Page 75 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
“If that’s what you want.” Carter lifts off of me, and suddenly—I’m empty.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Carter
Istand in front of the television, watching the news and having a green superfood smoothie. I’m heading over to the memory care facility for our weekly game day. I was traveling last Sunday, so I didn’t get the chance to see her. I did speak with her doctors a few days ago, and they said she’s been getting weaker and has been forgetting where she is more frequently.
As I’m turning off the television, I hear a soft knock at my door.
“Lina.” I smile. She’s in tight workout clothes and athletic shoes, and her hair is pulled up under a white Nike baseball cap. She looks fucking delicious.
Her eyes fall to my button-down shirt and dark jeans. “Aren’t we running today?”
“I’m so sorry. I thought I told you.” I open the door for her to come in. “I volunteer at my grandma’s center on Sundays.”
Lina takes my smoothie from my hands and brings it to her lips. She takes a sip before handing it back to me. “Oh my god. I totally forgot. I’m so sorry.”
I set the drink on the counter behind me. “Don’t be. I’mhappy to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you too.” She blushes and throws her arms around my abdomen. “I can leave then. We’ll just go a different time.” Her big blue eyes stare up at me, and my dick has other plans. We can’t do that anymore.
I cup her cheeks and press a kiss on her forehead. “Do you want to come with me?”
“To play games with your grandma?”
“Yes, and her vivacious friends,” I say, caressing her skin with my thumb. “They will love to have a new face around there.”
“Are you sure?” She grins. “This might be a little too serious for me.”
I laugh. “You’ll miss out on a morning of Bunco, Scrabble, and the elaborate stories from the past.”
“Well, if you put it that way, then sure.” She loops her fingers through the belt loops on my pants, tugging me closer.
“Really?”
She bites her bottom lip. “I love board games. Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’ll go with me?” I repeat, taken aback by her agreeing to spend her day off playing games with seniors. When I asked, I only half expected her to consider it.
She nods. “Yeah.”
My grandmother is going to lose her shit when she sees that I’ve brought someone with me. I need to prep Lina on the way there because I’m sure she won’t hold back with stories or her opinions on my childhood and love life. Maybe this isn’t a good idea.
Lina and I pull up to the memory care facility a short time later. I walk around the car to open her door.
She steps out into the bright sunlight. “Okay, Carter, put your game face on.”
“It’s not that serious. I promise,” I tell her as we walk up to the entrance.
She puts her hands on her hips, stopping at the top of the stairs. “Speak for yourself. You have no idea how competitive I can be.”
I hook an arm around her neck, then realize, we don’t have to hide anything from the people in here. It’s freeing. “If that’s the way it’s going to be, it’s on.”
Her eyes narrow. “Let’s do this.”
“Hello, Carter,” Sue from behind the counter greets Lina and me as we walk into the lobby.
“Nice to see you,” I say, pulling out my wallet to give her my ID. “I’ve brought a friend with me this time. This is Lina.”
