Louisa George – The Other Life of Charlotte Evans (страница 1)

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Would you sacrifice your future to understand your past?

Life is rosy for dance studio owner Charlotte Evans, who is about to marry beloved fiancé, Ben. But when Ben finds a lump in Charlotte’s breast, it sends her on a journey of self-discovery which she knows she must do alone. Because Charlotte is adopted, and she suddenly, desperately, needs to know who she is and where she comes from.

Finding and reconnecting with her birth family, the life Charlotte could have had unfolds before her. As her wedding day draws closer, and her past merges ever more into her present, Charlotte must decide on the future she really wants...

A heartrendingly beautiful novel about love, family and finding your own path to happiness.

Also by Louisa George

The Secret Art of Forgiveness

The Other Life of Charlotte Evans

Louisa George

ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

Award-winning author LOUISA GEORGE has been an avid reader her whole life. In between chapters she managed to fit in a BA degree in Communication Studies, trained as a nurse, married her doctor hero and had two sons. Now, she spends her days writing chapters of her own in the medical romance, contemporary romance and women’s fiction genres. To date, she has 19 books available in ebook/print.

Louisa’s books have variously been nominated for the coveted RITA® Award and the NZ Koru Award (which she won in 2014 and 2016 for the Short Sexy Category) and she won the prestigious HOLT Medallion Award in 2017. Her books have been translated into twelve languages. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand and, when not writing or reading, likes to travel, drink mojitos and do Zumba®- preferably all at the same time.

Acknowledgements

Behind every writer is a support team of amazing people without whom a book would be just thoughts, words and ideas, and never get into the hands of readers. I am very lucky to have such an amazing group of cheerleaders.

To the HQ team, thank you for all your support and for another stunning cover.

To the Blenheim girls, the Wilders and all my writing friends, thank you so much for the help and advice and friendship over the years, I’ve loved walking this journey with you.

To Flo, my fabulous editor, you have sprinkled your editorial glitter all over my stories and turned them into books I am proud to have out in the world. I can’t tell you how grateful and blessed I am to have you. Thank you. Thank you. xxx

To Warren, Sam and James, this book is all about family and I couldn’t ask for a better one. I love you.

Contents

‘Would it be too much, do you think, to have sixteen flower girls?’ Charlotte Evans asked her team teacher and best friend, Lissa, as each of the sixteen pink-faced, tutu-ed three-year-olds ran forward in turn and gave very serious but wobbly curtsies at the end of the preschool dance class. Adorable. Every one. ‘Yes, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, sweetie. See you next week.’

‘Given I’m your chief bridesmaid, then yes, absolutely, that would be fifteen too many. Imagine the chaos if I had to control them. You’re the one with kiddie charm, not me.’ Lissa laughed, sliding her a sideways grin that said not a chance, and closed the door behind the last class of the morning. Leaving them in a blissfully quiet dance studio, except for the murmurs of excited but tired chatter as the little ones crunched away up the gravel path with their proud, doting mums, towards home for lunch or a nap.

Judging by the dark smudges under her eyes Lissa looked like she needed both too. With a groan she extended her left leg up onto the barre and stretched forward, nose to knee. ‘God, that feels good. I teach this class because you asked me to, Charlie, and I’d do anything for you. But you know I prefer the ones who can actually listen and do as they’re told. I’m not good with them until they’re teenagers. I just don’t get the cute thing.’

‘Oh, but they’re all so gorgeous.’ Time to play with the hungover friend. Charlotte laughed to herself, knowing how allergic Lissa was to anyone who couldn’t communicate on her level, and how much of a favour she was doing for Charlotte by helping her with these toddler classes. ‘Imagine all of them at the wedding in floor-length white satin dresses and big red bows, and you could have a dress to match. We’d make it into the pages of Bride magazine, for sure.’

Lissa shot her another not a chance look. ‘And I’d make it into the nearest pub and never leave.’

‘I know, I know, I was only joking.’ A little bit. Truth was, Charlotte would have invited all one hundred and fifty of their dancers along to the wedding if money were no object.

Unfortunately, money was indeed very much an object. Finding enough to pay the mortgage on a house just off Westbourne Grove, plus the rent on the dance studio and general everyday living, took pretty much every penny she and Ben earned. ‘Can you imagine, though? Some people actually do have that many bridesmaids. We’d need to save up for another three years just to pay for the fabric for all the little dresses. And I don’t think Ben’s going to wait any longer.’

‘No, that man wants you as his, that’s for sure. Did you get any further with convincing him to do a proper first dance at the reception?’

‘Other than his very uncoordinated Gangnam style, he’s not into learning anything.’

Lissa smirked and shook her head, always unable to fathom how it was that some people just didn’t have the rhythm gene. ‘But he has a dancer for a girlfriend. Surely he wants to be able to keep up with you?’

‘No. He’s too focused on making sure the house is ready for his parents coming over from Ireland for the big day. And I know he’s right, but he’s such a perfectionist. He has an idea of how something should be and he won’t rest until it’s done properly. It’s very endearing, but a little frustrating.’ Charlotte felt a little disloyal talking about her fiancé like that. He didn’t want second best, and that was a good attribute to have, right? ‘It would be fun to do something, though, on the night. Don’t you think? Is everyone expecting it?’

Another groan and Lissa swapped her long, slender legs – legs Charlotte had envied since back in their days at the Royal Ballet School – on the barre. ‘These days everyone expects something a bit different at any wedding they go to. Well, darling, you’ve got eight weeks, so there’s time to convince him yet.’

Time seemed to be rushing by. ‘Eight weeks… sounds miles away, but I bet it creeps up on me. I’ve so many lists I don’t know where to start.’

‘I do. Lunch! I’m starving. And knackered. I need either a big sleep or a huge injection of caffeine. IV, straight into the jugular.’

Charlotte took a long look at her friend’s face. Yup, she’d definitely been better. ‘Late night was it?’

‘Yes. There was a band on at the Apollo, then we went to a party over in Camden. It was great. You should have come.’

‘Oh, I was far too busy choosing light fittings. Because that’s how I roll these days.’ Thinking back to the days before Ben, and the crazy things she used to get up to with Lissa, Charlotte grinned. ‘I don’t have the stamina to do an all-nighter and then come and dance like we used to. I don’t know how you do it.’

‘Coffee, mainly. And food.’ Wrapping her arm into Charlotte’s, Lissa led her to the studio door. ‘Come on, before I die of starvation. The salad bar? Or a burger? Please say burger.’ The last statement was a loud, rushed whisper.

But Charlotte shook her head and unhooked her arm. ‘Not today, hun. I’ve got a hot lunch date with a paintbrush. But I’ll walk with you to the high street.’

‘Wow, the glamorous life of a homeowner. You have changed, my girl. Who’d have thought you’d be all domesticated by the age of twenty-five?’

There was a fierce swirl of pride in Charlotte’s gut. They’d worked hard for this. Their ramshackle house had so much potential and she didn’t care how long it took them to do it up – they had the rest of their lives to play interior decorators. Plus, the studio was a walk away from both home and her mum’s round the corner. Perfect. ‘I know, I know. It’s exciting… working towards a future.’

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