She said, everyone goes." Allison apologizes, her face looking genuinely contrite. Stella is a fellow nurse that works on the same floor and shift as Allison and I. I've never been out with them, but they always try to include me.

"No, its fine. I'll go." I replied, causally easing her guilt. Grandpa's right, I need to get out more.

We order lunch and I am pleasantly surprised that I don't have to order for grandpa, he automatically chooses the spinach salad.

"You ordered the salad on your own free will. I'm shocked." I said, truly pleased.

"This is me making amends for the Scotch I drank." He replies, smiling.

"Don't let it happen again." I stated, pointing my finger at him and narrowing my eyes.

He changed the subject.

"I'm happy you agreed to go out for drinks with your friends."

"Yeah, just one drink. I'll be home right after." I assured him.

"Don't rush on my account." He replies, assuringly.

"You should bring your boyfriend too. I'm sure the girls won't mind. Emma's meeting her boyfriend there too. So he'll have another guy to talk to." Allison states, looking at me.