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They walked down a pathway through the yard that led to a fence lined with flowering dogwood trees. Balancing his plate and cup of tea in one hand, Carter opened the gate for her and then followed her to a bench at the edge of a pond. Other homes in the neighborhood surrounded the pond and enjoyed similar views. A prick of envy twisted through him as he took in the lovely two-story houses. He doubted he would ever be able to afford a home like the ones in this neighborhood.
“This place is incredible,” he muttered as they sank down onto the bench together.
“I know. Derek got a great deal on it too.”
Carter took a bite of a beef kabob and then craned his neck over his shoulder. The other guests of the party were sitting at tables throughout the yard and eating their food. Conversations wafted over them, along with the quacks from a group of ducks swimming in the pond.
“Do you know all of the people here?” He wondered if she felt as awkward as he did with the strangers.
She shook her head and swallowed. “Only a few, but I think some of them are Derek’s and Haven’s coworkers.” She seemed to survey him for a moment. “So you’re the same age as Derek?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we graduated together. I’ll be thirty next month. How about you?”
“Twenty-seven.”
An easy silence fell over them while they ate for a few moments. He felt himself completely relax for the first time since arriving at Derek’s house.
“How are your folks?” he asked.
She seemed surprised by the question. “Great. How about your sister?”
“She’s fine.”
“You mentioned that she’s been married for six years. Does she have any children?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
She lifted an eyebrow.
“They’re hoping to have kids, but she hasn’t discussed it with me much.” He recalled how his sister had mentioned wanting children, but he also had the impression that she and Gage were struggling. He looked forward to being an uncle someday soon. He’d love to have a niece or nephew to take to the park and teach how to ride a bike. Maybe Shauna and Gage would have a child who liked to work on cars too.
“I see.” Understanding seemed to fill her face. “What does she do for a living?”
“She’s a pediatric nurse, so she’s great with kids. She always wanted to go to nursing school, and then she fell in love with pediatrics.”
Darcy smiled. “I bet she has some great stories.”
“Yes, she does.” He chuckled.
“Is she older than you?”
He nodded. Darcy turned her attention to her food, and as she picked at her plate, she seemed to be working through something in her mind.
Carter waited a few moments and then leaned closer to her. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah.” She turned slightly toward him. “But can I ask you something personal?”
“Sure.” He braced himself, unsure of how personal she planned to get. He reminded himself that she had no way of knowing about his past. About his illness, about his failed relationship, about everything that fell apart. After all, not even Derek knew about his kidney transplant.
Darcy’s expression became somber. “You said you don’t keep in touch with your father.”
Carter’s back went rigid. “He’s never been around. I don’t even know where he is.”
She stared at the pond for a moment. “Have you ever wanted to find him?”
He blinked, certain he’d misunderstood the question.
Darcy cringed. “Oh no. I made it weird.” She sat up straight and forced a smile. “So what’s your favorite movie?”
