Chapter Seventeen – Caroline

“It will be OK,” Caroline assured Carter as they waited for Fiona to arrive.

“I know.” He took hold of her hand. “I’m more nervous than when it was my first-ever audition.”

“It will be fine,” Caroline said. “Fiona said Fern was OK.”

“Here they are.” Carter let go of Caroline’s hand and walked toward Fiona’s car as it pulled up outside of the house.

Caroline stayed out of the way, giving Carter the space he needed. As the door opened and Fiona got out, he stepped forward and opened the passenger door. A young woman with dark hair and dark eyes got out. She was dressed in a summer dress with a long-sleeved cardigan, which she nervously pulled down her arms.

“Hi, Fern,” Carter said.

“Hi,” Fern answered shyly, avoiding his eyes.

“It’s good to meet you again.” Carter cringed and Fern’s body language softened.

“It’s good to meet you, Carter.” She raised her eyes and met his, a breath shuddering through her body. “I’ve been carrying around the guilt of what I put you through ever since that day.”

“No, you don’t have to feel guilty,” Carter told her quickly. “I’m the one who overreacted.”

“I understand why. I never thought at the time.” Fern blushed red. “I didn’t realize how it would be perceived. A teenager hiding in a movie star’s trailer. It was so stupid of me.”

“You were young…”

“Still. I should have known better. I thought…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“But here you are…” Carter said, holding out his hand, but not touching her. “And it does matter.”

“Here I am. Yes. Thanks to Fiona.”

Caroline was trying to control her feelings, but a rush of jealousy swept over her. This young woman was a big part of who Carter Eden was. She had shaped his life, in more ways than Caroline had, or was ever likely to. Yet she looked so young, fragile in a way.

“Fiona is a miracle,” Caroline said, stepping forward.

“A miracle worker,” Fern said. “I don’t know how she traced me, but I’m glad she did.” Fern smiled shyly at Caroline. “You are Carter’s partner, Caroline, right?”

“I am.” Caroline glanced across to Fiona, wondering what else the old dragon had told Fern. Had she spilled the beans on the whole shifter and fated mate things?

“I told Fern how you and Carter will be getting married, as soon as he produces a ring,” Fiona said shortly, her eyes boring into Carter.

Carter turned around and looked at Caroline. “I never gave it a thought.”

“No, because you are a man,” Fiona said. “Now let’s get inside, and you can talk it all over.”

“I’m sorry this happened,” Fern said quickly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Caroline replied, her conscience taking over and sweeping her jealousy away. She had nothing to fear in Fern, Carter was all hers and always would be. “The way I look at it, is if none of this had happened, I would never have met Carter, and well…”

“You love each other?” Fern asked.

“We do,” she replied. Carter walked ahead, but Caroline was sure he could hear what they were saying. “And how about you?”

“Oh, no one. And that suits me. My parents were not the best role models when it came to relationships. That’s why I latched on to Carter.” She smiled softly at Caroline. “So my therapist tells me.”

Caroline frowned. “I’m really sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault. And one day I hope to be able to help people, young people just like me. If I ever get the chance.”

“You will. I know you will.” Caroline truly was impressed. “You can achieve anything, I really believe that.”

“As you have. A soldier, what a great role model you are,” Fern said. “You are strong. While I’m all… I’m not very good at standing up for myself. But I’m working on it.”

“It takes time.”

“Which is why I’m so grateful to speak with Carter. I want to overcome some of my fears. And I want to set the record straight and apologize.”

“Carter isn’t after an apology,” Caroline said, her eyes fixed on Carter, who turned around and smiled at her, making her stomach do backflips. He would never run from her. She was as vital as air to him now, as he was to her.

“We all try to run in our own ways,” Fern agreed, fiddling with her sleeves again.

Caroline’s heart went out to this young girl who had lived a childhood filled with enough trauma to make her want to take her own life. “You know, if you are looking for a new start, Bear Creek is a good place to do that.”

“Oh yes,” Fiona agreed. “The best place.”

Carter had gone inside, and Caroline, Fiona, and Fern were on the doorstep. Caroline looked at the time. “I should go.”

“You aren’t coming inside?” Fern asked nervously.

“No. Fiona is going to be here with you. I think you and Carter have some things you want to say to each other that do not involve me. I’m going to go over to my brother’s house. Good luck. And thank you.”

“For what?” Fern asked.

“For being brave enough to come here.”

“I’m not brave. I’m a coward, deep down. But I’ve carried this around with me, and I want it to end. How can I help other people when I can’t help myself?” Fern asked.

“Knowing the pain other people are going through helps,” Caroline offered. “You can access that pain, and know it’s not as simple as brushing it off with a smile.”

“I’m going to try,” Fern said, looking up shyly as Fiona ushered her inside.

Caroline turned and walked away from her house, leaving her mate to talk about a past he had run from with a girl who bore the scars of her own turbulent past. All under the supervision of Fiona.

What can go wrong? her bear asked acidly.

Fiona will make sure it turns out OK, Caroline replied.

You trust that old dragon?

I do. She didn’t feel certain, although she tried to sound it, but could not fool her bear.

Caroline ran across the road. It was early evening, and her stomach rumbled from lack of food. Carter had helped her prepare some snacks for Fern, but she had not eaten herself, her nerves wouldn’t let her. But now she wanted to eat. Preferably chocolate. She was in a comfort-eating mood.

Which wouldn’t go down well with Dani if she was feeding the children. Aunty Caroline would be a bad influence if she turned up for tea with an armful of candy bars.

She mounted the steps, stepped across the porch, and knocked on the door before opening it and going inside. “Hi there.”

“Hi,” Dani called, coming out of the kitchen, wiping her hands dry before hugging her sister-in-law. “How are you?”

“I’m OK,” Caroline said.

“Would a glass of wine help?” Dani asked.

“Definitely.” Caroline looked around. “The house is very quiet.”

“Jamie took the kids to the park. I had some homework I had to grade, and it’s hell trying to do it with three noisy kids.” She gave a crooked smile. “Not that I don’t love them to bits. But sometimes I need a quiet hour.”

“And I interrupted you,” Caroline apologized.

“No, I’d finished and now I’m finishing dinner. Which you are more than welcome to join us for.”

“Yes, please,” Caroline replied. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“No, there’s plenty.” Dani took her hand. “Wine first, and then you can tell me all about it.”

“There isn’t much to tell.” Dani and Jamie both knew that Fiona had tracked down Fern. “She’s a sweet girl. Damaged.”

“Really.” They were in the kitchen and Dani was getting a bottle out of the fridge. “That is sad.”

“Apparently, her home life wasn’t good. Which is what led up to the … you know … incident.”

“Poor kid. It must take a lot to push a girl over the edge like that,” Dani said, handing Caroline a glass.

“It does.” She took a sip; it was cold and crisp, just what she needed. “I feel bad, because part of me feels jealous.”

“Oh, Caroline, that is understandable. Carter is bound to have feelings for her. Not those kind of feelings, but sympathy. And a need to help.”

“I know, and he wouldn’t be the man I love if he didn’t,” Caroline said.

“I’m so pleased you found him, and I know Jamie is too,” Dani confided.

“Me too,” Caroline agreed. “I never thought it would happen.”

“Me neither,” Dani said, sitting down next to Caroline. “When I came here to Bear Creek, I wanted a quiet life. I’d had my heart broken, suffered a miscarriage, and thought I could bury myself in a job I loved.”

“Thank goodness for fate,” Caroline said. “And my brother.”

“To fate.” They touched glasses, and Dani took a big gulp.

“Do you ever get over a broken heart?” Caroline asked.

Dani looked down at her glass. “Yes. At least I did. You still carry the scars.” She smiled sadly. “I lost my heart to the uncle of one of the pupils in my class. He was everything I thought I wanted. Handsome, liked the theater, loved books. We were perfectly matched.”

“What happened? Was it the loss of the baby?” Caroline put her hand over Dani’s. “Don’t answer if it’s too painful.”

“It’s not. Not anymore. Not now I have a real family, and Richard…” She sniffed. “He liked his life the way it was. We didn’t break up because I lost the baby, we broke up when I told him I was pregnant.”

“He dumped you?” Caroline asked, shocked.

“Yes. Although he was kind enough to offer to pay for an abortion.”

“Oh, Dani, I’m so sorry. So when you lost the baby, you were all alone?”

“Yes.” She nodded, and took a big sip of wine. “I guess I can understand how easy it would be to end up like Fern.”

“Me too, I was screwed up enough over Rich before I met Carter. Now I find it hard to remember those deep feelings of loss at his death. It makes me feel guilty. You know, that I’ve forgotten him, or forgotten how I felt about him.”

“Which is how it’s supposed to be,” Dani said softly. “We were both in love with a ghost. Someone who wasn’t real. Rich was never going to love you the way he loved Mary. And … well, compared to what I have with Jamie, I realize now, that I had never been in love before. Ever.”

“To new beginnings, and new loves.”

“And babies,” Dani said.

“You’re not…?” Caroline asked.

“No, but we are trying.” She giggled. “A lot.”

They both laughed, and Caroline let go of her fears. Meeting Fern would give Carter closure, and hopefully enable Fern to let go of her guilt and move on with her life.