Page 34 of A Forever Love
“Decent? No one would call you decent right now. And I’ve been standing outside your door for twenty minutes. You didn’t answer my call. Sam mentioned you were back from work. What were you doing?”
“I fell asleep,” I reply sheepishly.
“In the bathtub?” His eyebrows shoot up high. “Do you realize how dangerous that is?”
“I’m assuming very. But can we discuss this hypothetical danger inside?” I leave the door ajar and stride back in, heading straight for my bedroom. “What are you doing here?” I holler.
“I brought dinner,” Carter replies, already moving around my kitchen.
“I meant what are you doing here in Cherrywood?” My eyes involuntarily close as I lean against the dresser. My hand fists the bathrobe around my chest.
It’s okay, Mere. He’s Carter. He’s your best friend. Just remember that and forget everything else.
When I finally finish getting ready and re-enter the living room, I discover a takeout bag resting on the table with two plates positioned side by side. Carter is standing near the bookshelf, inspecting its durability.
“By the way, thanks for the bookshelf. A little heads-up about the delivery would have been nice.”
“If I had known this is how you walk around the house, I definitely would have given you a warning,” Carter grumbles under his breath, but his words aren’t lost on me.
“What did you just say?” I rest my hands on my hips, and he shoots a brief sidelong glance my way.
“Nothing,” he replies, grabbing the takeout bags and heading into the sitting area.
“How about sitting outside?” I indicate the balcony—a spot I’m naturally drawn to once the sun starts to dip beneath the horizon. Flipping the light switch on, I bring the warm glow of yellow fairy lights to life. I set down the dishes on the patio table, while Carter remains momentarily rooted by the glass door.
“You’ve really made yourself at home here,” he says after a moment’s silence, his gaze sweeping over the throw pillows, the soft rug, and the couch. “It’s cozy and beautiful, and so unlike you.”
“I’ll try not to take that as a personal offense.”
He finally approaches the couch, where I’m seated now. “What I mean is, all this stuff seems a bit…”
“Girly?” I cock an eyebrow.
“Yes, exactly. I mean, you never used to be into all this soft and cute stuff. Now you’ve got a pink bathrobe with rabbit ears, for crying out loud, and your balcony is decorated with more light bulbs than my entire apartment.”
I feel a jolt of surprise coursing through me, leaving me momentarily breathless. Did he notice the details of my bathrobe?
Calm down, Merida. Remember, he’s your friend. Nothing more.
“Guess you don’t know me anymore,” I whisper, and something shifts with that sentence.
Carter finally settles next to me. “I guess not.” His hand hesitates midair as he offers me a takeout container. “Are you still a fan of Thai food?”
Once again, the vulnerability peeks out on his face, and my skin tingles with sensations that are hard to ignore, but I give it my best try. “Thanks.” I nod and take the box from his hand. “You never told me why you’re here tonight.”
“I’m moving to Cherrywood.”
“Wh-what?” The fork slips from my hand and onto my lap. “Why?”
“It’s related to work.” Carter tugs on the cuffs of his shirt before running a thumb over his wrist. He’s not happy about whatever forced him to make the shift, and I forget my own anxiety for a beat.
“What happened?” I ask slowly.
“Kristy and Oscar have hired Kings Security, and because it’s a high-profile case in Cherrywood, I need to be physically present here.”
“You told me about your work! Dad never would have done that.” I don’t know what shocks me more, the fact that Carter shared his work details with me or that my plan of getting away from him has terribly backfired.
“Are you going to share this information with anyone?” he asks, and I shake my head. “I’ve never kept things from you, Mere. Even when you were too young to possibly understand my ramblings. And now, since I’ve taken over the company, there aren’t many people left with whom I can be my true self, so…”