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“Same thing. Look, gotta go. Love you with my whole heart and soul. Talk soon. Good night.”
“Love you too. Night.”
Becky was insightful and very capable, but she’d acknowledged long ago that in her relationship, she would much rather be cared for, than be the caretaker. But when your fatherneeds help figuring things out in his business, what’s a daughter to do but help?
Carter wouldn’t like that she didn’t ask any of the women to go to Tennessee with her, but they had their own lives. The other men were home this weekend. She was doing her friends a favor by not making it a hard decision when she knew they would want to stay home with their men but also feel someone should go with her.
Besides, Ivy had weekend classes to teach. Sharlee had Storm. Jessie was big and pregnant, and Mallory was pukey pregnant. Callie was with Carter and Levi. So, really, no one could go. She didn’t know any of the other women at the bookkeeping office, of which there were four, well enough to ask them. Yes, that made great logical sense. Even if Carter would likely not want to agree, how could he not?
Leaving work at three so she would be at her parent’s house before dark was a nod to her man. He would approve of this decision. He would also be happy when he found she had her camera on. She had her text-to-voice set up on Bluetooth. Her car had all these fancy tech bells and whistles. At times like this, she was glad Carter insisted on getting her a high-end vehicle.
Carter texted her the minute she pulled into her parent’s large circular drive. “Glad you made it there safely. I don’t see any passenger with you.”
“Well, hello my love. Followed me all the way to Mom and Dad’s, did you? You were my passenger. How was your day?”
His message was, “Hmm...” She translated that to be a grunt.
“Okay, I’m going into the house now. Love you. Talk later.”
Becky turned off the car and climbed out before he could respond. He did anyway. Her text notification on her phone pinged. She glanced down.
“Need a spanking already?”
She wouldn’t answer that. Not now, anyway. She wanted to send a tongue poking out at him, but her man’s usual response was to put that tongue to good use, after he spanked her for sticking it out. That was a hard pass right now. Raised libido was not a good idea with him so far away.
The heavy front door opened, and Becky was engulfed in her mother’s arms. Candace Carrington wasn’t one to meddle in her husband’s affairs, work or otherwise, so Becky didn’t bother asking her about business things. She also wasn’t a hugger, so it was a bit of an odd start to the visit.
Instead of dwelling on those things, Becky let her mother lead her into the spacious kitchen to sit and listen to all the family and neighborhood gossip. Becky had been raised in this house since the age of six. That meant she knew every person her mother was sharing about. It made for an entertaining couple of hours as her mother cooked a late dinner.
Her father, James Carrington, had made dinner come later and later, with his long work hours, Candace shrugged it off and had adjusted. While her mother plied her with bits of dinner while she cooked to stave off hunger, like she did when Becky was little, they talked. Candace never rushed her father or ate before he arrived to sit down with her.
“How is Dad these days?”
Candace hesitated before responding for the first time since Becky walked in the door. “I’m sure he’s fine, but I worry he is too stressed. I want him to retire but he says he isn’t ready to sell the business.”
“Maybe Uncle Karl would buy it from him.”
“No, your father has already suggested that, but Karl guilted him into staying another year. But that year is almost up, and I guess I want him to enjoy his retirement years.”
“Do you want me to help with some suggestions for retiring?”
“Would you? I know he listens to you. Maybe you could give him some ideas of what he could do with his years outside of work. Maybe play with his grandchildren?”
“I saw what you did there, Mom.”
Candace smiled. “I had to try.”
“Mama, Carter and I will get married and have children when we are ready and not before. I have a sister you could try to convince.”
“You know Trish would die before messing up her figure. You don’t need to worry about that.” Candace looked up to see Becky’s face. “Because your boyfriend doesn’t care.”
“Nice try, mom. Carter says I’m beautiful.” When Candace didn’t respond, Becky sighed. “Besides, Carter is pretty busy with his job, and I work full-time too. We’d have to modify things a little. No, a lot.”
“Sacrifices for our family are always worth it.”
“When you’re ready.”
“You’re over thirty years old. How long before you think that will happen? Your baby clock is ticking.”
