“If you’re the best,” Evie was quick to say.
Briggs chuckled. “Fair enough.” He slapped Carson on the shoulder. “Well, you consider voting for me? Only if you think I’m the best.” He winked and stepped away.
“What do you think?” a woman asked, sidling up to him.
Carson was surprised to see that Barb and Jana were back. No sign of Patsy.
“I’m hoping the talent gets better from here on out,” Carson said.
Barb and Jana both laughed.
“Wait until you hear Briggs,” Jana said, her smile wide and aimed in his direction.
“Is he good?”
Jana laughed, and Barb joined in. Apparently, everything Carson said was amusing.
“You might want to have a beer or two before he starts,” Jana said, raising a hand to his arm. Again.
But Carson saw it coming and shifted. “Is that Lane?” he asked, spotting the Prosper brother coming into the bar.
Lane saw him at the same moment and headed in his direction. “You really did come, sis,” he said to Evie.
“Lane Prosper,” Jana said with a coy smile. It seemed her attention had shifted from Carson to Lane, which was fine with him. “You’re looking fine.”
“You are, too, Jana,” Lane said with a generous smile. “Sorry, I’ve gotta steal Carson from you for a moment. Be right back, ladies.”
Carson didn’t have a chance to question where he was being taken before Lane steered him through the bar. He glanced back at Evie, but she seemed to be caught up in another conversation with Barb and Jana. He felt guilty about leaving her with two women she didn’t seem to care for, but this was her town. Or used to be, anyway.
“Everyone, this is Carson Hunt,” Lane declared when they paused in front of two tables that had been shoved together.
The cowboys at the table greeted him, and introductions continued, although Carson knew he probably wouldn’t remember any of their names.
“Have a seat,” Lane said, clapping him on the shoulder, and someone else shifted a chair toward him.
So Carson sat. Another guy scooted a beer toward him from the collection in the middle of the table.
“I’ll go grab another round,” Lane said, taking off toward the bar.
“You’re Mr. Hunt’s grandson?” one guy asked.
“That’s me,” Carson said, glancing over where Evie had been standing. The women had moved, and he scanned the room searching for her.
“How’d ya end up with Evie?” the guy continued.
Carson zeroed in on him. He guessed him to be late twenties. “What’s your name again?”
The guy chuckled. “Douglas, but you can call me Deuce.”
“Okay . . .”
“It’s cause he’s won the grand champion the past two years at the rodeo,” one of the other guys piped up. “After Knox left town, of course.”
Everyone at the table laughed.
Deuce merely nodded, a grin on his face.
“Are you gonna answer the question about Evie?” one of the others asked.
Carson glanced at Lane, but he was still at the bar, ordering more drinks.
“Well?” Deuce prompted.
Carson met the man’s gaze. “We met at school, and I gave her a ride home.”
“Looks like you did more than give her a ride home,” Deuce said with a smirk.
Carson’s neck burned hot. He’d never been in a bar fight, but this guy was pushing him to the edge. “I’ll leave you to your drinks. Nice to meet y’all.” He rose, but before he could step away from the table, Deuce spoke up again.
“Looks like you’re a whipped pansy over the mayor’s daughter,” he drawled. “You think you can bribe the mayor into making changes in Prosper with your grandad’s money?”
Carson spun around, and in an instant, he’d hauled Deuce to his feet by the collar. The guys at the table went silent, but he didn’t care. It was taking all of his willpower to not plow his fist into the guy’s cocky face.
“Don’t talk about what you don’t know,” Carson said. “And always leave a woman out of it.”
Someone whistled, but Carson was focused on Deuce.
The guy didn’t even flinch. In fact, a slow smile lifted his mouth.
“Hey, now,” Lane said, suddenly there, and putting himself between Carson and Deuce. “Douglas here is an old friend. Let’s stay calm and work this out.”
Carson still didn’t release the guy, but he turned his gaze to Lane. “You need new friends.” With that, he released Deuce and walked away.
He found Evie over by the bar, where the women had congregated. Her gaze was on him, and by the look in her eyes, he knew she’d seen him grab Deuce.
As he neared, Jana popped out of the group of women. “What happened between you and Deuce?”
“Nothing,” he said, in a short tone. His gaze found Evie. “I should probably take off. You want to come or stay here with your friends?” He used the word friends lightly.
Evie hopped off the barstool in one second flat. “I’m coming.” She grasped his hand and threw a half-smile to the other women. “See y’all later.”
Carson was positive that Jana was pouting, and he didn’t miss the snide glance she gave Evie as she passed by. What was that all about?
Barb only smiled. “Have fun, you two!”
Unfortunately, they had to pass by the guys’ tables on their way out, but Carson kept his gaze forward as he walked through the crowd.
The cool evening air was welcome; so was leaving the less than pleasant music playing on the stage. They walked hand in hand to the truck, neither of them speaking. Carson was still trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened in Racoons. First, Barb and Jana, mostly Jana, were pretty awful to Evie. Then Deuce was downright rude, and Lane didn’t even seem bothered by it one iota.
Carson opened the passenger door, and before Evie climbed in, she said, “Maybe Racoons wasn’t such a good idea after all.”
“Agreed,” Carson said, everything in his body tense. He’d almost punched a man, and where would that have landed his reputation in Prosper? Yet, he’d happily do it if men like Deuce continued to say stupid stuff.
Evie put her hand on his chest. “Are you okay?” She looked genuinely concerned, and she’d dropped her falsely bright tone.
“I’m much better now.”
Evie nodded and slipped past him, climbing into the truck. Then he shut the door. Before he took her back home, he had a few things to ask her.
Evie wasn’t surprised when Carson suggested they talk. She’d seen the altercation between him and Douglas. She had no idea what it was about, but Carson was clearly still bothered by it.
He hadn’t said much on the drive home, but before turning into the lane leading to her parents’ house, he pulled off to the side of the road and turned off the truck’s headlights.
“Who’s Jana?” he asked.
Evie wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting him to say first, but that wasn’t it. “She’s someone from school, like I told you.”
“Why don’t you like each other? What happened?”
Evie looked over at Carson. The only light inside the truck was the moonlight spilling in through the windows. He’d taken his hat off and scrubbed his hand through his hair, making him look adorably sexy.
Couldn’t she just kiss him and forget all of this? Tomorrow, she’d be leaving and . . . she didn’t want to remember her past.
Carson shifted so he was facing her, and his fingers played with her hair, his touch soft as he brushed a trail of warmth along her neck. “You told me you hated Prosper because it was such a small town, but I think there’s more, Evie. Your brothers have been overprotective, yeah. But tonight, I saw something else. Something I didn’t like.”
“What?” she asked, her voice a near whisper.
“I saw a couple of women dismiss you as if you don’t matter,” he said. “And I heard a man disrespect you. Not one of those men at the table
seemed bothered. Lane even claimed Deuce as a friend.”
Her pulse was skittering all over the place. “What did Deuce say?”
“He implied that I was dating you to get to your dad,” Carson said. “But the way he spoke about you was uncalled for. And the entire table of men let him do it, so I wonder what else you’ve gone through. You don’t have to tell me anything, Evie. You can keep things as personal as you want, but next time some idiot mouths off about you, I’m not going to walk away. I don’t care if it’s a punk named Deuce or your own brother.”
Evie was staring at him. “I don’t think they meant any harm—”
Carson rested his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t disparage yourself. Don’t give them the benefit of the doubt. They’re in the wrong, sweetness. Stop making excuses for them.”
She lowered her gaze, the intensity in his eyes making her stomach tight and her throat hurt because she was close to tears. Carson was defending her because he was a good man. And those other guys . . . she hadn’t even bothered to think about them, or worry about them, because she’d been with Carson.
At one point in high school, she thought that Douglas might like her. He’d never asked her out, or more clearly, never tried to ask her out. He was tight with Lane, and probably privy to whatever her brothers thought of guys with crushes on her. In fact, now that she was opening her memories, Douglas and Jana had gone to senior prom together. They’d seemed to be an item for a while, but Evie was too focused on graduating and leaving Prosper to follow their relationship arc.
“Jana and I were in the same grade,” she said. “I was never one of the popular girls, but they started to pay more attention to me when my brothers got older. Especially Knox. He was the best in the town at rodeo, so everyone idolized him. Jana especially.”
Carson didn’t reply, just kept his hand on her shoulder as he listened.
“When she and Knox went out one night, the rumor was that he turned her down, for kissing, or maybe something else.” Evie released a slow breath. “Somehow, it was my fault, and Jana started to find ways to make my life miserable. She’d load up my locker with stuff like bags of garbage. She also used to pretend to trip when I got near and bump into me. I’d be caught off-guard, so I’d drop my stuff.”
“You were bullied?”
It wasn’t really a question, more of a statement. Being bullied was such a buzz word now, but Evie guessed that was what had technically happened. “Yeah.”
Carson closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged, because what could she say really?
“Is that why you were so spooked when you came out of the school earlier today?”
Evie drew back. “How did you know?”
“You haven’t been yourself since going in there,” he said. “Did it trigger some memories?”
Evie leaned her head against the seat. “I didn’t think I’d be so affected. I went in and saw the row of lockers, and bam, it was like being hit by an avalanche. The memories flooded in, but it wasn’t just the memories. It was that sickening feeling of helplessness I used to have. Like I couldn’t do anything to change my circumstances. I had to keep reminding myself that there’s nothing I can change about the past, and I’m a grown woman now.”
“That doesn’t mean the emotional part isn’t still hard,” Carson said. “These things take time to get through.”
Evie nodded. She expected to feel numb after confessing to Carson, but instead, she felt lighter somehow. “Thanks for not thinking I’m a basket case.”
Carson grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “If anyone’s a basket case, it’s me.”
She turned her head to meet his gaze. “Hardly.”
“Tonight was the first night I stepped inside a bar, or any sort of social event, in two years,” he said. “The only reason I went to that football party was to track down Devon.”
Evie had no idea that he’s stayed away from social stuff as well. She knew his brother had died and he’d broken up with his girlfriend soon after. He’d talked about hyper-focusing on football and school, which drove some of his friends away.
“So, what was it like, going into a place like Racoons?”
“Honestly?” he said in a quiet voice. “It made me realize that I’ve moved past the party scene and the single scene. I’m open to new friendships, sure, but not in that type of pickup scene. Everyone watching everyone else. Everyone assessing, judging, getting into each other’s business.”
“You mean small-town living?” She had a hard time keeping the bitterness out of her voice.
“If I ever live in Prosper, I’ll not be hanging out at Racoons,” Carson said. “At least, if the atmosphere stays the same.”
Hold on. “What do you mean, if you live in Prosper. I thought you’d accepted your grandad’s offer.”
“I haven’t officially committed,” he said. “I’m keeping my options open.”
This was news to Evie, and now her thoughts had scattered. If Carson wasn’t in Prosper, then where would he be?
“Evie, I need to confess something.”
She nearly stopped breathing. His tone was low, intimate, and his hand had settled on her hip. “Okay,” she whispered.
“I don’t want to be where you aren’t,” he said. “I know I said we’d take things one day at a time, and that’s still the plan. But . . . I can’t stop thinking about you. Even when I’m sleeping, I’m dreaming about you.”
Evie’s heart had risen to her throat. “Carson . . .” But she didn’t know what to say, how to respond.
“I don’t want to put pressure on you, and I told you I wouldn’t,” he said. “When you make your decision, it might influence mine.” The edge of his mouth twitched. “But of course, you could always tell me no.”
“No to what?”
“No to me following you around, asking you out, stealing kisses, just being with you.” He trailed fingers over her collarbone in a whisper touch.
Her breathing had turned ragged. Carson had opened his heart to her, and she knew hers was already there, taking him in. But how was he okay with not moving to Prosper? She had seen how much his grandad meant to him. And now, Carson was waiting for her response. He’d put his feelings on the line.
She lifted a hand to his beautiful face, ran her fingers along the edge of his jaw, his whiskers soft yet rough beneath her touch. Her hand moved to his neck, then behind it, and the strands of his hair tickled her skin. He watched her, his eyes half-slitted, and he was still waiting. But what could she say? That she was foolishly smitten? That she had considered breaking every promise to herself, and moving back to Prosper, to be with him? This wasn’t what he was asking.
“What do you want, truly?” she finally whispered. “Tomorrow? Next month? Next year?”
“You,” he said, and there was no hesitation in his voice.
She kissed him, then. She couldn’t give him the answer he was seeking, not yet, but she didn’t think he was about to turn down her kissing. She was right. Carson immediately responded, covering her mouth with his. Drawing her in deep. His hand splayed across her hip as he pulled her closer, and she melted into him.
She looped both arms about his neck, memorizing the taste of him, the feel of him. Because she never wanted to forget this, no matter what her future brought. “Carson,” she whispered when they both took a moment to breathe, and his hands were tangled in her hair and her face was pressed against his neck.
“Hmm?”
She loved the way his voice rumbled. “I’m going back to campus tomorrow. I have to sort things out in my mind before that interview. Away from my family and . . . everything.”
Carson stilled, and she could practically hear him thinking, or perhaps arguing with himself.
Finally, he drew away enough that he could study her. “Do you want me to drive you? I can easily cut my trip short.”
“No,” she whispered. “Holt will take me. I texted him while we
were at Racoons. He’s coming at 7:00.”
Carson gave a slight nod, but his jaw had tensed.
“Remember when you said we’d take things one day at a time?” she said.
“Yeah.” His gaze searched hers, and she could see the wariness in his.
“That’s what I’m doing,” she said. “But I need to figure things out away from distractions and opinions and memories.”
“Which am I?” he whispered.
“None of those, and all of those.” Evie gave a half-laugh. “I don’t know. I am a basket case, so you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“You’re an amazing and beautiful woman, Evie Prosper.” Carson smoothed a hand over her hair, then his fingers lingered on her arm, his thumb caressing. “If Holt can’t take you, I will. I can drop you off and come back here for the rest of the weekend, then see you Sunday night.”
Right now wasn’t the time for tears, so Evie blinked them back and said, “All right. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”
Headlights flashed and bounced behind them, shining through the rear window. Carson released her and turned to peer out his window as a truck pulled up alongside them.
Lane had arrived.
Carson rolled down his window, and Lane did the same.
“What’s going on?” Lane said. “Everything all right?”
“Fine,” Carson said. “It’s kind of you to check in on your sister.”
Lane frowned. “I’m sorry about those guys. If I’d have known, I’d have . . .”
“You’d have what?” Carson shot back, his tone hard. “Thrown a punch? Bought them more beers? Sang kumbaya?”
“Hey, now,” Lane said. “Deuce said he was sorry.”
Evie felt the tension in Carson multiplying by the minute. “Carson . . .”
His eyes were still locked on her brother. “I didn’t hear any apology, and if he did apologize, it was to the wrong person.”
Lane exhaled. “You’re right.” He frowned. “Evie, I’m sorry about what my friends said about you and Carson.”
“Thanks, Lane,” Evie said. “I appreciate the apology.”
Evie looked from her brother to Carson. The tension between the two had dissipated, but she could still sense the energy thrumming from Carson.
Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch Book 2) Page 15