Page 76 of Unraveled

Adalyn carefully lifted the gown from the mannequin, then carried it to the dressing room next to Hannah’s. Hannah stepped out, this time in a pretty sheath dress, and they admired the gown before she went in to change again. Adalyn tipped her head toward Audrey’s dressing room, and she took the silent cue to enter.

Audrey would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought a lot about her relationship with Carter over the past couple weeks. Things had happened between them so quickly, but she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life at all. He had implied before that he wanted marriage, but he hadn’t said anything since the incident. She had a feeling he was waiting for her to come around to his way of thinking. The more she stared at the dress, the more she began to think it sounded exceptionally good.

She quickly shucked her clothes, then stepped into the dress, zipping it up as far as she could before stepping out. Hannah was already on the small round dais, and her eyes widened, her hands flying up to cover her mouth when she saw Audrey. “Oh, Audrey.”

Tears welled in Hannah’s eyes, and Audrey let out an uncomfortable little laugh. “That bad?” she joked.

There were no mirrors inside the dressing room, so she hadn’t had a chance to see what the dress looked like yet. Her heart raced with anticipation, and she braced herself, then slowly turned around to meet her reflection. Her breath caught in her lungs, and she froze. Adalyn had been right. It did look even better on. It fit perfectly, and it felt like a dream.

“I love that look,” Adalyn said quietly, a soft smile on her face.

Audrey couldn’t tear her eyes away from the mirror. “The dress?”

“Your expression,” she clarified.

Audrey met her gaze in the mirror, wondering exactly what it was she saw. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed. She looked happy. She looked like…

“A woman in love,” Adalyn said, finishing her sentence for her.

She was right; Audrey was in love. She wasn’t about to let a man like Carter slip through her fingers.

CHAPTER

FORTY-ONE

Carter had invited his father to stay with them, but John had declined—thank God—saying that Audrey and Carter deserved their privacy. Carter didn’t mind having him around as much as he thought he would, and things between them were definitely better.

When Carter walked in that afternoon after leaving the office, the house seemed too quiet. He wasn’t sure if Audrey was home yet, since she had ridden with Hannah to the salon that day. Home. He liked the sound of that, maybe a little too much. They had been sharing a bed for the past twelve nights, but he hadn’t officially asked her to move in with him. Not wanting to push her, he hadn’t broached the subject since the incident.

Carter couldn’t even think of it without getting angry. More often than not, most nights he dreamed of walking in on that scene, Audrey strapped to the table and unable to move. More than once he had dreamed that he was too late, and he’d woken in a panic, sweating and reaching for Audrey to make sure she was still there.

She had nightmares, too, but she seemed to be handling it like a trooper. He felt like a mess, and he wanted to lock her away in their room where he knew she’d be safe forever.

Realistically, he knew she’d never put up with it. She needed to go back to work soon, and there was no reason for her not to, except for his own insecurity. He hated the thought of what she’d been through and the bad luck she’d experienced lately. She had been attacked in her old office at the health center, then again at the VA.

Carter had gone back with her once, a couple of days ago, when she had to turn in some paperwork. She had tensed walking through the lobby where Magda had been murdered, but a few minutes later she had been right back to normal. He wasn’t sure he’d be the same in her shoes. She was stronger than anyone he knew, and he loved her all the more for it.

Loosening his tie, Carter meandered upstairs to change before dinner, pausing as he crossed the threshold to their bedroom. Audrey stood next to the closet, and he watched as she tucked something inside, then straightened. She turned and startled when she saw him, her hand flying to her throat.

“Oh, my God, Carter!”

“Sorry, babe.” He pushed off the doorframe and strode toward her, pulling her against him as she melted into his embrace. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You’re too quiet,” she complained without heat, turning her face into his throat.

He ran his hands over her back, enjoying the way she felt against him. “How was your day?”

She leaned back a bit and tipped her chin up to him, an indecipherable look in her eyes. “Good.”

“I’m glad.” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “Thank you for texting me and letting me know where you were.”

“Only because you asked so nicely.” Her lips curled into a smirk. “And I hadn’t even had a chance to tell you I was home yet. I only beat you by a few minutes.”

He had been wondering, but he didn’t say anything. He opened his mouth to ask about dinner, but he didn’t have a chance.

“It’s occurred to me that you’ve been very—” She cleared her throat. “—vocal about your feelings, but I haven’t. And I should. I mean, I need to. I’ve been thinking about us a lot recently, and I… I really like you. Even though it’s only been a few weeks, I feel like I can see something between us—a future, maybe.”

She paused and licked her lips, but he didn’t dare interrupt. He knew how monumentally important this moment was, that she come to terms with her feelings all on her own. This was a huge step for her—putting herself out there and offering herself to him, heart and soul. He stared at her, and she shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting over his shoulder as she bared herself to him.