Chapter 12
Carter sat on a swing beside Darcy and pumped his legs. He felt a strange sense of relief after sharing his feelings about
his parents. He was stunned by how compassionate Darcy was when he talked about his mother. She was so different from Gabby,
who had never seemed interested in hearing about Carter’s past at all. He was aware that Gabby just wanted to parade Carter
around her friends—but only after she’d convinced him to work for her father and make more money. Darcy, on the other hand,
had opened her heart to him, sharing her heartbreak of losing her fiancé. He was honored that she had revealed so much to
him.
They continued to swing, hooting and giggling as they moved back and forth. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d been on
a playground.
Darcy looked up toward the sky as she swung back and forth. She was so lovely. And after their revealing conversations today,
he was drawn to her more than ever. Could a real relationship between them work? What kind of future could he offer her?
He dragged his sneakers along the ground and brought the swing to a stop as the gravity of his situation pulled him back down
to earth. She had called him brave, but he sure didn’t feel like he was.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Darcy’s gentle voice broke through his reflections.
Carter clutched the chains. As he stared into her beautiful green eyes, he wondered if he was selling her short. What if he did tell her everything? His history with kidney disease, the year he spent on dialysis, the story of his transplant, and his current financial situation. What if she was okay with all of it?
And what if she’s not?
“I was just thinking about how ice cream would be a great treat.” He pointed toward the ice cream truck parked at the other
side of the park. “What do you think?”
“Let’s go, Donovan. Now,” she teased.
Carter grinned and shook his head. He knew one thing for sure: He would be blessed to call Darcy Larsen his girlfriend.
***
Carter walked Darcy to her front door later that evening. She looked up at the stars in the sky and wished the evening wouldn’t
come to an end after such a wonderful day.
After enjoying the swings and an ice cream from the truck, they had loaded up the blanket and basket in his SUV and walked
around Main Street. They perused the local stores and talked about their childhoods. Later, they ate a snack at Heather’s
Books ’N’ Treats before returning to the park to sit and watch the sunset.
It had been such a fun day, but it was late. Darcy longed to invite Carter to sit on her deck and talk with her until the
sun came up, but she assumed he wanted to get home.
“Thank you for today,” she told him.
“I’m glad you had fun.” He touched her cheek. “I promise I’ll text you this week.”
She shook a finger at him. “You’d better, and I expect an invitation to your birthday party too.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that.”
He held his hand out to her, but she pulled him close and hugged him instead. With her arms around his neck, she rested her head against his chest, listened to the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat, and drew in his familiar scent.
Carter rested his hands on her hips and his cheek on the top of her head. His warmth surrounded her, seeping into her skin.
She closed her eyes and basked in the feel of his arms around her.
When she released him from the hug, his dark eyes focused on hers with an intensity that sent her pulse galloping. He swallowed
and licked his lips. “I like you, Darcy.”
“I like you too.”
“I mean, I really like you.” He paused. “I’d like to see where this goes.”
She nodded. “I would too.” She touched his hand. “Can we take it slow?”
He blew out a puff of air, and his expression relaxed. “That would be perfect.”
Happiness billowed through her.
“I’ll text you.” His handsome face lit with a smile.
She unlocked her front door and pushed it open. “Drive safe.”
“I will,” he promised. “Good night, Darcy.”
“Good night.” She stood in the doorway while he jogged down her steps and climbed into his SUV.
***
Carter’s thoughts spun like a cyclone as he drove home. He had relished every moment with Darcy today. He’d finally found
the courage to tell her that he liked her, but he felt torn.
Darcy had a house, and her parents were comfortable— very comfortable—while Carter was crawling out of debt.
Still, when Darcy hugged him, he didn’t want to let go. In fact, he wanted to tilt her chin up and kiss her until she was breathless.
Yet attraction could only go so far. He had nothing to contribute to her life except for debt. The cost of his routine medications
alone was enough of a hardship for him. It would be unfair of him to even consider dragging her into the mess of his life.
How could he expect someone else to take that on?
He was starting to care for her. And that scared him.
Carter rested his elbow on the door and steered with his other hand while he stared at the road ahead. His thoughts wandered
to her fiancé and the pain he’d witnessed in her eyes when she talked about him. Carter couldn’t imagine the depth of her
grief, and her fiancé hadn’t even been gone for two years.
Everything felt so hard right now. Darcy, his recovery, his finances, his dad... He frowned, recalling how he’d opened
up to Darcy about his father. He had to find a way to convince Shauna to not waste her time looking for Dad. The last thing
he needed was his father returning to disrupt their lives.
Carter parked his truck in the driveway, climbed out, and gathered up the basket and blanket. He was still deep in thought
as he hit the button to open the garage door and sauntered into the house. He hung his truck keys on a hook by the back door.
The sound of a movie echoed in the kitchen from the family room. He padded through the house, waving to his sister and brother-in-law
on his way toward the hall closet, where Shauna had kept the basket and blanket.
When the television muted, Carter pressed his lips together.
“Sooooo, how’d it go?” Shauna asked with a grin.
Carter nodded. “Fine,” he said, opening the closet door.
“Details, please!” his sister demanded as he slipped the basket and blanket onto the top shelf.
He frowned, not in the mood for an interrogation. “We had fun. We had a picnic and walked around the park. We wandered around
town, and then I took her home.”
“And?”
“That’s it.” He spun to face his sister. “Shauna, I want you to stop looking for Dad.”
His sister blinked. “Why?”
“Because we don’t need him in our lives.”
“He needs to answer for why he hurt us.” She swallowed. “I want to know why we didn’t mean more to him. We’re his children.”
“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing he can say to make up for the past, so let’s leave the past where it belongs—behind us.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. “No, that’s not good enough.”
“It has to be, Shauna. I don’t want to see him, and I hope you’ll respect my feelings.” When she didn’t respond, he added,
“Please, Shauna. I’m begging you not to do this. Please don’t hurt me this way.”
Shauna swallowed, but then a manufactured smile overtook her lips. “Did you ask Darcy to be your girlfriend?”
“Why are you deflecting?”
“I’m not deflecting, Carter,” she said. “I genuinely want to know. Darcy sounds perfect for you.”
“For once in your life, stop smothering me and treat me like the adult I am. I need you to listen to me. Don’t look for Dad,
all right?”
She nodded, but deep down, he knew she wasn’t going to listen to him.
Turning, he headed up the stairs to his room over the garage.
***
“Now, Darcy,” Mom began the following afternoon, “your dad mentioned you have a new friend. His name’s Carter, right?”
Taking a sip of sweet tea, Darcy peered out over the deck toward her parents’ pool while she considered how much to tell her
mother. Thanks, Dad.
Mom gave her a knowing smile. “Let me guess. You think your dad already clued me in on everything, and I’m just fishing for
info.”
“You said it, not me.” Darcy felt her lips twitch.
Mom laughed. “Now tell me, Darcy. Your dad said he really liked him. He said he was very friendly and respectful. Apparently
he looked completely flummoxed when your dad handed him the keys to the Dodge.”
“Yeah, I think Dad likes him.”
“You know he doesn’t give the keys to his truck to just anybody.”
“That’s true.” Darcy set her glass on the table and smiled. “He took me on a picnic yesterday.”
“A picnic? How thoughtful.”
“Yeah, it was, and we had a lot of fun.” Darcy filled her in on their afternoon.
“Do you like him?” Mom asked.
“Yes.” A lot. She paused. “I guess you could say we’re seeing each other.”
Before falling asleep last night, Darcy recalled how they’d poured their hearts out to each other, held hands, sat close together,
laughed on the swings... And that hug...
Then she had thought about Jace, and the familiar guilt set in.
Darcy pulled her phone from her pocket and checked it again. Carter still hadn’t texted her.
Slow down, Darcy! You saw him less than twenty-four hours ago!
“So he’s your boyfriend, huh? Good for you!”
“No, Mom,” Darcy insisted. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’re talking. Getting to know each other.”
“You need to invite him over for supper so I can meet him.”
“I will,” she promised. “Eventually. I don’t want to rush anything.” She picked up one of her mom’s homemade lemon bars and
took a bite. “Yum. You still make the best lemon bars.”
“Thank you, but don’t try to change the subject. I want to hear more about him.”
“He’s sweet and easy to talk to.”
Mom placed her elbow on the table and her chin on her palm as if they were two girlfriends sharing secrets. “Handsome?”
“Very.” She moved her hand over her glass. “But he’s so much more than that. I feel this connection with him that I can’t
explain.”
Mom’s blue eyes glimmered. “I’m so glad to hear that, Darcy. I know you’ve struggled since you lost Jace, and I’m thrilled
that you’ve met someone. That is the best way for you to heal.” She patted her daughter’s hand. “You’ll never forget Jace,
but it’s perfectly right for you to fall in love again. He would’ve wanted you to meet someone else.”
Darcy sniffed as a vision of Jace filled her mind.
“Oh no.” Mom scooted her chair closer and rested her arm around Darcy’s shoulders. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”
Darcy dabbed her eyes with a paper napkin. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I didn’t mean to make you sad. I just wanted you to know it’s okay to fall in love again.”
Darcy shook her head. “I’m not ready to fall in love again.”
“But that’s when it happens. I met your dad after my long-term boyfriend broke my heart. I had convinced myself to just concentrate
on school and give up on love. And then—boom! Your dad and I bumped into each other at a party, and the rest is history.”
Mom rubbed Darcy’s back. “You deserve to be loved, honey. Don’t forget that.”
Darcy sniffed and nodded, but she didn’t believe the words. She couldn’t imagine ever forgiving herself for Jace’s death. She rested her head on her mom’s shoulder. “Tell me about book club. You always hear the best gossip there.”
“Oh yes. Did I tell you that Doris’s son was dating that woman who has eighteen cats?”
Darcy nodded. “You did.”
“Well, turns out Doris’s son is allergic. How is that relationship going to work out?” she asked with a laugh.
As Mom shared the latest news about her book club friends, Darcy considered bringing up the Lost and Found website. Not today, she decided. She would save that news until she was able to tell her mother something, and who even knew if that would happen?