Chapter 27
The following Friday afternoon, Carter scooped a large spoonful of canned cat food into the bowl while Smoky stood nearby
and yowled.
“This stinks. You’ll love it.” He placed the bowl down on the concrete floor, and the gray tabby cat began inhaling it as
if he hadn’t eaten in a year. “Enjoy, buddy.” He tossed the can and turned to face his brother-in-law, who was leaning over
a car. “See ya later, Gage.”
Gage stood and wiped his hands on a red shop towel. “You’re heading out already?” Then he snapped his fingers as understanding
lit in his eyes. “Tonight’s the rehearsal dinner for Derek’s wedding, right?”
“Yup.” Carter grabbed his truck keys, and they jingled in his hand. “I’m Darcy’s date. I need to clean up before I meet her.
They’re having the rehearsal at his church and then the dinner afterward. Derek’s family rented out the entire Italian restaurant
on Godwin Avenue. Darcy’s riding over with Haven, but I’m taking her home.”
Gage nodded. He drew his lips together, and Carter could almost feel him choosing his words carefully. “Listen, I know it’s
none of my business. But before you head out, I wanted to tell you that Shauna has been talking to your dad fairly often lately.”
Carter’s entire body went rigid.
Gage held his hands up as if to calm Carter. “Just listen, okay? I know you’re angry with him, but that anger only hurts you, not him. So if you have a chance to talk to him, it would do you some good to keep an open mind.”
“You’re speaking in code, Gage.” Carter studied his brother-in-law as irritation sparked in his chest. “What are you not telling
me?”
“Just keep an open mind,” he repeated.
“I don’t have time for games. I gotta leave or I’m gonna be late. Now give it to me straight.”
“Don’t be surprised if you have an opportunity to talk to your dad soon, and stay calm for your sake and also for Shauna’s.”
Carter stared at him, waiting for him to share more, but Gage shook his head.
“That’s all I can tell you right now, okay?” Gage said.
“Fine.” Carter headed for the door. “I’ll be home late. See you tomorrow.” As he hastened to his truck, he worked to shove
away the black mood that thoughts of his father always ushered in. He tried to focus on Darcy, but irritation clung to him,
refusing to be ignored.
***
Darcy pushed through the door at Bella Italia later that evening, and the delicious aromas of tomato sauce and garlic filled
her nostrils. Right away she spotted Carter standing on the far side of the restaurant, examining his phone. He was even handsomer
than usual dressed in khakis and a light-blue button-down. She felt a flurry of pride as she rushed over to him and kissed
him. She breathed in the familiar musky scent of his aftershave and grinned. “Wow, Donovan. You clean up nice.”
“You do too, beautiful.” He dropped his phone into his pocket. “How was the rehearsal?”
“Good. Hopefully I’ll walk down the aisle in those ridiculous shoes without tripping tomorrow.” She grimaced. “At least I
can hold on to Liam on my way back up the aisle.”
“Hold on to him, huh? Just don’t hold too tight,” he teased. His lips tipped up, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
She placed her hand on his hard chest. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You seem... preoccupied.”
He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “Everything’s fine.”
“No, there’s something wrong.” She studied his dark eyes. “You can tell me.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing important.”
She pulled all of her courage up from her toes and then said the words she’d longed to say for so long. “I love you, Carter.
That’s why I’m worried about you.”
He blinked twice, then opened and closed his mouth as he stared at her.
“I love you, Carter,” she repeated. “I really do.”
His expression warmed, a genuine smile overtaking his lips. “And I love you too, Darcy.” His voice was husky. Then he pulled
her to him and kissed her with so much passion that she forgot where she was for a moment.
Bliss rushed through her veins as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
When Carter released her, he touched her cheek. Joy sparkled in his eyes. “You make me so happy, Darcy.”
“Back at ya,” she said.
His eyes focused behind her, where Derek and Haven were steering folks to tables. “I think we’re being paged.” Carter led
Darcy toward the table where Derek’s younger brother, Liam, and his girlfriend, Tonya, also sat.
After Derek and Haven took turns thanking everyone who had traveled for their wedding, the guests moved through the buffet line, filling their plates with the delectable offerings of lasagna, pasta, meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, breadsticks, and salad before returning to their seats.
After dinner and a delicious tiramisu dessert, Darcy and Carter said goodbye to the bride, the groom, and the other guests.
Then they traipsed out to Carter’s truck in the parking lot. The late October sky was clogged with gray clouds, and the air
smelled like rain. She hugged her arms to her chest and wished she had grabbed a sweater.
“Oh no,” Carter groaned as he pulled his keys from his pocket.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t believe I left my wallet at home. We’re gonna have to stop by my place on our way to yours.”
“No problem,” Darcy exclaimed. “I haven’t seen Shauna in a while.”
Carter unlocked his truck, wrenched open the passenger side door, and held out his hand to her. She took it, and he lifted
her into the seat.
As she watched him jog around the front of the truck, more excitement poured through her. She was so relieved and grateful
that he loved her too. She couldn’t wait to see what the future held.
***
“I have to be at the church early tomorrow to help Haven get ready,” Darcy explained.
Darcy’s words about the wedding became background noise to his thoughts. He couldn’t stop his smile. Darcy loved him, and
he loved her! He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this happy.
Maybe he’d never been this happy. Ross had been right—Darcy did want a future with him, and now they could plan it. He had the Road Runner advertised, and as soon as he sold it, he would pay off his loan, move out on his own, and finally start his life. Oh, he couldn’t wait!
“Carter? Carter!”
He blinked when he realized Darcy had been calling his name. “Sorry. What?”
She eyed him, and he shifted in the seat. He was aware of how well his girlfriend could read his expressions and his mood,
and though he found it endearing at times, at this moment it was unnerving.
“What were you thinking about?”
He smiled, took her hand in his, and kissed her knuckles. “How much I love you.”
She beamed. “I love you too.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Glad we agree on that.”
Carter turned onto his block. When he neared the driveway, his eyes locked on a silver Ford Fusion with a Tennessee license
plate parked behind Gage’s pickup truck. He immediately recalled what Shauna had told him the night he had come home from
the beach:
I haven’t spoken to Dad yet, but I think he might be in Tennessee.
A ball of lead formed in Carter’s stomach as he parked the truck. Gage had been trying to warn him about this.
“Oh no.” Dread sank in bone-deep. “No, no, no, no. Not tonight...”
Darcy leaned toward him. “What’s wrong? Whose car is that?”
Unable to speak, he shook his head, pushed his door open, and hopped out of the truck. The sky was packed with dark clouds,
and the air held the threat of rain.
“Carter? Carter!” Darcy called after him.
He ignored her while squaring his shoulders and marching toward the house.
Darcy rushed after him, her heels clicking on the rock pathway that led to the front door. “Carter Anthony Donovan, please stop and talk to me!” Her voice shook.
He turned to face her, holding up a hand. “Wait in the truck, okay?” He worked to pronounce his trembling words as calmly
as possible.
“No.” Her eyes glittered, and she rubbed her hands over the sleeves of her dress. “You’re worrying me, Carter.”
“Please, Darcy, I’m begging you. I promise I’m just going to grab my wallet from my dresser. I’ll be right back.”
“Fine.” Her brow puckered. She stared at him a moment longer before retreating toward the truck.
Carter grasped the door handle, pulled it open, and stepped into the foyer. Voices filtered out from the family room. He took
in a deep breath through his nose and started toward them. When he reached the doorway, he froze and stared. A middle-aged
man sat on the sofa across from Shauna and Gage.
He recognized the man from fuzzy childhood memories and photos his mother had stashed away. Though the man’s brown hair was
now mixed with gray, and though wrinkles lined his mouth and his dark-brown eyes, Carter knew he was looking into the face
of Myles Donovan, the man who had once been his father.
Bile rose in Carter’s throat, and the muscles in his neck tightened. He turned his glare on his brother-in-law. “You knew he was coming when you talked to me at the shop earlier.” He pointed an angry finger at Gage. “Why didn’t you tell me outright?”
“Carter, I’m sorry, but—”
“Save it!” Carter hollered before trudging toward the stairs.
“Carter!” Shauna yelled after him. “Carter, please wait. Please. You need to hear what he has to say.”
“No, I don’t!” Carter called over his shoulder. Anger and frustration ran through him as he searched his room for his wallet. He checked his dresser, his bed, and then the floor. He finally found it wedged between the wall and his bed.
He jammed it into his back pocket, and when he turned to the doorway, he found his sister blocking it with her hands held
up. “Move,” he growled.
“Carter, just listen.”
He took a deep breath and heard the front door open and close. Hopefully that meant their so-called father was leaving.
Good! Don’t come back!
“Carter—”
“Stop! I’m sick of your constant lectures about our father.” His voice shook. “If he had been here, maybe you wouldn’t have
turned your life upside down for me when I went on dialysis. And maybe you’d still have two kidneys. If he had been here, maybe I wouldn’t have imploded your life. There is no way he can make up for that. Ever. ”
Shauna sniffed and wiped her eyes.
Carter made a sweeping gesture. “I’m taking Darcy home. He’d better be gone when I get back.”
Shauna allowed him to pass. He stormed down the stairs, then froze. Darcy stood at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wide,
red, and puffy.
He felt a punch to his gut as he took in her horrified expression. “Tell me you didn’t just hear that conversation,” he said.
“Carter,” she whispered. “You had a kidney transplant?”
He scrubbed his hand down his face.
“Answer me! Did you have a kidney transplant?”
He nodded.
She clapped her hand to her mouth as her eyes widened. “Carter, I... I did too.”
Carter remained cemented in place. He turned toward the doorway to the kitchen, where Gage and his father stood.
The walls began closing in on him. He had to get out of there. He took Darcy’s arm and led her toward the door. “Come on.
We’ll talk in the truck.”