Chapter 21
chapter twenty-one
Carter
Before I slide out of bed, I make sure Wendy is actually asleep.
Once I confirm her breathing is even and her eyes are sealed shut, I pull on my shorts and find my shirt on the floor.
I turn the knob and open it slowly so I don’t make any noise.
I do the same to close it after I step into the hallway.
When the knob clicks, I glance over to see Adam, watching me with his arms crossed over his chest in the doorway of his room. His expression is full of rage and defeat.
He wasn’t asleep; he was listening.
Good. Now he knows. No more guessing who Wendy belongs to.
We stare at one another. My eyes adjust, and I don’t look away from him. I hope he can smell her on me. She told me he never went down on her. Five years of having Wendy, and he couldn’t be bothered to make her feel good. Adam never fucking deserved her.
My jaw clenches when I think about it.
Neither of us speaks, mainly because she’s on the other side of that paper-thin wall. An even-toned conversation would wake her up, and the last thing I want is a pissed-off Wendy standing between us in the hallway. I don’t think that’s his intention.
He wants me to know he heard us.
I give him a smirk, and he returns to his room, muttering something under his breath.
I’ve dealt with assholes like him my entire life. No one intimidates me.
The lock clicks, and I let out an annoyed sigh.
I take the stairs, knowing this will be a problem tomorrow.
I sleep for four hours, maybe five, and then I’m up. By sunrise, I’m on the last mile of my beach run, wishing the sound of the ocean would clear my mind. It doesn’t. When the B&B comes into view, my phone rings. It’s Gideon.
“Wow. Last person I expected to get a call from,” I say, taking the path off the beach.
“You’ve missed me. I know it.”
“Can’t say I have,” I tell him with a grin.
“Yeah, well, I’m very sorry to bother you, but there’s an issue with the Whitsworth account that I’m unable to solve. Their board wants a revised Q3 projection with your sign-off. They’re refusing to work with me on this.”
I lower my voice. “Send me the presentation. I’ll review it.”
“Yeah, so about that. They want to have a call with you tonight.”
“Schedule it for eight p.m. Eastern. Text me a link. I’ll join from my phone.”
“You got it.” Gideon pauses. “You good, Banks? You sound off.”
“Never been better.” It’s not a lie.
He confirms what the expectation is tonight, and then the call ends. Dyson Carter Banks has a call with a trillion-dollar company later. I don’t want business mixing with pleasure, not yet, not until I’ve had a chance to explain myself to Wendy. But we can’t lose this account.
When I enter the lobby, Adam is already dressed and eating at the breakfast table.
The shift in the room is obvious. He’s not smiling, not asking Birdie about her crossword puzzles or complimenting Rose’s cooking.
Bitsy says something about the temperatures today, and he nods while typing on his phone.
Gran glances at me as I pass through the dining room toward the trays of food.
“Good morning, ladies,” I say, purposely not speaking to Adam. He can fuck off. I pour myself a mug of hot coffee and lift it toward them.
“Morning, Carter,” they singsong.
“How was your run?” Gran asks.
“Can’t complain. The weather was nice this morning. I needed that after the night I had.” I grab a bacon and egg croissant and a napkin.
“Sleep well?” Birdie asks.
“Exceptionally well.” I grin, watching Adam’s jaw clench tight. “Anyway, have a great one.”
“Morning,” Wendy says, glancing at me.
She’s smiling, and I know she overheard it all.
“Morning,” I say, cocky as fuck.
I slow my pace, getting ready to speak to her when Adam’s chair scrapes backward against the floor. Seconds later, he’s moving outside with his coffee in his hand.
“Who pissed in his cereal this morning?” Wendy asks.
“You,” I whisper.
“Me?” She questions.
I shoot her a wink and glance at the Bees. None of them are paying attention, but that doesn’t mean anything. They’re professional eavesdroppers. They can listen while holding a full-blown conversation.
“Tell me later,” she whispers, and I give her a nod while walking away.
At lunch, it’s obvious to me that Adam is off his game. I’ve gotten under his skin. I try to put myself in his shoes. I’d be livid. Pissed at myself. Personally, I’d do anything I could to win Wendy back. I respect it, but also, she’s mine.
In the afternoon, I decide to sit on the couch and read the new thriller Mia dropped off for me today. It’s about an ex-husband who disappeared, then comes back and finds his wife with another man. I shake my head, but I’m intrigued.
When we’re temporarily alone, I turn to Wendy.
She glances around and moves close enough to where only I can hear her. “Tell me why he’s pissed.”
“He saw me leaving your room this morning.”
Wendy’s eyes widen, and then she smirks. “Not sure what to say about that.”
“The correct response is, can’t wait to do it again.” I’m tempted to capture her lips, but I don’t.
Mid-afternoon, I take another walk on the beach, keeping myself busy while Wendy works. When I return, Adam is on the porch, and I walk past him.
“Got a minute?” he asks, looking at me over his shoulder.
I stop and stare at him. “I’ll give you two.”
“I’m going to be straight with you.” His voice is lower, more direct. We’re outside, and the ocean covers our voices. “I know you’re fucking her.”
“You want a round of applause? Maybe a standing ovation?”
His nostrils flare. “She’ll get bored with you too. The honeymoon phase with Wendy is great, but it passes. She’ll pull away before you even realize she’s gone. That’s what she does. You won’t be able to keep her happy.”
“Is that all?” I’m unamused by him and his pathetic warning.
He sarcastically laughs. “You think you’re different? You’re not. You’re the same make and model, just like the guy who came before me and the one who came before him.”
“The difference is, I don’t break my toys,” I say. “I keep them.”
His eyes narrow. “I’m trying to figure out who’s fucking my girlfriend and why she’s so enamored by you.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I correct. “Wendy’s mine, Adam. You lost when you let her walk away.”
He takes the truth on the chin even though I know it hurt.
“Fuck you,” he whispers. “You have no idea what happened with us.”
“Go fuck yourself,” I say right back. “I know enough. I know you couldn’t get her off.”
He straightens his stance, and his fist flexes.
“Hit me. But make sure you knock me out because if you don’t, well, it won’t be good for you,” I tell him.
“You’re using her,” he sneers. “She’s acting like your summer slut.”
His words make me see red. Everything else he said I brushed off because it was a desperate man talking. But an insult aimed at Wendy makes my vision blur and my control melt away. I take a step forward, swallowing hard, and then I lean in close to him.
“Don’t you ever fucking talk about her again,” I warn, my voice in a low growl. “Or I’ll make you wish you never stepped foot on this property.”
“Is that a fucking threat?” He glares at me.
“It’s a promise, asshole. You don’t know who you’re fucking with.” I back away from him, exhaling before I end up in jail tonight. I don’t need that kind of attention right now. I have to lie low.
“Look at you, acting as if she’s the one.” His eyes slide up and down me, and he’s so quick to judge. “What do you really have to offer her?”
“Everything,” I say confidently. If only he knew.
My trust fund has more in it than the GDP in some entire countries.
I could buy the corporation threatening her grandmother’s house and dissolve it before the next letter arrives.
With the snap of a finger, I could fund the renovation of every room in this building without checking a balance.
With one phone call, I could ensure Adam would lose his career at the W.
I could offer Wendy everything she’s ever wanted, including what she wants the most …
love. Communication. Protection. Someone who listens and cares and will go to the end of the fucking earth for her if that’s what it takes.
“Right. I’m sure your consulting job pays you very well.
Enjoy her while you can. But just know, in August, Wendy will be back in California with me.
I came here to offer her the future that she’s always dreamed of having.
You’re nothing more than a distraction, and I appreciate you for keeping her occupied.
However, what the two of us had was real.
We broke up three months ago, and you think she just magically forgot the years we spent together?
Please, you’re smarter than that.” He gives me a pathetic look.
“Wake up, Carter. You’re nothing more than a rebound.
Someone to help her forget about me. That’s it. ”
He walks inside, and the screen door slams closed behind him.
“Wake up, Carter. You’re a rebound.”
I grip the railing and stare at the water, trying to calm down. The last thing I need to do is go upstairs and beat his fucking face in. I contemplate it though.
Wendy steps onto the open deck and leans against the railing next to me.
“What just happened?” she asks.
“Your ex is a fucking goofball. No wonder you broke it off.”
Her eyes hold mine, and I see sadness in them.
“Did you hear that conversation?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she admits, and I hear the shift in her tone. “I—he—you’re—”
“Hey. I don’t need an explanation.” I tuck loose strands of hair behind her ear. “He’s shit-talking—that’s all.”
“I can’t wait for him to leave,” she says, staring out at the ocean.
His words got to her too.
Him calling me a rebound stings, and she hasn’t denied that. The tension between us tightens. Just as Wendy is opening her mouth to speak, Josie steps out of the elevator.
“We’ll talk later, okay? Don’t worry about it.” I excuse myself and go upstairs, needing to get some work done.
I open the presentation Gideon sent and stare at the quarter-three projections without comprehending a single number.
She’ll never really love you.
I’ve never had to fight for a woman before. My name, my money, my family’s reputation did the heavy lifting before I walked into a room. Women came to me, begging to have a chance with me. Wendy has me on my knees, practically begging for her.
I came here and stripped everything away. She saw me raw.
What if Adam is right? What if …
I force myself to focus on the spreadsheet and make the changes Gideon needs.
The notification for the meeting hits my calendar, and I look at those who were invited. Weeks have passed since I’ve worked, and I’m rusty.
But I can pull myself together and be Dyson Banks, CEO of Banks Finance, for fifteen minutes. Then, tomorrow, I’ll wake up and be Carter again, the man with no title or responsibilities. The man Adam believes isn’t enough. The man Wendy has chosen for now. I’ve never been someone’s rebound before.
Wendy said we’d be each other’s summer crush. The weight of this might actually crush me.