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“Umm… okay. I don’t own Maplehaven, so you don’t need my permission.”
Carter reached across the table and rested his hand on top of hers. “I don’t need your permission, but I want it, Leah. You found this cozy little town for yourself and it was a great decision. Clearly. Look at how well you’re doing. Dena said the parents and students in town are thrilled to have you here as a teacher. You’re flourishing in the fresh mountain air.”
“And I’ve started dating again.”
“Right.” Carter’s lips tightened a bit. “Moving forward and all that.”
She flipped her hand up to squeeze Carter’s then slid her hand into her lap. “I want all this for you too. If moving here will do that, then I say go for it.”
He beamed a smile at her. “Great. I’ll start hunting for a place tomorrow.” He regarded her over the top of his glasses. “Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Scooching his chair over to her side of the table, he rested one arm on the table and one on the back of her chair. “Unless you don’t mind having me here.”
The air in the room changed as she picked up on the nonverbal signals Carter was throwing her way.
“I don’t mind having you here if you’re visiting, but if you’re going to move here, you need your own place, Carter.” She got up from her seat, feigning that she needed a glass of water at the sink. Suddenly this conversation had a whole new tone to it—one she couldn’t decipher quite yet.
“Because you and I are just friends, right?” He slid his chair back to his side of the table.
“Yes. Don’t you want to see where this thing with Dena goes?”
Carter twisted his lips to the left then right. “I guess, but you have to know I’ve been attracted to you since we met, Leah.”
If he’d stripped down and told her he had a vagina, she couldn’t have been more shocked than she was right then. “What? I knew no such thing because it isn’t true.” Hell, had Dakota been right about Carter having feelings for her? How could he have known after an afternoon with the guy when she’d had no idea after years of knowing Carter?
“Yes, yes, it is true,” Carter said. “I mean, yeah, we hit it off as friends instantly, but I was working my way up to asking you out. Then you met Chase, and I made it a policy to never cheat my little brother out of something—or someone—he wanted, so I backed off. You two seemed so happy and I was okay to push my own feelings aside.” He adjusted his glasses. “But Chase isn’t here anymore. And you and I are finally at a place where we’re ready to get on with our lives. I thought maybe we could try doing that together.”
“Oh, Carter…” She didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sting like hell. Carter was a great guy, but she didn’t havethosefeelings for him. Something about dating Chase’s sibling didn’t seem right either.
He held his hands up. “I know, I know. You love me like a brother, right?”
“I’m sorry. Yeah. And don’t you think that if we were destined to be together, it would have happened already? It’s been four years since we lost Chase. If we were it for each other, we would have been ready to move on sooner.” She sat in her seat, but leaned toward him. “I consider you family now, Carter. I think we fill that void for each other, don’t you?”
“We do. I just thought maybe we could be more.” He waved a hand. “But you’re right. It should have happened before now. That’s what I get for procrastinating when I first met you. I let myself get into the Friend Zone.”
“Worse,” Leah said, rolling her eyes. “The Brother Zone.”
“Yeah, that is worse, isn’t it?” He chuckled softly. “But I’ll take being your friend and your brother over not having you in my life at all. Promise me we’re okay. Promise me I haven’t ruined things with my nonsense.”
She reached for his hand now and squeezed again. “We’re okay and nothing’s ruined. I’ll even let you live in this town if you want.” She offered him a smile and was happy when he returned it. As surprised as she was with his revelation, she had to admit that a part of her needed Carter in her life. Hewasa friend, a brother, and in a world where she had no actual family, he knew her better than anyone else did.
For now.
She wouldn’t eliminate the possibility that Dakota might come to know her better.
“Cool,” Carter said. “I’ll hunt for a place then. Close, but not too close to this cottage and something with a front door that locks on the first try. We need to fix that door knob for you.” He grinned then shoveled more sauce-laden ravioli into his mouth.
They ate with the usual conversation and Leah was glad things weren’t weird between them. A part of her wanted to analyze what Carter had said about having feelings for her, but a larger part told her to leave it alone. He appeared to not be utterly heartbroken over her refusal at a more intimate relationship so she’d continue with her moving forward crusade.
“Want to watch a movie?” Carter said after the kitchen had been tidied.
“I think I’m going to grade a few things then turn in.” She pointed down the hallway. “I was tired all day today.” She snapped her jaw closed.
Carter burst into laughter. “Adult sleepovers will cause that, Leah.” He wiggled his eyebrows as he sat on the couch.
“I guess I forgot that fun comes with a price.”
