11) We'll go camping one day, Charlie

"Another party?" - Hardin snorts loudly at Taylor's proposal as he assures himself

far from his client, that continues to train.

"I disagree." - he adds when Taylor tries to convince him, but instead of intruding I decide

to remain silent and send my neurons to the moon with a glass full of

Mojito between the lips.

"Let's do something different than usual." - Hardin continues to plan his weekend

as if it wasn't just a week like any other, while I will finally be able to pass

a whole day in front of the television, passing from one snack to another for twenty-four

hours in a row.

"Let's go camping." - this time Ian is speaking, but at his words I risk choking and suddenly start coughing, attracting the attention of the three unpleasant coaches.

'(memories)

"Camping?" - I ask in an alarmed tone, taking a step back when I notice

that stupid Tessa takes my big brother by the hand.

"Yes." - the blond nods to my question: "Me, you and Tessa."

I cross my arms to my chest and make an annoyed face to his words. I don't understand why there has to

be Tessa too!

«I promise you.» - he adds immediately after, extending a hand in my direction, and then

reassures me with his protective tone:

"We'll go camping one day, Charlie."

'(end of memories)

"No!" - I hasten to exclaim without realizing it, while three pairs of eyes stare at me surprised.

Ian looks so puzzled that the smile dies on his lips at my words:

"I can't." - I mumble in a low voice, resuming my neutral expression in order not to

arouse suspicion, even though Ian continues to look at me with a serious grimace:

"You don't like camping." - the blond looks after a couple of seconds and his is more one

conviction that a question, so I just shrug and resume drinking.

"Aren't you tired of Desperate Housewifes?" - I throw a quick glare at my boyfriend,

wondering for the umpteenth time how I got along with him for his

childish attitude, but Taylor doesn't give me time to offend him and anticipates me:

«I agree with Charlotte.» - he nods to his words with conviction, but we know

both of them not doing it because they would mind my absence and just because they want to pass a long night drunk and in a room in the company of a stranger rather than

sleeping in a tent in the company of insects.

"You'll have fun." - Ian insists again, addressing me without even calculating Taylor and

his bullshit, but when I try to reiterate that I will not go with them he anticipates me again, paralyzing me from head to toe with his familiar tone:

"I promise you." - he puts a hand on my head gently, as if I were a child

and not the sour bitch everyone knows in this gym, but instead of chasing away his arm as I would have done with anyone who dared to touch me like this, I frown for his protective gesture without being able to fill the lungs with air.

"Er." - I snap my eyes away from Ian's sunglasses as Hardin clears up

the voice, shifting his gaze several times between me and the man next to me with a frown on his face,

making me frown again in turn at my strange attitude, but before that

Without being able to speak I hurry to leave my cocktail on the gym counter, and then turn around

my back to them with the intention of returning to my office.

"I'll come" - I say after two steps away, in the meantime closing my eyes not to

change my mind, but I can imagine the satisfied smile on Ian's face in this

moment even without looking back.

With my cheeks that I can still feel going on fire I approach my office door

thoughtful, thinking about Ian's gesture as if he wasn't just stroking my hair.

It was so sudden and spontaneous that I was left impaled like an idiot, albeit

part of me wants to be treated like this.

Like a helpless child who can trust those around her and who doesn't have to worry

or be afraid of anyone, because there will always be someone by your side who will promise to protect her ... or to take her out for fun camping.

Thinking about it, I've never slept in a tent, but I know what it means to sleep in a room

empty and cold from an orphanage. It will not be difficult to adapt.

"I was waiting for you." - Ashley's voice leads me to straighten my back when I open

the door of the office, while I swear in a low voice when I realize that I forgot her appointment:

"Yes, I was ..." - I quickly look for an excuse to shoot to seem as much credible as

possible, but it leaves me blown away and makes me realize that she caught me with the three coaches when she

continues in my place:

"Drunk?" - she asks in a tone not offended at all, then I just take a seat on

my comfortable chair in front of her, ready to face her after a glass of Mojito with lots

rum and a little mint.

"Yes." - I clear my throat as I open her file to prescribe a diet based on the activity he has decided to carry out in this gym.

«Do you practice boxing?» - I ask her to change the subject and assuming a more serious.

«Circuit training.» - she corrects me and I hasten to write it on the file document, but

before going on I can't help myself:

"How is coexistence with those four monsters going?" - I ask without lifting my head from the sheet and continuing to write quickly to fill out the dossier within ten minutes.

"Four?" - she looks at me confused and amused at the same time, while she rests her elbows on

my desk.

"There are also pit bulls in your house." - I make her remember, to which she widens her smile, probably

remembering the last time we saw each other in this office when I couldn't

sit down because of those beasts.

"Right-ass and Left-ass?" - after a couple of seconds she bursts out laughing,

forcing me to raise my head in confusion.

"My brother told me about it." - she tries to explain to me between a restrained laugh and another,

as I absentmindedly nod at her words.

I didn't see her brother today, and after last night's scene, I don't even care.

Instead of avoiding him, I let myself be fooled by him again.

'You wish you were in her place, Charlie.'

I grit my teeth at the memory of his bullshit. Not even dead I would like to be in the place of

the pathetic redhead with a brain that only works to seduce irresistible men and

with a pendulum between his legs ... even if they are his cousins.

«Anyway I have decided to move.» - she says after a couple of seconds of silence with a

tone more serious than before, but this time it is me who bursts out laughing when I analyze her

words.

William and Matthew are so unbearable they made Ashley run away for less than

twenty-four hours of cohabitation, but if I had been in this woman's place I would not have been able to

resist even sixty seconds with that bastard under the same roof and with William

who complains of getting old or failing to get the attention of

Kat with the 'K'.

"You have resisted too long." - I clearly make her understand what I think of her brother and father, as he accompanies my laugh with a light chuckle.

"Do you know if there are free apartments in the condominium?" - she asks immediately after, but from the tone of her

voice I understand that it is really urgent and she seriously wants to change place quickly, but

I answer her question with a shrug.

If only s he knew that I have never used the stairs and visited the other floors of the condominium,

she would know I'm not the right person to ask. I think even Tessa does

know a little more, so I just give her a quick look, then

change the subject as I fix my hair, pulled into a high ponytail with a quick gesture.

"What do you usually eat in meals?"

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