close.”
His lips purse before he nods once. “He’s doing fine. Just got promoted at the shop he works at. I think his plans to start his own automotive business didn’t pan out, so he’s trying to get his boss to agree to a partnership.”
I try forcing my lips neutral, but they curve into a frown. Why didn’t I know Jesse wanted to own his own shop? It’s never come up in any conversations we’ve had in the past, and I doubt that was some new dream. “Oh. Cool.”
He must sense the shift in my mood. “I think he’s been busy. He and Ren have been in a weird place lately and he’s worked a lot to save up for—” His abrupt stop makes me turn to him and away from the scenery I’m watching pass us on the interstate leading to my house.
“What?”
He blows out a breath. “They, uh, have been trying for kids. It hasn’t been working out and it’s put a lot of stress on their marriage. Jesse’s been picking up more projects to pay for treatment for her.”
I blink. “Oh.”
Oh. My body tenses again as I shift my attention back out the passenger window. I know Carter is only answering my question, but it doesn’t stop the hurt from sinking in. It’s not like he intentionally said that to upset me, but I thought Jesse and I were at least in a place to know the basics. Kids is a big deal.
“Sorry,” he murmurs quietly.
“I asked.”
“You’re upset.”
“I’m…” I shake my head. “He probably didn’t want to tell me because of everything that’s happened. After Danny’s funeral it felt sort of like this mutual interest wasn’t there anymore.”
He merges into a different lane to pass a car in front of us. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
“It is.” We’re quiet for a moment. “I never knew they wanted kids. Once, he and Ren came by to see me around the holidays at my old apartment and they left in a weird mood. I thought it was because of Danny, but…”
Carter doesn’t say anything, leaving me to collect my thoughts for a moment. Are they upset with me because of Ainsley? It isn’t like Jesse and Danny were as close as we were.
“Maybe they’re upset with me.” I like Ren a lot. The last thing I want is her and my brother to have a problem with the guardianship I got for Ainsley. It was never expected. Kids was the last thing on my mind. But maybe that’s the problem. “It makes sense, I guess.”
Carter doesn’t seem to agree. “I’m sure they’re not upset with you. Why would they be? Look, they’re both just busy with a lot on their plates. Reach out. It couldn’t hurt.”
He’s right. But that doesn’t mean I’ll send a text and bite my nails until I get one back that isn’t more than a word or two like normal. Sometimes it’s better not to feed the disappointment and just assume the worst.
“He loves you,” Carter states. “And he—” Something hard smacks into my chest as the car fishtails on the road, causing my heartrate to spike and tears to instantly begin pouring down my eyes. It’s a response I can’t help as Carter evens out the vehicle without getting us into an accident, and I can’t control my ragged breathing.
I start hyperventilating as adrenaline courses through my veins. Glancing down, I see his forearm still held out in front of me in protection, with fresh teardrops on his jacket sleeve from the train wreck that is my existence.
He pulls over as soon as we get off the exit, turning his body to scope me out. His arm has since lowered, his hand now resting on my knee and squeezing as I try containing the tears. “Are you okay? Piper, look at me.”
I keep shaking my head, burying my face into my palms as I heave out another sob.
“It’s okay. We’re okay.”
But we’re not.
“D-Danny d-died in a c-car crash,” I manage to force out between suffocating cries, too worked up to be embarrassed that I’m bawling in front of him.
But Carter isn’t just some random guy who teaches me and offered me a ride home. He knows me—the old me. The version of me who loved Danny and knew what kind of amazing person he was growing up. That kind of connection has me dropping my hand on his and squeezing until the tears subside nearly ten minutes later.
And he stays quiet and lets me calm