whatever he’s old enough to be, I’m old enough to enjoy it.”
And then she swivels on the balls of her feet and marches indignantly down the hall to the room Joe must have gone into, slamming the door hard behind her.
I stand there stunned for a minute before my brain unscrambles. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see any of that.
My mother’s love life is none of my business and I’ve got my own to sort out. I’ve spent almost two years without the love of my life and I finally have the chance to make her mine again and for good. But first I need to explain about Porsha and hope she can forgive me.
62
Beth
I came for you
I hear the commotion before my door opens and Thandi one of my students come spilling into the small room where I’m mixing paint.
“Beth, Carter Bosch asked for you,” she repeats snapping her fingers under my nose.
“Did you tell him I’d call him back?”
She looks at me like I’m demented. “ No, cause he’s here. Not on the phone and I told him you’d be right out.”
I turn to face her. She waggles her eyebrows.
“Why did you do that?” I demand.
She just smiles even bigger. “Because I’m not a liar. And Carter Bosch just walked in asking for you. It’s like…every girl’s dream.”
She’s watching me intently and grinning like a drunk Cheshire cat.
“You can forget whatever you’re thinking. I don’t want to see him.”
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, and I’m praying like hell I can change your mind.” Carter’s resonant, deep, melodic voice floats through the air and wraps itself around me in an intimate embrace that’s more tangible than the hand Thandi laid on my shoulder.
I take a step back, and trip on my own feet. I grab the counter to steady my fall but only grab air and land hard on my ass. I can’t bite back the moan of agony at the pain in my wrist.
“Beth, oh my God.” Thandi cups my elbow and helps me to my feet. But despite the throbbing pain in my hand, I’m hyperaware of the presence behind me.
I don’t need to turn back around to know how he’s looking at me. I know his every expression. In my mind’s eye, I can see the way his full, wide, light pink lips are flattened and turned down at the corners. I can picture his heavy dark brows slashed downward with worry.
His glittering eyes are full of the tender concern that’s captured the imagination of every woman with a pulse.
“Beth,” he says softly as he comes to stand next to us at the table and a strong hand wraps around my shoulder ”I got you… I got you,” Carter whispers in my ear and the tears of pain that are welling in my eyes don’t sting so badly suddenly. His words are like a shot of analgesic sunshine straight into my veins.
Every muscle in my body relaxes and I sag back against his broad muscular chest. I lean against him, not worried at all that he can’t take my weight. I know that Carter would never let me fall.
I shake my head and try to step out of his hold. When he doesn’t let go, I look up at him, my vision clouded by pain, but determined not to set myself on a path that can only end badly for me. “Why are you here?” I’m breathless and my voice is tight with pain. I close my eyes against a wave of pain that starts to move up my arm.
Carter’s wraps an arm around my shoulder and turns me so I can’t avoid his eyes any longer. They pin me in place and he lowers his head and his breath is warm and sweet against my neck. “I came for you.”
We did DNA tests separately and we’ve been waiting for the lab to email the results. Because of the holidays, things moved slower, so the results could take ten days.
They warned us that any shared DNA markers, no matter how few, would render the test inconclusive. Having samples from our mothers would help them say with certainty, but that just wasn’t possible. So, I’m just hoping like hell we get answers that don’t lead to more questions.
I don’t know if it’s relief, pain, surprise, or exhaustion that makes my head swim. When I try to answer him, the words feel so far away. Then, everything goes dark.
63
Carter
Finally
I manage to catch her before she crumples