~ Chapter Fourteen ~
Carter
I checked my pockets again, making sure I had the tickets to the kids’ museum I’d planned for us to go to before the movie. The museum was usually on a first come, first serve basis, but tickets could be purchased for guaranteed entrance. I wasn’t taking any chances. Michelle said she’d told Diego she’d take him to the museum one day, so what time was more perfect?
“Coming!” Michelle’s voice called through the door after I knocked.
“Mama, I think it’s Mr. Carter!”
I chuckled at the excitement I heard in Diego’s voice. Seconds later the door opened and it was like I could breathe again. That’s how it always felt when I’d gone more than one day without seeing her. Like I was holding my breath until the next time, even though we talked daily.
“Hi,” her warm voice greeted as my eyes scanned every inch of her perfect face.
“Hey, sugar.” I went to lean in to kiss her but she took a step back. My head lowered to see her six-year-old son push his way through to stand in front of her. I knelt down to meet him.
“Hi, Diego.”
“Hi, Mr. Carter. My mama said you’re going with us to have some fun today.”
“I sure am. Is that alright with you?”
His eyes enlarged as he nodded. “I told all my friends at school that I know a real firefighter. They really liked my truck. I took it for show-and-tell.”
“That’s awesome. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to show you a real firetruck.”
He gasped in awe.
“Only if your mom says it’s okay.”
I stood, rising to meet Michelle’s gaze. She narrowed her eyes at what I’d just told her son. I wasn’t taking it back. Instead, I leaned in again for a kiss, but made sure to kiss her cheek.
“You look good enough to eat, sugar,” I whispered in her ear so Diego wouldn’t hear. I only stepped back when I saw her visibly shiver. I let my ravenous eyes rove over the sleeveless dress she wore that stopped about mid-calf.
“D-Diego, make sure you go to the bathroom before we leave.”
“Aw, Mama! I alread–”
“Hey, Diego,” I began, squatting low again, “we’re gonna have a great time today. We’ll go to that museum your mama promised you and the movie, and we’ll get to eat all the popcorn.”
I stopped, watching as his face grew in excitement.
“But we can’t go until you go to the bathroom first. Deal?” I stuck out my hand.
I nodded and smiled when he smacked it and said, “Deal!”
“You’re getting off to a good start with him already,” Michelle stated as I stood.
“Kids love me. I used to have to babysit my brothers all the time.”
She frowned. “You didn’t have nannies growing up?”
“We did. But my mother is old school. She wanted to raise kids who were at least somewhat self-sufficient. So there were times we were left alone. Believe me, that was unheard of in high-society, but my mother wasn’t to be deterred and my father can’t say no to my mother. Much like the same way I can’t say no to you.” I checked quickly over her shoulder to make sure Diego wasn’t around before moving in for the kiss I’d wanted to take when she first opened the door.
“Ready!” Diego came back a second later, forcing us to part.
“Let’s get this day started.”
I took Diego’s much smaller hand in my right and waited for Michelle to lock up before taking hers in my left.
Our first stop was to the museum. I wanted to be there bright and early so Diego would have as much time as he wanted to play and touch all the cool exhibits. The movie we were going to see wasn’t until one, so I figured three hours was plenty of time to let him run around. And just as I’d predicted, he had tons of fun. One exhibit in particular he learned how to make slime and made me promise that we could make it one day at home. I caught Michelle’s worried look as I made the promise. I tried to discern if her fear was due to not fully believing that I’d keep my promise or something else. But I didn’t have time to figure that out because Diego was up and running again, dragging me by the hand to the next exhibit.
We were at the museum for about three hours when it was time to leave for the movies. I’d gotten Diego his popcorn as promised and he sat in the seat between Michelle and I, happily munching away while he watched and giggled at the animated characters on the screen.
“Are you crying?” I teased Michelle low in her ear as we were exiting the theater.
“It was so good,” she commented, laughing and wiping her eyes. “I get emotional at children’s movies.”
“I see,” I laughed.
“Michelle?” I heard from behind us and turned around to a man I didn’t know. My hand instinctively went to Michelle’s lower back while my free hand reached for Diego.
“Hey, Larry,” Michelle replied, a bit uneasily.
“Out with Diego, huh?”
“Yeah. He wanted to see this movie.”
“Same here. The kids tried to drag Janine and I but she’s in bed with a nasty cold, so I got stuck with daddy duty today.” The guy, Larry, chuckled annoyingly. “Well, it was good seeing you.”
“Bye.”
I watched silently, as he eyed me, a question in his eyes. I wasn’t about to introduce myself since he hadn’t done the same. I simply watched as he waited and then eventually sidestepped me with a young kid at his side, moving toward the exit.
“Who’s that?”
Michelle glanced at me then let her eyes fall to Diego who was busy playing with a game he’d pulled up on my phone. “I’ll tell you later.”
I nodded, getting the message that she didn’t want to talk about it in front of Diego.
I would be bringing it up again, but I let it drop for the moment.
“You hungry?” I looked at Michelle.
“Starving. Popcorn was not enough.”
“How about you, little guy?” I clasped Diego’s skinny shoulders, shaking them a little to get his attention.
He looked up at me from the phone. “Huh?”
“Hungry?”
He nodded, dramatically.
“I know the best place to get some food not too far from here.”
****
Michelle
“Your place?” I looked over, questioning Carter who had just pulled us up to his driveway.
“Best place to eat in town.”
His grin had me squeezing my thighs together but I forced myself to remember my son was in the backseat.
“Do you even have enough furniture for us all to sit at the table?” I teased.
“Hahaha, funny. Yes, I have a full dining room set.” He leaned over and his voice dipped low so only I could hear when he said, “If memory serves, you’re very familiar with my dining set.”
I lowered my head, cheeks burning at the memory of him taking me on one of his chairs after our breakfast the last time I’d been to his place.
“You are …” I hesitated.
“All yours,” he answered for me. “Hey, buddy,” he called to Diego, peering through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah,” Diego answered.
“Your mom tells me blueberry pancakes are your favorite, but you didn’t get to have any this morning?”
Diego’s little face frowned up. “No, she made me eat the waffles from the microwave.” He shook his head in disgust.
I had to shake my own head at my son. He’d said it as if I’d tortured him.
“How about we fix that? Would you like those blueberry pancakes with eggs now?” Carter questioned.
Diego’s eyes floated out the window and a pondering look crossed his face. “We can eat pancakes for lunch?”
“We can eat whatever we want. So long as mama’s okay with it.”
Two pairs of eyes shoot in my direction. One crystal blue and the other dark brown. I wasn’t strong enough to turn down requests from either pair individually, let alone together.
“Can we, Mama?” Diego’s legs began jumping in anticipation as he asked.
“Yes, baby.” I smiled, looking back at him, then turned to the other grinning male in the car.
“Thanks, Mama!” he stated, causing Diego to crack up laughing.
“Mr. Carter, she’s not your mama. She’s mine,” he laughed heartily.
“Sorry, buddy. Didn’t mean to step on your toes.” Carter got out of the car, laughing before opening the door for Diego and then circling the car to hold my door open.
“It’s so big!” Diego shouted once we entered.
“It is. You want to help me cook?”
Diego nodded.
“Come on!” In one swift movement, Carter bent down, picking Diego up and over his shoulders and the pair proceeded down the hallway, laughing together. The image both melted my heart and caused a heavy weight to settle in the pit of my stomach. I pushed the fear aside and decided I wouldn’t think about that now, although something was telling me I was headed into dangerous territory. Not only had I gone ahead and fallen head over heels for Carter, but now so had my son, and that just wasn’t good, considering the consequences it could lead to.
“You still in there?” His voice broke through my stressful thoughts, bringing me back to where I was. I peered into Carter’s concerned eyes and wanted to do everything I could to prevent that look from making its appearance.
“Yup, I’m here.” I gave him a huge smile.
“We lost you for a moment. Everything alright?”
I nodded. “Everything’s great. I just got lost in thought about a client of ours that keeps being insistent about their event. Nothing to concern yourself with.” I waved my hand dismissively in the air.
“Your concerns will always be my concerns.” The earnestness in his voice warmed me from the inside out. “Your concerns and this guy’s,” he stated, tickling Diego who stood next to him. “You ready for a taste test?”
“Yeah!” Diego shouted as he stood on a step stool to be able to see the stove.
Carter cut a piece of one of the blueberry pancakes they’d made as I watched. Diego took the forkful of the fluffy pancake and stuffed the entire bite in his mouth.
“Easy, Diego,” I called.
“It’s so good, Mama!” he mumbled around a mouthful of food.
“I’m happy you like it, but we don’t talk with our mouth full, right?”
He nodded, still chewing. “Sorry, Mama,” he said upon swallowing.
We all set the table and sat down to enjoy our breakfast for lunch. Diego began talking about the movie and then moved on to discussing a science project they’d done at school the previous week. He then went on to share with Carter his best friend, Timmy’s, strategy for playing their favorite video games. Carter soaked it all up like a sponge. I had briefly wondered if he was so attentive to Diego just to gain favor with me, but I could see he genuinely enjoyed sharing time and conversation with Diego. He gave my son the same intense gaze he gave me whenever I spoke. The look that told me he was digesting every single word, movement, inflection. All of it held his rapt attention.
Watching the two get along so well made me once again regret having Diego with the person that I did. I’d never bemoan having my son, at all. I just wished I’d done better in the father figure department.
“I think we lost you again.”
I stood, leaning against the door that held only an inflated air mattress, a lonely night stand, and a lamp on top of it. In the middle of the air mattress lay Diego’s sleeping body covered by a light blanket. He’d knocked out not too long after our lunch and I’d followed Carter down the first floor hallway and watched as he carefully laid my son on the mattress and covered his resting body with the blanket. Now I stood at the doorway of the room watching Carter moving toward me.
“Come here.” He took me by the hand and I followed him out of the room. He closed the door, softly, behind us. Not even a half of breath later my back was against the wall, my face in his hands, and his lips on mine. It was the best thing I’d tasted all day. My entire body relaxed into the kiss, relishing the feel of his hard body against my plusher frame. I moaned into his mouth, willing him to take all of me. But he pulled back, thankfully before I lost control of all my senses.
“I’ve wanted to do that all damn day.” He leaned his forehead to mine, sighing.
“I’ve wanted you to do that all damn day.” I giggled and his lips brushed against mine before he tugged my hand, urging me to follow him back down the hall.
“Where’d you go just then?” he asked, pulling me into his lap as he sat on one of the dining chairs. I swear even if this place was adequately furnished he wouldn’t let me sit anywhere but on top of him.
I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and leaned into him. “I was feeling a little sorry for myself.”
“Tell me about it.”
“More for Diego than myself, really.” I lifted my head to be able to look him in the eyes when I admitted, “I think you’ve spent more time listening and having fun with my son today, than his own father has over the last three years.”
“Diego deserves better than that.”
The anger I heard in Carter’s voice made me sit back a little. His jaw was tight, flexing, and his eyes darkened slightly. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out he was pissed.
“When’s the last time he saw Diego?”
I rolled my eyes trying to remember the last time Gabriel bothered to visit Diego or take him out somewhere. “It’s been at least six months since he’s even seen him. But even before then his visits were infrequent and short-lived.” It wasn’t until Gabriel finally got the hint that I was one hundred percent done with his lying and cheating ass that he basically dropped any pretense of wanting to be a father to Diego. But that was when his threats began, using Diego as his leverage.
Carter ran his thumb along the crease lines in my forehead. “Tell me about him.”
I inhaled a deep breath, figuring out what I could or should reveal about Gabriel. The less Carter knew about Diego’s biological father the better.
“He’s a lot older than me. I met him when I was nineteen years old. We dated for three years before I got pregnant. That’s when I found out that my so-called boyfriend was actually very married with two children of his own.” I shook my head, feeling foolish all over again. “That’s when I decided to end things. I told him that we only needed to communicate if it was about our son. He didn’t like that, but I wasn’t changing my mind. Since then, he’s been hot and cold … but mostly cold where Diego is concerned.”
Carter licked his lips and ran a hand along his chin, taking it all in. “You said he helps out financially?”
“Somewhat. He pays for Diego to go to private school.”
“Where does he go to school?”
“Excelor Academy.”
I stared down at Carter when he gave a humorless laugh. “I went there.”
I smirked for the first time since getting on the subject of Diego’s shiftless father. “Of course you did.” Excelor was the best private school in the city of Williamsport. A lot of top political and business leaders in the city’s limits sent their children to that academy. It only made sense that the Townsends would send their children to the school.
“At least he pays for Diego’s education,” I added, leaning my temple against Carter’s again. Carter grunted but didn’t say anything else.
It grew quiet as Carter stroked my back up and down. The sounds of our breaths were the only sounds in the room aside from the noise of the running electrical appliances in the kitchen. I glanced around at the nearly empty space around us. The hardwood floors that line the kitchen and dining space were beautiful. From the dining area you could partially see into the first floor living room area that held a fireplace.
“You really need to furnish this place. This home is much too beautiful to be empty.”
“You do it,” came his instantaneous reply.
I began laughing ― surely, he was joking. But when I sat up to look at him, his face was completely serious.
“Carter–”
“How much do you think you’ll need?”
“Carter, I’m not decorating your place.” I shook my head and went to stand but his strong hands held me where I was.
“My place?” He lowered his eyes for a second. “You still don’t get it, do you?” He pushed out a heavy breath. “You will soon enough.”
I wasn’t about to ask what he meant by that. I already knew. He’d said as much, but there was no way I could think of this place as mine or me living here one day.
“How would you decorate this place?”
I hesitated and he just stared, waiting for my answer.
“I’ve always been partial to farmhouse decor but with a bit of a modern twist.”
He frowned at me, clearly not understanding what I was talking about. I picked my phone up off the table where it sat and pulled up a few pictures to reference the theme.
“You saved these in your phone?”
I nodded. “I’ve been saving for a house for a little over a year now. I always wanted Diego to have a backyard to play in. Anyway, these are the ideas I thought about when it came to decorating.” I swiped through my pictures, showing him the farmhouse-style doors I wanted to recreate one day that opened to a children’s playroom.
“I adore the look of old, weathered wood. See, like this.” I pointed to the image of a hallway table that was made of wood but had a used look to it.
“Okay.” He nodded as if he was solidifying something. I had no idea what was going through his mind because I certainly hadn’t agreed to decorating his place. And to my surprise, he didn’t push the issue any further. He simply listened me go on and on about farmhouse decor but I suspected he had something up his sleeve.