Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Carter slowed to stop in the garage, then shut off the engine and headed around to the passenger side. His father waved him off as he opened the door and held out a steadying hand.
“I’m fine on my own,” he groused. “Don’t know why they insisted on me coming home with you.”
Carter bit back an exasperated sigh. “Because you just had a heart attack—multiple, actually—and your body is still weak. They wanted to make sure you had someone close by in case you needed help.”
His father struggled out of the seat, then leaned against the side of the car for a moment, catching his breath. “I’ve been taking care of myself for sixty years. Nothing’s going to change now.” He drew in a panting breath and glanced around the garage. “It’s too hot in here.”
Carter turned away as he rolled his eyes.
Of course it was hot in the garage; it was almost a hundred degrees outside.
He was half tempted to give in and take his father back to his house, but both Audrey and the staff at the hospital had insisted he have someone close by at least for the next few days.
Like it or not, they were stuck together for the foreseeable future. Carter’s baby sister Whitney was their father’s favorite, but she lived three states away and had a family of her own. He couldn’t make her walk away from that just because Dad was being stubborn.
He let out a sigh. “Let’s just go inside.”
Carter turned and headed toward the house, leaving his father to follow.
God forbid should he think Carter was doting on him.
He opened the door and stepped into the kitchen, then made his way to the fridge for a bottle of water.
He cracked the lid and took a healthy gulp as Dad shuffled in and shut the door behind him.
Carter watched over the rim of the bottle as his father puttered around the counter and sat heavily on one of the barstools.
His face looked flushed, and there was a fine layer of perspiration on his forehead from his trek inside.
Carter couldn’t tell if it was the strain on his body or the unbearable heat that had caused it.
He slid a look at his father and gestured toward the fridge. “Want some water?”
His father gave his head a little shake. “No, but I’ll take some coffee if you’ve got some.”
Carter blinked once, hard. His father was messing with him, right?
What was it with old people and coffee? He’d complained less than two minutes ago that it was too hot out, but thought it was totally normal to drink coffee now?
He gave his head a little shake as a rueful laugh escaped his mouth. “I can make some for you.”
His father gazed around the room, and one eyebrow lifted at the sight of the single-serve brewer on the counter. “No, it’s fine. I don’t want to put you out any more than I already have.”
“It’s fine,” Carter said. “I want you to feel at home here. Besides, it’ll only take two minutes to brew a cup. Just tell me how you take it.”
“No, don’t worry about it,” his father replied.
“If you want coffee, I’ll make the coffee,” Carter snapped.
His father huffed an irritated little sound and heaved himself off the barstool. “Just show me where the guest room is so I can rest up a bit.”
Carter clenched his jaw, fighting back the urge to scream.
He didn’t know why his father had to be so difficult all the time.
He loved him, but they’d never seen eye-to-eye; they never would.
Not for the first time, Carter wished Whitney could be there to take him off his hands.
She would know exactly what to do. He had a feeling the next week was going to be rough on both of them.
Shoving away from the counter, Carter strolled down the hallway toward the front of the house.
He’d converted his office into a bedroom for his father and had a bed and TV moved in so he wouldn’t have to struggle up and down the stairs.
There was a full bathroom one door down, so the setup was almost ideal.
Or so he thought. His father paused in the doorway and looked around, a frown tugging at his lips.
Carter felt his hackles rising as he watched his father’s gaze sweep over the room. “Something wrong?”
His father gave an abbreviated shake of his head. “Nope.”
The tone of his voice told Carter he was lying, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment.
No matter what he did, it wouldn’t be right.
He decided to take a step away before his anger got the best of him.
“Make yourself at home,” he said through clenched teeth. “And yell if you need anything.”
Without giving his father the chance to come up with anything else that aggrieved him, Carter jogged up the stairs to his room, pulling his cell from his pocket and dialing as he went. Whitney picked up just as he closed the bedroom door.
“Hey, big brother. How is Dad doing?”
“Ornery,” he replied. “Are you sure you don’t want to take over for me?”
He could practically hear her eyes roll through the phone. “The only reason you guys don’t get along is because you’re so much alike.”
“I take offense to that,” he retorted. He’d admired his father growing up. He was a hard worker and a good husband to their mother until she passed, and all he’d ever wanted to do, just like every other kid, was make his father proud.
From the time he was in middle school, he followed in his father’s footsteps, playing peewee football, then becoming a high school quarterback and leading their team to state.
After graduation, he spent two tours serving his country in the Marines, just like his father had.
After he was discharged, he went to his father’s alma mater and got a degree in law—just like him. And he hated every second of it.
It paid the bills and then some, and he enjoyed when people got what they deserved, but that wasn’t nearly as often as it should be. He felt like something was missing from his life, maybe more than one thing.
He knew a lot of it had to do with Audrey.
Ever since he met her, he’d felt the urge to settle down, or at least turn his attention to a more serious relationship.
Even though she’d been married at the time, he knew there was something different about her, that he wanted to explore it further.
She had her reservations, but he hoped he would be able to convince her to give him another shot.
As for his job, he didn’t know what to do. Edward had dangled the promotion in front of him like a carrot, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it anymore, especially not if there were stipulations attached to it. He wouldn’t whore himself out for a raise.
He hung up with Whitney, not feeling much more optimistic about the situation, then changed and headed back downstairs.
He hit the basement for a quick run on the treadmill and was just opening the door into the kitchen when he ran into his father.
“Hey. I’m gonna change, then eat. What would you prefer—chicken or pork? ”
The doctor had given strict orders for his father to follow a healthier diet to try to lower his cholesterol.
Not for the first time, Carter wished their mother was still around.
For the last year and a half since she passed away, he was certain his father hadn’t been taking care of himself.
They’d spent so much time together, always going golfing or playing racquetball together, that it had never occurred to Carter to worry about his father’s health.
Now, though, he was acutely aware of his father’s age. He was looking older and more frail, almost depressed. Their mother’s battle with cancer had hit him hard, and Carter felt bad for not checking in with him more often.
His father lifted one shoulder. “Whatever’s easiest for you.”
“Chicken it is.” This time, Carter didn’t even bother to argue. There was plenty of food in the pantry that his father could make if he didn’t like it.
Seated at the oak table, his father threw a look Carter’s way. “Something going on with you and Dr. Stanton?”
Carter froze at the question. Why was he asking? He knew his father was astute enough not to have missed the exchange between Audrey and Carter, but he’d never expressed any interest in Carter’s love life. Carter decided on an easy answer. “We know each other. She was a client.”
His father grunted. “No wonder she ran away from you.”
“Always assume the worst about me, don’t you?”
Unfortunately, in this case, his father was right.
Carter had hurt Audrey, and he deserved her scorn.
The way she’d looked at him in the hospital had nearly gutted him.
He’d seen distrust and sadness, insecurity and accusation.
But underneath all that, he’d also seen a glimmer of desire.
This thing between them wasn’t even close to being over yet.
Carter sidled up to the reception desk and peered at Mrs. Hodges. “I need to ask you a favor.”
He hadn’t been able to get Audrey off his mind and, sometime during the past twenty-four hours since his father had asked him about her, he’d finally come up with a plan. It wasn’t his best work, but it was all he had at the moment.
“What’s that?” The older woman turned an inquisitive gaze on him as he pulled up a chair and took a seat.
“I need you to call Dr. Stanton and have her come in.”
Her graying eyebrows drew together. “Whatever for? I believe everything has already been settled and—”
He shook his head. “I need to speak with her.”
Her eyes narrowed, then took on a speculative look as she tipped her head to one side. “Mr. Cross—”
“Please,” he said when he knew she was about to balk. “I need to see her in person. It’s important. Whatever you want for Christmas this year, it’s yours.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Dating clients is against our policy, let alone our ethics—”
“She isn’t technically our client any longer,” he argued. “And this isn’t some whim. I promise,” he added when she opened her mouth to admonish him again. “Tell her anything to get her in here. I just need to see her.”
“I don’t know why you can’t just talk to the poor woman yourself,” she groused.
“I don’t want to scare her off,” he admitted. “Her husband cheated on her, and she doesn’t want to go through that again.”
“Poor dear.” Mrs. Hodges’s eyes softened, and he knew he almost had her. “She’s the sweetest thing.”
He almost choked on his reply. Audrey and sweet weren’t exactly synonymous—in fact, her red-headed temper was one of the things he loved most about her. He managed to force down the laugh that had sprung to the tip of his tongue.
“She’s… incredible,” he amended. “Isn’t your husband a fan of the Stars?”
He knew Mr. Hodges was an avid hockey fan, and he’d give them season tickets if he could just convince her to get Audrey in here.
It was underhanded, he knew, but there was no way she’d come if he asked.
Not after last time. He knew she still hadn’t forgiven him, hadn’t thought he was sincere.
He needed to apologize, but he had to get her in here first, somewhere private so he could speak with her one-on-one.
“Oh, all right.” Mrs. Hodges threw up her hands, then shook a finger at him in warning. “But you’d better not hurt that poor girl.”
He grasped her fingers and grinned widely. “Thank you, Mrs. Hodges. I owe you. Anything you want, let me know.”
She pulled free and waved him off, a tiny smile curving her lips as she turned her focus back to the computer screen. “I have work to do.”
Still grinning, he stood and strode from the room, already thinking about how he was going to convince Audrey to give him a second chance.