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“He doesn’t know me,” she said.
“He knows me. I’d never lose my heart to someone that couldn’t be trusted,” he said.
Carter sure knew how to take the wind out of her anger sails.
37
Has To Be Done
“Are you sure about this?” Laine asked her quietly the next night. She’d dropped Josie off for her private lesson at five thirty and then was going to meet Carter back at her house.
“I’m not sure about much,” she whispered. “But this has to be done. I can’t live in fear of when he’ll show up again.”
“I told you before, do what you think Colleen would,” Laine said, then paused when Josie moved closer. “Josie, if you are ready now, you can go back and start painting. I’ll be there in a minute.”
She watched as Josie went to the room in back once her smock was on.
“That is why I’m doing this. I got thinking that Colleen would do anything to protect Josie. She made sure that Mike was out of Josie’s life. There has to be a reason and I’m going to honor it.”
“You never knew?” Laine asked.
“I knew he treated Colleen like crap. He took advantage of her. They hadn’t been dating long, but he was always borrowing money or needed something. One day he was nice and sorry if he’d come off like a jerk, saying he was under stress; the other days he was a different man.”
“Mental health issues?” Laine asked.
“No. I don’t think so.” At least she figured if there was a way for that to be found Griffin would have. “I think it’s the gambling. When he was winning or needed money he was nice and tried to sweeten her up. When he was losing or someone was breathing down his neck, then he was the ass.”
“Then you will do what you think is the right thing. Carter is going with you, right? You’re not going alone?” Laine asked. Her friend was staring her down.
“Yes, he’s going.”
“But you’d rather he didn’t?” Laine asked.
“I don’t know what I want. I’m still annoyed with him. I don’t need him to stand in front of me.”
Laine laughed. “A strong man that loves you and wants to be there for you. Oh no. One not afraid to stand in front of you and take the burn of the fire in your place. Get me a sword, we need to cut him down.”
“Very funny,” she said to Laine.
“Hey,” Laine said. “I would have loved to have some man do that for me in my life. I would have loved my father to do it.”
“Your dad would have if he could have,” she said.
Laine’s father was in a wheelchair. There was money there, but Avery never heard much of where it came from. Only that her father was a sweetheart when he’d visited Laine in college.
“No,” Laine said. “My father would have hired someone to do it for him. Even if he could stand in front of me, he wouldn’t. I get it. It wasn’t his thing.”
“But he got it done his way,” she said.
“Yes,” Laine said. “And so will you. Keep me posted. If you’re late, no worries. I’ll keep her here until you’re ready. I’ll make something up.”
“Thanks,” she said. “But I don’t think it will be long. The longest part will be me and Carter having our talk.”
“Go gentle on the guy,” Laine said. “He has a heart of gold and remember that is where it’s all coming from.”
She didn’t need the reminder.
She drove home and Carter was already waiting there for her. His truck in the driveway. She got out of her SUV and climbed into his.
