“I was wondering if you’d give my car a tune-up.”
“Summer, your car is worth the price of a fucking house. Just tell me what you fucking want, and go away.”
“Wow, in a matter of weeks, I’ve been sent away by my sister, and now you. Okay, let’s just say I was having somewhat of a think about you. I found this in my belongings. I was going through them. Throwing out the trash, and I remembered you giving me this.
” She held out a locket, and he frowned.
Taking the locket from her, he saw it was the one his mother had given him on her deathbed. “I didn’t give this to you, Summer. I lost it at your place, and you promised to find it for me.”
“Sorry. I guess after everything that happened, I just didn’t think about it. It’s yours now, and I was wondering what you’d think of going to dinner.”
This was a nightmare.
“No.”
“No? Come on, we had so much fun together.”
“I said no, and I fucking meant it.” He pointed to her car. “Just go, Summer.”
“Are you still angry about what happened?”
“No. I’m not angry.”
“Okay then. If you’re not angry, what is your problem?” she asked. “Why won’t you come to dinner with me?”
“Thanks for the locket back, Summer.” He turned away, heading toward the car he’d been working on, ignoring her, even as she stood looking shocked by his complete lack of interest.
“Fine, whatever.” She stormed away, and he released a sigh.
“Awkward or what?”
“It wasn’t awkward. Summer was itching for something, but it wasn’t me.” He shrugged.
“How are things going with you and Autumn?”
“Fine. We’re seeing each other on Sunday, and I intend to make it a memorable time.”
Denny didn’t move away, and once he finished tightening a few bolts, he dropped down the hood of the car, securing it back up. “What?”
“I hate to say this to you, but you’ve got to think about what you’re doing.”
“You don’t think I’m thinking about what I’m doing?”
“They’re sisters, Carter.”
“So?”
“You know, you come across as this big bad guy, and to anyone on the outside looking in, I see it, I get it, but Carter, you’re not that guy. You have a heart, you have feelings, and the way you are with Autumn, it’s different.”
Grabbing the file he’d kept on the car, he started to make notes to assure himself that he had everything right.
“You’re going to ignore me. Fine. Autumn is different because I’ve never known you to give your cell phone number to a woman. You go to the bakery to see her, and come back looking like a man in love. Her knickers are still in the drawer of the office.”
“You shouldn’t be looking in there.”
“I needed a pen. Move them.” Denny shook his head. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be.” Carter knew what he was doing, and it wasn’t going to hurt her.