Read My Southern Bride (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 4) Online
Authors: Kathy Carmichael
My Southern Bride (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 4) (22 page)
Charlie gulped. What the dickens was Philip doing here, anyway? She'd made it clear she wasn't going out with him tonight, or any more for that matter.
Philip stalked confidently into the apartment, then caught sight of Charlie and stopped dead in his tracks. For the first time, Charlie saw a man's eyes boggle.
It must be the dress.
Philip smiled. "The roses must have worked, since you're dressed and ready."
Joanne sniffed. "She's allergic to roses."
"Oh. I'd forgotten."
Of course he had. Perhaps that had been the trouble. He'd considered her more of an accessory than an individual.
Joanne began to close the door but stopped on the threshold. "Well hello," she said slowly, her voice dropping an octave. "How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Charlie Nelson," came a man's voice.
Charlie looked from Philip, to Joanne gaping at the door, to the ceiling, wondering what could possibly happen next. Somehow, the voice seemed familiar. She took a step past the leering Philip, closer to the door.
"Come right in," Joanne told the man at the door.
And Charlie knew exactly what was going to happen next. She was going to expire right on the spot, because it was none other than Davis Murphy, the man who'd asked her to be his pretend fiancée. How on earth had he found out where she lived? Just as she was about to ask exactly that question, Philip grabbed her arm.
"What's going on around here? Who is that man?"
Davis overheard Philip's question. He grinned and took Charlie's other arm. "I'm her date."
"I think you're mistaken. Isn't he, Charlie?" He smiled victoriously at Davis. "I'm her date."
Charlie understood how a tender morsel felt when being chewed over by two dogs. The room choked with male hormones. "Philip, I told you this morning that I'm not going out with you any more."
"What about the roses?"
Charlie shook off the hands of both men, then dashed down the hall to Joanne's room. She grabbed the bucket of roses, returned to the living room and pushed the pail into Philip's arms. "Here."
"I don't get it."
"I'm allergic to them."
Joanne, still standing at the open door, laughed her head off. "There aren't any others coming, are there? And you said you'd planned a quiet night in front of the TV."
"Very funny," said Charlie as Joanne shut the door.
"I wouldn't have missed this for anything." She crossed the foyer and joined Philip, glaring at his flowers. Davis looked smugly arrogant.
"Do you have another bucket for these?" asked Davis as he held out a dozen daisies. How had he known they were her favorite flowers?
"I'll take care of them," Joanne assured him.
"Grab your shoes and let's go, Charlie," said Davis. "I don't want to wait around for more competition to arrive."
Joanne shoved the shoe box into his hands.
Charlie fought for control. Had she been plopped into some stage farce and not given her lines? She couldn't get a word in edgewise.
Philip pulled a ring box from his pocket. "I thought we had something special, Charlie. I know I waited a long time before declaring myself, but when you broke our date, I knew the time was right."
As he started to go down on the proverbial bended knee, Charlie grabbed Davis by the arm. "Get me out of here."
"You got it, babe." He stuck the shoe box into Charlie's arms; then, like a caveman, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the door. Joanne ran ahead and opened it. Davis grinned as he left the apartment.
Philip ran behind them. "I think I deserve an answer, Charlie!"
Davis turned back. "I just took her over the threshold, old man. Personally, I'd take that as a sign if I were you."
Chasing Charlie
The Texas Two-Step Series
Book One
by
Kathy Carmichael
~
To purchase
Chasing Charlie
from your favorite eBook Retailer,
visit Kathy Carmichael's eBook Discovery Author Page
www.ebookdiscovery.com/KathyCarmichael
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Bestselling author Kathy Carmichael was born and raised in Texas. Now she resides on Florida's west coast with her Scottish husband, three cats, a part-time dog and a huge collection of dust bunnies.
Kathy writes award-winning romantic comedies and humorous mysteries. Her romantic comedy,
Hot Flash
, was named by the American Library Association's
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Table of Contents
Excerpt from WESTERN PLEASURE - The Texas Two-Step Series, A Novella
Excerpt from CHASING CHARLIE - The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 1