“Let me guess, you were right out there with them?”He smirked as if he already knew the answer.
“As much as they would let me.I didn’t enjoy the homebody life like my mother.I didn’t enjoy the cooking and cleaning and just being home all day.I wanted to be out in the world doing things instead of sitting inside.”
“I was the same way.I hated being stuck in the house.I would get antsy after a while.Luckily, I liked all seasons, so there was always something to do.Hockey, ice skating, skateboarding.You name it, I tried it.”
“And you tried dragging Sandy out to those things?”Allie had a hard time picturing Sandy on ice skates or playing sports.
“No,” Carson chuckled, “but she was a great cheerleader and great at recruiting my teammates.”
“That I can imagine.”They both started laughing.Carson’s hand flexed against her foot.For a second, she forgot it was still there.Allie’s breath stuttered, her heart began to race again, and there was a strange fluttering in her stomach as if butterflies were trapped inside.
Allie felt a pull.Carson seemed to feel it too because they both leaned toward each other, like two magnets pulled toward one another.
“Everything alright here?”Just like that, the moment was shattered, and they pulled away from each other to their original positions.Two other hikers had come upon them.Allie was so caught up in the moment, she hadn’t heard anyone approach.
“Yes, we’re fine.Thank you.”Allie pulled her foot free from Carson’s loose grip and started putting her sock and shoe back on.
“Are you injured?”one of the hikers asked, looking concerned.
“No.I’m great.Thank you.”Please leave.She tried willing them with her mind.
“We thought it might be a rolled ankle, but she’s good.Thank you for checking though,” Carson added as he stood up and dusted the dirt from his pant legs.
The hikers nodded and moved along without a backward glance.Allie relaced her boot and stood up.“Ready?”
“If you are.”
More than.
Chapter 12
“So how was your business trip?”Allie casually asked as they walked the trail.She hadn’t spoken to Carson much since he’d dumped that little bombshell on her.At first, her old insecurities had reared their ugly head, wondering if it had been an excuse to ditch her, but then preservation prevailed.
She didn’t think secret government workers had business meetings, but what did she know?
“It wasn’t great,” he replied, keeping his gaze on the trail ahead.
“Can you talk about it?”
“No.”
“Will you have to go out of town again?”She wasn’t trying to control his whereabouts, but it would be nice to know if he planned onjust up and leaving again.Just so she could prepare herself.
Sandy had told her not to worry, and she was trying not to, but she had to wonder if this would be her new normal.If it was, she couldn’t say she was a big fan of it.Sitting at home, wondering where he was and when he’d come back or the next time they’d talk.
“Not for a while.”
“Do you do that often?Go on business trips?”
“Yeah…” Allie didn’t like his monotone, almost one-word answers.She knew he couldn’t tell her about his work, but she was hoping he’d throw her a bone, something, anything to feed her curiosity.“Is that going to be a problem between us?”He finally glanced over at her, a tinge of worry in his tone.
“No, a little forewarning would have been nice though.”Not the day before he left.They’d been talking for over a week now; one would think the conversation would have come up before now.
Carson winced as if she’d slapped him.“Sorry, normally I have more warning, but there were circumstances beyond my control.Next time, I’ll tell you long before it happens.”
“But not where you’re going, and you’ll probably not check your phone messages,” she said instead of asked because she somehow already knew the answer.
Carson stopped on the side of thetrail, his hands clenched at his sides like he was frustrated.It was Allie’s turn to wince.She shouldn't have pushed him like that.It wasn’t his fault there were certain things he couldn’t tell her about.She was either going to have to accept it or leave him.
