Page 24 of The Devil's Detail
He shakes his head. “They’ve got a couple of other building projects to check out. It’s fine. We can walk back in time for dinner. Then it’s the pub.” He smirks. Tarron has been trying to get me to taste all the whiskey. I’m drowning in the stuff.
“Is it just us?” I know I sound hopeful. But he nods.
“Yep, I’m sending Ash with them. They need a driver. Tarron drinks at every stop, and Evie needs the comfy seats.” He grins, showing his perfect white teeth, and his dimples pop out.
Every day we’ve been here, I’ve seen a new facet of him. And every day I fall more under his spell.
We walk in companionable silence for a while, then the easy flow of chatter from him takes over. His family, his nephews and nieces. I let his voice roll over me. It fits with this landscape. It’s earthy, full of power. Wild reckless power. It feels unstoppable, and I’m happy to be swept away with the surge. I don’t want it to stop.
We talk about my lack of family. My momma. My feelings towards Christmas because of it. I slip the conversation towards relationships.
“I thought you were in a long-term relationship when I first met you?” I question him, hoping to sound curious rather than prying.
“I was, but, well, it never worked out.” He doesn’t say anything for a minute, then clarifies. “She thought it was love, I didn’t. You see love here this week. Kell, Xan, Evie. I’ve never had that. That level of love. So I wasn’t going to commit to anything.”
Wow, so much to unpack there. He’s all or nothing. How am I going to navigate that sort of search for love? But he doesn’t give me time to dwell on it, cleverly moving the conversation to me and mine.
“Don’t tell me you really wanted to marry Gary?” He’s dragged us back to the superficial. It’s safe there.
“Honey, that man was so far away from marriage material, he might as well have been on the moon. It’s always the same in my world. Either they want you because you can get them something” —I’m wafting my hands theatrically—“money, fame, connections. Or they want to take it from you. The fact that you actually worked for it, not an issue for them. They just want it, and assume you will give it to them.”
He nods sympathetically. “It’s tough out there. Even for a Hollywood A-lister. You want me to feel sorry for you?” He’s busting my chops, his playful smirk making my knees go weak.
“Sugar, I’m telling you, even Carter Fucking Maywood can’t get laid just for the fun of it.”
He throws back his head and laughs. It reverberates around us. Hits me square in the chest. “Man, you’re funny. I see them queuing up. One look from you and they’d be there.” He’s grinning at me.
“Well, I don’t want any of them. I want me a real man, sugar. Not a matching outfit. I’m holding out for that.” He stops in his tracks. “Have I shocked you?” He nods, his face showing his surprise. “Don’t get me wrong, I like to flirt. It’s my favourite thing.”
He snorts a laugh at that. “Yeah, I’ve seen.” But he looks indulgently at me. “Ash keeps me up to date as well.”
“I knew that man was a snitch.”
His eyes widen at my playful words. “No, no. He doesn’t snitch, not unless it’s security.” He gives me a stern look.
“Urgghhh, security. I’m so fed up with it all. I’ll be happy when I'm past it, and nobody gives a shit if I rock up to the 7-eleven in my PJs.” I smirk and add, “And a feather boa. Maybe a pair of pink silk slippers.”
He’s laughing so hard, and it’s so free and genuine, I want to hear that sound forever. So I continue to regale him with outfits that I could wear to various convenience stores. Even my Walmart special. As if.
I don’t think I’ve had a day like this in my life. I’m just being me, and he seems to love that.
Well, shoot. I know I’ve fallen in love with Scotland. And now I think I’ve fallen in love with my brown-eyed boy, too.
17
Jackson
Carter in Scotlandwas a breeze compared to Carter in LA. I’m sure he’s acting up on purpose. I expected him to be high profile, but this high maintenance act? No way. It’s as if LA affects his decision making. Or maybe, as I suspect, it’s the men he’s allowed back to his detail from the old firm that are the issue.
We’ve had the biggest row yet, over superhero character dolls, for fuck’s sake. I slam myself back into my desk chair. Ash has turned up for the debrief. It was his day off.
“Do you think they waited til I was out of the way?” He’s spinning a pen around in frustration and annoyance.
I nod. “Absolutely. There’s no way in hell you would have let Carter get out of that car. What the fuck were they thinking making an unscheduled stop like that.” I’m shaking my head. “I’ve got a bit of digging to do, but I think I know what happened.”
He looks over at me and sighs. “I like Carter, he’s a good guy. But do we really need all this?” He points to the reports and magazine covers with Carter’s face plastered all over them. “He’severywhere, and a loose cannon. Can’t you speak to Evie, get her to understand, and maybe put another firm on him. Someone a bit more old school.”
I huff a laugh at that. “I can try, but Carter is on the phone every week telling her how great he thinks we are. If I try and upend that, she’ll not be happy.” I hate disappointing my sister, but I fear it may get to that point.
