“Shay isn’t going to be happy with the short notice.”
“Do you want me to arrange for later flights tonight?”Jack asked, already on the booking site.
“No more than a few hours from now.That will give us enough time to get our things, say goodbye, and get a handle on things before the boat docks tomorrow evening.”
Within minutes, they had tickets booked.Their flight would leave in three hours.Just enough time to go home and pack and say goodbye to Allie.He didn’t want to do it through text.Though he was shocked she hadn’t returned his call or text message yet.
Chapter 27
Carson packed quickly and then headed over to Allie’s house.She should be home by now.He’d even tried calling her office, and they’d said she had left early.If she wasn’t home, he didn’t know where else to check except with Sandy.As much as he wanted to say goodbye in person, he didn’t have time to chase her all over town.If he didn’t find her at home, he’d have to leave a note.
Carson pulled up to the curb in front of Allie’s house.Her lights were on, which meant she was home.She wouldn’t have her lights on otherwise.She was too budget-conscious and concerned about the planet to waste energy when she wasn’t home.
He ran up to the door and knocked and waited.And kept waiting.
“Allie, open up,” he called, knocking on the door.“Come on, I know you’re home.”Why wasn’t she answering the door?Was she hurt?She could be in the shower, he thought.He knocked again, harder this time.“Allie!”he shouted.
He heard the door unlock and then crack open.Allie stood on the other side, and she did not look happy to see him.“Jeez, are you trying to alertall of my neighbors that you’re here?And what are you doing here?”she snapped.
Whoa, where was this hostility coming from?“I tried calling and texting you earlier, and you didn’t answer.”
“It’s only fair after you ignored my call.”
“How…I...”he stuttered, not sure how to respond.He had ignored her call, but how could she know that?
“How did I know?”she questioned, raising an arched eyebrow.Her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive stance.He looked closer.Her eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying.Shit.“I saw you this morning with a woman on the street.”
Charlotte.She had seen him with Charlotte.Did that mean she’d seen what Charlotte had done?
“I saw her kiss you, Carson,” Allie said, confirming his worst fear.
“Then you know I didn’t initiate it.”
Allie scoffed.“As if that makes it okay.That was Charlotte, wasn’t it?The woman you’ve been talking to the past few days.”
There was no sense denying it now.“Yes, it was.”
Allie’s body tensed as if he had slapped her.“Who is she to you?”
“A friend.”A contact.
“I have friends too that I don’t kiss on streets,” Allie responded dryly.
“That was a misunderstanding.She thought something could be between us, and I told her that I was with you and there wouldn’t be.There’s nothing else to say about it.”
“Is that supposed to be comforting for me?”
“I’m assuring you that I’m yours.”
“How many other female friends do you have that I should fear are lurking around corners that want to kiss you?”
“None.She’s the only one,” he confirmed, but Allie didn’t look convinced.“She now knows where we stand, and she won’t try kissing me again.”
“Will you see her again?”
“We work together in a manner of speaking, so yes, at some point I’ll see her, but today was the first in years.Normally, I talk to her on the phone, so it’s unlikely I’ll see her again any time soon.”
Allie shook her head sadly.“I don’t believe you.”
