Dropping The Ball - A New Year’s Billionaire Romance - Weston Parker Page 0,62
send to mine. She took one of Adam posing to cut down a massive tree with the tiniest saw known to man before coming to stand next to me.
“I bought the DVD of your first show,” she said, bending her head conspiratorially while linking her arm with mine. “We were so proud of you when we saw you on the cover. I always knew you were going to make it big.”
She wasn’t even just saying it. Mrs. Demming, Denise, had been very involved in the theater program at high school, and she’d always doted over my voice and dancing.
“Thank you.” I squeezed her arm. “I wouldn’t say I’ve made it big, but I’ve done okay for myself.”
“I’d say.” I appreciated that she didn’t pry about whether I was going back to performing or why I’d stopped. “Should we go take a look at that tree? I think they might be considering it seriously and I’m not sure it’s the right one.”
Eyeing the monstrosity Carter and his dad were standing next to, I had to agree. “I thought we were just cutting down the tree. I didn’t realize we were planning on cutting a hole in the building to get it in there later as well.”
Adam tapped his lips with his index finger. “She might have a point there, son. We sure as hell won’t fit this thing in an elevator.”
“We could make it fit if we’re patient,” Carter said, and I very nearly made a “that’s what he said” joke out of the comment.
His eyes snapped to mine like he’d heard it even though I hadn’t said it, silent laughter rolling through him before he winked at me. Warmth filled all the parts of me that had felt so cold and empty all week. How he knew me so well that he’d known what the first thought to jump into my head had been, I didn’t know, but I also didn’t doubt that he did.
When I finally managed to tear my eyes away from his, breaking off the moment passing between us, I found his mother staring straight at me. She patted my arm. “We’ve always loved you, darling. I’m really glad you two stumbled onto each other.”
She asked me a little about why I needed a guard, and I answered her honestly but without giving too much detail. The irony didn’t escape my notice that I was doing to her exactly what I was trying to forgive him for doing to me, yet I still didn’t go into detail.
I didn’t want to worry her, and I felt like I needed to protect her from the scary reality that there might be someone out there who wanted to hurt me and Carter was my last line of defense. “It’s nothing too serious. My parents and my team felt I’d be safer if I had someone with me. People can get pretty intense about their favorite actors and shows, you know?”
She smiled and pretended to fan her face. “I know. There are a few of those actors that even this old lady would throw herself at on the street.”
“I heard that,” Adam yelled, laughing and shaking his head before going back to the conversation he was having with Carter. I didn’t know what it was about, but it seemed pretty earnest and impassioned.
“How about this one?” She pointed at the tree right next to us. “I think it’s perfect and it’s freezing out. Let’s go home and have those warm drinks we skipped out on earlier.”
Carter’s fingers brushed against mine when he passed me, and even just that innocent touch made me long for more. But that was part of the problem.
I hadn’t only been thinking about the lie this week. I’d also wondered if it was even worth trying to work it all out. Regardless of how sure he’d seemed about not caring if he ended up having to take care of me, I wouldn’t wish a fate like that on my worst enemy, and he certainly wasn’t that.
His parents were so youthful and alive, and Billy had told me at some point that all his brothers were married with children. Carter had four brothers, and if they were all married with at least one child, that meant that with him and his parents included, there were a minimum of fifteen people at family gatherings.
I could only imagine how loud and chaotic those must be. It sounded like my family Christmas dreams come true, but I’d hate to have to