“Ohmigod.” I bit back and groan. “You’re an idiot.”
“Mom!”
“Just a second, buddy,” I called. “We’ll be right out.”
“Can I have some juice?”
“Sure.” I wrinkled my nose. “Do you see why we can’t do this?”
“We’ll have our time,” he promised.
“I’m a single parent, Carter. I don’t have those times often, if ever.”
“Well, you’re not a single parent anymore.” He slipped his hand to my neck and squeezed. “We’ll make time.”
“Easy for you to—”
His kiss cut off my retort and my focus was once again drawn to what he could do with his tongue. Good lord, the man could kiss. He rolled a nipple between his fingertips before breaking our connection and dropping his forehead to mine. “You gonna remember who your man is?”
“And who’s that?”
“Cassidy,” he growled.
Two could play this game. I slid my hand to cup him on the outside of his jeans, smiling when he hissed against my neck. “I had a feeling you’d be big,” I breathed. “Wasn’t quite expecting that though.”
He chuckled. “You know exactly what to say to a man.”
“Just speaking the truth, Carter.” I smiled. “You’re almost as big as Kevin.”
“What the fuck!” he bellowed, and knifed off the bed.
I dissolved into giggles and I heard him swear again, and then his hands were at my waist and I was being tickled mercilessly.
“Carter!” I squealed.
“Say Uncle, Cassidy.”
“You know Kevin’s cup is an extra large.”
He squeezed my middle again and I squealed.
“Say Uncle!” he demanded.
My door popped open and Maverick stood at the threshold looking worried as he asked, “Mom? Are you okay?”
Carter released me immediately and I sat up, waving Maverick over. “I’m fine honey. Uncle Carter was just making me giggle.”
Maverick let out a sigh of relief and rushed to the bed. “What were you doing, Uncle Carter?”
Carter grabbed Maverick and pulled him onto the bed, starting the tickle attack he’d just laid on me. “This.”
Maverick howled with laughter and I couldn’t help but join in the fun.
“Okay, okay,” Maverick cried in between laughs. “Stop!”
We stopped and the three of us lay sideways across my bed trying to catch our breath.
“Can we play Hot Wheels now, please?” Maverick asked.
Carter had showed up with a little video game surprise for Maverick, which now firmly placed Carter in the favorite of anyone category.
Carter chuckled. “Yeah, let’s go.”
We moved as a group into the living room and I grabbed my bag, purse, and keys. “Bed time eight o’clock,” I ordered, leaning down to kiss Maverick. “No arguments.”
“Okay, Mom.”
“I’ll just walk your mom out, Mav,” Carter said.
“’K.”
Carter walked me to the door and laid another kiss that had my breath coming in short bursts. “Mine,” he decreed, as he cupped my breasts and kissed me again.
I giggled. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Cassidy.”
“Don’t worry, honey, you’re the only man to cop a feel since I stopped breastfeeding. Relax.”
He sighed. “I can still come with you.”
“And risk a fall because I’m worried you’ll kill Kevin if he touches me somewhere you don’t approve of?”
“I don’t approve of him touching you at all.”
“I rest my case.” I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him again. “I’ll see you later.”
“Drive safely.”
“No. I’m going to ram my car into a tree.”
“Cassidy,” he hissed.
“Love you,” I called, and headed to my car.
FRIDAY AFTER WORK, I loaded Maverick in the car and we made the three (plus) hour drive down to my parents’. Because Kevin wasn’t available for our normal dance time next week, I’d taken advantage of that fact and taken Monday and Tuesday off work. My sisters would be there as well, so I was looking forward to quality time with the family. What I wasn’t looking forward to was not seeing Carter.
He’d called just before I left and hearing his voice made me miss him before I’d even left. He’d stayed Monday night, but our schedules for the rest of the week meant I only saw him briefly on Thursday as well, but he couldn’t stay. I hated to admit it, but if I could have finagled a way to bow out of the trip, I might have considered it if it meant I got two days alone with him.
Traffic had been light, so I arrived a little after eight-thirty. Maverick slept most of the way and I had to admit, I was pretty tired by the time I pulled up to the house… driving always did that to me. Even so, there was something cathartic about coming home. Even if I didn’t want to move back to the small town, it was nice not to have to worry about the day-to-day grind. I would get to sleep in and that was huge.
Before I turned off the ignition, Dad walked toward the car and opened the back door.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey, honey. I’ll take Mav up,” he whispered, and unbuckled him.
“Thanks.” I smiled and locked up, grabbing our stuff from the trunk and following them inside. Setting everything down in the foyer, I made my way to the kitchen. Mom was pulling cookies out of the oven while Shannon was pouring a glass of wine.
“Is that for me?” I asked hopefully.
Shannon giggled. “Yes, but hug first.”
I obliged and then took the glass of wine from her. “Kids asleep?”
Shannon had married John Worth four years ago and now had two children, a son, Kai who was three and a daughter, Alana, who had just turned two.
“Yes, thank God,” she said. “They were a little harder to corral today. Being a single parent is hard.”
I giggled. “Tell me about it.”
Mom hugged me and then shooed us out of the kitchen. I followed Shannon into the family room.
“Maverick’s so big,” Shannon said, sitting on the sofa. “I got to kiss his head before Dad swept him off to bed.”
“I know. Mav’s looking forward to playing with the cousins and I’m dying to see Kai and Alana… they probably don’t even look the same.”
John and Shannon had moved to California for his job over a year ago, which we all hated, but the money was far too good to pass on. Shannon promised they’d be back one day and I secretly hoped it was soon.
Shannon grinned. “They seem to change daily.”
“When does John arrive?”
“He’ll be here Sunday night. He had a few things to finish up, so will be catching a flight in the morning and grabbing a car at the airport.”
“Mia’s coming tomorrow, right? She texted me last week, but nothing since.”
“New boy haze.” Shannon sipped her wine.
“Ohmigod, I know. I wonder how long this one will last.”
“Let’s hope longer than a week,” Mom retorted as she joined us. “I’m too old to keep up with the changing lovers.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Ew, Mom, please never say lover again.”
Mom grinned. “Loverrrrrr.”
Shannon and I dissolved into giggles.
“What’s so funny?” Dad asked, strolling in and sitting next to Mom.
“I was discussing Mia’s boyfriends,” Mom said.
“Let’s not.” Dad groaned. “She’s going to kill me, that one.”
“Mav go down alright?” I asked.
“Didn’t even stir.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
The rest of the evening was spent catching up, but by ten I couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I headed up to bed.
* * *
The next morning (okay, it was just past noon, but I’d slept in, so for the sake of argument, it’s morning), I was sitting at the table with my coffee when I heard
the screen door slam. Shannon and my dad were in the back yard with the kids and Mom was in the kitchen.
“Lucy, I’m hoooome,” Mia called in her best Desi Arnaz impersonation.
“In here,” I responded, and met her halfway, pulling her in for a hug. “Hey there gorgeous.”
“Hey, Sassidy.” Mia grinned. “Ohmigod, you’re never going to guess what I heard!”
“Hug me first, then gossip,” Mom ordered.
Mia did as she was told and, once she grabbed herself a coffee, sat with me at the table. “Carter Quinn’s home.”
I gasped, drawing hot liquid down my throat and choking as I tried to breathe.
“You okay?” Mom asked, rushing over with a glass of water.
“Wrong pipe,” I rasped as I slapped my chest. “What do you mean, he’s home?” I asked, once I got my breath back.
“Like, he drove into town early this morning and stopped at the Smiths’ flower shop to pick up something for his mom,” Mia continued. “He told them he was home for a few days.”
Once Carter had left the day of my confession, he hadn’t been back. I knew this only because Mia told me. Even when there was a huge Quinn reunion, he’d stayed away, which I always found sad. But since I’d never asked him about it (partly because I didn’t want to find out the reason he hadn’t been back was because of me), I was able to put it out of my mind.
“Well, this is news,” Mom mused, and smiled at me. “Interesting.”
My stomach flipped to think he’d changed his plans to come home knowing I’d be here, but I played dumb. “Is it?”
“Very.” Mom raised an eyebrow.
“Mom!” Maverick called, running in, his face red with excitement. “I caught a frog.”
He opened his palm and Mia shrieked as the frog jumped at her. She spilled her coffee in her haste to escape the amphibian, and Maverick slid under the table in an effort to catch it. I made a run for paper towels while Mia hid behind my mother, who was laughing hysterically.
I rounded the counter, paper towels in hand, and came to screeching halt when I caught sight of Carter standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Mia gasped, my mom stopped laughing, and Maverick cried, “Uncle Carter!”
“Hey, buddy.”
“I caught a frog!”
“You did?” He smiled down at him.
“Don’t open your hand, Mav,” I rushed to say, and laid the towels over the spill. “Show him outside.”
Maverick nodded and ran back outside, Carter following.
“Ohmigod,” Mia said. “What the hell is Carter Quinn doing here?”
“I have a feeling he’s here for your sister,” Mom mused.
“Since when?”
I sighed and threw the paper towels in the trash. “It’s a long story,” I admitted.
Before more could be said on the subject, Carter returned, a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a smug, but adorable smile on his face.
“These are for you, Wendy,” he said, and handed the spring flowers to her (Mom’s favorite, I might add).
“Oh, Carter, that’s so sweet,” she crooned, and hugged him. “Thank you! I’ll just get a vase.”
“Hey, Mia,” he continued.
“Carter.”
He smiled. “You look great.”
She didn’t respond. She just crossed her arms and glared. “What are you doing here, Carter?” Mia had always been my protector and even though we weren’t kids anymore, she still fell into the role on occasion.
“Mia,” Mom admonished. “Be nice.”
“Hi Carter. Good to see you. You’ve changed,” Mia said, her voice somewhat monotone. “What are you doing here?”
“Was in the area… thought I’d come say hi.”
“Hi,” she said. “’Bye.”
“He just got here,” I countered.
“So? The guy takes off like a hundred years ago and shows up just when you happen to be here for a few days?” She faced him and frowned. “I hope it’s not to hurt Cassidy again.”
“Mia!” I snapped.
“What? I don’t trust him.”
My mouth dropped open. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“He hurt you!” she argued.
“Because of what I did!”
“Cassidy,” Carter warned.
“Ohmigod, don’t talk to her like that,” Mia snapped.
“Mia, it’s fine.”
“It’s fine for him to growl at you?”
“You don’t understand—”
Mia gasped. “You’re seeing him! Ohmigod, you’re totally seeing him again and you didn’t tell me!”
“I—”
“Whatever!” she snapped, and stormed out of the room.
I gave Carter a look of desperation and he just chuckled, sliding his hand to my neck and pulling me close. I tried to pull away. “My mom—”
“Left the room ten minutes go,” he interrupted.
I craned my neck to see that the kitchen was in fact empty, before wrapping my arms around him and giving him a squeeze. “What are you doing here?”
“No way in hell I’m going an entire weekend, let alone five days, without seeing you two,” he whispered.
My heart warmed when he included Maverick in that statement. “Crazy man.”
He chuckled, lifting my chin and kissing me.
“Mom!” Maverick called. “There’s a dog outside, can I play with it?”
“She’s mine, buddy,” Carter said. “Let me introduce you and then you can play with her.”
“You have a dog?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to let my kid play with a strange animal.
“Yeah,” Carter said, and tugged me toward the front door. “She’s a black lab. Super friendly, but excitable. She won’t hurt you, so don’t worry.”
“Where’s she been while you’ve been with us?”
“Jaxon or Aidan take her if I need them to, but otherwise, she’s pretty much with me wherever I go.”
I nodded and followed Carter to the front door where Maverick waited. Carter pushed open the screen door and the dog whined and shook her tail, but overall seemed pretty chill.
“Hey, girl,” Carter crooned. “I got some people for you to meet. Sit. Stay.” She did exactly what he told her to do and then Carter guided Maverick forward. “Whenever you see a dog, you should always make sure an adult is with you, okay? Never walk up to it by yourself.”
Maverick nodded. “’K.”
“Stand really still and hold your hand out like this to let her smell you so she knows who you are.”
Maverick did as he directed and the dog sniffed him, her tail wagging a mile a minute.
“Good job,” Carter said.
“Can I give her a treat?” Maverick asked.
“I’ve got some treats in my bag which I left inside. Let’s go grab them,” Carter said, and smiled at me. “You okay?”
“Yep. It’s all good.”
While Carter took Maverick back inside, I introduced myself to the dog, looking at her collar and then needing a minute to compose myself.
“Mav, if you throw the ball, she’ll get it for you,” Carter said, as they returned to the porch. “Just keep it close, okay?”
Maverick nodded and led the dog onto the driveway.
“Cass?” Carter asked.
“Hmm?”
He turned me to face him and frowned. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“You didn’t think to warn me?”
“About?”
“The fact you named your dog Cassidy?”
Carter chuckled. “I thought about it, but then I wasn’t quite sure how to approach the subject.”
“Why?”
“I would think that would be obvious.”
“Tell me anyway,” she pressed.
He slid his hand to my waist and pulled me closer. “One of the girls at the shop volunteers at the humane society and someone dropped off a litter of puppies. Don’t know where they came from, but she called me because I menti
oned I was lookin’ to get a dog. When I had a night off, I went down and this tiny little thing had figured out how to finagle her way out of the box they were in and she decided my boot was her play thing. I was still wearing them. She was the only girl, and I hadn’t really thought to get a girl, but she followed me everywhere and would whine if I was separated from her. I picked her up and she fell asleep against my chest. The rest is history. I couldn’t take her home that night because she wasn’t quite ready, but I visited every day and took her home as soon as I could.” He stroked my cheek. “What else could I name the little girl who was tiny and clever and fearless? There’d only been one other female who wrapped herself around my heart, and I missed her.”
“Ohmigod,” I breathed and dropped my head onto his chest. He held me for a few precious seconds before Cassidy stuck her nose between us. I giggled and knelt down to pet her. “Well, that sure beats me being a bitch, huh, girl?”
Carter roared with laughter before leaning down to kiss me. “God, I love you.”
“Stop being all sappy and crap.” I blinked back tears.
“Yes, dear,” he quipped.
Maverick jogged up the steps. “Mom, can I swim?”
“If Grandad’s with you?”
“I’ll find him.”
“If he is, then, yes. Go get your suit on.”
“You gonna swim too, Uncle Carter?” Maverick asked.
“Not today, buddy, but maybe another time. We can head to the pond.”
“’K.” He rushed back into the house as Carter released me.
“Want coffee?” I asked, and led Carter back into the house. The dog stayed on the porch.
“No, babe. I need to head back. Mom’s losing her mind right now.”
I faced him again. “In a good way?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have come. I know she blames me—”
“Stop,” he said, and closed the distance between us, pulling me to him again. “None of this is about you.”
“How can you say that?” I stared up at him. “I’m the one—”
“Damn it, Cassidy, it’s done. We’re not talkin’ about it anymore.”
I let out a frustrated groan. “We can’t continue this trend, buddy. At some point we need to deal with a few things.”
“Not today.”
I rolled my eyes, but nodded. “Fine, but soon.”
Road to Absolution Page 8