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“You have no idea how happy we are that you’re here.” Piper smiled as she gripped my shoulders.
“Yeah, Uncle Carter.” Riley hugged me. “We’re happy you’re here with us.”
“Thanks, kiddo.” I kissed the top of her head.
I sat down in one of the loungers with my beer and stared at my family.
“So, Carter,” Simon said. “You didn’t bring your girlfriend with you?”
“Girlfriend?” I chuckled. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“That’s good because there are plenty of single women in Los Angeles for you to choose from.” Simon smirked.
“I casually date women and don’t do relationships.”
“Why is that?” Jackson asked.
“Ah, shit. Here we go again.” Simon tipped the beer bottle to his lips.
“I don’t trust women. Plain and simple. I was in a relationship once for about a year. I was sure she was the one I would spend the rest of my life with. I even bought her an engagement ring and was going to ask her to marry me. She was out of town with her girlfriends, and I thought I’d surprise her and pick her up at the airport. While I waited for her in baggage claim, I saw her with another guy. He had his arm around her, and when she saw me, she freaked out. Instead of going out of town with her girlfriends, she went with this guy she’d been sleeping with for about a month.”
“I hope you fucking punched him,” Simon said.
“I did. Right there in the middle of baggage claim. It was a total shitshow. I told her I never wanted to see her again. After that, I was done with relationships.”
“How long ago was this?” Grayson asked.
“I was twenty-six, so six years ago. Then, I casually started dating this woman back in North Carolina right before I got sick. When I couldn’t go out or do things because of the exhaustion, she told me that it was too much for her to handle, and I never saw her again. So, yeah. I don’t trust women.”
“I don’t blame you,” Jackson said. “My ex-wife cheated on me with my friend on our first wedding anniversary. After that, I was done with relationships forever.”
“But you’re married and have a baby on the way.” A smirk crossed my lips.
“Exactly.” Jackson pointed at me. “There are a lot of great women out there—ones that heal the pain in your heart and soul.”
“Maybe, but I’m not interested.”
Simon inhaled a sharp breath. “We all said the same thing. I’ll be ready, cousin.” He grinned.
“Ready for what?”
“To give my speech when that special lady walks into your life.”
“I appreciate it, Simon.” I chuckled. “I’m good. I don’t need a woman to complete me. I have everything I could ever want—money, success, health, two brothers, and all of you.”
“KIND!” We all heard Ava shout from down the beach. We all turned around.
“Shit!” Grayson said. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”
“What’s wrong with Ava?” I asked.
“That’s not Ava. It’s Kate.”
“Hey, Kate!” Simon waved.
She walked over and grabbed Grayson by the shirt.
“I know what you did. I could smell the stench of that prison on you!”
