Chapter 240 Spend a Day with Miranda

Chapter 240 Spend a Day with Miranda

Charlotte went quiet.

She knew it.

He was waiting to bring this up.

Charlotte frowned. "George, don't push your luck."

"Alaric is my friend. He's also done a lot for me."

"There's no way I'm going to distance myself from him."

Something dimmed in George's eyes.

He looked down and muttered, "I knew it."

"He matters more to you than I do."

Charlotte was speechless.

She took a slow breath and pushed down the frustration rising inside her.

"George, that's a completely different thing."

"Alaric helped me when I needed it. I'm not going to turn my back on him."

"And he's just a friend. That's it."

"Can you stop overthinking everything?"

George looked up at her, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "Just a friend? Really?"

"What else would he be?" Charlotte gave him a look. "What do you think is going on?"

George pressed his lips together and said nothing.

He just had this feeling — that Alaric's interest in Charlotte wasn't that simple.

But Charlotte had made herself clear.

George sighed quietly to himself.

Fine.

Charlotte was here with him, after all.

Whatever Alaric was or wasn't, he was still an outsider.

George was Charlotte's husband. Officially, legally.

And he had Miranda.

He refused to believe he couldn't come out ahead of some Alaric.

That thought made him feel a little better.

He stood up and walked over to Charlotte.

"Charlotte."

"What?" She looked up.

"About all those guys chasing after you — can you be a little more careful?"

"Don't give just anyone the time of day."

"A lot of them aren't looking out for your best interests."

George went on and on, fussing like a worried parent.

The more Charlotte listened, the more worn down she felt.

"George, can you not be so long-winded?"

"I'm not a child. I know how to handle myself."

"But I worry." George pouted. "You're amazing — who wouldn't fall for you?"

"If I don't keep an eye out, what happens if someone snatches you away?"

Charlotte truly had no words.

She could see it clearly now.

There was no reasoning with George. None at all.

She didn't bother arguing. She just showed him the door.

"Alright, I have work to do."

"If you've got nothing else going on, you should head out."

"Stop hanging around here — you're breaking my focus."

George blinked. "You're kicking me out again?"

"What do you expect?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "Why would you stay?"

George opened his mouth, searching for a reason to stick around.

He thought about it for a while but came up empty.

He could hardly admit that he just wanted to be near her.

That would only annoy her more.

George pressed his lips together, a little deflated.

"Alright then."

"I'll go."

He dragged his feet toward the door.

Right before he stepped out, he stopped and turned around.

"Charlotte."

"Now what?" She didn't look up.

George hesitated. "Can I come pick up Miranda tonight?"

"I want to take her somewhere nice to eat."

Charlotte glanced up. "Miranda went home with Alaric today. She'll be back tomorrow."

"Oh." The light went out of George's eyes just like that.

"What about tomorrow, then?"

"Can I come get her tomorrow?"

Charlotte looked at him — that sad, hopeful expression on his face — and sighed to herself.

"If you're free, sure, come pick her up."

George's eyes lit up instantly.

"Really?"

Charlotte nodded. "Just don't come too early. It's Saturday tomorrow — Miranda likes to sleep in."

"Got it!" George broke into a grin. "I'll come after ten. I won't wake her up, I promise!"

Charlotte watched him, shaking her head with a tired smile.

"Alright, go already."

"Okay, I'm going."

George answered cheerfully, turned, pulled the door open, and walked out.

On his way out, he quietly pulled the door shut behind him.

The office settled back into silence.

Charlotte sat behind her desk, staring at the list on her screen, and let out a quiet sigh.

George was getting more childish by the day.

She shook her head, pulled out the USB drive, and tossed it aside.

Then she picked up her pen and went back to the design draft.

But for some reason she couldn't quite name, a vague, shapeless feeling lingered in her chest.

Charlotte shook it off and pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

Focus on work.

No point dwelling on any of that.

The next morning, ten o'clock.

Alaric had already dropped Miranda off earlier that morning.

George showed up right on time at Charlotte's door.

He was carrying a pink cartoon backpack.

Charlotte opened the door, took one look at him, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's all this?"

"Taking Miranda out to have fun." George grinned and peered inside. "We agreed yesterday, remember? I'm here to pick her up."

Charlotte stepped aside to let him in.

"Miranda's still eating. Give her a few minutes."

"Sure." George nodded, swapped his shoes for slippers, and came inside.

He walked into the dining area and found Miranda sitting in her little chair, sipping milk in small, careful sips.

"Miranda!" George walked over with a smile and crouched down in front of her.

Miranda spotted him, and her whole face lit up.

"Daddy!"

She set down her cup and reached out her little arms.

George scooped her up and kissed her on the cheek.

"Did you miss Daddy?"

"Yes!" Miranda nodded hard and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where are we going today, Daddy?"

George thought for a second, then smiled. "Want to go to the amusement park?"

"The amusement park?" Miranda's eyes went wide. "Yes! Miranda wants to go!"

Her little face was practically glowing with excitement.

Then, just as quickly, her head drooped.

"But Mommy's busy. She probably can't come with us."

Miranda's small shoulders sagged, like all the air had gone out of her.

Seeing her like that made George's chest ache too.

He patted her gently on the head. "It's okay. Let me go talk to Mommy."

"We'll all go together, the three of us. How does that sound?"

Miranda looked up, eyes bright but uncertain.

"Really? Mommy will come?"

"I'll go ask her. She'll say yes, I'm sure of it." George promised.

He carried Miranda into the living room.

Charlotte was on the sofa going through some documents. She heard footsteps and looked up.

"What's going on?"

George walked over and sat down across from her, Miranda still in his arms.

"Charlotte, Miranda wants to go to the amusement park."

"Come with us? All three of us?"

Charlotte set down her papers and looked at him.

"The amusement park?"

"Yeah." George nodded, something close to a plea in his eyes. "She's grown up so fast, and we've never taken her together. Not once."

"Just one day with Miranda. What do you say?"