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Gage nodded. He drew his lips together, and Carter could almost feel him choosing his words carefully. “Listen, I know it’s none of my business. But before you head out, I wanted to tell you that Shauna has been talking to your dad fairly often lately.”
Carter’s entire body went rigid.
Gage held his hands up as if to calm Carter. “Just listen, okay? I know you’re angry with him, but that anger only hurts you, not him. So if you have a chance to talk to him, it would do you some good to keep an open mind.”
“You’re speaking in code, Gage.” Carter studied his brother-in-law as irritation sparked in his chest. “What are you not telling me?”
“Just keep an open mind,” he repeated.
“I don’t have time for games. I gotta leave or I’m gonna be late. Now give it to me straight.”
“Don’t be surprised if you have an opportunity to talk to your dad soon, and stay calm for your sake and also for Shauna’s.”
Carter stared at him, waiting for him to share more, but Gage shook his head.
“That’s all I can tell you right now, okay?” Gage said.
“Fine.” Carter headed for the door. “I’ll be home late. See you tomorrow.” As he hastened to his truck, he worked to shove away the black mood that thoughts of his father always ushered in. He tried to focus on Darcy, but irritation clung to him, refusing to be ignored.
***
Darcy pushed through the door at Bella Italia later that evening, and the delicious aromas of tomato sauce and garlic filled her nostrils. Right away she spotted Carter standing on the far side of the restaurant, examining his phone. He was even handsomer than usual dressed in khakis and a light-blue button-down. She felt a flurry of pride as she rushed over to him and kissed him. She breathed in the familiar musky scent of his aftershave and grinned. “Wow, Donovan. You clean up nice.”
“You do too, beautiful.” He dropped his phone into his pocket. “How was the rehearsal?”
“Good. Hopefully I’ll walk down the aisle in those ridiculous shoes without tripping tomorrow.” She grimaced. “At least I can hold on to Liam on my way back up the aisle.”
“Hold on to him, huh? Just don’t hold too tight,” he teased. His lips tipped up, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
She placed her hand on his hard chest. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You seem... preoccupied.”
He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “Everything’s fine.”
“No, there’s something wrong.” She studied his dark eyes. “You can tell me.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing important.”
She pulled all of her courage up from her toes and then said the words she’d longed to say for so long. “I love you, Carter. That’s why I’m worried about you.”
He blinked twice, then opened and closed his mouth as he stared at her.
“I love you, Carter,” she repeated. “I really do.”
His expression warmed, a genuine smile overtaking his lips. “And I love you too, Darcy.” His voice was husky. Then he pulled her to him and kissed her with so much passion that she forgot where she was for a moment.
Bliss rushed through her veins as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
When Carter released her, he touched her cheek. Joy sparkled in his eyes. “You make me so happy, Darcy.”
“Back at ya,” she said.
His eyes focused behind her, where Derek and Haven were steering folks to tables. “I think we’re being paged.” Carter led Darcy toward the table where Derek’s younger brother, Liam, and his girlfriend, Tonya, also sat.
After Derek and Haven took turns thanking everyone who had traveled for their wedding, the guests moved through the buffet line, filling their plates with the delectable offerings of lasagna, pasta, meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, breadsticks, and salad before returning to their seats.
