Isabelle’s glaring gaze from behind him. “Here,” I say, giving her the coupons as well. She practically rips them from my hand and hesitates. Her eyes lock on the back of Carter’s head, but he’s not paying attention.
Realizing this, she turns away, her flip-flops echoing in the nearly empty space.
“What’s up?” I say to him, ignoring the fluttering in my stomach.
“I feel like we haven’t had much time to talk this week. Do you want a ride home?”
“It’s out of your way.”
He leans closer, his eyebrows slightly raised, showcasing his gorgeous blue eyes. “I don’t mind.”
“Ready?” Will appears on the other side of me.
Carter scowls, but his eyes are still on mine.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I say to Carter.
He doesn’t move from his spot as Will and I exit the building. Without looking I can feel his eyes on us and the hairs at the back of my neck prickle.
The warm evening air is a welcome relief to the uncomfortable stuffiness of the building and Carter’s unbearable gaze.
***
Will’s pace is slower than normal as we walk through the woods. I’m grateful since my knee has gone from comfortably numb to pin pricks every time I take a step.
“How’s the house coming?” I offer by way of small talk.
“Good. It held up better than I thought it would, but I have to complete some minor repairs before the open house.”
I nod, unsure of where to take the conversation from there. When did this get so hard? Conversation between us was never weird.
“Tell me about the ranch,” I say, hoping for a glimpse of what he was going to tell me the other day.
He sighs, almost relieved for some reason. “It’s really great. The days are long but I really enjoy working with my hands.”
I bump his arm. “Must be genetic.”
His smile fades and I know I’ve hit something, but he quickly picks up on the silence. “Probably. But I’ve learned a lot more on my own.”
“Does your dad not help out?”
He massages his neck, craning it, his eyes focused on the ground. “He helps out, but I mainly work with the animals. He keeps up the rest of the place.” His sentence fades as if talking about the ranch is uncomfortable. “Anyway,” he interjects before I can say anything else. “Tell me about your senior year. That must have been fun.”
I shrug. “It was okay. I think I was ready to get out of here long before that.”
He nods, chuckling. “I understand that.”
My skin prickles. “But it was good. Better than I would have hoped.” I suspect Carter had a lot to do with that. He distracted me from the void in my heart. Something I regretted even now. I didn’t use Carter but it was a different kind of relationship. As much as I loved him, it was never as deep as I loved Will for all those years. But that was something I didn’t even share with Lily. It was my own shameful secret.
“Do you want to come inside?” Will asks.
We’ve reached the edge of the woods at the edge of our neighborhood. The setting sun casts a glow over the houses in its descent. I glance at my house.
“Unless you have something else to do?” he pushes.
I shake my head, smiling. “I’d love to.”
CHAPTER NINE
Will
I side-step Hadley and hold my front door open for her. It takes her a second to figure it out and enter the house. Apparently Carter
didn’t
have manners. Not that I’m surprised.
“Thanks.” She holds her arms close to her body.
I close the door and toss the keys into the bowl on the table by the door. I look around, trying to see the house through her eyes. I spent my nights after camp cleaning up the house and doing minor repairs. The bigger projects are for this weekend. The bathroom sink needs to be repaired and I have to run the numbers on replacing the hot water heater. I’m hoping to find a refurbished one for a reasonable price, but am waiting on a phone call back from one of Dad’s old friends. At least his name still held some clout in this
Realizing this, she turns away, her flip-flops echoing in the nearly empty space.
“What’s up?” I say to him, ignoring the fluttering in my stomach.
“I feel like we haven’t had much time to talk this week. Do you want a ride home?”
“It’s out of your way.”
He leans closer, his eyebrows slightly raised, showcasing his gorgeous blue eyes. “I don’t mind.”
“Ready?” Will appears on the other side of me.
Carter scowls, but his eyes are still on mine.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I say to Carter.
He doesn’t move from his spot as Will and I exit the building. Without looking I can feel his eyes on us and the hairs at the back of my neck prickle.
The warm evening air is a welcome relief to the uncomfortable stuffiness of the building and Carter’s unbearable gaze.
***
Will’s pace is slower than normal as we walk through the woods. I’m grateful since my knee has gone from comfortably numb to pin pricks every time I take a step.
“How’s the house coming?” I offer by way of small talk.
“Good. It held up better than I thought it would, but I have to complete some minor repairs before the open house.”
I nod, unsure of where to take the conversation from there. When did this get so hard? Conversation between us was never weird.
“Tell me about the ranch,” I say, hoping for a glimpse of what he was going to tell me the other day.
He sighs, almost relieved for some reason. “It’s really great. The days are long but I really enjoy working with my hands.”
I bump his arm. “Must be genetic.”
His smile fades and I know I’ve hit something, but he quickly picks up on the silence. “Probably. But I’ve learned a lot more on my own.”
“Does your dad not help out?”
He massages his neck, craning it, his eyes focused on the ground. “He helps out, but I mainly work with the animals. He keeps up the rest of the place.” His sentence fades as if talking about the ranch is uncomfortable. “Anyway,” he interjects before I can say anything else. “Tell me about your senior year. That must have been fun.”
I shrug. “It was okay. I think I was ready to get out of here long before that.”
He nods, chuckling. “I understand that.”
My skin prickles. “But it was good. Better than I would have hoped.” I suspect Carter had a lot to do with that. He distracted me from the void in my heart. Something I regretted even now. I didn’t use Carter but it was a different kind of relationship. As much as I loved him, it was never as deep as I loved Will for all those years. But that was something I didn’t even share with Lily. It was my own shameful secret.
“Do you want to come inside?” Will asks.
We’ve reached the edge of the woods at the edge of our neighborhood. The setting sun casts a glow over the houses in its descent. I glance at my house.
“Unless you have something else to do?” he pushes.
I shake my head, smiling. “I’d love to.”
CHAPTER NINE
Will
I side-step Hadley and hold my front door open for her. It takes her a second to figure it out and enter the house. Apparently Carter
didn’t
have manners. Not that I’m surprised.
“Thanks.” She holds her arms close to her body.
I close the door and toss the keys into the bowl on the table by the door. I look around, trying to see the house through her eyes. I spent my nights after camp cleaning up the house and doing minor repairs. The bigger projects are for this weekend. The bathroom sink needs to be repaired and I have to run the numbers on replacing the hot water heater. I’m hoping to find a refurbished one for a reasonable price, but am waiting on a phone call back from one of Dad’s old friends. At least his name still held some clout in this
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