Lady Bits

“I think it will. Sam loved Deandra. He went to live with them right after our parents died and he clung to her. She helped him through his grief.”

My heart goes out to Jersey and her brother. I’m familiar with the grief she’s talking about. My brother, sisters, and I lost our mom going on fifteen years ago. Although she had been sick for years before then, and we knew her time on earth was limited, it didn’t make it any easier when she did pass away. Our father, on the other hand, was an abusive bastard. He died recently at the hands of Kai. Phillip, our father, tried to force Penelope into paying him to keep his mouth shut about the family secrets. When he showed up with a gun and threatened Penelope, Camila, and I, Kai came to the rescue. Phillip was shot in the heart and died before he hit the floor.

I finish the rest of my scone and wipe my hands clean with a napkin.

“I know Carter just moved back to Silver Falls,” Jersey says. “Was that night the first time you were with him?”

“Yes.” I take a sip of my coffee. “And it was the only time. I haven’t seen him since.” Except in my dreams and imagination, but I keep that tidbit to myself. “Why are you just now coming to me?”

She shrugs a delicate shoulder. “Because I was giving you a chance to come to me first.” I wince, and she reaches across the table to grab my hand, offering me a small smile. “It really is okay, Harley. I just didn’t want to embarrass you by telling you I saw the two of you together.”

“So, why ask me now?”

“When you didn’t say anything, I knew you were trying to keep it a secret. I had no way of knowing if whatever it is between you two would become serious. I didn’t want your worry about who he is to get in the way of that.”

“Does Wesley know?”

“Not yet. I don’t want to keep it from him, but I’ll give you a few days before I do.”

In other words, Wesley may not take it as easily as Jersey is and she wants to give me a few days reprieve before he confronts me. I’m quite surprised Jersey is reacting so calmly.

“If you want to, you know….” Her voice trails off.

I get up from my chair and carry both of our saucers to the sink before I turn around and lean against the counter.

“It was just a one-time fling,” I say. “The heat of the moment type of thing.”

“But you never know. There could be more.”

“Maybe there could have been, but we’ll never know. Carter doesn’t seem to be interested since he hasn’t even attempted to contact me.”

She gives me a look that suggests I’m daft. “Umm… don’t we live in the twenty-first century? Women pursue men all the time.”

“That may be so, but I’m old fashioned and prefer to be the mouse, rather than the cat.”

“And what happens if you miss out on something epic because you won’t go after him?”

I lift a shoulder. “Then I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

I spin around and turn on the sink, hoping Jersey will get the hint that I’m done talking about Carter. If I’m completely honest with myself, I’m scared to admit, even if only in my head, how being with Carter made me feel. From the moment our eyes met in Whiskey’s that night, I felt a strong force trying to shove me toward him. It was a feeling I can’t explain. A feeling that was both exhilarating and frightening. I’ve never felt such a strong and instant connection with a man before. That’s why I gave in so easily to our attraction, despite my misgiving about who he was.

Knowing Jersey is okay with me being with Carter makes things a lot more difficult. It opens up possibilities that I thought were forbidden and out of reach.

Women pursue men all the time. What if you miss out on something epic?

Jersey’s voice whispers through my mind, tempting me with those possibilities.

Should I pursue Carter? Would he even be interested in a relationship with me?

I guess there’s only one way to find out.