It takes me a second to realize Carter is standing right there beside me now.
Even better, my mother’s released my arm. I force myself to look at Carter as I fish my keys out of my pocket. The expression on his face is asking—no,tellingme.
I slide my foot over and tap his before I hand my keys to him.
Every ounce of will I have goes to not bursting into relieved tears when he gives me the most sly and subtle of Carter smirks and a slight nod.
He understands. “Thanks,” he says to me, then focuses on Mom. “I’m so sorry to interrupt.”
“Oh, not at all, Carter.”
I shift to fill the space he just vacated and turn to one of the women Mom is talking to and ask her a question about her daughter. I remember the woman mentioning her over dinner. But even better, it takes me out of arm-holding range of my mom.
When Carter returns, I know we’re escaping even before he opens his mouth. I read the gleam in his eyes as he meets my gaze. “Man, I amreallysorry. I think I left my meds sitting on the counter back in our room. I can’t find them. I could have sworn I’d put them in my pocket.”
“Oh, we really need to get you back, then,” I say. “How overdue are you?”
“An hour.”
“Yikes.”
Carter speaks to my mother. “Ma’am, I amsosorry about this. I feel like such an idiot.” He glances my way. “I mean, Icoulddrive home and take them and come back to get you, if you’d rather? I’ll pay for the gas—”
“Don’t be silly,” Mom says. “It’s quite all right, Carter.” Ofcourseshe says that—she’s got several witnesses who would have thought she was a monster if she’d insisted that a disabled war vet drive all the way to Tampa and back just so I could stay behind.
“But I feel so bad about this.” I spot the gleam in Carter’s eyes. “I know Owen was looking forward to tonight. He was so excited when he received your text the other morning.”
“We’re just very glad you were able to come with him this evening, Carter,” Mom says.
Carter is pitch-perfect. “I truly appreciate your hospitality, Mrs. Solemar. I had a wonderful evening. It was great to get out of the dorm tonight. We’re usually busy studying and don’t get out that often. Especially with as badly as I’m usually hurting. Owen’s so nice, he hangs out with me, brings me food from the dining hall, runs errands for me—he really takes care of me.”
I honestly can’t tell if Mom’s cheesed off or not, and I really don’t care. I feel like I’m on the verge of a panic attack.
“You’re welcome back any time, Carter,” she says. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”
We make our good-byes and I grab our blazers from a room that is called mine but damn sure never felt like it. All night, Carter’s been acting progressively stiffer, pained. Now he’s holding my arm as I slowly walk us back to my car.
He keeps his voice low. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
“It’s all right.”
I help him into the passenger seat. “Stop just outside the development.” His tone is firm, but kind.
My reply is automatic. “Yes, sir.”
I do manage to not cry until after we’ve switched places. Carter pats me on the thigh and lets me cry, pretends I’m not. He turns the music on and drives.
It’s relief and stress and…
And the realization that this man has done more for me in this short amount of time than my own mother has inyears.
Hascaredmore about me.
By the time we return to the dorm and I collapse, I’m exhausted. I know that I’ll sleep well tonight, at least.
Not exactly an easy sleep, but sleep nonetheless.
