“I’m not claiming that as mine!” Mom’s shriek was distinct this time.
Kellie shook her head and mouthed sorry to me.
I lifted a shoulder, one hot tear traveling my cheek.
Carter pulled me closer and pressed a warm kiss to my temple.
“Sure. I’ll tell her you called. Just. Please don’t do anything drastic. She needs her famil . . .” Kellie pulled the phone back, the call screen gone, replaced by a picture of Jared, Liam, and Aiden. She shook her head and said, “She’s so cold.”
Jared shivered, rubbing his arms. “Brrr,” he said, “anyone want some hot chocolate?”
“You totally know what’s up, Jared,” I said through a weak grin.
Jared pulled Kel into a tight hug and held her hand as they headed for the kitchen.
Carter drew me even closer. The protection he projected was so real. “You have no idea how much restraint it took for me to just sit here and listen to that garbage.”
“It’s just how she is.”
“That’s not normal.”
“Obviously.” I dabbed at my eyes and studied the edge of the table, where the light gleamed off the polish.
“Look at me,” he said.
I didn’t want to look at him. Not when I knew he had to be thinking how crazy my family was. How crazy he must be for getting tangled up in my life.
He turned my chin so I had to look him in the eye. “I’m falling in love with you, Lauren.”
My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat.
“I know it’s fast, but I’m serious. If there’s anything I can do to help, you gotta tell me, all right?”
I smiled, and cupped his handsome face in my palms. “I-I’m falling in love, too, Carter.”
“Don’t let that call ruin your time here, okay? Dinner was better than good. Putt-Putt was laughable, but there’s no denying we had fun. Your mom’s call was just some enemy flare up. But that’s all it was. She’s across the continent, right? Words are her only ammo.”
“I’m on her insurance. She leased my car, my phone, she’s paying for the Fashion Institute,” I said. “If she cuts me off, I lose everything.”
“We’ll handle whatever comes. But we don’t have to figure it out right now. Come on.” Carter dropped his forehead to mine and rubbed my shoulders. “Let’s finish this visit strong. I think it’s going better than we hoped. You still in, cowgirl?”
“I’m in.”
Twenty-Four
-CARTER-
I jolted awake at a faint crackling sound and opened my eyes to find Liam sitting at the edge of the bottom step, flipping through a book. The crackling came again when he touched something on the page. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept on a couch, but one thing I learned in the marine corps was how to sleep anywhere. After Lauren said good night, I was out like a light in five seconds.
“You waked up yet?” Liam asked.
I yawned, stretched, and threw my blanket back.
He gasped when he saw my leg, or lack of. I covered it back up but Liam frowned, dropped his book, and rushed over to me with a look of horror on his face. “You not have your leg.”
“Nope. Must’ve forgot it at home.”
“You mom could bring it later.”
A hearty chuckle escaped my mouth. “She probably could, but I think I’ll have it back before then.”
“Liam, let’s leave Carter alone,” Jared said, making his way down the steps. “Come on and get your breakfast, bud.” He nodded at me. “Morning. Help yourself when you’re ready. The girls are still asleep.”
“Thanks.” I pulled on my prosthetic as quick as possible, visited the bathroom, and came back out to find a low-grade wrestling match between Jared and Liam. I grinned as wide and burly Jared pretended—with sound effects—to be body slammed by his tiny four-year-old son. He tried to stand up, Liam tackled him again, and Jared stumbled to the floor, landing on his back. Groaning and lifting his hands, he said, “You win, bud. I surrender.”
“Yeah!” Liam said, punching the air.
Man, this is exactly what I wanted.
“Want to learn a soldier move?” I asked, grabbing a teddy bear. I’d given up trying to convince him that the term “marine” was a way cooler word than “soldier” after about twenty tries yesterday at the grill. Apparently, some battles just can’t be won.
I got down on my good knee, held the bear out, and showed him how to slip his arm around the bear’s neck and rotate his arm so the bear’s neck was caught in the crook of his elbow.
“Then, you just pull your fist back with your other hand and it pinches him in there tighter.”
“Cool,” Liam said, eyes all lit up.
I grinned.
Jared winced. “Just don’t do it around Mama.”
Liam laughed and started working the move on his bear—improvising with some ear-biting.
“That’s a major foul,” Lauren said from the top of the stairwell.
Aiden was balanced on her jutting hip and she was gently bouncing him. She was still in her PJs, her hair up in a wild bun, and there wasn’t an ounce of makeup on her face. Something hot shot through my chest at the sight of Lauren like that. I could really get used to seeing her all fresh out of bed, with a baby on her hip.
“You going down,” Liam growled to the teddy in his high-pitched little kid voice.
Lauren glanced at Liam then at me, “Can we talk?”
Jared blew a long whistle. “Come on, bud, let’s get you dressed. I think Carter’s in trouble.”
“Cause he forgot his leg? He found it though, see, Daddy? Look it.”
Jared laughed, muffled it, and herded Liam up the stairs.
“What’s up?”
“First off, you shouldn’t be teaching my nephew military moves.”
“Why not? He’s a good fighter. Have you seen him?”
“My sister hates violence.”
“Oh.” I stroked my beard. “Jared seemed fine with it.”
“It’s a boiling point for them.”
I followed her into the kitchen, prepared for a reaming, but the baby was fussing.
“Hang on, buddy, I’m working on your
