Chapter Thirty-Two
Evangeline
“You’re cold,” Carter states, rubbing my arms and bringing me closer to him after we sat on the bench in silence for a little while. This was exactly what I needed. For the first time in years, I could finally breathe. I didn’t feel that sharp pain deep in my gut or the weight that constantly felt like I couldn’t hold my shoulders up high.
I finally felt like me.
Carter always understood why sometimes I needed my quiet time and sitting here with him felt just as comfortable as it would be if I were sitting by myself.
I didn’t want this moment to end, but he’s right, the tank top and shorts I have on aren’t offering the warmth I need from the summer breeze that’s cutting through my thin T-shirt.
“Here, I’ll take you home. I didn’t see a car down at the parking lot. Did you walk here?”
I nod, biting my inner lip, scared to say anything. I’ve lived so long without him. I have so much to tell him and have no clue where to start, or even if we can start.
I mean, start what? With us? Are we an us? Does everything pick up where we left off? Where we are now? I have no clue.
He stands up and offers his hand out to me. Tilting his head to the side with a small smile on his face, he says, “Come on.”
I grab his hand, letting him guide me up, so we’re standing directly in front of each other. I can’t help myself, and I wrap my arms around him. Pulling him in close to me, breathing in his scent, and loving the comfort I feel wrapped in his warmth.
My hands run down his arms, feeling the skin beneath his shirt along with the dips and valleys in his muscles. “Where the hell did these come from?” I tease.
He smirks. “Let’s just say I spent a lot of time in the gym working off my frustrations.”
“So…you’re welcome then?” I ask, with a lift to my eyebrows and tilt to my lips, making sure what I said is okay. I know the frustrations he talks about revolve around not being able to find me.
Thankfully, he gets my joke and leans in to hug me. “I guess you’re right. I should thank you for that.”
“Well, it looks good on you.”
Laughing, he grabs my hand and tugs me away from the bench and toward the parking lot.
We end up talking until the sun rises, sitting in his car in front of Kaitlyn’s place. Holding on to him in silence at the pond was amazing but actually talking to him was even better.
He filled me in on how he got his degree and then the opportunity to be a pediatric oncologist at UCSF, while I filled him in on the crazy things I’ve done that led to working at the law firm.
We didn’t talk about us, or about Cole, or even about our son. All of that can wait. We were just two friends catching up with one another, and it was perfect.
Kaitlyn told him what flight I was on, so we both leave today, which worked out great since he has to head home for a donor drive they are holding for one of his patients.
At seven, we finally said our goodbyes so I could pack, and he could go visit his parents for a few hours before he picks me up for the flight.
“Hey, look who’s home,” Kaitlyn says from the couch as she holds her coffee cup close to her body like she’s guarding the liquid gold with her life.
“Carter showed up at the cemetery,” I admit.
“I know. I hope you’re not mad I told him where you were.”
I plop down on the couch next to her. “Nah, I’m not mad. I guess I should actually thank you.”
“Yeah?” She sits up, excited for some news about us.
“Nothing happened, don’t get too excited,” I say, throwing a pillow in her direction.
“Yeah, but you guys talked. That’s huge. I know you don’t like to hear it, but he really was a wreck over you. I felt so sorry for the guy.”
“He told me.” I sigh. “I think he understood why I did it, though.”
