“Are you… talking to yourself?”
I straightened up sharply, coming face-to-face with Mr.Tall-Dark-and-Grumpy.We were finally making eye contact again, but of course, it came paired with another humiliating moment.
“I, um, I was talking to Pete.”
“That's a very deep voice Pete has.”Carter's mouth quirked with the hint of a smile.
“Alright, mister.That's enough out of you.”I poked his muscular arm.
“Ouch.”
“Oh stop it, you big baby.Go eat your lunch.”
Carter took his seat, and I stood on the opposite side of the island, sorting his mail.I handed him the sorted stack, waving one envelope at him with a grin.“I know what this one is.”
“What is it?”
“An invitation to Marco's new agency launch party.”
He took the envelope, tore it open, and scanned the contents.Then he crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash.“Pass.”
“What?Why?”I asked, baffled.
He shrugged.“It's on a Wednesday.At a nightclub.I'm not going to a club on a Wednesday.”
“Lighten up, grandpa.You can take one night off from your five-step bedtime routine to have a little fun.”
“Six.”
“Huh?”
“My bedtime routine.It's six steps.”
“Oh God.I was kidding.Do you really have a six-step bedtime routine?”
Carter's brow furrowed.“Yes.Why?Is that weird?”
I bit my cheek, fighting back a laugh.“No, Carter.That's not weird.That is so delightfully you.”
He swallowed a bite of sandwich and cleared his throat, his eyes darting up to meet mine.
“So, areyougoing?”he asked, a little too casually.
“To Marco's launch party?”
He nodded, taking another bite of his food.
I shrugged, trying to match his nonchalance.“I'm not sure yet.It would be nice to support Marco, but...”
Carter set down his sandwich, his full attention on me now.“But what?”
My resolve to be nothing less than professional snapped like a rubber band.“You know what?Yes.I am going.And I am going to have a damn good time!”
“Well, okay then.”Carter's lips twitched.
“What's so funny?”
“You said 'damn.'“
