“Spouse-challenged?” He smirked.
“I know her, don’t worry about it.” Liz smacked her gum. “I’ve seen her eat grapes without paying for them. She’s no saint. Husband or not.”
Carter smacked Liz on the shoulder. “Please, you do it, too. I almost had to have you weighed the last time we went to Jenson’s. He was going to charge me double because he was sure you ate two bunches.”
I shook my head at the two exchanging sneers. “Anyway, Rose doesn’t always ask, but I’d like a plan for when she does, again. I can’t just keep staring at her like I don’t know what she’s talking about, or throwing imaginary puppies in the backseat of my car, hoping they’ll distract her from the big hole that’s missing from her life.”
He swatted at the air. “Dads are overrated anyway. Just look at mine. He’s never home when I go visit, and Mom travels without him almost all the time. I’m not even sure he realizes I’ve moved to Colorado. Maybe he thinks I’m still in Fresno.”
“Where is he? Your dad? Where does he go all the time that he’s not with your mother?”
“He’s usually on business.” He used air quotes. “So see, just because you know who your dad is doesn’t mean you’ve won the lottery.”
“It would complicate our lives so much if she knew. Funny thing is I was hoping to find Mr. Right, again, by the time she could talk. Then I’d just pass whoever he was off as her father. Voilà, my problem of paternal identification would be solved. There would never be any of that biological stuff getting in the way.”
“I suppose when you do find Mr. Right, you could always say something like, ‘Where the heck have you been? Did you get lost back at that restaurant? I went to change our daughter’s diaper, came out, and couldn’t find you.’ I’m pretty sure Rose would be all right with this. Just get her a puppy on the way home, and all your problems are solved.” Liz sheepishly smiled.
I looked up to see Rose at the doorway of my room. How much had she heard? Before I could hyperventilate, Carter rushed over to her.
“Time for the tickle monster!” He scooped her up and ran her through the house, making a noise halfway monster, halfway robot.
“That was close.”
I looked at Liz. “Uh, yeah. Let’s not discuss fathers or pretend fathers…I know, let’s just not discuss the male gender while anywhere near a three-foot, dark-eyed girl. Okay?”
She pretended to zip her lips.
“Now I guess I’ll go and take my chicken out of the fridge and get started. Why don’t you grab the bottle of wine and pull some glasses from the cabinet?”
“You had me at wine.” Liz stood and followed me to the kitchen.
Dinner went well, as usual. Good food and great friends. Maggie and Michael brought baby Charlie, and Rose was quite the little momma. She barely left his side—even when he slept, she watched him like a tiny stalker. It figures I’d have something else to answer later. She’d get on her kick about having a sibling. Puppies had a shelf life, I was coming to understand. Maybe a puppy she could dress up like a baby? Hmm...
Carter stood and began to dance to the music I had playing in the dining room. I lived to listen to music these days. It made me feel less alone to hear someone’s voice other than mine or the Thundercats. Although Rose was a little less interested in animated shows these days. She was gearing up for that moment where things like that were sissified. Especially around her other friends at the preschool. Kindergarteners got off the bus half days and she spent her time with them now. They were into playing gymnastics and cheerleading for the Little League. In my day, we were still pushing baby carriages and wondering what the heck to do with Barbie dolls.
“Carter, you’re incorrigible,” said Maggie. “No one wants to see you gyrate around the table where we just consumed food.”
Speak for yourself, Maggie. I was enjoying the show, but hoped desperately it didn’t show on my face. Liz stretched and grabbed a piece of something from her pocket and stuffed it in his pants when he danced near her. Michael shielded his eyes, although I bet he wished he could do the same in order to have Liz stuff something down his pants. Maggie, bless her Martha Stewart heart, seemed to be the sedative for every glass of fun that came Michael’s way. “You are a father now, for God’s sake,” she’d always say.
I got up to begin clearing the dishes. I’d had enough of hiding my enjoyment of the show. Little did I know, Carter followed me into the kitchen, bumping me with his hip along the way. He carried the empty chicken platter and bowl of half-eaten Mexican corn.
He came near and leaned in dangerously close. I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck. Something my senses were very much a virgin to these days. I jumped and shrugged—something you’d do to fend off werewolf bites.
He reared back. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t. I am just freakishly weird these days about proximity.” What? What kind of weirdo says that?
His one brow arched. “Okay.” He set down the dishes and leaned against the counter.
I looked toward the doorway, hoping someone would come in any second. I could feel that earlier tension piling up in here. Where I remembered the call to booty and he might not have, or he did, and I still didn’t give him an answer. Did I have an answer?
“So I have a favor…a question really.”
“Uh, no.”
His neck jutted forward. “Are you serious? I haven’t even asked.”
“No.” A dish I was holding slipped and fell in the sink. Luckily it didn’t break.
“Seriously? What’s come over you, Sarah? You’re the one who usually always says yes.”
I stared in the sink as though it were a crystal ball ready to clear and tell me my future. “Carter, I meant to talk to you earlier.” I swallowed hard. “I think it would make things weird between us. Not that I wouldn’t…well, not that I…oh, what am I saying here? I don’t want to sleep with you.” Really? Not entirely true, but... “It would…” My head shook like an Etch A Sketch. “It wouldn’t be good, that’s all. I mean we work together, you come here for—”
Carter put up his hands in defense. “Hold up. What are you talking about, Sarah? Sleep with me?”
I stopped breathing momentarily and looked at him. His gorgeous green eyes searched mine. What? What was going on? My eyes scanned the room. Anywhere but looking directly at him, again. As though he were a solar eclipse and my eyes would fry if I looked in his direction.
“Last week at Tim and Cheryl’s BBQ, you asked me to sleep with you.” I said the latter part of the sentence in a hushed tone. He almost had to lean in to hear me.
His head flipped back and he began to laugh. I looked around, hoping I wasn’t going to be scarred for life from his flippant attitude. First Liz, now him. At least I had fingernail-Jared Collins still telling me I was pretty. And what guy isn’t a pervert, anyway?
Carter touched my forearm. “Thank God that was you.”
I felt my brow scrunch. “Come again?”
“I remember vaguely saying it to someone. I was feeling sort of crazy that evening. Lonely might be a better word.” He laughed again. “Oh my gosh. I thought I said it to Tara Myner. Thank God I didn’t.”
I erected my posture. “Well, I’m glad it was something you didn’t think too hard about. Lonely?” I grabbed the soap and poured it on the dishes piled in the sink. “Tara Myner?” I took a deep breath. So much for feeling singled out…desired…semi-attractive—if only to the inebriated. “I was kind of weirded out by it. I’ve been avoiding you in the halls last week.”
“No way! Come on, Sarah. Seriously? Why would you get weirded out about that? I’d had a lot to drink.”
“Yeah, well...well, I don’t know. It’s just we’ve been hanging out for so long, and I guess I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” Seeing now that feeling was a stretch, I pulled at the back of my neck. The water from my hands now trickled down my back. “Whatever. It’s fine now.” I began busying myself, slapping
condiments down while wiping the counter. The ranch dressing almost ended up on the floor.
“Hey, where did the entertainment go?” Liz brought in two scraped dishes. “I believe I paid for another lap dance.”
“This?” Carter pulled out what looked like a piece of paper from the front of his pants. “This is a receipt for gas at Chuck’s.”
“What can I say? I used all my dollar bills last night.”
I sighed. They were such clowns. I, on the other hand, am easily forgettable. Only sought out by the undesirable. Perhaps I just had attractive teeth, and Jared Collins longed to pick them. Who knows?
“I was about to ask Sarah if she’d be the biggest, most best friend, and make my mom dinner this week.”
I looked around the fridge door where I was putting away the milk and water, trying to salvage what dignity I had left. “Your mom is coming? And that’s what you wanted to know?”
Great. I felt like such a stupid head. I took an awkward moment I was having with myself and shared it. Aloud. To Carter. Oh, well. I sighed. “Sure, why not.”
“Meatloaf?” He clasped his hand. “I really like your meatloaf.” His dimples peeked out when he said it.
“So learn to make it yourself. Sarah isn’t your personal chef.” Liz cut her eyes, and threw a dirty napkin at him.
“Mom loves Sarah, too. It isn’t like I’m just using her for her cooking. Although that peach cobbler you make would go like crazy with it.” He smiled. “Just sayin’. And Rose loves it, too. It would do Mom some good to see a child. Seeing that I’m the only one she’s got and a little past the years of making her ask things like who my favorite cartoon character is and what plans I have for the summer or if I’m having any sleepovers. She sort of knows about my job, and doesn’t care to know about my sleepovers.” He twitched his brow.
“What? You mean you want me to eat it with you? Bring Rose, and eat with you?”
“If you don’t mind. I mean, how many things can I create out of thin air to discuss with Mom? Let’s see.” He looked toward the ceiling. “We’ll cover the age-old question of why I’m not settled down by now with a decent woman by the time I drive her home from the airport. Then it won’t take long to do the white glove test on the furniture.” He stroked his chin. “What’s left after the speech of ‘where are my grandchildren’?”
“Plenty. You could discuss your job, your…your… Carter, I’ve only met her a handful of times. And we were at a company picnic for both, I think.”
“You didn’t like her? What? Did she smell, throw the ol’ vibe out, ‘who are you to my son?’ sort of thing?”
“I’m not saying that,” I said, interrupting his one-man act.
“Who doesn’t Sarah like?” Michael came into the kitchen. “Must be really bad if she doesn’t like them. In fact, I wouldn’t trust anyone Sarah didn’t like.”
“I like everyone,” I said, almost exasperated from all the miscommunication that was swirling like a top. “I’ll make the meatloaf. Just tell me when.”
“You’re making meatloaf? When? I want to come.” Michael dropped some silverware in the sink.
“Sorry. It’s a dinner party for invited guests, and you aren’t one,” said Carter.
Liz laughed, but I felt the tension. For some reason, Carter didn’t seem to be a fan of Michael’s. I wasn’t sure of the backstory there, but it crept in every now and then. I would have to remember to ask Liz later. She knew everything about everyone.
I’ve been working at Calvert High for the past three years. There was a time in my life that I couldn’t honestly decide what career to stick with, but I’m thinking school counselor is my calling. The kids are great, and the people I work with are amazing. Liz, Carter, Michael, and Maggie, although she’s a stay-at-home mom currently, are my family now. Well, Aunt Heidi and Uncle Pete are still here, too. But these people I can identify with. Hang out, and we have our weekly get-togethers. Even if everyone makes me cook almost every time. Sometimes, it’s not cool hanging out with people who can only hit the reheat button on their microwave ovens.
“So are you up for the camping trip this year?” Liz poured herself into my office chair. She wore her baby-blue jacket, which contrasted well with her short blonde hair.
I shut the filing drawer and turned around. “I am not one to turn down a camping trip. However—”
“Don’t do it, Sarah.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t say you’re not going.” She dug into the bag of salty chips again, this time licking her finger after she popped one in her mouth.
“Last year wasn’t exactly the best time, if you recall.”
Last year, Michael and Maggie stayed home. Maggie thought Charlie was too young to be trusted to stay with her mom. After all, Maggie is proof the woman should never be trusted with a child! She’s living and breathing and suffered no ill effects from the woman’s child-rearing. This year he’s turning three, and I’m betting on her providing the same excuse. The only time I remember them going was when Maggie was pregnant. We had to stop every couple of feet on the hike, it seemed, for her to pee and breathe as if she were entering labor. And then she forgot to bring her body pillow, and I sacrificed my sleeping bag to be the kickstand of her leg with the crazy sciatica nerve she sporadically complained of having. I ended up sleeping on the backseat of the truck we drove there.
“You never gave Jason a chance, Sarah. He was really cool. All of us liked him.” She crumpled up the empty bag and looked for my trash can.
It was the first time in years I’d gone out with someone. Okay, so we didn’t go out on a traditional date. Liz brought him along on the camping trip for my benefit. Without exactly checking with me.
My jaw dropped. “Never gave him a chance? He pretended to be a part of Starfleet Command and we were all stuck on a planet that he was relentlessly trying to reach Scotty to beam us up.” I rested my hand on my hip. “It got old after the first five minutes, and there was no signal to Scotty.” I looked down and lowered my voice. “Although I prayed someone would beam the man up.”
Liz covered her mouth, laughing. “It was cute.”
“Cute? He wanted me to pretend to be Uhura.”
“Would it have hurt? I think I played one of the alien women for him.”
“It was a weekend that seemed to stretch into months. Would it have hurt? Yes, it would have. Had I encouraged his nonsense, it would’ve given me greater pain than just being there. He even brought a silver foil sleeping bag to sleep inside, Liz.” I leaned on the desk and stared directly into her clear blue eyes.
“Was it noisy?”
“As if I’d know. Or want to know. If you recall, I slept in the truck. Again. Carter’s vinyl seat stuck to my cheek the next morning, and I had sleep marks of the stitched thread stretching down my jawline. They didn’t wear off till hours later. I looked like a…let me see…how did Jason put it exactly?” I put my finger to my lip. “I know, a Klingon, I think he said.”
She shook her head, bowing it slightly so I wouldn’t see her laughing. “No, I can’t say I recall what took place after nightfall. I had no idea you slept in the truck.”
Sure she couldn’t. She took along a dead ringer for Arnold Schwarzenegger. He carried partial trees to help start the fire. I could’ve done chin-ups on his forearms. Liz was in heaven for those two nights in the woods.
“Did Michael and Maggie confirm?” I guess if they went, I could sit on their side of the fire and discuss the cutesy things our kids were doing now. Liz and Carter could play with their forest buddies—whoever they were caught seeing the weekend of the trip.
“Well, I haven’t heard it from Maggie, but Michael said they are for sure going.”
“I might then.”
“Carter hasn’t signed up to bring a friend.” She wiggled her brow and smiled.
“What does that mean?” I leaned against my desk and crossed my arms.
“Did you talk to him about that proposition?”
&
nbsp; I cleared my throat and fought the blush traveling to my cheeks. “About that, yes, I did. Last evening in the kitchen. Before you walked in.”
“And?”
“And he said it was an accident. He was drunk. See, I told you.”
Liz stood. “Oh please, Sarah. Don’t tell me you believed him.”
“Of course I did. I think he felt stupid. I know I certainly did with mentioning it to him.”
“Oh really. I’m sure he did.” She did that fake nod of her head.
“What in the world are you implying? You’re the one who said you didn’t want to encourage anything. You know, the pack and all.”
“I know. It’s just it’s been so long for you. And Carter’s a good guy. It might be safe to dip your toe in the water with someone you know and trust. You know, like a brother.”
“Now that’s just sick, Liz.” I twisted my lips as if I’d just ingested kitty litter. “My brother?”
We were close, but I can honestly say that brother never came across my mind when I thought of Carter.
“I’m just saying I know him, and I know people. There are no ‘accidents’ when offering up some booty.” She did the air quotes to demonstrate. “I teach family life, for goodness’ sakes, Sarah.”
Liz is one of the school’s physical education teachers. And every year, the school board and a hundred parents trusted her to teach their child for two days about the birds and the bees. It’s very fitting that she teaches a physical class, come to think about it. She said she couldn’t bear to stand behind a desk daily and preach about the same thing year after year. This way she gets to exercise to keep her figure, and check out all the senior guys flexing during weight lifting. She’s well aware they are jailbait, but still enjoys the show.
Pursuing Sarah (Sarah Series Book 2) Page 2