Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
ASHLEY
Carter barges into the seamstress’s shop and stops. His gaze tracks up and down my body slowly, cataloging every detail.
I would’ve thought seeing me in a wedding dress would’ve made all the color drain from his face, but it does the opposite. He looks at me in awe, with a kind of reverence reserved for a real bride and groom.
“I’m just trying on Steph’s dress to make sure it should fit her,” I say a bit awkwardly since he’s staring at me, and I’m staring at him, waiting for him to say something.
He still doesn’t speak but walks toward me with his mouth open and his eyes wide. His nose and cheeks are red from the cold air outside.
“Hello? Carter?” I wave my hand in front of him.
The seamstress, Carla, had to go to the back to answer the phone, so it’s only Carter and me.
“You look…” He shakes his head as though he can’t believe what he’s seeing. Then he shoves his phone in his pocket and takes both my hands. “I’m sorry for this morning.”
“It’s fine. I already accepted your apology. Next time, don’t be a jerk about it.”
He shakes his head with more force this time and squeezes my fingers. “I didn’t regret our kiss. Not at all. But I can’t lie, it scared me.”
My head tilts. “Scared you? Am I that bad?”
Carter presses his lips together. “God no, you’re incredible. I’m scared because I feel too much for you. Too soon. But that doesn’t mean that what I feel is wrong. It took me a minute to realize it.”
“So, you didn’t feel like you were kissing Steph last night?”
“Not even close.” He shakes his head for what must be the third time. “All it took was spending more time with you than one dinner to see the wonderful, nuanced woman you are.” He pushes a hand through his hair. “I honestly can’t believe that I ever saw you as an extension of your sister.”
Something fills my chest until it is buoyant with what I think might be hope. “Carter… are you sure?”
I hadn’t really realized how much I wanted this until this moment. Maybe I didn’t want to hope and be shut down, too terrified to put myself out there again.
He cups my face. “I’ve never been so sure of anything. You’re meant to be mine, and I’m going to prove it to you.” He leans in and kisses me.
The kiss is even better than last night’s because this time, I won’t be left wondering what it means. This time, it means everything.
After Carla finishes pinning me for alterations, Carter and I hold hands as we walk around downtown, checking more wedding stuff off the list. It feels so good to be with him—like we’re a couple. So natural, as if we’ve always been that way.
Tonight, we’re going ice skating, something I’ve avoided since the first time I tried it after I moved.
Growing up in Florida, winter sports were never really part of my life, and I figured out quickly that ice skating isn’t the easiest skill to pick up—at least not for me.
But Carter assures me that he’s a pro and will help me out.
It’s not a traditional ice rink that we’re going to, but an ice path that runs through the forest. The route is lined with string lights, and there are vendors selling handmade goods, food, and drinks, and even a spot where the kids can sit on Santa Claus’s lap.
I’ve heard a lot of people in town talk about it before, but I’ve never been because of the whole having-to-skate-to-enjoy-it thing.
But as soon as we arrive, I wish I’d tried harder to learn because it’s beautiful.
Huge evergreens, branches heavy with snow, line either side of the path that winds through the forest. The hanging lights create a soft glow on the snow of the forest bed and reflect off the ice.
Carter and I head under an archway of red velvet ribbon and Christmas balls into what resembles a Christmas village. Holiday music rings out, and all the vendors are set up along the outside of a large circle. In the middle, tables and Adirondack chairs are set around roaring fires.
“This place feels magical.” I turn to soak in Carter’s reaction.
His wide ocean eyes glimmer as they bounce from one thing to the next. “It sure does. I can’t believe you’ve never been here before.”
“I know. Now I feel like I was missing out. Makes me feel like a wimp for not trying harder.”
We both chuckle.
He squeezes my hand. “I’m kind of happy you didn’t.”
“Why?” I cock my head.
He looks down. “Because it’s our first of firsts.”
“First of firsts?” I giggle, and his smile grows.
“The first time we get to do something together that neither of us has done before.”
My heart soars. It sounds so lovely, and I can’t wait to do the next one.
“And of course I get to act all macho and show you how to skate. An ego thing, you know?”
“Oh, I know.”
He places a kiss on my temple. “Let’s go get our skates.”
“Are you sure you want to take responsibility for my safety on the ice? I’m really not good.” I stare at the skates on the counter, remembering how I could barely stand as kids were whizzing by me.
He shakes his head and hands me my skates. “Just don’t break anything. Steph will kill me if you’re wearing a cast in her wedding pictures.”
I laugh as we walk to a nearby bench to put on our skates. Carter gets his on in record time, and I take my time tying my skates.
“Well, I see your first problem.”
“What?”
“They aren’t nearly tight enough. Here.” He stands in front of me and motions for me to give him my foot.
He’s towering over me, and I hadn’t realized how much taller ice skates make someone. I raise my leg, and he holds the blade of my skate between his thighs and unties the laces.
“You must trust me a lot. One quick flick of my ankle, and you’re in bad shape.” I waggle my eyebrows.
He sets his eyes on me. “Believe me, you injure him, and you’re the one missing out.” He arches an eyebrow.
The space between my thighs tingles. His long fingers flex as he fixes my laces, tying them tighter than I had, and a quick picture of him doing this for a child, our child, comes to mind.
I mentally chastise myself because what the heck was that? Talk about fast forwarding—I don’t even know what this thing with Carter is. It’s not as if we’ve talked about it. Why am I already casting him in the role of father to my children?
Get a grip, Ashley.
“There you go.” He gently sets down my leg.
I wiggle my toes, and Carter holds his hand out to help me stand. I can instantly feel how much more stable my ankles are. “This is much better. Thanks.”
He places a chaste kiss on my lips. It makes me smile, this ease with which we’ve fallen into being comfortable showing each other affection.
“Want to give it a shot?” he asks.
“Let’s do it.”
My skate hits the ice, and I immediately fall, almost taking Carter down with me.
“Try to keep one foot planted and push off with the other one.” Carter holds my hands and skates backward in front of me.
I do as he instructs and take a wobbly glide forward. But at least I’ve found some balance, and I’m no longer falling on my ass every time I move.
“That’s it, you’re doing great. Now do it again and then again.”
Other people whip by us, but Carter says to ignore them, don’t think about how stupid I probably look.
Normally, the mortification would have me packing it in like I did last time, but Carter gives me the confidence to keep going.
I push off like he said and do it again and again until what I’m doing bears some resemblance to skating.
A grin forms on both our faces.
“You’re doing great,” he says. Carter has been so patient. “Let me know when you think you’re okay for me to let go of you.”
His words make me grip him harder. “Not yet.”
He chuckles. “I’m not going to let go until you tell me you’re ready. Don’t worry.”
“Did you skate a lot growing up?”
He nods. “Played hockey growing up. I was never amazing at it, but I did all right. I’m trying to convince my brother, Tre, to put my niece Ryah in hockey. I want to take her skating when I visit.”
I remember from our first date that he grew up in a small town named Climax Cove in Oregon.
“He’s not into it?”
Carter shrugs. “We used to have a bit of a rivalry growing up since he was the star football player, and I was into hockey.”
“Do you enjoy being an uncle?”
The megawatt smile is on his face answers before he even responds. “It’s the best. Ryah has such a fun personality, and I’m sure Maisie will be the same. She’s just a baby, so I haven’t seen her enough.”
A warm smile stretches my mouth. After my experience with him teaching me how to skate, I can picture him being a wonderful uncle to his nieces.
“Do you want to be a father someday?” I feel a little awkward asking that question. I don’t want him to think that I’m wondering as it relates to me, even if I kind of am.
His gaze meets mine, and it feels weighted with possibility as though he knows why I’m asking and is okay with it. “I do, yeah.” Then he squeezes my hands, like some kind of promise.
I try not to read too much into it, but my heart pumps out a staccato beat.
A couple holding hands leisurely skates by us, the male in the couple glancing over his shoulder when they pass.
When I see him do a double-take, I groan because here it comes.
He pulls the woman he’s skating with to a stop, says something to her, and she turns and looks at us before a huge smile transforms her face. And now they’re coming over.
“Get ready,” I whisper to Carter, who looks baffled until the couple stops right next to us.
“Oh my god, I love Shelter Bay!” the woman practically shouts.
“Except your hair is different,” the man says.
Carter stiffens in surprise, then slowly releases my hands, shifting to my side and wrapping his arm around my waist to keep me steady.
I smile at them as nicely as I can. “Actually, I’m not her. It’s my twin sister on the show.”
The guy scoffs. “Yeah, okay. You look exactly like her.”
Carter frowns. “Did you miss the part where she said they’re twins? Identical twins?”
The man glances from me to Carter. “Listen, if you don’t want to talk to some of your fans, just say so. You don’t have to make shit up.”
The woman tugs on his arm. “What’s it like being on a TV show with Rick Selleck? He’s so gorgeous. Do you think he’ll be your love interest on the show next season?”
Her face fills with excitement. Here comes the bad part. I brace myself. I always feel bad when I have to burst people’s bubble and make them really understand that I’m not her.
“It’s my sister, honest to God.”
Her eyes narrow, and her gaze tracks me up and down, taking in all my features. “You’re right. You’re a little curvier than she is.”
“And not as pretty,” the guy says.
Carter skates in front of me, as if he can block the insults. I lose balance but grip the back of his jacket, holding steady for the moment.
“What’s wrong with you guys? You two don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Ashley is a thousand times better.” His head whips over his shoulder. “Don’t tell Steph I said that.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. Despite the insults these two strangers have just leveled at me, I find the humor in Carter’s reaction.
“Whatever,” the guy says and rolls his eyes.
The two of them skate off, grumbling to themselves, and Carter turns around, gripping my hands as he circles. It’s a sexy-as-hell move. He pulls me in and wraps his arms around my waist.
“Thanks for coming to my defense.”
His forehead wrinkles. “You know what they said was total bullshit, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I’m used to it.”
The wrinkles on his forehead deepen. “Does it happen a lot?”
“Not quite like that, where people are that nasty, but most people don’t believe me when I say I’m not Steph. It takes some convincing.”
“Now I understand why you reacted the way you did on our first date. Which makes me feel even more like an asshole.” The pain in his tone soothes a little of that hurt I’ve been harboring.
“Honestly, things like what just happened bother me less than when someone knows me and still thinks my sister and I are carbon copies of each other.”
Carter kisses the tip of my cold nose. “I’m sorry I ever made you feel that way.”
“I know you are. But listen, I can be a little too sensitive about it, and I probably overreacted that night. I was really into you and felt this instant connection during dinner, and I was hopeful about where things might go between us. So, when you did a one-eighty, I was embarrassed and disappointed.”
He cringes and inhales through his nose, his eyes never straying from mine.
“Rest assured, now that I know you better, I can’t imagine why I ever saw Steph in you.
I wasn’t kidding about what I said to them.
You are a thousand times better.” Then he gives me a good, long kiss.
“But seriously, don’t tell Steph because she’d probably cut my balls off, and that would hurt you as well as me now. ”
We burst into laughter, causing me to lose my balance. My feet slip out from under me, and I grab onto Carter, taking him down with me. We end up in a tangle of limbs, laughing even harder.