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Once they’re out of earshot, Morgan whirls on the linebacker and punches him in the arm. “Way to go, Carter. I liked that guy!”
“Psh. Whatever. I did you a favor,” he returns, rubbing the spot where she hit him. “Both of those guys are spineless. You’d get bored of him in one week, two weeks tops.”
“You’re out of your mind,” Carlee jumps down her brother’s throat. “What you did was completely psycho. Just imagine what will happen if they decide to talk to the press.”
“And say what? That I crashed their date with my sister and her best friend? No one will care.”
“What about your custody battle with Laura,” she counters. “You can’t afford for someone to paint you as a hyper-aggressive alpha male when you’re trying to get full custody of your kids!”
Uncertainty creeps into his features when he realizes she has a point. “Shit,” he mumbles.
Carlee exhales a heavy sigh. “Call your PR team. Get ahead of the story. And, in the future, control yourself. This isn’t Rose Hill where the town thinks your antics are amusing. You’re in the public eye, and we all know how quickly public opinion can change like that.” She snaps her fingers in front of his face for emphasis.
She all but confirms her last statement is about me when she turns around and meets my gaze. “And you.” She stomps over to me. “How could you let him do that?” She pokes me in the chest, wincing when she jams her finger.
The corner of my mouth lifts. “There’s no controlling Carter when he’s like this.” Nathan Shortes and the bloody nose hesustained for daring to mention he thought Carlee was pretty was proof of that.
“But you’re supposed to be the responsible one!”
Is that how she views me?
“I’d say Carter is pretty responsible. He’s a dad, after all.”
“That means nothing,” Morgan chimes in. She walks up and stands at her friend’s side. Carter follows a second later. “Just because a guy spreads his seed to the next generation doesn’t make him responsible. In fact, for some, it means the exact opposite. I mean, come on. How hard is it to wear a condom?”
The dig is meant for Carter, but it’s impossible not to think of my deadbeat father.
“Damn, Morgan,” Carter scowls, but amusement twinkles in his eyes. “That’s harsh.”
“The truth hurts, Jones,” she replies unrepentantly. “Now, since you scared my date away, you owe me the drink he promised to buy me after mini golf.”
“Who says?”
“I say.” Morgan grabs Carter’s elbow and tugs him past the large plastic dragon whose mouth serves as the main obstacle on the adjacent fairway.
I watch them walk back towards the bar where Carter and I had been sitting, stopping along the way as more and more people recognize Carter thanks to the scene he just created. It’ll be a miracle if there isn’t already a picture or video of it floating around social media.
“I can’t believe Carter just did that.”
I look at Carlee. She’s watching her brother and best friend, but her expression is more resigned than angry like it had been seconds before.
“He was just looking out for you.”
She scoffs. “Yeah, right. He thinks it’s funny to ruin my personal life. Always has.”
“He’s protective.”
“Too protective.”
I shrug. “Maybe.” Or maybe not. If what Carter said about Carlee’s ex is true, she may need someone to look out for her. History tends to repeat itself, after all.
“Whatever.” She blows out a breath. Then, her gaze slides to me. “I still think you should’ve interfered.”
I crack a smile. “Now, why would I do that?”
“Because you’re my friend.”
“Am I?”
