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He folded his arms over his wide chest. “Why would I invite my girlfriend to my birthday party?” he teased before kissing her again. “I’ll text you, and I hope to see you before then.”
“You’d better.”
Carter gathered her in his arms. “Have a good day tomorrow.”
“I’ll miss you until I see you again.” She looked up at him. “One more kiss?”
“Yes, ma’am.” After kissing her one last time, Carter handed her the key fob for her car and then loped down the front steps.
She smiled as he climbed into his truck and started the engine. He waved before backing out of her drive.
As she entered her house, Darcy contemplated their conversation on the boardwalk before they’d left Coral Cove. When he’d mentioned an unexpected medical problem, she’d been worried he would tell her he was still ill. She was relieved he was well now, but curiosity nipped at her.
She wondered what the medical issue was, but she also understood wanting to keep that information private. She would never pry or ask him questions he wasn’t ready to answer. Even so, she hoped one day he would feel comfortable enough to tell her what he’d been through. Just like she hoped to share her own past one day.
Darcy placed her luggage on the bench by her door while she reconsidered Carter’s worries about his self-worth. She hoped she could find a way to prove to him that she cared for him and didn’t care about his financial situation.
As she locked the door behind her and picked up her luggage, Darcy knew one thing for sure: Carter had carved out a piece of her heart, and she trusted him to hold it.
***
Carter whistled a Montgomery Gentry tune as he walked into the house. He was still thinking about kissing Darcy when he entered the family room, where Shauna was watching a movie and Gage was clicking through car videos on his laptop. He waved on his way to the stairs, but when Shauna paused the movie, he stopped moving forward and turned toward them.
“How was the beach?” Gage asked.
Carter nodded. “Great.”
“Sit for a minute,” Shauna said.
Carter pointed toward the stairs. “I really need a shower. I’ll come back down after I’m changed.” He started toward the stairs and then jogged up them.
“Wait, Carter.” His sister trailed after him.
He set his bag on his bed and then turned toward her standing in the doorway. “What’s up?”
“I want to hear more about your weekend.”
Carter described Darcy’s parents’ beautiful house and boat, and he filled her in on the high points of their time there. “It was great to get away and relax,” he said.
Shauna tapped the doorframe. “Are you and Darcy official now?”
He nodded.
“So I’ll get to meet her on your birthday?”
“Yup.”
Shauna lingered in the doorway, seemingly hesitant about something.
Dread pooled in his gut as he dropped onto the edge of his bed and pointed to a chair. “You look like you want to talk. Have a seat.”
She sat down on the chair by his desk, and her serious expression sent a flare of worry through him.
“What is it, Shauna?”
She huffed a breath. “I think I found Dad.”
“What?” His eyes narrowed. “I asked you not to look for him,” he snapped. “Did you do this just to spite me?”
