Page 42 of Between Now and Forever

Maybe he doesn’t want me to stay.

I rub my cheek and shake my head in regret.

“I shouldn’t impose. You don’t have to worry about taking me home or anything. I can call a cab.”

“There’s a cab service? Why didn’t anyone tell me? I’ve spent the entire week trapped in this house and you made me spend it by this one lake?” Nadia questions.

“I offered to drive you to town several times,” Carter’s voice is dry and devoid of any sympathy.

“You drive like a maniac. I’m not putting this body in anything you’re the captain of,” Nadia scowls at him.

“Shut up, idiot,” Carter says irritably.

Their mother sighs.

“My children are jerks, but I promise it’s only to each other. Call your brother, let him know you’ll be back in the morning. I doubt any cabs would come out here in this weather. And there’s no need. We have a spare room.”

The offer is so tempting. Duke and his crewareprobably long gone by now.

Iamtired.

But…there’s Carter.

My eyes slide to his. He’s watching me. His eyes are hooded, and he’s caught his bottom lip between his teeth. When our eyes meet, a slow smile spreads across his face and my toes curl.

Oh yeah, he wants me to stay.

“Okay,” I say and smile at him.

He stands suddenly. And holds out a hand to me.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

“Show her the room and get right back down here, Carter. She may be twenty, but you arenotallowed to have sex while we’re under the same roof,” Penn calls, and I flush from the tips of my toes to the top of my scalp.

I say goodnight and thank them all again and am grateful for Carter’s hand holding mine as we exit the kitchen.

“Sorry about my mother. And my family. We’re all pretty direct people.”

“I like that. You’re wonderful. So, they’re like uber famous?”

“Yeah. Not that it means anything, but yes.”

“Wow, that’s cool. So you’re justhereon vacation?”

He laughs.

“You sound surprised. I got the impression you get lots of tourists.”

“The Hill Country in general, yes. Winsome, not so much. But, your dad is from around here, so I guess y'all come here regularly?”

“No, it’s our first time. He got lung cancer last year. He’s in remission and he’s on this whole bucket list thing and we’re doing it with him. Next week, we’re leaving to hike part of the Appalachian Trail. It’s going to be crazy, but we’ve been training and we’re ready.”

My heart squeezes at the way he tries to sound lighthearted and optimistic. His anguish, though, is evident in the catch of his voice and the way his fingers squeeze mine tightly when he said “cancer.”

I look over my shoulder, even though I can’t see them anymore. I imagine that table—the happy family gathered around it--and I can’t believe they’re in the middle of a tragedy like this.

“I’m so sorry I’ve intruded on your precious time,” I say.

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