Page 33 of Unraveled

“It’s fine,” Carter said. “I want you to feel at home here. Besides, it’ll only take two minutes to brew a cup. Just tell me how you take it.”

“No, don’t worry about it,” his father replied.

“If you want coffee, I’ll make the coffee,” Carter snapped.

His father huffed an irritated little sound and heaved himself off the barstool. “Just show me where the guest room is so I can rest up a bit.”

Carter clenched his jaw, fighting back the urge to scream. He didn’t know why his father had to be so difficult all the time. He loved him, but they’d never seen eye-to-eye; they never would. Not for the first time, Carter wished Whitney could be there to take him off his hands. She would know exactly what to do. He had a feeling the next week was going to be rough on both of them.

Shoving away from the counter, Carter strolled down the hallway toward the front of the house. He’d converted his office into a bedroom for his father and had a bed and TV moved in so he wouldn’t have to struggle up and down the stairs. There was a full bathroom one door down, so the setup was almost ideal. Or so he thought. His father paused in the doorway and looked around, a frown tugging at his lips.

Carter felt his hackles rising as he watched his father’s gaze sweep over the room. “Something wrong?”

His father gave an abbreviated shake of his head. “Nope.”

The tone of his voice told Carter he was lying, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment. No matter what he did, it wouldn’t be right. He decided to take a step away before his anger got the best of him. “Make yourself at home,” he said through clenched teeth. “And yell if you need anything.”

Without giving his father the chance to come up with anything else that aggrieved him, Carter jogged up the stairs to his room, pulling his cell from his pocket and dialing as he went. Whitney picked up just as he closed the bedroom door.

“Hey, big brother. How is Dad doing?”

“Ornery,” he replied. “Are you sure you don’t want to take over for me?”

He could practically hear her eyes roll through the phone. “The only reason you guys don’t get along is because you’re so much alike.”

“I take offense to that,” he retorted. He’d admired his father growing up. He was a hard worker and a good husband to their mother until she passed, and all he’d ever wanted to do, just like every other kid, was make his father proud.

From the time he was in middle school, he followed in his father’s footsteps, playing peewee football, then becoming a high school quarterback and leading their team to state. After graduation, he spent two tours serving his country in the Marines, just like his father had. After he was discharged, he went to his father’s alma mater and got a degree in law—just like him. And he hated every second of it.

It paid the bills and then some, and he enjoyed when people got what they deserved, but that wasn’t nearly as often as it should be. He felt like something was missing from his life, maybe more than one thing.

He knew a lot of it had to do with Audrey. Ever since he met her, he’d felt the urge to settle down, or at least turn his attention to a more serious relationship. Even though she’d been married at the time, he knew there was something different about her, that he wanted to explore it further. She had her reservations, but he hoped he would be able to convince her to give him another shot.

As for his job, he didn’t know what to do. Edward had dangled the promotion in front of him like a carrot, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it anymore, especially not if there were stipulations attached to it. He wouldn’t whore himself out for a raise.

He hung up with Whitney, not feeling much more optimistic about the situation, then changed and headed back downstairs. He hit the basement for a quick run on the treadmill and was just opening the door into the kitchen when he ran into his father. “Hey. I’m gonna change, then eat. What would you prefer—chicken or pork?”

The doctor had given strict orders for his father to follow a healthier diet to try to lower his cholesterol. Not for the first time, Carter wished their mother was still around. For the last year and a half since she passed away, he was certain his father hadn’t been taking care of himself. They’d spent so much time together, always going golfing or playing racquetball together, that it had never occurred to Carter to worry about his father’s health.

Now, though, he was acutely aware of his father’s age. He was looking older and more frail, almost depressed. Their mother’s battle with cancer had hit him hard, and Carter felt bad for not checking in with him more often.

His father lifted one shoulder. “Whatever’s easiest for you.”

“Chicken it is.” This time, Carter didn’t even bother to argue. There was plenty of food in the pantry that his father could make if he didn’t like it.

Seated at the oak table, his father threw a look Carter’s way. “Something going on with you and Dr. Stanton?”

Carter froze at the question. Why was he asking? He knew his father was astute enough not to have missed the exchange between Audrey and Carter, but he’d never expressed any interest in Carter’s love life. Carter decided on an easy answer. “We know each other. She was a client.”

His father grunted. “No wonder she ran away from you.”

“Always assume the worst about me, don’t you?”

Unfortunately, in this case, his father was right. Carter had hurt Audrey, and he deserved her scorn. The way she’d looked at him in the hospital had nearly gutted him. He’d seen distrust and sadness, insecurity and accusation. But underneath all that, he’d also seen a glimmer of desire. This thing between them wasn’t even close to being over yet.

Carter sidled up to the reception desk and peered at Mrs. Hodges. “I need to ask you a favor.”

He hadn’t been able to get Audrey off his mind and, sometime during the past twenty-four hours since his father had asked him about her, he’d finally come up with a plan. It wasn’t his best work, but it was all he had at the moment.