Chapter 16

chapter

sixteen

Summer

The following weekend, we celebrate Little Spoon's grand opening with an after-party at the MacKenzies' house in Gold Hill.

There are enough rooms for everyone to stay overnight, including Owen, Daisy, and our nephew Graham. Mills and Hayden have come all the way from California to celebrate. Mom is here too, with her new husband.

The guys treat everyone to a massive backyard barbecue. Mills, Mom, Harmony, and Daisy get tipsy in the jacuzzi, but I stick to the pool and avoid the booze.

Just in case.

When I tire of being around drunk people, I go looking for Graham, who I find attached to Carter's leg on the side patio as Carter and Owen talk.

I hang back and watch the three of them before announcing my presence.

"You have a cool house," Owen says. He clinks his beer bottle against Carter's.

"It's a little bit too Sopranos for my taste, but it's big enough to raise a family in. Unfortunately, it's in the wrong place."

Carter laughs. "I know. That's why I want to build a house in Fate with Summer."

I clutch my chest. Did I just hear what I think I heard?

Owen looks surprised. "You're that serious about her?"

"As a heart attack."

"That's good to hear because she's crazy about you," he says.

"And you approve?"

"Do I have a choice? If I didn't approve, there still wouldn't be anything I could do to protect her."

Graham has now crawled over to Owen and wants up. My brother grunts and lifts the little guy onto his lap.

"I would take that as a good thing but I have a feeling there's a but coming."

"Damn right, there's a but. I feel it's my duty to tell you, these girls were hurt bad when our dad left. It takes a lot for them to trust men. Harmony more than Summer, but still. If you ever do her wrong, cheat on her, leave her for someone younger, Mills and Harmony, and I will make sure you never see her or the kids again."

My hand goes to my stomach. Does he know something? Can he tell? I haven't even taken a test yet.

"Kids? What the hell are you talking about?" Carter asks.

"I'm talking hypothetical."

Carter looks relieved. More relieved than I feel comfortable with. "Owen, I can promise you right now that will never happen. Your sister is it for me. End of story. I'm not going to fuck around on her. She is my future."

Later that night, as we're snuggling under Carter's ridiculously luxurious down comforter, Carter nearly makes me spill the beans before I'm ready.

"Babe, why didn't you tell me?"

All the blood drains from my face.

"Tell you what?"

"Who your sister Mills is married to."

"You know him?"

Carter laughs. "Who doesn't know him? He's only the company founder whose logo was on my gym bags my entire life."

I'm not really hearing him, distracted by what I almost blurted out.

I put it behind me for now. We've had such a great day, and I don't want to ruin anything.

Not quite yet.

He laughs and tells me to turn over on my side. "You're too tired. I shouldn't be bugging you about small stuff."

I give a small noise of acknowledgment, and ease into the warmth of Carter's body as he cradles me from behind. "Summer, I'm so proud of you," he says, slipping a protective arm around my waist. "Now go to sleep. It's your turn to be the little spoon."

I can barely chuckle at his joke before my eyes close, and I drift off to sleep.

I try to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the pharmacy's family planning aisle.

But of course, that's impossible.

"Hey there, stranger, how's the frozen yogurt business?"

Juniper, the downtown business director, greets me with an impossibly warm smile first thing in the morning. I have to be kind, even though I'd like to pretend I don't see her. But the fact is, Juniper's been super helpful these last few months. She was there for our grand opening and has become a frequent customer.

"It's good," I say distractedly. She's standing right in front of the pink box I want—the one that, according to the internet, has a 99.99 percent accuracy rate. What are you up to?"

She shows me the haul in her basket. "Izzy's in her third trimester, and her back is hurting. So I'm bringing her some supplies at work."

"Nice."

"What are you up to on your day off, Summer?"

I blush. "I was just picking up some two-for-one candy for the shop."

She wants to ask why I'm looking for chocolate in the family planning aisle.

But she's a good person and not that nosy, so she doesn't say a word.

Instead, she nods knowingly.

"Well, be safe, okay? And if there's anything you need, let me know."

As usual, I go home to Ivy Street to find Carter's car in the driveway.

He sweeps me up in a big hug when I hit the kitchen. "You look stressed, sweetheart. Where've you been?"

"Just running errands. I'm not feeling the best," I say. "I'm gonna take a nap."

"Can I make you some tea?" Carter says it automatically, like he's already a husband.

It pulls at my heartstrings because I know he would make a fantastic one.

"No thanks," I say, smiling bravely up at him.

"You hungry? You want me to get you something to eat?"

I shake my head firmly. Definitely don't want any food.

"You look a little green. Need Pepto Bismol?"

Now I'm laughing. "Stop, I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Lie. Complete lie. Oh, I am tired. I am exhausted all the way down to my bones, and it's a tired I've never felt before. But could I sleep? No.

"Then lie down, and we'll cuddle," he says.

And here is where I snap. "I just need a minute alone, okay?"

My sweet Carter, who came out of his grumpy shell and set aside his armor only for me, has that look in his eye again.

The armor is back up. And it's because of how I'm acting.

But maybe that's for the best. I can't have him here while I'm taking a pregnancy test. I just can't.

Because if it's positive, I don't want him to see me fall apart.

If it's negative—I hadn't thought about that. I'll be relieved, sure. But then I'll have to sit down and talk about things going too far, too fast for him. This will surely chase him away.

And I don't want that.

But it looks like I'm already doing a pretty good job of chasing him away

"Got it," he says with a curt nod. "Well, I just came over to cut the grass. So if you need me, I'll be outside doing the edging."

His voice is hollow and sad. I've hurt his feelings, but he's still going to edge the driveway like he's already doing the dad thing out of obligation.

I care so deeply for this man that I could cry. I could fall into his arms here and now, but I have to fight the urge to do just that.

I go into the bathroom and shut the door.

I wait for the sound of him going outside and starting the weed eater before I do what I came here to do.