As I got to my wing and walked down the hall, I slowed when I got to Evelyn’s room. Her door was slightly ajar and I heard her television still on. I knocked softly.
“Come in,” she called out.
I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. Evelyn smiled. “Husband,” she said.
“Wife.” I grinned and sat in an armchair at the side of the room. Evelyn was wearing glasses and reading some trashy romance novel by Willow Winters, her hair pinned up. She was an attractive woman, despite being older than I normally dated, but there was no real connection there. We were friends, or at least as close to friends as I really got.
“You’re up late, old lady,” I said.
She laughed. “Couldn’t sleep. This place is just too big.”
“Tell me about it.”
“How do you live in here?”
“I fill it with people, usually.”
“Hm. Makes sense.” She took her glasses off and frowned at me. “What’s the matter with you?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. We got some threatening letter that worried Cox. And I was spending some quality time with my daughter.”
“Stop calling her your daughter,” Evelyn said. “And I’m sure Cox can handle the letter.”
“He will. I’m more worried about Emily.”
She raised an eyebrow, looking at me. “If I didn’t know better, it would almost sound like you were looking for my permission to sleep with my daughter.”
I laughed deeply, surprised all over again at how funny Evelyn could be. “No, not at all. I don’t need your permission for that.”
“Oh, yes, you do, Carter.”
“I’m not worried about that anyway. She still dislikes me.”
“I’m not sure she does.”
“Have you seen the way she looks at me?”
“I have.” She pursed her lips. “I don’t think it’s dislike.”
“Hmm,” I said, smiling at her. “So I have a chance?”
“Carter.”
“Okay, I know. Stay away from the forbidden fruit.”
“It’s not just forbidden because of our situation. I also don’t want you getting involved.”
“Why not? I’m a perfect gentleman.”
“We both know you aren’t.”
“Okay, fine. I’m better than some guys, though.”
“Sure,” she said, smiling finally. “You’re better than some guys.”
“High praise, coming from you.”
She laughed, finally loosening up. “Listen, this isn’t easy on her. I’ve never really done anything like this, and I think it’s coming as a surprise. So please, be easy on her.”
“Aye, aye, Evie, dear,” I said. “I’ll go nice and easy.”
She sighed. “Good night, Carter.”
“Night, wife.” I stood and blew her a kiss then shut her bedroom door behind me.
I smiled all the way down the hall to my room. Evelyn just confirmed my suspicions, that Emily wanted me maybe as much as I wanted her, but that wasn’t necessarily good.
If anything, it made things much, much fucking harder.
7
Emily
I did a lazy backstroke, trying not to think about Carter, and failing miserably.
It was another gorgeous California summer afternoon, and the water felt great. I was trying to entertain myself without resorting to fantasizing about Carter, but I was failing miserably.
I kept thinking about that night in his music room. I saw a new side of him that I never expected to see. Carter didn’t strike me as the kind of man to enjoy a large music selection let alone the type to talk knowledgeably about it. That was a side of him that I wanted to see more of, but he quickly let that side disappear when we sat on the couch.
Truth was, I liked his other side, too. I liked that dominant and intense side almost as much as I liked that softer aspect. He was a strong man who got what he wanted and didn’t seem apologetic about that at all. It got him into trouble a fair bit, but that was to be expected with a man like him.
Still, it was dangerous to get anywhere near Carter Green. He was my fake stepfather in this insane scheme my mother decided to get involved with, and that was that. I didn’t know what the heck she was thinking, but it was too late for that now.
My mother was a rational, normal person. She worked hard to give me a decent life, and I loved her endlessly for that. This thing with Carter was so far outside of the norm for her that I almost didn’t recognize hr. A get-rich-quick scheme was basically the opposite of what she taught me.
Mom instilled one thing in me above all else: hard work paid off. I believed her, even as a little girl, and I strove to work as hard as she worked. That was probably impossible, since my mother was tireless, but I still tried anyway. She put aside a lot of her own personal life for me, and I knew that I had to find a way to repay her down the line.