Finding Carson Lee (Oh Captan, My Captain #3) (15 page)

“
That reminds me of spring break junior year. You remember, right, Kinley?” Cassie asks. “You were on the bar, body shots, chocolate syrup. And then all the blow job shots.”

Kinley groans. “Shut up and stop giving Carson more fuel for the fire.”

“
Oh, I think I need to hear more about this.” I grin before turning to her friend. “How come all the crazy college stories revolve around Kinley? Surely, you took part, Cassie.”

“
Nope,” she tells me. “Sorry, I’m not a big drinker, so I volunteered to be the DD of the group. However,” she smiles, “I have
a lot
of stories on Kinley.”

“
I bet you do. I won’t ask, though, so Kinley won’t have a fit.”

Kinley looks relieved. “Yes, let’s keep this a little bit PG-13, at least.”

“
See the Kinley I remember never did anything underrated,” Cassie inputs.

“
I’m sure whatever Kinley did, she was damn good at it. Blow job shots and all,” I comment before scooping up some more ice cream onto my spoon.

“
Carson Lee, you have no idea the tricks I have up my sleeve.” Kinley smiles like she has a secret.

“
Too bad they’re going to waste then, huh? There’s a lucky bastard out there waiting for you to show them all to him.” Hell, I kind of want her to show them to me right now.

She smirks, which can’t be good. And my suspicions are confirmed as she says, “And I bet he plays football because I’m not sure a
hockey
player could handle these curves.”

“
You’d be surprised at what a hockey player could handle.”

“
Well,” Cassie drags out. “On that note, I’m leaving before my ice cream melts.”

We watch her grab her things and leave us. As the door of the shop swings closed, Kinley giggles. “And you thought I was a prude.”

“
I still do. You’re a selective prude, picking and choosing when to be one and when not to be one. I’m surprised I’m even seeing this side of you.”

“
Oh, so you don’t think I’m any fun?” Her eyes narrow slightly as if I’ve hit a nerve. “That’s sad, Carson Lee, because I can be a lot of fun. I mean, Peter keeps texting me, wanting to know when I’ll be in his area. Guess he
enjoyed
my
fun
.”

This time, I narrow my eyes. What the fuck does Peter have to do with this? “I didn’t say that and Peter’s a dumbass. I wouldn’t wait for a girl to show up near me when I could go to her, especially if I really wanted to see her again.” If I wanted it that badly, I would be on a plane in two seconds flat.

“
Have you ever chased a girl before?” She tilts her head a little as she asks me with too much curiosity.

“
A few times.” I shrug. “Sex was the only reason it ended up being worth my while, though.”

“
You know I never thought I would ask you this, but now I’m seriously wondering the answer, so I’m going to ask.” Kinley takes a deep breath and looks at me with a serious expression. “Have you ever been in love, Carson? Has any girl swept you off your feet?”

I eye her for a moment. “What do you think? Since you believe there’s good somewhere in me, do you think I’ve been in love before?”

“
Honestly, no, I don’t think you have been in love yet.” There’s so much conviction in her voice that as she continues, I wish I never asked. “I think you’re waiting for a challenge. See, most girls fall at your feet, and you like the easy lay, but your true love will make you work for it.”

True love? God, this woman is crazy. “Let’s say your silly idea makes sense. If I like an easy lay, then why the hell would I want to work for it, as you say?” This part actually confuses me a little.

Kinley shrugs and answers like it’s obvious. “You’re tired of easy. I mean, we’ve been here almost three whole weeks and you’ve been laid once. Your good side is starting to shine through and you’re looking for
her
.” She honestly believes the shit spewing from her mouth and she even seems kind of excited by the idea of it.

“
Yeah, okay. You need to stop with whatever you’re taking or you need to get on some meds. Plus,” I add. “Even if this woman exists, I don’t want her.”

“
Why?” She’s shocked and confused by my declaration, but I don’t know what for. “Why wouldn’t you want her, Carson?”

“
Why would I? I’m not like you, sweetheart. I don’t eventually want the settled down lifestyle.” I shake my head at the mere thought of the horror it would be. “No, not happening,” I mutter more to myself than to her.

Kinley frowns, the words seemingly before forced out of her mouth. “I guess...maybe...I’m wrong then. I thought of you differently.” She shrugs. “I guess that’s my mistake.” She fakes a smile. “We should head back to the shoot. Thanks for the ice cream.”

I sigh a long puff of air. “Don’t feel bad because you think I’m better than the ass that I am. It’s good that you see what people could be,” I say, trying to make her feel better.

“
I see it in you, Carson,” she tells me adamantly and eagerly. “Stop being fake. If you want to settle down, then do it. I bet you a homemade cherry pie that this time next year, you’re in a serious relationship with a girl you love.” Kinley leans back in her seat, looking a bit satisfied.

“
The thing is, I’m good at being fake,” I reply in a soft tone before standing. “Let’s go before we’re late. The woman that runs this shindig will start blowing up our phones with emails if we don’t show up on time.”

Kinley

“
I’m good at being fake.”

Carson’s words keep running through my head. Ever since he was nice to me the day Mama and I got into it, I can’t get him out of my head. I saw a different side of him. I saw the
real
Carson. The one that everyone doesn’t see.

Fake.

The word is looping over and over in my head. What is he ‘fake’ about? I know that there is good in Carson. I see it. It’s there.

“
What are you doing out here?” I look up to see Cassie standing over me.

“
Thinking.” I adjust my position in the lounge chair. I was watching children play in the hotel’s pool.

“
What’s wrong?” She sits down next to me. “Are you thinking about the shoot? Something wrong with it?”

“
No.” I shake my head. “It was great. My boss is loving everything about it.”

“
Is it,” she pauses, looking at me. “Carson?”

I groan. Of course, she’s the one to figure it out.

“
I’m going to take that as a ‘yes’. So, what gives? When I left, you two were getting pretty flirtatious together.”

“
We were kidding around. That’s all.”

Cassie laughs. “Kinley, are you forgetting that I’m your best friend? I know you better than you think, and you’re feeling something for him.”

“
Him? You mean, Carson?”

Cassie nods. I roll my eyes.

“
Deny it all you want, but you like him.”

“
Carson is a nice guy, and he’s going to make LSMP a lot of money, but that’s it. When this is all over, I’ll never have to speak to him again. Well, just to make him dinner because I lost the bet but that’s it.”

“
Oh my God.” Cassie shakes her head. “Kinley Wright, you’re the worst liar on this planet. You are so covering up how you feel.”

“
No, I’m not.”

“
Yes, you are. I see the way you two look at each other. It’s like you’re about to have crazy-monkey-sex at any moment. It’s gross and cute at the same time.”

“
I don’t want to hear this, and I have things to do.” I try to get up and leave, but Cassie grabs my arm.

“
Stop it. Stop hiding behind your job all the time.”

I gasp. “I don’t.”

“
Stop it,” she says more firmly. “Don’t try and say you don’t do that because you do all the time. You use your job as an excuse for everything, and you know you do.”

I clamp my mouth shut because I know she’s partially right.

“
Kinley, I know you still feel bad about what happened between you and Elliott, but you need to move on. There’s a great guy out there for you, and you will have a successful relationship.”

I feel the tears building up behind my eyes, and I’m glad my sunglasses are still on.

“
Maybe Carson isn’t
the one
, but you have to try. You need to put yourself out there.”

“
I have to go.” I jerk out of her grip and race inside to my room, keeping my head down as the tears fall.

For the next couple hours, I lie on the bed trying to figure what the hell is going on with me. Maybe it’s that time of the month, or maybe I need to stay away from the Lifetime movies for a while. When my phone rings, it’s the one person I don’t want to talk to, but I know I have to.

“
Hi, Mama.” I sigh. After I ran away from dinner, Mama and I didn’t talk much the rest of their stay here. I mostly talked to Dad.

“
Kinley, are you alright?”

“
Yep, just work...stuff.” I don’t even want to talk right now.

“
Well, I’m calling for a reason. Your father and I have talked, and I need to tell you something.”

I sit up. “What’s wrong?”

Mama takes a deep breath and my heart races thinking the worst thoughts. “Kinley, I’m old.”

“
What?”

“
It’s true. I’m old and I’m not getting younger. On top of that I’m worried about you. What happens if your father and I die soon? You’ll be all alone.”

“
Oh my God, Mama, the last time you went to the doctor he told you that you’re in perfect health. You’re barely fifty-five. You have a long life in front of you.”

“
Doesn’t mean I can’t worry about my only child.”

My shoulders deflate. “Mama, I’m glad that you’re alive and well enough to worry about me. However, you raised me to be a strong, hardheaded female, and I’ll survive anything life throws at me.”

“
First, it’s your father’s fault you’re stubborn because I’m not like that at all.” I giggle at her lie. “Second, I know you are a strong girl. I know you will always finish first because that’s the way you are. I guess I don’t want you to not have someone to lean on, like I have in your father.”

I close my eyes and let the words sink in. My mama has always been an amazing person, and I really can count on her for anything in my life. “Mama, I love you.”

“
Kinley, there’s nothing more in this world that I love more than you.”

“
I know.” My voice cracks, and a tear rolls down my cheek.

“
Now, you go on and get some work done because I can’t wait to see it on in those magazines.”

I smile. “I will, Mama.”

I disconnect the call and toss my phone onto the bed. This has been a crazy day, but I need to get some work done. The knock on the door makes me forget for a moment that I need to go through today’s pictures. When I open it, I should have already known who it would be.

“
I need to start looking through the peephole, so I know not to answer the door.”

“
Are you still hung up on pretending I annoy you as much as you try to make out that I do?”