Page 35 of Mr. Principal

I walked over to her. It looked like Carter had put a throw over her and placed one of the pillows from the couch under her head.

“She looks so peaceful,” I said with a smile. I always smiled when I saw her sleeping. She always looked so innocent.

“I tried to make sure she was comfortable. I would have picked her up and moved her into the guest bedroom, but I didn’t want her to wake up in a strange room and panic.”

I nodded. “That was thoughtful of you.”

He shrugged like it was no big deal. But it was.

“Once again, you’ve come to my rescue.”

“That’s what friends are for, right?”

I leaned against one of the columns in his home and took a moment to look around. He had a large fireplace that took up most of the living room. Some people might have considered the original brick old-fashioned, but I thought it looked homey and cozy. There was a fire burning and I sat down next to it and stretched out my feet.

Carter joined me, and we sat there for a moment not saying anything.

I started first.

“I guess we should talk about what happened the other day.”

He looked towards the room where Meredith was, as if to make sure she was asleep.

“Don’t worry,” I said with a wry smile, “When she’s asleep, she’s out. She won’t overhear us.”

He nodded and then said, “I’m sorry for leaving abruptly.”

I held my hands out in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth whilst trying to come up with something to say that felt right. But I couldn’t come up with anything.

“When you sprinted to the bathroom, I just tried to get out of there as fast as I could. I felt terrible—”

“Me too,” I said quickly. “I mean, we should have never have let that happen.”

He looked at me quizzically. “To be clear, I feel terrible that we defiled Piper’s couch. I don’t have any regrets about what happened between us… do you?”

I couldn’t even look at him. I didn’t want to hurt him, but what other choice did I have? I guess my silence stretched too long because he began speaking again.

“I’m going to take your silence to mean you don’t feel the same way.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t say anything.” He sighed. “How long are we going to do this same old dance, Dana?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, not understanding him.

“You know how I feel about you.”

I turned to look at him then and he took that moment to take my hand in his. I stared into his eyes, clearly seeing love there. He looked at me in a way that Tom never did.

“I… it’s not that easy for me, Carter,” I said nervously, licking my lips. His eyes followed the movement.

He didn’t say anything. He just reached for my face and cupped my chin in his hand. He gently stroked my face.

“I have no interest in complicating your life… I just want to be a part of it.”

“You are a part of it.”

“I don’t want to just be your old buddy from college. Our relationship was never that simple.”