by Steph Nuss
"Everyone is gonna want you for themselves when they see you in this," he said, trailing his hands up to the curve of my neck. He pressed a hard kiss against my lips and then stared deep into my eyes. "But you're mine. You're all mine."
Harper walked back over to us with the hanger and black bag in hand and smiled. "Okay, let's get you out of it before he rips it off you."
I sighed, not wanting to take it off yet, and completely turned on by the way Carter's eyes and hands and words devoured me, but I unzipped the side and slipped the straps off my shoulders so I could put my regular, less fierce, clothes back on.
Carter ran his fingers through my hair and, with a devilish grin tugging at his lips, he whispered against mine, "I'll just rip it off of you in Texas."
Chapter Twenty-One
Carter
When November first rolled around, Elly and I landed in Dallas. Tomorrow was my parents' anniversary party and Harper had arranged her private jet to fly us down after we had finished work. As we gathered our bags and stepped down off the jet, I saw Harper leaning against her Mercedes, waiting to pick us up, and Bayler opening the trunk.
"Hey!" Harper said, and she wrapped Elly up in a hug. "How was your flight?"
"It was good," Elly said, smiling at me with a satisfied look in her eyes. We joined the mile high club during our three-hour flight.
"Good!"
I took Elly's bag and carried it back to the trunk where Bayler stood, waiting to load our things. She grabbed one of the bags from me and searched my face as she lifted it in.
"What?" I asked, laying my tuxedo bag over our suitcase.
"You ready for Mom and Dad?" she asked, smiling and crossing her arms over her chest. "Mom is not thrilled that you brought Elly with you, and Dad's changed since you've left. I don't know why or what made him lighten up, but he's been a lot more laid-back since you moved to New York. I know it's kinda hard to believe, but you'll just have to see for yourself."
"I don't really care how Mom feels," I said, slamming the trunk shut. "Elly's not just some girl, Bayler."
"I know," she said, "I just wanted to warn you before we got home."
"Well, thanks, and it's nice to hear Dad finally got off his high horse," I said, walking back around to Elly and Harper. I laid my hand on the small of Elly's back and gestured toward Bayler. "Elly, this is my other sister, Bayler. Bayler, this is Ellyson Evans."
Elly extended her hand and Bayler shook it. "It's nice to meet you," they said in unison and then laughed.
Harper and Bayler jumped into the front seats, and I opened Elly's door for her and hopped in the other side.
Hell, here we come.
On our drive into Southlake, the women talked about work and their plans for tomorrow while I sat back quietly, holding Elly's hand and thinking about my parents. It was a good thing Bayler warned me about Mom before we arrived. After Harper checked out of rehab, she and Bayler and I promised that we wouldn't let our parents get to us anymore. That their spiteful words and jabs at our careers would be ignored. We were all adults now, for fuck's sake. It was time they got over the fact that they couldn't control us; that they couldn't pressure us into doing whatever the hell they wanted.
But if Mom said one nasty thing to Elly, even gave her one judgmental look, all hell was going to break loose. And we'd see just how much Stephen Jennings had changed. I couldn't imagine a man with an ego bigger than Texas ever changing.
When we finally turned onto White Chapel Boulevard, Harper typed in the code for the gate and Elly cuddled up next to me to admire the place I used to call home. Once we were parked in front of the garage, I grabbed our things from the trunk and headed toward the guesthouse near the back of my parents' home.
"We aren't staying in the mansion?" Elly asked with a light laugh.
"No," I replied, nodding toward the back of the house. "We're staying in the guesthouse."
"Don't worry," Harper said, nudging Elly's arm. "You'll get to see plenty of the main house over the weekend. The party will be held in the ballroom."
"Carter, there's a ballroom!" Elly whispered, smiling at me, eyes dancing with excitement. "You are so going to fancy dance with me this weekend."
"I can make that happen," I said, throwing my arm around her shoulders.
We walked the cobblestone pathway toward the back of the house, and I watched Elly take in the pool, the covered deck and outdoor kitchen, and the sand volleyball pit and tennis courts. She gasped when she saw the six-pillared gazebo and the floral arrangement the landscaping crew put in.
"This place is absolutely gorgeous," she said, totally awestruck. She swung her head around to look at the back of the mansion before we stepped into the guesthouse. "How could you ever wanna move away from all this space?"
I smiled and kissed her forehead. "Because I found somewhere that's even more gorgeous, with all the space I'll ever need. You're my home now."
She kissed me and then turned around and pranced into the guesthouse, eager to see the rest. I followed her in and heard her reaction before I saw it. "There're two winding staircases in the guesthouse! Seriously? How many rooms and baths are in here?"
I laughed and started up the left staircase as she took the right and kept admiring the interior. When we met up again at the top, I answered her. "There are five bedrooms and six baths."
I let her pick the room we'd stay in for the next two nights and she ran around the house like a kid in a candy store, going from room to room admiring everything and pointing out all the features she loved. She finally chose my favorite room. It was the largest of all the rooms, and had a balcony that faced the backyard and a bathroom fit for a king, with a large jetted tub and lighting controls to set the mood.
"I can't imagine what the mansion looks like if this is the guesthouse," she said, walking through the room and out onto the balcony.
I joined her at the railing. It was evening and the sun was already starting to set by the time we arrived in Dallas, but it still peeked through the November clouds. "This is my favorite room in the guesthouse."
Elly smiled at me and grabbed my waist, pressing her hips into mine. "Is that right? I saw that bathtub in there. No wonder it's your favorite. How many girls did you get into that bathtub in high school?"
"We didn't have the guesthouse when I was in high school," I said, laughing, "So you'll be my first and my last."
She giggled against my mouth and wrapped her arms around me and I couldn't help dragging her bottom lip between my teeth and pulling her in for a deep kiss. She wrapped her soft, silky tongue around mine and began sucking, and I lifted her off the ground and spun us around, causing her to break away with another laugh. Her laugh was one of the sexiest things about her. The way it poured from her so effortlessly made me fall in love with her all over again each time I heard it.
And then Bayler interrupted us.
"Hey, lovebirds, you can make out later!" she yelled through cupped hands. "It's time to eat!"
I set Elly back down on her feet and smiled. "To be continued."
* * *
After we finished eating, the six of us sat around the dining table, drinking wine and having a decent conversation. When I introduced Elly to my parents before dinner, they were polite; they welcomed her to their home and Dad actually gave her a hug. Throughout most of dinner, we talked about Harper's new clothing line coming out at the beginning of the year and Bayler's plans to move to New York next summer. Our parents told us about the new wells the company had hit and how many barrels of oil they were bringing in a day.
And now Mom was interrogating Elly, which put me on edge.
"So, Elly, what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a psychologist," she answered with a proud smile.
I reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it tight, then looked over at my parents. "She actually has her own practice."
"Impressive," Dad said, smiling. I had to give it to him. He hadn't said anything rude about my teaching
career. He was actually letting the rest of us get a word in for once.
"What do your folks do?" Mom asked.
Elly set her glass down and smiled, but my hand felt like it was going to break with the tight hold she had on me. "My dad's a sports anchor for ESPN and my mom—"
"Really?" Dad asked incredulously, his loud voice causing Elly to flinch. "You're Keith Evans' daughter? Ellyson Evans. That would make sense, now wouldn't it?" He laughed lightly and then offered, "You're dad was an amazing ball player back in the day."
"And your mom?" Mom asked, glaring at Dad for interrupting. "What does she do?"
"She was a stay-at-home mom," Elly said with a small smile, "but she died when I was nine. She had stage four breast cancer that spread to other areas of her body."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Bayler said, offering her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure she was a great woman."
"Thanks. She was really great," Elly said, nodding.
Mom cleared her throat, bringing our attention back to her. She absolutely despised being interrupted. "You have a family history of cancer, then?"
Leave it to her to ask about Elly's family tree. I sighed and glared back at her from across the table as my insides started to boil with anger. She was digging for anything she could use against Elly; any type of insecurity. It's what Lucy Jennings did best. My chest tightened and I felt my muscles tense because she was on the brink of finding Elly's biggest fear: cancer. I just hoped Elly took my advice and ignored whatever rude comment she made, but right now all I wanted to do was scoop her up out of her chair and carry her back to the guesthouse, away from this whole fucking conversation.
"Well, my mom was the first in her family to get cancer," Elly said, pausing for a drink of wine. "And no one on my dad's side has ever had cancer. I've done the genetic testing and my results were negative, but everyone, regardless of their family history, has the potential to get cancer. And there are new gene mutations being identified all the time, so, unfortunately, the genetic testing can’t predict everything."
I couldn't tell whether she was rambling and nervous or just being informative, but her grip on my hand tightened even more.
"Do you plan on having kids someday?" Mom asked, raising her brows at us.
Elly looked over at me, and that single look felt like a knife in the gut. Her confident smile slipped a smidge and her eyes were slightly damp. She knew where this conversation was going. I knew it. Everyone at the fucking table knew it. I glanced over at my sisters and both of them gave me apologetic looks. I took a deep breath and looked back at my mom.
"Yes, Mom, we plan on having children someday."
"I'm gonna be the best aunt," Harper said brightly, trying to lighten the mood.
"Best aunt my ass," Bayler laughed, rolling her eyes at her. "I can bake them cool, fun treats, and kids love treats. I'll be the cool aunt who lets them make a mess in the kitchen. You won't even be able to feed them."
"Well, I can make them cute things to wear," Harper said.
"Which is pointless because babies love being naked," Bayler said, smiling back at Elly and me. I watched Elly's face light up as my sisters went back and forth over who had the better skills to be an aunt, and then I looked over at my parents. My dad was smiling and listening to his daughters; he even patted me on the shoulder. I wasn't sure where Stephen Jennings had gone, because the guy sitting at the end of the table next to me was actually acting the way I'd always wanted my dad to act: supportive, proud, genuinely happy for me.
And then there was Mom. Her green eyes were narrowed at Elly and me, and she was tapping her long nails against the tabletop. She shot Harper and Bayler a glare meant to shut them up and the mood quickly turned dark again.
"It's just a shame my grandchildren will have cancer to deal with someday … or, at least, the worry of it," she said, pursing her lips in disappointment.
My jaw clenched, but before I could say anything, Elly let go of my hand and stood up.
"With all due respect, Mrs. Jennings, I think it's a shame more people aren't worried about cancer. I also think it's a shame that my children will never get to meet their Grandma Evans. They'll never get to meet the fun, amazing woman who raised me," she said confidently. She smiled politely at everyone around the table, keeping her composure, and then excused herself.
I grabbed her hand before she could walk away, and she kissed my forehead and let go of me. I watched her walk back to the guesthouse and, at the sound of the door shutting behind her, I snapped. I stared at my mom, anger and disgust running through me as I tossed back the last of my wine.
Shaking my head, I leaned on the table and narrowed my eyes at her. "Do you just wake up in the morning and pour bitch into your coffee?"
"Excuse—"
"You heard me!" I shouted, scowling at her. "You would have a fucking conniption if someone spoke to you the way you just spoke to Elly—implying she isn't good enough for me because of something she has absolutely no control over." I lifted myself up from my chair, my hands still on the table as I towered over her. "I'm only going to tell you this once. Ellyson Evans is the best goddamn thing that's ever happened to me. I'm in love with her and I'm not gonna let you treat her like shit."
Mom glanced over at Dad and then narrowed her eyes back at me. "Carter, we invited Gentry McHale and her family to our party tomorrow night for a reason. I just don't understand what's wrong with Gentry. You two dated in high school. Why not now?"
"Oh, for God's sake, Mom," I said, rolling my eyes. "We never dated! I took her to prom. That's it. Nothing ever happened, nor will anything ever happen between us, so please get that shit out of your head right now."
"I just want the best for you! Is that too much to ask?" she snapped back.
"You don't get to decide what's best for me!" I said, pacing and running my hands through my hair in frustration. Trying to talk to her was like talking to a fucking wall. I scrubbed at my face and then stopped and stared at her and continued in a calmer voice. "I decide what's best for me and she's it. She's the one. She makes me happy."
"But—"
"Lucy," Dad said, taking her hand in his. "They're not our babies anymore." He looked up at me, and then over at Harper and Bayler, and I felt everyone exhale the breath they’d been holding. My sisters and I had never felt like we were their babies, what with the way they shoved us onto our grandparents all the time when we were kids, like they didn't want us around. It was infuriating how they cared now, how they thought their opinions mattered now that we were old enough to decide things for ourselves. It was ridiculous. "We have to let them live their lives and just be happy for them."
"Thank you," I said. He had changed. I don't know what he did with his old, arrogant self, but I wasn't about to ask. This guy was someone I could get along with; someone I could respect.
"Elly seems like a wonderful young woman, son," he said with a nod.
"She is," I said, still in defense mode. I moved my gaze back over to Mom and felt my anger lessen. "You're going to apologize to Elly before we leave here this weekend, if you ever want to meet our children someday."
I turned to leave, shooting Harper and Bayler a small, victorious smile before walking out. At least I'd gotten through to one of our parents. Right now, though, all I cared about was finding Elly.
When I got back to the guesthouse our room was empty, but I could see a sliver of light from underneath the bathroom door. I knocked twice before cracking the door open.
"Elly?"
"Y-yeah," she said, her shaky voice letting me know she was crying.
I opened the door all the way and found her leaning back against the vanity. Her arms were wrapped tight around her body, and she was staring down at the tiled floor. I walked in and immediately took her in my arms. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. I wanted to make her pain go away. Just seeing her upset and knowing my mom was the reason for her tears felt like a bullet to the chest. "Babe, I am so sorry about what my mom said."
"Don't be," she said, pulling away. She wiped under her eyes and leaned back against the vanity. "She was right. Our kids will have to worry about cancer because I have to worry about it."
"And we've talked about that," I said, gripping her hips. "We're living each day to its fullest, remember?"
She shut her eyes and sighed, then turned to face the mirror. "There's something I need to tell you."
My breathing instantly grew shallow at the worry in her voice. I met her gaze in the mirror and her eyes filled with more tears she tried to blink back. With that one sentence, I felt my world turn upside down. "What? What is it?"
"I missed my period again," she said, shaking her head. "I should've started last Sunday, and it's Friday and I still haven't."
I tried wrapping my head around her words and furrowed my brows. "Did you say again? What do you mean again? Are you saying you could be pregnant?!" A slow smile stretched across my face as I slid my arms around her waist and put my hands on her stomach, completely thrilled with the idea of her carrying our child. "Our baby could be in here?"
I felt her start to sob again and looked up to find her face troubled. Her eyes drowned in agony as she shook her head again.
"Elly, tell me what's going on." Before I have a fucking heart attack.
She moved away and started pacing in front of me. "I took a couple of pregnancy tests last month because I missed my period and both of them came back negative. I didn't tell you about it because they were negative. I thought maybe I was exercising too much or I wasn't getting enough to eat or something … something I could easily fix."
I nodded and leaned against the counter. "Okay, but you still could be pregnant. You could've gotten two false negatives."
"I really doubt that," she said with a glare. She shook her head and moved her hands into her hair as more tears poured from her eyes. "I don't think I'm pregnant. I don't feel like I am. Like, I read somewhere women say they can feel their bodies change when they're pregnant and I just don't. I don't feel any different." She stopped pacing and looked at me with her arms crossed over her chest, her breathing erratic. I had to hold her. I wrapped her up in my arms and held her as tight as I could. She buried her face in my shoulder and mumbled, "I feel like there's something wrong with me. I've never missed two periods in a row before."