Page 7 of Until the End

I can only say it now because they’re my family. I trust them not to get mad at me for doing what is best for me. It helps that Carson is with me. They all know he’ll take care of me. He’s been doing it since we were kids. It’s one of myfavorite things about him. He knows when to push and when to let me handle things on my own.

Right now, I need his help more than I’ve ever needed it.

“You look beautifully hilarious.” Carson snorts.

“That’s a juxtaposition if I’ve ever heard one.” I grab my purse off the small coffee table and move to the door.

“It’s true. You’d look beautiful wearing a garbage bag, but I like the way you look in my clothes.”

Something in Carson’s tone sends a tingle through my belly. I’m not sure what he meant by that statement, but I’m too chicken to ask him.

“You ready?” he asks as he scoops up his keys and phone.

“Yep. Let’s go shopping.”

We get into the Jeep, and the GPS takes us to an open-air shopping center. This is probably a horrible plan for me. I have no doubt the press has gotten hold of the news story by now. There were too many people at the wedding for it not to have leaked. I can’t imagine what they’re saying about me right now. Not a single word of it is true, but one thing I can count on Cecelia for is that she’ll handle the damage control until I surface.

That’s going to be a little while. I can’t even talk to my best friends about what happened to me yesterday. Explaining anything to the public is going to be a nightmare.

I shut down those thoughts.

Today is for fun. I’m not going to think about the wedding or the press or even what’s going to happen next.

“I don’t want to talk about anything that happened yesterday or what my plan is from here. Today, I want to live in the moment and have some fun for a change.”

Carson’s scrutinizing expression almost has me backtracking until he gets this soft smile on his face and nods. “I think we can make that happen.”

We get out of the Jeep and walk toward the entrance of theshopping center. I did a little research on the way, and there are a few different stores I want to go to. I don’t need a lot of stuff. Carson and I only booked the hotel for a few days, but I can’t steal all of Carson’s clothes—then he won’t have anything to wear.

A naked Carson doesn’t sound so bad.

Nope. That’s not a thought I’m allowed to have. We’re already living in close quarters. If I let my brain run wild with sexy images of Carson, I’ll never be able to look him in the eye.

“First stop, coffee.”

“Thank god.” Carson groans.

“You’re such a baby.”

“Ginny, I love you, but shopping is literally the worst activity. I need sustenance to get through this day.” The teasing shine to his emerald eyes gives him away.

“Well, I’d better feed you then. Otherwise, you’ll waste away, and then what will I do?”

“Exactly! You won’t have a big, strong man to protect you.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay, tough guy. Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

Carson laughs as he opens the door to the coffee shop. The line isn’t too bad, and we place our order quickly. Carson insists on paying. He says he doesn’t want anyone to see the name on my card and connect the dots. I hope that’s true and he’s not doing all this because he feels sorry for me—I think that might be worse than the paparazzi discovering where I’m hiding out.

With coffee and snacks in hand, we walk through the mall to the first store I want to go to. I have some clothes at my house in Sonoma, so I should be okay to just get what I need for a few days.

Carson stays by my side the entire time I shop. Despite his earlier words, he never looks bored or like he would rather beanywhere else in the world. He even helps me pick out a couple of shirts I wouldn’t have seen.

“Oh, this one. This is the one you need to get.” Carson holds up what I can only describe as a green tube. It’s about the width of my arm, and I can’t get my brain wrapped around how that actually fits on any living being’s body.

“I can’t tell if that’s a dress or a shirt.”

He laughs. “Yeah, me neither. Go try it on. I want to know how it works.”

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