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Daphne wiped away a tear. “I used to cry myself to sleep at night, wishing they would love me again. As I got older, I buried my feelings deep inside. I never told anyone how much it hurt. My sisters had no idea—to this day, they still don’t. To the outside world, we looked like one big happy family.”
“You did it to protect the twins, didn’t you?” he said softly. “You didn’t want them to feel guilty that when they were born, you were pushed to the wayside.”
She looked up at Carter with glistening eyes. “You saw through me, didn’t you? Somehow, you could tell I was carrying this pain.”
Carter’s jaw tightened. “It’s in your eyes, love. From the first time I set eyes on you, I noticed a sadness you try so hard to hide behind a façade of sassiness. You deserve to be loved wholly and completely, not cast aside or forgotten.”
Overcome with emotion, Daphne turned and buried her face in Carter’s chest, acknowledging that he had become the tap that opened the water trough within her. It seemed she couldn’t stop the tears!
“Ah, no, love. No more tears,” he whispered as he wrapped both arms around her. Being held so close and with tenderness, she finally let go of the loneliness and heartache she had been carrying for so long.
“You’re safe now, love,” he murmured into her hair. “I’ve got you. And I promise you’ll never feel unloved or forgotten again.”
Daphne was overwhelmed by the comfort and security she felt in his embrace. She knew then that she had found someone special—a man who truly saw her and accepted every part of who she was. With Carter, the hurt little girl inside could finally begin to heal.
Chapter Fourteen
Two days later, Hines Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Provo...
For the first time since she was six years old, Daphne woke up feeling understood—free and light. The burden of hurt that had weighed her down and that she had suffered alone all these years was washed away by telling Carter the painful tale. His understanding, support, and offer to care and protect her more than made up for what she had suffered and carried within her growing up.
“Is that all he offered, though?” she asked the reflection in the mirror as she brushed her hair. “Or is there more?” The movement of her arm became mesmerizing as her mind drifted to the intimacy they had shared at his mountain lodge. The way he had touched her, the soft whispers of praise and comfort... all pointed to so much more than a purely physical encounter. It surely did for her.
“In fact, I have fallen in love with the knave... hook, line, and sinker.” She sighed heavily as she put down the brush. “Yep, no use denying it, young maiden, you have fallen hard for the man. Let’s just hope you’re not reading too much into the situation.”
If Carter didn’t reciprocate at least some affection toward her, she was screwed and setting herself up for heartache... again.
“No, he’s not that kind of man. He has integrity, and the one thing I’m relatively certain of is that he’s not a player.” The words floating back to her set her mind at ease. He had left Provo and returned to Spanish Fork, his hometown, to delve deeper into the investigation and start the search for the underground compound where Lisa had been held captive. His main concern was to find the other girls who were being groomed in that hellhole. Daphne had chosen to stay behind and intended to follow him after she had visited Lisa to check if she was coping. Her parents had requested she wait a day or two to allow Lisa to rest and recover first. She had been completely drained after the long, intense talk she’d had with Carter after the examination at the hospital.
Daphne couldn’t wait to join him and pick up where they had left off. That she felt lost without Carter’s presence after knowing him for such a short time was more than enough of a sign that she had lost the battle before it even began—the battle of love.
With a dreamy smile and armed with confidence in what could turn into her happy-ever-after journey, Daphne made her way to the dining room to silence her growling belly.
“Same as always, Missy?” Hetta, the owner and chef of the Inn, asked as Daphne walked into the dining room. She was a lovely lady who sparked to life, making her guests happy.
“Not today. I have a hankering for your creamy French toast with cheese, honey, and bacon.”
“Ah, something sweet to spice up your morning, right?”
“Definitely,” Daphne said as she accepted the cappuccino one of the servers placed in front of her. “I’m going to miss your cooking once I leave.”
“Hopefully, not too soon. We love having you here. It’s not always that out-of-towners add so much joy and laughter to the community.”
Daphne just smiled. The laughter she referred to was usually at her expense for all the shenanigans that crossed her path wherever she went. Adding one sexy sheriff from a neighboring town who scrambled her commonsense brain cells turned her into an entire comedy show on her own!
She had just taken the first bite of the delicious custardy toast when a large man sat down at her table. After an initial start when she recognized him, she continued chewing, as if completely unperturbed at his presence—on the inside, her stomach was tied in knots, and she struggled to keep her breathing even.
“Do you know who I am, Ms. Fowler?”
Taking a sip of her coffee, she watched him over the rim of the cup. The thick-rimmed glasses gave his already brooding face a stark and unwelcome look. His eyes flashed dangerously as his lips thinned under her scrutiny. He was clearly annoyed and didn’t appreciate her delay in responding. Placing down the mug, Daphne nodded.
“Good morning to you too, Utah County Attorney Bob McCarthy. To what do I owe this pleasure of meeting you in person?”
“It has been brought to my attention that you're snooping where you shouldn’t. More so, that you’re aiding Sheriff Scott in his ridiculous investigation that dares to implicate me as a conspirator.” He leaned closer, and his voice lowered into a menacing growl. “I won’t stand for it, Ms. Fowler. I worked hard to build my career and reputation. I intend to run for senate, and no one is going to stand in my way. Most definitely not a nosy reporter and a sheriff looking for a way to advance his own political career by sinking mine.”
“Well, then, if you’re innocent of all the allegations, you don’t have anything to worry about, no? In fact, if you aid the investigation, it will strengthen your success in running for senate.”
“Don’t sprout your clever theories at me, Missy. I see right through you. I suggest you leave town. Your sort isn’t welcome here.”
