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“Carter, you can talk to me. I know Delilah’s death was hard on you son, and I thought therapy and the boxing was helping, but just now in there, you are still clearly not okay.”
“The therapy and boxing are helping, Dad. Having to lose someone, especially the woman that you loved and wanted as your wife, does not just get better like that, especially when it is your own fault she is gone.” He sighed.
His father looked at him in shock, and then his expression grew sad. “Carter, it was not your fault, it was an accident. There was nothing anyone could have done, the other car broadsided her when it ran a red light. It was his—”
“I know whose fault it was, and if she had not been upset about me wanting her to sign a prenup, she would not have been on the road and would have been with me that night. She left hurt and in tears, Dad,” Carter said, his voice sounding hoarse as the memory of that night—their argument, her face before she left, and then the call about the accident—and the pain of what had happened ripped through him again.
“Oh son, it still was not your fault. This was an unfortunate accident that happened, and you cannot keep blaming yourself.”
He pulled Carter into his arms and hugged his son close. His father really was not a hugger, he left it to Elizabeth to bestow the hugs and kisses to the children when they were upset, but it felt nice to feel the security of his father’s arms, even if he was also a grown man himself. Carter let out another breath of air, his chest feeling constricted, and he hugged his father back.
“I know that it is not what you want to hear, but it is the truth. Bad things happen, and we lose people that we care about. It hurts, but eventually it gets easier, and you will be able to move on in—”
Carter pulled away abruptly, taking a step away from his father. “Would you be able to move on if something should happen to Mom?” Carter asked.
His father stood there and then looked at him solemnly. “I don’t know, probably not,” he answered honestly.
He nodded, not wanting to hear anything else. No one would understand what he was going through and the emotions he had felt when Delilah had left him after they argued. He had not told his dad or anyone that the last thing she had said to him was that he had cared more about his assets than being in love with her. He had stood there silently, not denying her accusation because he had been mad that she had looked at the prenup that way. He loved her, but he was no fool. Anything can happen in a good marriage, just look at his father and mother. They had had the perfect marriage—until they didn’t. And after Delilah had died, he wondered if she had been right.
“Thank you for your advice, but I just need a moment to myself outside.”
His father opened his mouth to argue, but whatever was on Carter’s face caused his dad to pause and then nod sadly. He patted his son on the back and left him to his contemplation.
When he heard the crunch of the snow signalling his father’s departure, Carter made his way to a snow-covered boulder and sat down on it, drawing his coat tight around him and shuffling his booted feet back and forth in the snow as he mulled over everything that had happened today.
He stiffened suddenly, aware that Zahara was standing right behind him before she placed her hand on his shoulder and then moved around to the front of him, now facing him.
He gazed up and squinted a bit because she was standing in the glare of the sun. He could make out her shape but not her face, until she shifted and moved closer to his knees, which he parted, and she stepped between them. Carter could now see her face. She did not look hurt or angry anymore but reflective.
“You heard our discussion,” he said, more as a statement than a question.
She nodded and then sat down on his knee. He shuffled around and pulled her close into his body, keeping her warm while she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders.
“Your father is right. Unless you had a crystal ball and knew what the outcome would be, you could not have known what would have happened after you argued with her. And from what I have been hearing about Delilah, she would not want you to blame yourself either.”
He just held her, saying nothing, because that was not the only reason he was feeling guilty, and he wasn’t ready to talk about it just yet.
“I want you to know that when the time comes, I will sign the prenup.”
He leaned his head back and stared at her in surprise.
“Why?”
She grinned. “Because I plan on being a bigger mogul than you. Everyone will say Carter Brooks who? Oh yeah, he is married to Zahara Jones, who is famous for her male cosmetics line,” she teased.
His mouth quirked up. Then she cupped his jaw, her hazel eyes staring straight into his for him to see the truth of what she felt for him.
“I am not marrying you for your money. It is because I love you and want only to be with you.”
He sucked in a breath because this was the first time she had said the words aloud. When she spoke about them, she only ever kept saying that they were meant to be.
“This soon? As you pointed out, we do not really know each other.”
“When you know you know, just like your brother Leaf did with Deana. Besides, I don’t think I will have to worry about a prenup.” She leaned over and caressed his lips with hers. He cupped her head as he leaned back in question.
“Because once you are in love with me too, it will not matter to you because you will feel safe and secure in my love for you and your love for me. You’ll know that we will be together until we are old and gray and take our last breaths together.”
She gave him a beautiful, knowing smile, and he groaned and slammed his lips over hers, taking her sweet mouth in a passionate kiss.
