Carter’s silence presses hard on my eardrums. His eyes swirl with a darker shade of silver and his jaw ticks.
“Sam said they worked together. I thought he was a guy in his fifties, with a beer belly and three kids at home.” His tone is sharp, and I’d jump back if I had the space.
“No—”
He moves closer, the warmth of his body and the way he presses into me leaving me breathless. “And you’ve been alone with him all this time?”
“And his crew,” I squeak. “What’s gotten into you?” I ask, confused. Carter’s eyes drop to my lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing. It throws me off balance. He refused to kiss me the handful of times we were this close. It might be for the best, but it doesn’t mean I don’t crave it.
In my Carter-addled daze, a thought pops out of nowhere.
“Wait.” It can’t be. “Are you jealous?”
“Of course not,” he scoffs, drawing back. “I’m a concerned roommate. Does this guy know what he’s doing?”
“Yes, he’s very good”—I grin at him—“with his hands.”
I cackle and even his annoyed growl doesn’t dampen my mood. Who knew Carter’s jealousy was a boost of serotonin?
Dragging him along is more fun than I thought.
“That lady behind the counter is the gift shop owner.” I point to a dark-haired hippie, draped in a sheer purple shawl. “She makes her business decisions after consulting her tarot cards. She’s also one of the two tree wardens in Silver Lake Falls.”
“Now I’m sure you’re making fun of me…Is this something you read in a fantasy book?”
“You’re such a city boy,” I tease. “Next door is a martial arts studio run by an ex-marine. He’s from away, but people love him. He also teaches the kids for free, even if he can’t afford it.”
“From away where?” Carter’s upper lip curls in confusion.
“Oh, I mean he wasn’t born here.”
I show him some more places, giving a short introduction before taking him in to meet the locals.
As I feared, most come out from behind their counters and it’s weird introducing Carter as a tourist renting the cabin. Roommates with benefits doesn’t exactly cover it, since he’s yet to cash in on his benefits, and casual is too soft a word for what’s been going on lately, but I refuse to dwell on that.
Most of them bring up Jared.
“Lara’s husband was at the bar, and he told my Jim. Then the baby announcement, oh, you poor thing.”
“Yep.”
“You’re young. Still time to pop out some babies.”
“Oh, thanks?”
“I’d be so embarrassed. Oh, my dear, I’d move to the West Coast. You’re so brave.”
I know they mean well, but after a few stops it’s getting harder not to let the mask slip. I brace for another round at the art gallery when Carter steps in.
“Who curates the collections?” he asks the owner.
The woman basks in his attention and preens. “I’m an art major. Didn’t Eliza tell you? She always asks for my opinion when she finishes a piece.”
That’s slightly inaccurate. She compulsively comments on them whenever she visits someone in town who has pieces I reconditioned. She’s been relentlessly pushing me to rent one of her rooms and display a selection of refurbished antiques.
“Aren’t they great?” Carter looks sideways at me, a ghost of a smile curving his lip.
“I keep telling her!” She waves excitedly. “I know a lot of people with deep pockets who love this kind of stuff.”
