Page 49 of Pink and Country

“You baked those?” I nodded with a tight-lipped smile. “Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Dahlia, Carter’s oldest friend.”

The woman held out a hand for me to shake. “I’m April. April Simmons. I live in the cabin next door. Or at least, that’s where I’m supposed to live.” Dahlia leaned her back against the kitchen counter, bringing a cookie to her mouth.

“These are amazing. It’s nice to meet you, April. Oh, and I love your name by the way. What brings you here, to Green Mountain?”

“It’s a long story. I’m an author, and I was having writer’s block. My friend Saunders, who owns a luxury vacation rental company, had rented the cabin next door for one of her clients, and he had a change of plans at the last minute. She offered it to me, hoping it’d unblock my creativity.” I shrugged. “I guess you could say life brought me here.”

“That’s amazing. Living here is like an addiction. When you’ve breathed the mountain air once, you always need more.” We both exchanged a smile.

“How long have you been here? In Green Mountain, I mean.”

“I moved here when pregnant with Jack.” Something dark passed in Dahlia’s eyes. A memory. “Enough talk about me. I want to know why you want to leave, and what did Carter lie about? Men. They can be idiots sometimes.” Dahlia filled our mugs with boiling water and took a seat facing me. “Carter is a complicated man. However, once you get to know him, there’s not a more passionate and selfless man in the world.” A soft smile lit up her face.

I fidgeted with the handle of the mug, hesitant to confide to her. I knew nothing about this woman, except that Carter had loved her forever. Dahlia offered me a warm smile. I tucked strands of my pink hair behind my ear and fished my phone from my back pocket.

After unlocking it, I slid the device toward Dahlia. On the screen were the pictures Saunders sent me earlier. Dahlia swiped them, one by one, a deep frown marking her porcelain face.

“I see. And you didn’t have a clue who he was. Am I right?”

I buried my face in my hands. “No. It sounds stupid, but I had no idea. I swear. For me, he was just this half-annoying, half-sweet neighbor.” I tilted my head to meet her gaze.

Dahlia rested her chin in her open palm, her elbow propped on the counter.

“I’ll tell you something, April. That’s what makes you even more special to Carter’s eyes. You don’t care about who he is outside these walls. You treat him like a man. Not a country star or a celebrity. You see the real Carter Hills, not the image he creates for the media. Only a handful of people have access to this version of him, and you’re lucky to be one of them.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that he lied to me,” I said, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Carter loves how normal his life is around you. He should’ve told you, you’re right about that. But he also did it to protect you. April, you don’t need this circus in your life. It’s not good for anyone. Rarely are people cut for this kind of attention. I walked away from the music industry and fame because I refused to let my baby be a part of this.” Dahlia blew out a long sigh. “Carter must be with June as we speak, trying to find ways to keep you away from the press.” Dahlia brought her mug to her lips but didn’t take a sip.

“June?”

“Juniper. His assistant manager. The media will create any story they see fit if it helps them sell copies and captivate their audience. Carter despises everything about this side of the business. He loves the music. He’s the best songwriter I know. I don’t say it because we’re friends. It’s the truth. But he struggles with fame. Daily. That’s why he comes here every chance he gets. To escape. To ground himself. To clear his mind and just be.”

Dahlia left at the end of the afternoon after I promised I’d talk to Carter before deciding on anything. She hugged me on her way out, and I realized I’d just met my first woman crush. I understood why Carter loved her so much.

I was writing in the kitchen, Bernice curled at my feet, snoozing, when Carter walked in, three hours later. With dark circles under his eyes and worry lines etching his face, he looked ten years older than he did last night.

Carter erased the distance between us, caged me between his arms, and kissed me on the cheek.

HN hadn’t shown me any affection since the day we ate each other’s faces in my cabin. Somehow, my heart thrilled at the simple gesture. Why did I feel as if he’d done that multiple times in his life? Like I belonged here. With him.

I shivered at the thought. I loved how I felt around Carter.

After my talk with Dahlia, my anger toward him had subsided. The voices in my head telling me to run away had quietened.

Our girl talk helped me see the situation from another perspective. His.

I loved Dahlia’s honesty.

“How was your day?” I asked, resting my hand on Carter’s forearm, the cord of his muscles flexing under my touch.

Carter sighed, bent over, and scooted Bernice up, petting her head and nuzzling her fur. “Painful. What about yours?”

“Eventful.” Carter furrowed his eyebrows. “Dahlia came by earlier.” His frown deepened.

“She did?” He had no idea? My girl crush intensified. I appreciated her discretion.

“Yeah. She’s nice. We talked. She’s really a fan of yours.”