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Carter stops at the sidewalk and takes off his helmet, dragging his hand over his wavy dark locks to tame them as he throws me a conspiring wink.
“Anotherfriendof yours?” my mother asks beside me.
“Yes.”
She turns to face me.
“I really hope you consider my offer, Valentina. I think staying here will only offer you more heartache than the one you are suffering through.”
“I’m used to pain.”
“That may be so, but why risk it if you can avoid it?”
“Because facing pain and heartache is all worth it if you do it for the people you love, Adrienne. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
I hold on tightly to Carter’s waist as he rushes through traffic to get us home. I feel his body as stiff as mine, and I wonder if he heard my mother’s proposal. Sense tells me he couldn’t have, since he was too far away to hear a word, but still I can’t shake the feeling something has him all riled up.
“Everything okay?” I ask, although with the blowing wind and his helmet, I’m not sure if he hears me.
All I get is a gentle squeeze on my clasped hands, and I take that as my answer. Whatever has upset him, he doesn’t want to talk about it. Not while he’s driving at least. When we finally get into my driveway and I unhook myself from him, Carter keeps his face turned away from me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he mumbles under his breath, taking my hand and leading me back into my house, careful to shield his face away from my prying eyes.
When we step foot inside, a seething Logan is sitting on the stairs, waiting for our return. He rushes to me, but instead of kissing me like I expect, he just cups my face in his palms, worry marring his features.
“How did it go?”
“As well as it could be expected,” I explain with a defeated shrug.
“Hmm,” he murmurs, then slants his eyes over at Carter behind me.
My hackles rise with the apparent disdain.
“I’m just going to make myself some tea,” I inform them, before walking into my kitchen.
I don’t know what, but something must have happened while I was away meeting my baby sister and trying to bond with a woman who has always been a stranger to me. I was just out for a few hours at best, so what could have happened in that small window of time that has them all pent up like this?
Quaid is leaning forward against the kitchen sink, his eyes fixed to our backyard. His face is just as pensive as mine must be. With Carter and Logan at my heel, I snap my head to both of them, intent on getting to the bottom of whatever is going on.
“What happened while I was gone?”
“Nothing. Don’t even worry about it,” Logan tries to placate, moving past me and getting the kettle to pour some water in.
“Something happened. All three of you look angry. Why?”
Quaid scoffs at that, turning around to face us with his arms crossed over his impressive chest.
“Quaid, what’s wrong?”
“Everything is wrong, Val! I’ve got two dipshits for best friends who don’t see reason and a girlfriend who refuses to make up her mind.”
“Quaid, don’t start. It’s not the time,” Logan warns through gritted teeth, turning the stove on.
“No! I’m sick of keeping my mouth shut!”
“If you have something to say, then say it,” I counter forcefully, feeling his anger vibrate all throughout the room.
