buy myself the day after Valentine’s Day when all the candy is on sale.”
“Nobody to send you some?”
His question surprises me, my brows arching as I give him a momentary glance. Eventually, I shrug it off. “No, not really. Sometimes Danny would buy me flowers or chocolates or those little stuffed animals you can find for cheap at the store.”
He wouldn’t even stop after he got married. Our friendship was known to everyone, and not once did Willow get upset over it. She was glad we had each other. Another reason to like her. She wasn’t set on getting rid of me because I was close with her husband.
I didn’t realize how easy it’d be to talk about Danny to Carter. He knows him—there’s no long, drawn out explanation about our complicated dynamic. Somehow, it doesn’t hurt as much knowing Carter got to witness what a wonderful man Daniel McCray was.
“What about you? Any lucky lady?” The words are out before I can even process them, firing up my entire face when I realize what was said aloud. Eyes widening, my lips part to take it back or apologize, but he shakes his head with an easy smile directed at me.
“Not at the moment.” His voice is soft as he gives me a quick look before focusing his attention to the people in front of us again.
I vaguely remember my mother talking about a woman named Elizabeth. She’d mentioned it in passing, saying she and Carter were serious. Talks of marriage, even. But I never bothered asking for details because I hadn’t spoken to him or even thought about him enough to believe it was any of my business.
Instead of pushing the issue, I let it go. “I always thought this holiday was so stupid.”
We move forward. “Why is that?”
I find myself shrugging. “It’s all about the money corporations make. I used to get so upset by it. But really…” My voice fades as I stare at the floor. He waits patiently, his eyes burning with interest directed at my face. “It’s different when you have someone to share it with, I guess. Even with Danny it was nice.”
He makes a small noise of agreement with the back of his throat.
“How have you liked living around here?” he asks, breaking the comfortable silence.
My eyes peel away from the chocolate scone that’s calling my name from the pastry display, and back to him. “I like it. It’s different. Good different.”
He understands, based on the slightest crinkle by his eyes that his smile forms. “There aren’t as many farm animals here.”
“Is it weird I miss the smell of manure?” I note the disgusted looks casted my way from the two girls waiting for their orders. I promptly ignore it.
“Nah. I get it.” He nods as the line moves, stepping with me. “How about … Ainsley, right? Does she like it here? The school?”
A funny feeling tugs at my heart. Nobody has asked about her outside my family and Jenna. Easton will too, but we all live together so it seems obligatory. Very few people know about her. Danny was estranged from his extended family, so they never tried to get to know the sweet little girl that I’m lucky enough to have.
Taken by surprise, I shake my head and give him a quick once over to see if he really wants to know. Carter seems genuinely interested though, which is foreign to me.
Wetting my lips, I say, “Ainsley is … uh, special. She adjusts pretty quickly, but it’s not necessarily mutual. She has more room to play in this house than the apartment we lived in, so I know she likes that. School has been tough, but I know she can handle it.”
His head tilts and nods slowly. “Kids can adapt fast to new situations. How old is she?”
Talking about her brings a smile to my face that I lack too often. “She just turned six.”
When I get called up to order, I tell the cashier what drink I want and then glance at the display case to see the scone missing. Grumbling over the missed opportunity, I ask for a cinnamon apple muffin and search my bag for my wallet.
“I’ve got it,” Carter says, lowering my hand and passing the woman a twenty-dollar bill while placing his own order.
“You don’t have to—”
“Don’t worry about it.”
It’s pointless to argue when he collects the change from the student worker who very clearly doesn’t want to be here. Her lack of enthusiasm as she