Sincerely, Carter (19 page)

“What’s wrong, Ari?” He looked concerned. “Was I too rough with you?”

“No…” I smiled. “I’m just not okay…I’m more than okay.”

Smiling back, he kissed my lips, my cheeks, and my forehead again and again until I drifted to sleep.

Track 15. Everything Has Changed (3:43)

The first time I woke up, I was laying on top of Carter. His hands were entwined with mine and my head was resting against his chest. Twice in the middle of the night, we’d woken up and had sex, and we’d somehow fallen asleep mid-kiss.

The second time I woke up, I was alone. And I was late.

The alarm clock was blaring loudly and my watch read 11:30.

Shit…

I jumped out of bed—heading to my closet, quickly realizing that my closet wasn’t here. Not in Carter’s room.

I pulled his drawers open looking for something better to wear than flannel pajamas. I settled on one of his T-shirts and tied it at the back. I even tried on his pants—the smallest ones I could find, but it was no use. They fell off as soon as I buttoned them.

Shit. Shit. Shit…

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and literally gasped. There were red marks all over my neck, my lips were puffy, and my hair looked like I’d spent one too many seconds with my fingers in a live electrical socket.

Not willing to risk being fired just yet, I pulled my hair into a messy high bun, licked my lips, and found a different shirt to cover up the marks.

The pajama pants would have to stay…

“Why are you wearing a turtleneck in the dead of summer?” My boss looked up at me as I approached the pier. “Have you forgotten what part of America you live in?”

“Not at all…” I said, sweating profusely. “I just felt like wearing a turtleneck today.”

He looked at his watch. “You’re lucky I actually need you today. Get in there.”

I pushed the doors to the box office open and set down my bag.

My coworker Ashley looked up at me. “What’s got you glowing today?” She smiled. “You and Scott finally made up?”

“No, we, uh, broke up actually. I’m not glowing.”

“You
are
!” She stood up and walked over to me. “Tell me…”

Thankfully, I didn’t have to change the subject or find a distraction on my own. A customer approached the window, and after we arranged her boat tour, twenty more customers drew near.

Per the usual summer season, the line became never-ending, the questions nonstop. By the time our lunch hour came around, flipping a coin for who should take a break first was far more important than discussing whether I was glowing or not.

“Heads it is!” Ashley clapped. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. You want anything?”

“No, thanks.” I flipped our window sign to “Out for Lunch” and closed the blinds.

After she left, I began the less than thrilling task of counting the sales for the first half of the day. I was halfway through the children’s tickets, when the fabric of Carter’s turtleneck itched me to the point of no return.

I pulled out my phone and called him.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Can you do me a favor?”

“I’ve already forgotten about last night.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about…But I’m glad we’re already on the same page with um...that. That thing which did not happen.”

He laughed. “What’s the favor, Ari?”

“Can you go to my house and get me some clothes and bring them to the marina?”

“Are you currently there naked?”

“No.” I rolled my eyes. “There’s a spare key under the flower pot on my front porch. Anything in my top right drawer—shorts, T-shirts, jeans, would be great. No tank tops, though.
Do not
get one of those.”

“Why no tank tops?” There was a smile in his voice. “I’m pretty sure that’d be a perfect thing for you to wear today, unless you’re trying to cover something up?”

Gasping, I hung up and returned to my spreadsheet. When I looked up again, I realized forty minutes had passed with no sign of Ashley, so I called her.

“Hey!” She answered on the first ring.

“Um hey…” I looked at my watch. “Um, do you plan on coming back before or after our shared hour is up? I would like a break, too, you know…”

“Oh! Time just completely passed me by! I’ll be back in exactly fifteen minutes!”

“That’ll only give me five for a break...”

“Were you really going to walk around the boardwalk in a turtleneck, though?” She actually sounded genuine, like the act of stealing my break was doing me a favor.

“Could you at least bring me some lunch then?”

“I can try…” she said. “But you should’ve told me when I first asked you if you wanted anything back because now it’s crowded out here, so—”

“Ugh!” I hung up. Moments like that made me question if working here for the boat pass was even worth it.

I browsed the menu of the pizza truck across from us and heard a knock at the door.

Maybe hanging up on her did some good, then
. I thought.
Maybe it made her come to her senses…

It didn’t. It was Carter.

“Hey…” I said, letting him inside.

“Hey.” He looked me up and down. “Interesting outfit.” He set a white box on the counter and handed me my clothes.

I couldn’t even get my mouth to say thank you right now. He was shirtless, dressed only in navy blue swim trunks that showed off his perfectly carved V and the small trail of hair that lined up with his zipper.

“Something wrong?” He took off his shades and I noticed that light beads of sweat were trickling down his chest.

“Nothing at all.” I turned away and slipped inside the restroom, putting on the better clothes, grateful that the shirt covered all of his bite marks. I pulled out another shirt he packed and saw that he’d even packed me a brush and makeup.

Taking extra time to put myself together, I finally slipped out ten minutes later, only to find him sitting in my seat.

“I don’t get a thank you?” He smiled.

“You don’t get anything,” I said. “If I could discuss the reason in question, you would know why…”

His blue eyes met mine and I shook my head, looking away from him. “What’s in the box?”

“Lunch.” He handed it to me. “I figured you probably didn’t eat yet. Will I get a thank you for that, maybe?”

“Thank you,” I said, flipping the lid open. It was a grilled chicken wrap and sea chips. “Ashley is stealing my break again…”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I bet…Where did you disappear to this morning?”

“Nowhere. I just went for a walk on the beach.”

“Someone new you needed to break up with? How did she take it?”

“Funny.” He let out a low laugh. “I just needed to think.” He looked as if he wanted to say something else, but Ashley walked in.

“Well, hey there!” She exclaimed. “I rushed back so I could give you at least fifteen minutes of your break.”

I rolled my eyes and glared at her. “How very thoughtful of you.”

“I know.” She sat down, batting her eyes at Carter. “I’ll stay here while you go take your break…”

I grabbed my chicken wrap and headed toward the door, surprised that Carter followed me.

We walked toward the edge of the docks, not saying much of anything to each other. When I finished my wrap and noticed him staring at me, he smiled.

I awkwardly returned the smile and we spent a few minutes watching the seagulls fly above us.

“Thank you for bringing me clothes and lunch,” I said, starting to head back.

“You’re more than welcome. What are your plans after work?”

Avoiding you so I can think…
“I’ll be hanging out with a friend.”

“Which friend?”

“You don’t know her.”

“I know all of your friends.” He looked into my eyes. “Which one?”

I glanced at the cake box charm on my wrist. “Betty.”

“
Betty
?”

“Are you having a hearing problem today?” I stepped in front of the box office door. “Yes. Betty.”

“What’s her last name?”

“Crocker. She’s new to the beach, so I’m going to show her around after I get off.”

“Okay, Ari.” His lips curved into a sexy smirk. “Meet me at The Book Bar at six. Bring your friend Betty Crocker with you if she actually exists…”

At The Book Bar, neither of us spoke. The waitress must’ve assumed we were mad at each other, or not talking for a reason because she didn’t bother greeting us. She simply set down two waters on our table and gave us her notepad and pen, letting us write down our own orders.

“So…” I managed, sipping my water.

“So?” Carter reached over the table and tilted my chin up with his fingertips. “So, what?”

“Nothing…Um…How was your night?”

“The same as yours, I believe.” He smirked.

I looked away from him and blushed—quickly focusing my attention on my water again.

I definitely wasn’t going to be able to look at him with a straight face today. I was hoping we could just get through this little rendezvous and I could go home and regain my sense of self in private.

I stuffed a few complimentary tortilla chips into my mouth and started to count the ones that were left. Then I noticed Carter getting up from his side of the table and sitting next to me.

“What time do you get out of your night class today?” he asked.

“It was actually cancelled…” My eyes met his. “I got an email from my teacher when we first got here.”