by Elle Wright
“Did you mean what you said about leaving Wellspring?”
She shrugged. Up until that point, she’d hadn’t seriously considered leaving Wellspring. She really did love their little slice of heaven and the people there. But she couldn’t very well expect to live off her brother for the rest of her life.
“I don’t want to go,” she admitted softly. “What else can I do? My father will threaten everyone in town if they help me. He’s right. His reach is too far.”
“Have you considered going into business for yourself?”
Brooklyn had always envisioned starting a nonprofit organization to assist the homeless with finding housing, employment, and education. She wanted to help them get the necessary medical care they needed, treat the mental illnesses that run rampant among homeless people.
“I’ve thought about it, starting my own nonprofit. But I guess it seemed way off for me. I wanted to work a few years, get some experience in my field. That’s why I took the job at the clinic. I loved every minute of it, even the exhausting parts. I should have known it couldn’t last long.”
After her mother died, Brooklyn quickly learned that life wasn’t fair. Instead of allowing her to grieve, her father had brought another woman into the home within weeks of her mother’s passing. He even had the nerve to order them to call Darcy “mom.” It had infuriated her, and she’d lashed out.
“When I was a kid, after my mom died, I wanted to die with her. I knew my father wasn’t right, but I didn’t have a way out. So I acted out.” She paused when his muscles tensed beneath her. She glanced up at him. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, kissed her forehead. “I’m fine. I just . . . know the feeling.”
The look in his eyes touched her, and she reached out to stroke the frown line in his forehead. “Maybe we should talk about something else?”
“No, go ahead. I’m listening.”
Brooklyn told him about her time at the clinic. When she was fourteen years old, and a hardheaded brat, she’d had to go to the clinic after a sobering experience. One night, after the homecoming dance, Harper Thomas, the star player on the football team, had approached her, told her that she was who he wanted to be with. Like the naïve teenager she was, she went for it. They went to the back of the bleachers and she let him do things to her that she shouldn’t have been doing at that age.
“I didn’t know any better,” she continued. “I thought he cared about me, so I did what I thought would keep him there. The next day, he acted like he didn’t even know me. I’d see him around the hall, walking with other girls and he’d whisper things about me. I was the laughing stock for a few weeks.”
The humiliation didn’t end there. After weeks of torment, she’d drowned her sorrows in a bottle of gin, and Nicole had found her slumped over the bathtub. Nicole and Kyle had rushed her to the clinic to get her stomach pumped.
“My father eventually found out and immediately sent me to the boarding school in Massachusetts as punishment. Turns out it was the best thing for me. It was there that I volunteered at my first homeless shelter. I got a chance to see how much good people can do in the world. So I changed my life, and realized my calling. When it came time to go to college, I attended State and majored in Psychology and Sociology, instead of pre-law like Senior wanted.”
“I really want to give you kudos on turning your life around, but I can’t approve the Michigan State choice.”
She laughed at his joke, and shoved him. “You’re crazy.”
“Seriously, though. That took a lot of guts to blaze your own trail and not follow the path your father set out for you. You should be proud of yourself.”
“I am. I love the work. I took the job at Wellspring Clinic because they’d not only helped my mother and so many others in our community, but they helped me. And I figured I could help them, help fulfill their mission.”
Carter pulled back and shifted so they were face-to-face. “You can still do something big, something better. Start your own homeless shelter. Create that nonprofit, and watch it grow.”
Her stomach flipped, as a warmth spread through her body. “You make it sound so simple.”
“Because it is, if you have the desire and the connections. Lucky for you, I have plenty. And I’ll help you.”
Brooklyn ducked her head. “I can’t ask you to do that. Like I said, you barely know me. My father can—”
He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I know that you think your father will ruin my life, and I’m not even going to say that he won’t try. But I don’t scare easily, and I’ll fight for what’s right. And what he’s doing to you isn’t right.”
Brooklyn wanted to ask him why he was so passionate about this. What had made him react so swiftly in the meeting room? They’d just agreed to a first date, had only shared a few kisses and played a few heated games of pool. There had to be a personal reason.
“You were so angry earlier,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t push her away. “I know it’s not just because of me.”
“My father used to abuse my mother. It does something to me to see a man berating a woman like that. It made it worse that it was you. I know we don’t know each that well, as you’ve pointed out several times tonight. But I like you, and I feel like we’ve started a nice friendship.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he rushed on. “Maybe more?”
Her shoulders fell on a sigh. “I’m sorry about your mom. That must have been hard to see.”
“It was. But me and my siblings had each other. And from what you tell me, you and Parker have had each other’s backs. It makes it easier to deal with shitty parents when you’re not alone. At the same time, it did shape how I view relationships, how I react when I see violence. And watching your father charge toward you was enough for me to jump into action.”
His heartfelt admission made her want to pull him closer. “Thank you.” She pulled him into a tight hug, taking in his scent.
“I’ll help you anyway I can,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
She pulled back. “Hungry? Who can eat when their life is in ruins?”
He kissed her nose. “You can.”
He was so right. It was kind of jarring that he seemed to get her in a way that no one else had ever been able to. How would he know that she liked to eat when she was stressed? It was a wonder she hadn’t gained weight over the last few days.
“Okay, I can.” She cupped his face in her hands. “Where did you come from?”
“Detroit.”
She laughed again. “I never pegged you as a joker.”
“I told you there’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“I want to find out more. I want to explore this more.”
His mouth was on hers within seconds. He pulled her closer, taking her mouth like he was thirsty for her, like his very life depended it. She let him control the kiss, enjoying the low groan in his throat when she opened for him. His tongue stroked hers, teased her.
Before long, they were grasping at each other, pulling at clothes. He pushed her skirt up her thighs inch by excruciating inch. She unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his muscled chest. He kissed down her throat, nipped at her shoulder blade before tracing the line of her bra with his tongue.
Brooklyn couldn’t breathe. She wanted this man, needed him to take her right then. Will he? She got her answer when he stopped and pulled back.
“Tell me,” she whispered. “Tell me what you want.”
His eyes flashed to hers. “I want . . . I want you.”
“I want you, too. But something is holding you back. Even now, when we’re so close, when I can feel you against me, there’s a part of you that won’t let go.”
He rested his forehead on her breasts, and she kissed the top of his head. “I want to. I just want to make sure the timing is right.”
Disappointed that she wouldn’t have the orgasm she craved that night, Brooklyn sighed. She understood where he was coming from. It wasn’t actually the best time to be intimat
e. She’d just had a terrible argument with her father in front of him. He probably didn’t want to take advantage of her. I wish he would take advantage, though.
“I understand.”
There was a knock on her door, and Carter sat up. She missed the contact already. Giving him a once-over, she straightened her clothing and hurried to the door.
When she opened the door, Parker pushed in past her. “We need to talk.”
* * *
“What the hell is going on in Wellspring?”
Carter opened a beer and took a seat on his couch. He’d excused himself from Brooklyn’s place when Parker showed up wanting to talk. Martin and Aisha had been calling him back-to-back for the last several hours. Once he’d showered and changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, he’d finally called Martin back.
Martin had immediately conferenced in Aisha.
“Mr. Parker Wells Sr. is an asshole. That’s what’s going on.”
Carter still couldn’t believe the turn of events. The day had started out normal enough—an early morning conversation with Brooklyn that left him wanting more, then an early morning argument about Brooklyn that left him wanting . . . something else entirely.
Apparently after he’d left, Parker Sr. had disconnected the video call and Martin was left wondering what was going on. “Listen, Carter. If this is too much for you right now, just say the word. I’m there.”
Carter shook his head as if Martin could see him. “I’m fine. He fired me, but then Parker told him he couldn’t fire me. So I’m going to go along as if nothing happened. That’s all.”
“I just don’t understand what happened that made you get involved,” Aisha said. “You should know better than to jump into someone else’s family business. How do you know this woman?”
Carter wanted to tell his sister and his best friend just how well he knew Brooklyn. Well, since he didn’t know her that well, he wondered if he could tell them how much he wanted to know her.
“I heard her explanation to her father,” Martin added. “You saved her life? That’s crazy.”
“She was on the phone,” Carter explained. “She was so distracted she didn’t see the car coming. I just pulled her out of the way. And since then, we’ve been cool.”
Cool was an understatement. But it was all he was prepared to say at that time.
“Okay, so she’s just someone you met in town?” Aisha asked.
“Because that seemed like more than a casual acquaintance,” Martin said.
“She’s my next-door neighbor, too. We talk, we’ve eaten together . . .” Carter finished his beer and slammed the empty bottle on the table. “I took her to the hospital the other day during a storm because her best friend was having a baby. We’re kind of friends.”
There was silence on the other end. After a few seconds, he peered at the screen to see if the call had dropped. It had not.
“What?” Carter asked. “Say something.”
“I didn’t know you were done talking,” Martin said.
“Aisha, I know you want to say something.” Carter knew his sister had something on her mind. It wasn’t like her to be so damn quiet. Especially with him talking about being friends with another woman. “What is it?”
“Is Brooklyn a friend, or is Brooklyn a friend?” The change in tone in that last friend made him burst out in laughter. Martin joined him. “What? It’s a simple question, brother.”
“I like her,” Carter admitted. “A lot. But we’re just taking things slow.”
“So this is a thing?” Aisha asked, her voice soft.
“Yes, it’s a thing.” Carter closed his eyes. He’d said it out loud, and the world didn’t open up and suck him in.
“I think that’s great,” Aisha said. “But I want you to be sure that this is good for you. She’s the daughter of the man that hired you to come to Wellspring in the first place. Are you sure you want to start something with a woman that could potentially cost you money?”
He’d expected that. Although his sister had been clamoring for him to meet someone and have a life, she was still a numbers person. She was a bottom-line person, and that’s why they’d hired her to be the chief financial officer of Marshall and Sullivan.
“Aisha is right,” Martin said with a sigh. “At the end of the day, we are running a business. You have to make a decision. Is this account something that you’re prepared to lose?”
Carter was normally the stickler for professionalism in the workplace. Along with Martin and Aisha, he’d worked long and hard to make the company what it was. He’d foregone time with his family for Marshall and Sullivan. He didn’t want to do it anymore. He didn’t want to work so much that he couldn’t live.
After so much pain and grief, Brooklyn, had slowly breathed new life into his lungs. He hadn’t looked forward to anything for so long, and he looked forward to seeing her, to being with her.
If Parker hadn’t arrived at her condo when he did, Carter wasn’t sure what would have happened. She wanted him to let go with her. Can I do that? The first answer that popped into his head was yes. But then there was that part of him, the part that felt guilty for moving on, for having a life when Krys’s life was cut short.
Krys was more than his wife, she was his best friend, and she was snatched from his life so fast. His baby girl had never even experienced her first steps or her first orange. And he was deprived of seeing her off to prom, of giving her away at her wedding, of meeting his first grandchild.
Carter knew that it was time to stop wallowing in his grief, and let himself give in to the feelings for Brooklyn that seemed to be building by the hour?
“I haven’t been fired yet,” Carter said finally. “We’ll see what tomorrow brings. Okay?”
There was a soft knock on his door.
“Alright, man,” Martin said. “I want an update tomorrow. I’ll drive in on Friday morning. I may bring Ryleigh. Aisha booked a room for me at the hotel.”
Carter opened the door, surprised to find Brooklyn on the other side. She had changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top.
“I don’t feel like being alone.” She held up a bottle of wine. “Mind having some company?”
Chapter 14
Brooklyn needed a break. And her first impulse was to come to Carter, because he had been her safe place. He’d proven that he was solid, that he would protect her. And she needed that.
With his phone against his ear, he held the door open for her to enter. “I have to go,” he said to whoever he was talking to. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He hung up, tossed his phone onto the couch, and turned to her. “Have a seat.”
“Do you have a corkscrew?” she asked.
He took the wine bottle from her and walked into the kitchen. Brooklyn followed him, watched as he opened the bottle and pulled a wineglass from the cabinet.
“You’re not pouring yourself a glass?” she asked, walking up behind him.
He handed her the full glass, never taking his gaze off of her. “I’ll just finish my beer.”
She sipped on her wine, and gestured to the open beer bottle on the table. “You already started without me, I see?”
“Long day,” he said simply. Once he picked up his beer, he led her back to the couch.
Brooklyn sat down gingerly right next to him, so as not to spill any of her red on him. “Tell me about it.”
He sipped his beer, pinned her with a concerned gaze. “How did your talk with Parker go?”
Shrugging, she pulled her legs under her. “He’s upset. With my father. They had an awful argument after we left, and Senior basically told Parker to mind his own damn business.”
Parker had been so pissed, he’d almost quit on the spot. Brooklyn was glad he didn’t, though. Her brother had a vision for Wellspring that their father didn’t seem to understand or want. But she knew that once Parker was able to make more decisions, once their father was gone, Parker would be able to make lasting changes.
“What’s wit
h your father wanting you to marry Sterling?” Carter asked.
“His father is a state representative. Having an in with the Michigan legislature would be no small feat for my father, and would no doubt help him with Wellspring Water business. Apparently, he’s trying to buy up land in the state and Senator King is working with him to do so in exchange for a merger between the families. Mr. King is looking to build Sterling’s political career and he needs a wife. So they both have something invested in this.”
She didn’t like being nothing more than a bargaining tool for her father. Love never factored in, and it hurt. It sucked to not have the love or respect of her only living parent. It was bad enough that her mother died, but today her father died, too. At least, he was dead to her.
“You made it sound so easy to start over, to start a business.” She took another sip of her wine. “I almost believed you.”
Her eyes welled with unexpected tears. She didn’t want to cry. She was tired of crying over her father and his actions.
Carter brushed away the tear that fell. “It won’t be easy, but it’s definitely worth it if it’s what you want.”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “You know what I want? I want to do something that has no connection to my father or his company. Because once he’s involved, he won’t let go. I want to be my own person. I want to be with a man because I chose him.” She sucked in a shaky breath, closed her eyes when she felt his lips press against her temple.
Brooklyn hadn’t meant to break down. Tonight wasn’t about her dad. It wasn’t about her brother, or Wellspring Water, or even her dream job. She’d come over to Carter’s because she wanted to be near him.
“How did you leave it with your brother?”
“He told me he’s mad that I didn’t tell him about us.”
Carter nodded. “I get that. Why didn’t you?”
I wanted to keep you to myself for a little while longer. She wouldn’t say that out loud, of course. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, though. I knew who you were. I should have told you who I was. That was unfair of me.”
He swept a hand over her leg. “You don’t have to apologize. I should have asked what your last name was. But I didn’t care who you were.”