“More for Diego than myself, really.” I lifted my head to be able to look him in the eyes when I admitted, “I think you’ve spent more time listening and having fun with my son today, than his own father has over the last three years.”
“Diego deserves better than that.”
The anger I heard in Carter’s voice made me sit back a little. His jaw was tight, flexing, and his eyes darkened slightly. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out he was pissed.
“When’s the last time he saw Diego?”
I rolled my eyes trying to remember the last time Gabriel bothered to visit Diego or take him out somewhere. “It’s been at least six months since he’s even seen him. But even before then his visits were infrequent and short-lived.” It wasn’t until Gabriel finally got the hint that I was one hundred percent done with his lying and cheating ass that he basically dropped any pretense of wanting to be a father to Diego. But that was when his threats began, using Diego as his leverage.
Carter ran his thumb along the crease lines in my forehead. “Tell me about him.”
I inhaled a deep breath, figuring out what I could or should reveal about Gabriel. The less Carter knew about Diego’s biological father the better.
“He’s a lot older than me. I met him when I was nineteen years old. We dated for three years before I got pregnant. That’s when I found out that my so-called boyfriend was actually very married with two children of his own.” I shook my head, feeling foolish all over again. “That’s when I decided to end things. I told him that we only needed to communicate if it was about our son. He didn’t like that, but I wasn’t changing my mind. Since then, he’s been hot and cold … but mostly cold where Diego is concerned.”
Carter licked his lips and ran a hand along his chin, taking it all in. “You said he helps out financially?”
“Somewhat. He pays for Diego to go to private school.”
“Where does he go to school?”
“Excelor Academy.”
I stared down at Carter when he gave a humorless laugh. “I went there.”
I smirked for the first time since getting on the subject of Diego’s shiftless father. “Of course you did.” Excelor was the best private school in the city of Williamsport. A lot of top political and business leaders in the city’s limits sent their children to that academy. It only made sense that the Townsends would send their children to the school.
“At least he pays for Diego’s education,” I added, leaning my temple against Carter’s again. Carter grunted but didn’t say anything else.
It grew quiet as Carter stroked my back up and down. The sounds of our breaths were the only sounds in the room aside from the noise of the running electrical appliances in the kitchen. I glanced around at the nearly empty space around us. The hardwood floors that line the kitchen and dining space were beautiful. From the dining area you could partially see into the first floor living room area that held a fireplace.
“You really need to furnish this place. This home is much too beautiful to be empty.”
“You do it,” came his instantaneous reply.
I began laughing ? surely, he was joking. But when I sat up to look at him, his face was completely serious.
“Carter–”
“How much do you think you’ll need?”
“Carter, I’m not decorating your place.” I shook my head and went to stand but his strong hands held me where I was.
“Myplace?” He lowered his eyes for a second. “You still don’t get it, do you?” He pushed out a heavy breath. “You will soon enough.”
I wasn’t about to ask what he meant by that. I already knew. He’d said as much, but there was no way I could think of this place as mine or me living here one day.
“How would you decorate this place?”
I hesitated and he just stared, waiting for my answer.
“I’ve always been partial to farmhouse decor but with a bit of a modern twist.”
He frowned at me, clearly not understanding what I was talking about. I picked my phone up off the table where it sat and pulled up a few pictures to reference the theme.
“You saved these in your phone?”
I nodded. “I’ve been saving for a house for a little over a year now. I always wanted Diego to have a backyard to play in. Anyway, these are the ideas I thought about when it came to decorating.” I swiped through my pictures, showing him the farmhouse-style doors I wanted to recreate one day that opened to a children’s playroom.
