Chapter Ten
10 yearsearlier –
Carter
“So we’re drawingthe line?”
“Carter, we have to. Your parents are right. I’d just be a distraction.”
“Screw my parents. I still can’t believe my mom said those awful things to you.”
I’ve never known my mom to be anything but the sweetest woman alive, but the other day, when we tried to talk to them about her coming with me to L.A., I saw someone I never knew existed. She threw out so many nasty insults about Evangeline. Calling her a gold digger, trailer trash, and the worst part, a whore. I grabbed Evangeline’s hand and stormed out of their house.
At that moment, I was ready to give everything up for Evangeline, my scholarship, Los Angeles, my dreams. All of it. But now, here we stand, a week later, and I leave tomorrow night.
“Don’t be mad at her. They just want a better life for you. They don’t want you to stay here, working at the mill for the rest of your life. You have this amazing opportunity that you worked so hard for.”
“But we can make it work.”
“How? I don’t have any money. You know my parents don’t either. You have a scholarship with living expenses included. I couldn’t find a job that quickly to pay for a down payment and rent. Remember, a studio apartment out there was ridiculous.”
“I can find a part-time job to help you pay your rent.”
“No, Carter. I won’t let you do that. I don’t want anything to come between you and your dreams, especially me.”
“But youaremy dreams.”
“And you’re mine. So go get your awesome doctor degree and then we’ll never have to worry about money so we can live our dreams. Till then, I’ll work, save up as much as I can and hopefully, one day, I can come join you.”
“But what about you till then?”
“What about me? I’ll be fine. Come on, really? Where am I gonna go?” She pauses like she just had the best idea ever then starts to jump up and down. “Let’s do something crazy tonight. Just you and me.”
“What kind of crazy are you thinking about?” I eye her up and down sexually.
“Well, yes, that kind,” she says, but I interrupt her when I lean down, breaking up her words to steal a kiss. “We’ll definitely do that, but I had something else in mind.”
“Okay, like what?” I say, and her smile turns so bright it almost brings me to my knees. That’s what I love about her. She’s always thinking up unique ideas, and I want like hell to bring her with me. If only I could.
“Let’s get tattoos. Something small. Something stupid…that only we know the meaning of.”
I grin. “Didn’t think this would go that route, but fuck it. What you got in mind?”
She pushes her lips together in thought. “Let’s see, something to do with drawing the line. Not saying goodbye just—”
“So we get a line,” I interrupt her.
“Huh?” She squints her eyes, confused by my suggestion.
“Yeah, we get a straight line, um…” I grab her hand and turn it over. “Right here across the inside of our wrists.”
“Really?”
I can tell she’s on the fence, but I’m starting to really dig the idea. “Yeah, that way it won’t be noticeable to everyone else, but to me and you, it will mean the world. Constantly reminding us if we’re patient we’ll be able to cross the line someday.”
Her arms wrap around my neck. “Exactly! That’s the exact meaning I was hoping for.”
“I told you. I get you. You’re my kind of crazy.” I kiss her lips before smacking her ass. “Let’s go, the closest tattoo shop has to be an hour away.”
