Finding You

Chapter 22

Darcy ended the call and wiped her eyes. She felt as if she were spinning. For the first time in her life, she had just spoken

to her biological mother— her biological mother —for almost four hours. After all of these years she’d finally found Robyn, and Robyn wanted to know Darcy in return.

She hugged her arms to her middle as another wave of happiness swept over her. She glanced at the time on her phone and found

it was midnight, but she was wide awake. She felt like she might burst with excitement. She wanted to tell Carter everything,

but most likely he was asleep. She recalled when he’d once told her she could text or call him anytime.

Taking a chance, she shot off a text to him: Are you awake?

Her phone began to ring with a call from him right away.

“I’ve been waiting for you to call or text. How’d it go?” he asked.

“I found my birth mother, Carter. I really found her.” Her emotion bubbled up, and she started crying again. Would she ever

run out of tears?

“Do you want me to come over?”

She sniffed and pulled herself together. “That’s okay. It’s after midnight.”

“If you need me, I’ll be there. I don’t care what time it is.”

Admiration glowed in her chest for this wonderful man. “I don’t want you out driving this late.”

“I’m wide awake and ready to come over.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive, Darcy. I’ll be there soon.”

She ended the call and hugged a blanket to her chest while her tears continued to flow.

***

Carter knocked on Darcy’s front door forty-five minutes later. As soon as they had hung up the phone, he had dropped his overnight

essentials into a backpack and flown out the door. He glanced around her quiet neighborhood, taking in the warm yellow glow

from the row of matching porch lights while the hum of car engines sounded on the main road behind her neighborhood.

He knocked again and then tried to peek through a sidelight window, but a privacy curtain blocked his vision. When he heard

footfalls closing in, he stood up straight.

The lock flipped and the door opened, and Darcy stood before him dressed in light-green pajama pants and a matching shirt.

Her hair was styled in a knot on the top of her head, and she looked adorable.

“Thank you for coming,” she said.

He entered the foyer and locked the door behind him. “You don’t have to thank me.” He dropped his backpack on the bench by

the door. “Would you like some tea?”

“How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess.”

Carter located a tea bag and mug before adding water and then warming it in the microwave. Once it was ready, he brought it

to her in the family room and set it on a coaster on the coffee table.

He sat down beside her on the large sectional. “When you’re ready, tell me everything.”

Darcy took a sip of tea and moved her fingers over the warm blue mug. “She was everything I hoped she’d be and more.” She set the mug down, and her lips trembled. “Carter, I have two half-brothers. I’m not an only child.”

When her tears began to flow, he gathered her into his arms, wishing he could soothe her. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Let

it all out, babe.”

“She told me she loves me and never forgot me. Every January22 she thought about my birthday, and she tried to imagine what

I looked like and what I was doing.” She snuggled against him, and he rubbed her back. “She lives in Concord, Carter. We’re

going to meet tomorrow.”

“I’m glad she’s close.”

Darcy pulled her phone from her pocket. “Look at these photos she sent me.”

He scrolled through the photos of a young woman who was the spitting image of Darcy. “That’s her?”

“Yeah.” She beamed. “Her name is Robyn Decker.” She pointed to a photo of two young men. “Those are my brothers—Brayden and

Keaton. They’re seventeen and fifteen.”

“Wow.” He shook his head. “I see a resemblance.”

“Me too.”

“What did she tell you about your biological dad?”

“We didn’t get into that yet,” Darcy said. “I’m going to ask about him tomorrow. She wanted to keep me, but her parents said

no. They arranged for her to come to Charlotte and stay with friends until she had me. She couldn’t even hold me after I was

born. All she knew was that an older couple who had tried to have a baby for years adopted me, and she prayed they would love

me and give me a good life.” She paused. “Her parents live in Florida. She also has a couple of younger sisters, so that means

I have aunts, uncles, and cousins too.”

When Darcy sniffed again, Carter closed his eyes. Listening to her cry was tearing his heart out, and he would do anything in his power to offer her comfort.

During the last month he had realized he was in love with Darcy, and his feelings for her were like nothing he’d ever felt

for anyone before in his life. He needed her like he needed air to breathe.

She snuggled up to him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

“I just can’t believe I found her, Carter. It’s like a dream come true.” She wrapped her arms around his waist.

He kissed the top of her head.

Darcy covered her mouth to shield a yawn. “I think I’ve worn myself out.” She drooped against the sofa cushions.

“You should go to bed.”

She stood and picked up the cup of tea. “I can make up the guest room for you.”

“No need. This sofa looks comfortable.”

She eyed him with suspicion. “My guest room has an actual bed in it, Carter.”

“I’ll be fine here.”

“Let me get you a pillow.” She strode toward the kitchen, then he heard footsteps climbing a staircase.

He glanced around the family room and noticed a shelf packed with books and framed photos. He stepped over to it and found

photos of Darcy with her parents posing on the beach and a few of Darcy and Haven dressed up at what looked like parties.

Questions about Jace filled his mind. He perused the shelf for snapshots of Darcy posing with a man, but he didn’t find any.

Perhaps seeing them every day had been too painful, so she had packed them up. He wouldn’t blame her for that at all.

Footfalls sounded on the stairs, and he met her at the doorway leading to the kitchen.

“Here’s a pillow and a blanket.” She held them up. “I know it’s the middle of August, but I still use a heavy blanket to keep

warm in the air-conditioning.”

He took the pillow and blanket from her. “Thanks.”

They stared at each other for a moment, then she reached for his free hand. Carter set the pillow and blanket on the counter

beside him.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Carter.” Her eyes filled again. “It means so much to me that you jumped out of bed and drove

out here after midnight.”

“Darcy, you should know by now that I would do anything for you.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I couldn’t get through this without you.”

Carter pulled her against him before placing a finger under her chin and angling it toward him. Longing tore through every

cell of his body as he placed his palms on her cheeks, leaned down, and pressed his lips against hers. He closed his eyes

while his lips massaged hers, and a quiver of wanting vibrated through him.

When he broke the kiss, she stared up at him. “See you in the morning,” he said. Then he grinned. “Actually, later today.”

“That’s true. Sleep well, Carter.”

She retreated up the stairs, and he turned off the lights in the kitchen and hallway before returning to the family room.

He settled on the sofa and tried to get comfortable. Then he lost himself in thoughts of Darcy and waited for sleep to find

him.

***

Darcy awoke to the delicious smells of coffee, sausage, and toast later that morning. For a moment she was confused, wondering where the smells came from. Then the events of the night before came back to her in a rush. She had found her birth mother! And Carter had come over to hold her while she cried.

Carter!

She jumped out of bed and dashed into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and chose a pleated green sundress with white flowers

trailing the bottom of the skirt. After styling her hair in a loose French braid and applying minimal makeup, she pulled on

strappy sandals and raced down to the kitchen.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” Carter stood at the stove, scrambling eggs in a skillet. Sausage sizzled in the pan beside him, and toast

popped up from the toaster.

He looked gorgeous dressed in his khaki shorts and a black t-shirt advertising a performance shop. His chiseled jaw sported

a few days of scruff, and his light-brown hair looked as if he had wet it before running a brush through it.

Darcy recalled how safe and protected she had felt in his arms last night. Her lips tingled at the memory of that amazing

kiss he’d given her before she’d gone to bed.

“This all smells fantastic,” she said. “How about I set the table?”

He nodded toward the nook. “Thanks.”

She gathered up plates and utensils, then quickly set the table. “How’d you sleep?” she asked, moving to the coffee machine

to pour each of them a mug.

He shrugged. “Fine. That sofa is pretty comfortable.” He carried the frying pan over to the table and scraped half of the

eggs onto each plate. Then he served them both sausage and toast.

“You really didn’t need to cook for me, Carter.”

“Well, you cooked for me when we were at the beach.” He motioned toward the chair. “Sit, please,” he said, and she did as in structed. After grabbing butter and creamer from the refrigerator, he returned to the table to join her.

Darcy examined their breakfast and smiled up at him. “This is amazing.”

“And you look beautiful. Now enjoy your breakfast. You need to leave soon to meet Robyn.”

She pulled out her phone and checked the time. He was right. She had to be on the road in less than an hour. She fidgeted

with the skirt of her dress. She couldn’t be late to her first meeting with her birth mother!

“You have plenty of time.” He rested his hand on hers. “Deep breaths.”

Darcy nodded. “You’re right. It’ll be fine.”

“Yes, it will.” He tapped his fork on her plate. “Now eat.”

Darcy buttered a piece of toast and sampled the eggs. “You’re a good cook, Carter Donovan.”

“I’ll admit I make a mean piece of toast.” He held up his half-eaten slice, and she laughed. “Are you excited or nervous to

see Robyn?”

She frowned. “Nervous.” She set her fork down. “We bonded on the phone, but what if it’s awkward in person?”

“The first few minutes might be, but the ice will be broken once you start talking.”

Darcy nodded and took a bite of sausage.

Carter’s lips pressed down into a frown. “I don’t think I ever told you that my sister found my father.”

Darcy wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “She did?”

“Yeah. The night we went to the concert I came home and found her sitting on the porch on her phone. She looked upset, like

she’d been crying.” He ran his tongue over his teeth. “She was talking to him.”

Surprise spread through her. “Did you talk to him too?”

He shook his head with emphasis. “I refused.” He clasped his mug. “I think she’s trying to make him understand how badly he hurt us and Mom, but I’m not sure what she thinks she’s going to prove. He obviously doesn’t care about any of us. Why would he change now?” He glowered. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s too late. She’s wasting her efforts on him.”

The pain in Carter’s eyes nearly split her in two. She took his hand in hers. “I’m sorry he hurt you.”

“Thanks.” His expression warmed, and he swallowed a bite of sausage. “Let’s talk about your day. Do you want me to go with

you?”

She shook her head. “I appreciate it, but I need to do this alone.”

“Are you going to call me as soon as you head home?”

“You know I will.”

Carter held up his mug as if to toast her. “Good. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

They ate in silence for a few moments, and Darcy tried to think of something to lighten the mood. Then she recalled Carter’s

funny stories about the customer who harbored a crush on him.

“You haven’t mentioned Mrs.Deese in a while. Has she been by to visit you lately?”

When Carter grinned, Darcy felt relief flutter through her. She had missed that glorious smile. “As a matter of fact, she

came in yesterday insisting that her wiper blades were broken again.”

“Were they?”

He shook his head. “She needed washer fluid. And I took care of it for her, of course.”

They both laughed, and Carter shared more funny customer stories while they finished breakfast.

When their plates were clean, Carter carried them to the counter. “I’ll clean up so you can get on the road.” He opened the

dishwasher.

“No.” Darcy reached for the plates. “You did the cooking, and I also don’t believe you slept well on the sofa.”

He gave her a knowing smile. “I got this.” He nodded toward the stairs. “Go.”

She stilled and then rushed upstairs, where she took her daily cocktail of medications required to keep her transplant healthy.

She brushed her teeth, fixed her makeup, and tucked a few flyaway hairs into her braid.

When she returned to the kitchen, Carter was washing the pans.

“You really don’t need to do that,” she said as she gathered up her purse.

“I don’t mind.” He set one of the pans on the drying board. “How should I lock up? Is there a keypad next to the garage?”

Darcy hedged.

Carter held up his hands. “Unless, of course, you don’t want me to know the code, which I respect.”

“It’s not that.” She moved to the end of the counter and opened the junk drawer. She found the spare key— Jace’s spare key—and stared at it. To hand the key to Carter would feel like a big step in a new direction. She closed her eyes.

Was she making too much of this? If not, then why were her insides tied up in a knot?

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.

“Hey, I was kidding. I’ll just set the bottom lock and pull the door closed. You don’t have to—”

“It’s fine,” Darcy said, interrupting him. She held the spare key out for him. “Here’s a key.”

Carter’s eyes widened. “Thanks. I’ll give it back to you.”

“No. Keep it.” She kissed him. “I’ll call you later. Thank you for everything.”

“You’re welcome,” he called as she hurried out the door to meet her biological mother for the first time.