She is not happy her life is being disrupted. As in, not at all. She’s not pleased she had to rearrange her schedule. But she did it. Belview freaked her out but she’s keeping her shit. She and I are just starting out and she was forced to move in because her ex is a nutjob. But when this is over, nothing will change between me and Addy, except I’ll be in her bed as much as she is in mine. So there’s no purpose in giving Belview a head’s up we’re looking into him so I can make my approach. Which I won’t have to do at all if his time in Georgia is limited and he’ll be gone soon.”
“I don’t think anyone’s thinking straight right now,” Carter admitted.
I agreed, so I remained silent since there was nothing to say.
“I got your back on this. On both fronts. I’m on your visitor list at the front gate. I’ll do drive-bys, Nick and Brady will, too. I also asked Jackson and Brice. They’re on board but you need to add them to the list. We’ll rotate and keep an eye out. And don’t worry about Jason, he’ll come around. I’m not making excuses for him, what he said yesterday was jacked, but Mercy’s having some issues with her pregnancy and all sorts of bad shit is coming up for him.”
“He told me about Mercy. I’m sorry to hear that. I hope everything’s okay with the baby. And I hope you don’t take this as heartless, but you’re right; it doesn’t excuse how he made his sister feel.”
Carter nodded and then he shared, “You didn’t know Jason back in the day when he was with Kayla. The two of them, best friends, they tried to include the relationship stuff and it wasn’t a love match, not like he has with Mercy. But he and Kayla, tight until the end. She beat cancer the first time. It came back and Jason stuck to her like glue, fighting right alongside her, all the way to the bitter end. And it was bitter, brother. She died in his arms in their bed. Now he’s got a woman who is definitely his best friend but also the love of his life, and those old feelings of helplessness are resurfacing. He’s being strong for Mercy, shielding her, and in doing that he’s tearing into you. It’s fucked up. I know it is. And when he pulls himself out he’s gonna feel like a dick and he’ll struggle with what he’s done.
“Now, of course there’s a difference between your wife being pregnant but so sick she’s in and out of the hospital and you’re holding her while she pukes her brains out, and your wife having cancer. But right now, Jason cannot see that. He’s blinded with fear because he’s living in the past.”
Fucking shit. I didn’t think it was possible but all my anger for the guy was wiped clean. And I felt like the asshole for bringing up Kayla.
Fucking hell.
Carter went on. “Jasper is…Jasper. He loves his girls fiercely. So fierce, that sometimes he doesn’t see reason. When you’re on the other side of this, you’ll get it.”
“I get it now and I take no offense.”
“I sure as fuck would,” Carter complained.
“No, you wouldn’t. You love Delaney enough to take whatever Jasper had to throw your way, eat it, then take the time needed to earn his trust.”
“Yeah.” Carter smiled. “And you willing to eat his shit proves you’ll earn that, too. But just so you know, for me, for Nick, for the rest of us, you’ve already earned it. You didn’t see it, but yesterday, Nick threw down for you. Jason knows he’s wrong, he also knows the shit he gave you yesterday is just that—shit. Not a man in that room, except me,” Carter stopped to smirk, “can say jackshit about you playing the field. Neither can Jasper and he knows it. But he’s holding onto something because Addy’s the last one, and I reckon he’s feeling that. Don’t make it easier for you to swallow, but he’ll come around.”
My chest started to burn. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I needed to know Carter had my back. It felt good, and the knot that had taken root in my gut started to loosen. In an effort to hide the emotion, I circled back.
“Does she know about that layover we had in Amsterdam?” Carter groaned and shook his head. “Never seen