I reached over and turned over the card but this time I moved my man myself.
"This could be just the thing you need to get Carter out of your system," Reggie said sitting on the couch and dialing on her phone.
It seemed impossible that I would ever completely get over Carter, but it was definitely something I was going to have to try to do because once I told him about Tanner, there would be no option.
I was such an idiot to not have realized my feelings sooner. Actually, it wasn’t that I didn't know sooner, it was that I didn't believe in fairy tales or happily ever after. But it was becoming clear to me that despite that, I really wanted to try. And I knew that Carter had wanted to try too, which made my actions all the worse. He had essentially offered me everything I wanted, and I pushed him away cruelly because I was too afraid to take it.
Be careful what you wish for.
23
Carter
I was deeply hurt and extremely pissed Jess's reaction to my little deception. But if she walked through my door right now and wanted to make up, I would do it in a minute. It made me even more antsy to get away. To distract my mind from all the hopes and dreams that had disintegrated in front of me a few nights ago.
Of course, my grandmother and Noah had warned me, so I suppose I should expect an I told you so from them once they learned what had happened. Still, I really would've thought Jess would understand that my intentions were to love her.
Then again, I suppose she and everyone else was right, that a relationship couldn't be started on deception and expect any chance of surviving. Along with my own deception, I had to wonder what it was that she had been so guarded about herself. What was her relationship with this Reggie person?
I sat at my desk looking busy, but the numbers were all a blur. There was a knock at my door, and I was grateful for the distraction.
"It’s open," I called.
The door popped open and Hunter walked in. Hunter had always been the epitome of tall, dark and broody, but the man who walked in had a smile the size of Everest. He looked rested and extremely happy. I was ecstatic for him, even as I was jealous.
I stood. "Hey, you're back." I came out from around my desk to give him a hug.
"We just got in the other day. But there is jet lag we had to get over before coming in."
I rolled my eyes knowing that they probably spent all their jet lag in bed. Again, another reason to be jealous because I knew for a fact there is nothing sweeter than making love to the woman you are destined to be with.
"Marriage looks good on you."
Hunter grabbed a water bottle from one of the many sitting on my bar and then took a seat in one of the chairs. I took a seat in the other chair across from him.
"Marriage is fucking awesome. If I’d known it, I’d have done it sooner."
The truth was, as I later learned it, Hunter had actually almost got married once before. But as it turned out, the woman had only wanted him for his money and status, and to make it worse, she publicly humiliated him.
"I understand everything with the European expansion is going well. All the market tests went through without any glitches."
He nodded. "Yep, that's why I'm here." He handed me a file that I knew would have data about marketing and sales. I scanned through the numbers and they all looked good, which meant I could probably arrange to go somewhere else other than Europe. I could take time off, and go get lost in the Amazon of South America for a few weeks.
"Natalie and Kellie are having some sort of girls night, and Ryan is out of town and Noah is wherever Noah goes, so I'm tagging you, Carter, to come to Cesare’s tonight for drinks and dinner on me. To be honest you look like you could use a night out yourself."
A wave of sadness swept through me and I looked away, as I didn't want him seeing the truth of it. It wasn't that I didn't want him to know, but he was so happy now, and I didn't want to bring him down, with my own troubles.
"What's going on with you?" he asked.
"It's a long story that I don't think you want to hear. I'd rather hear about you and Natalie's honeymoon. At least the parts that are PG."
He cocked his head to the side and studied me for a minute. "No, really, man, what's going on?"
I was actually sort of surprised that no one had told him already, but perhaps I was the first person in the family he was seeing since coming home. "You know dad’s physical therapist?"
He nodded. "Yeah Jess. She was nice. She seemed to do a good job. What about her?”
“I knew her before.”