Confused by her bluntness, I turn to look at her and she has already pulled the flap of her hat back down and acts like she’s reading the book in front of her. It’s when I look at the open page she’s holding that I notice the picture. It’s an image of her father, sitting down at dinner with every one of my board members.
Taken aback by this, I try to think back to why I never realized it. Was I too blind to see the signs?
“Bethany, thank you for letting me know, but what do you need from me? I don’t understand what I could help you with.”
“Easy, Carter. I need money. I’ve got to be able to escape. Once I go to sign the papers, I need to get on a plane. I never want to return to the States. I’ve found someone that I care deeply about for the first time in years. Send me back to Monaco, and I promise you’ll never hear from me again.”
“That’s all you want from me? How much?”
“Yes, that’s all I want from you. I know I have no right to ask this, but I’m trying to help you out as well.”
“Do you still have access to your bank? If not, go open a new account and text me the information. Once I have that and I know you have signed the papers, I’ll make a transfer, but let me reassure you of one thing, Bethany. I never, and I mean never, want to see your face again. Don’t even breathe my name. Are we clear? Oh, and if you step so much as one foot near Tabitha, I will hunt you down,” I explain in a deep stern voice.
I can hear her gulp before she nods her head in understanding. Since I no longer care to sit by my soon to be ex-wife, I gather up my things and head towards the windows.
I’ve signed the papers already and was under the impression that they were being sent to her to sign. This is new information and I’m shocked by everything she just told me.
Time to make things happen, and quickly.
Chapter Twenty-One
Tabitha
IT’S OFFICIAL. I despise telling that man goodbye. As I pulled away, I kept him in my rear-view mirror. Just when I couldn’t see him any longer, I allowed the tears to flow. Needing my best friend, I search the console next to me for my phone.
Still crying, I dial Angela and hope she can give me some good advice. On the second ring, she answers. “Hello my nutty friend, how are you?”
Sniffling, I respond, “Fine … How are you?”
“Oh, that doesn’t sound fine. Where are you and what’s wrong?”
“I just dropped Carter off at the airport and I think I might be having a panic attack,” I say through hiccups. Yes, I get them when I cry too hard.
“Can you pull over?”
“Hold on, let me pull into this lot,” I say looking around and cutting about ten people off as I swerve into the empty lot and throw the gears into park. Thankful I have my Bluetooth on, I open the door as fast as I can and jump out.
“Tabitha, are you still with me?”
“Yes, I’m parked and against the car with my head between my legs.”
“Good. Now listen to me. Take a few deep breaths and release. Remember those breathing exercises you tried to teach me from one of your classes. Use them.”
I take a moment to gather my senses and straighten myself out. When I look around, I ask myself, where the hell am I?
“Angela, I’m about to freak out again. I’m in some shady parking lot and …”
Cutting me off, she says, “Get your ass back in your car and lock the dang doors. Now start talking or I will fly my ass out to California and kick you in the rear.”
“Can I give you cliff notes, you know, the ones you always give me?”
“Hell no. I need it all. Plus, you can’t deprive a mother who has nothing more interesting than how many poopy diapers you can change in one day.”
She knows just how to make me laugh. “And how many has it been today?”
“Girl, I lost count after six. Now talk. Graham just laid down for his nap, so you are in luck.”
“Well, you know Carter and I are trying to work things out and all that good stuff. He surprised me for my birthday, and I was arguing with Cory when he arrived. This made him believe I was knocked up with Cory’s kid, but I’m not …”
Just as I go to finish, Angela squeals into my ear, “Oh my God … Are you?”
“No, just listen. You can ask questions at the end. So anyway, long story short, he listens along with everyone else and declares his love for me pretty much in front of them all. Of course he stays, we not only make love that night but have some incredible sex in the shower—which, by the way, you should try, if you haven’t already. Today, he tells me he loves me and then goes back home.”
“Okay, I’m confused. What has you freaking out? You love him, correct?”
“I do, but see, there’s something I haven’t told you. I stopped taking the shot a month ago or so. We haven’t used protection at all.”
“Why would you come off the shot? You’re the most OCD person ever when it comes to that. Hell, you even plan your travels around the time to get a new one.”
“Are you sitting down?” I ask before I have her pass out from this information.
“Yes, and you better get to talking before you get me going good.”
Quickly I say, “I ordered sperm online and was going to use it. Cory found it and spilled the beans, so to speak.” I wait for it.
“You did what!? You have lost your mind, haven’t you? Why on earth would you do that, Tabitha?”
“Simple … I’m ready. That’s where I was going when I passed out in New York. I’ve been researching it now for months and made up my mind. Well, that is until Cory busted it all out in front of Carter.”
“What was Carter’s reaction to this?”
“He’s not happy. He said he would give me the family I want, not some stranger. Now I’m stuck with a thermos of frozen sperm. What the hell am I going to do with it now?”
“Umm, it’s simple, throw it away and spend your money on shiny things or something other than sperm. Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“’Cause I knew you would try to talk me out of it, like the rest of them. I was going to tell everyone once it took. At that point, it would be too late.”
“Okay, so now that I know you are not having a stranger’s baby, what’s the deal between you and Carter? Have you talked about it? I mean, is he free yet?”
Slouching into my seat a little more, I run my fingers across the steering wheel. “He is, and yes, we’ve talked, but the distance is putting a strain on us. I don’t want to move and I refuse to ask him to do that for me. So, pretty much, I feel like I just told him goodbye forever. God, Angela, it’s like a piece of my heart boarded that plane with him today. He’s all I think about and when I dream, it’s him I see with me.”
“Then you have to have faith, Tabitha. Hell, look at Logan and me, what we went through and now how happy we are. Every couple has obstacles; it’s how you decide to drive around them that makes it work. I know you, and you’ll figure it out. Just stop thinking so hard and let go.”
“Are you throwing my words back at me?”
“Yes I am, and you need to listen. Pull it together, go home and relax. For that matter, call Cory and Seth, go out and have a little fun. You’ve been working so hard and you have a trip soon.”
“I might do that. Cory said Meredith was going out of town for something, so I know he’s free.”
“Sounds perfect. Now, are you calm enough to drive?”
“No, I have one more thing. What about the, you know, sex?”
“Yes, I’ve tried shower sex and you are correct, it’s amazing.”
“Not that, crazy, Carter and I and no shot?”
“Oh. Don’t freak out about it. You know just as well as anyone they stay in your system for a while. Make an appointment and get another one, ASAP.”
“Yes, mother. Love you and I’ll call later.”
“Love you too, Tabitha. Be safe,” Angela says as she disconnects the call.
I take a few moments to
gather everything she just said. She’s right. One day at a time and I do need my Cory time. Seth is too busy to deal with me right now, so I’m passing on him.
Before I pull out, I send out a quick text to Cory and he responds instantly that he’ll bring the beer and I can supply the pizza.
Carter
Bethany and I board the plane as if we’ve never met each other before and I am thankful she’s seated in the back as I’m in the front of business class. Everything she spoke of for some reason doesn’t surprise me. I’m not even sure how to process the news about the baby. At this point, do I hold on to that, or let it go? I think a part of me will always wonder, but then in the end, I’m glad it’s not something to hold me to her.
Just as we land, I pull my phone out and power it up, noticing that I have a few texts waiting from Kelly and Tabitha.
Kelly: Everything is set up. Just let me know when you head into the office.
Tabitha: Miss you already and I hope you have a safe flight. XXXOOO
When I reach my car, I’ll let Kelly know to expect me soon. I know things will be a whirlwind once I step off the plane, so I take this moment to text Tabitha.
Me: Just landed. Miss you and I’ll call you tonight. XXXOOO
I take this moment to glance towards the back of the plane and notice that Bethany looks nervous. Something is off and I just can’t put my finger on it. I’m choosing to let it go. She’s not been my concern for years, so why start now? It’s the desperation I heard in her voice today that worries me. She’s never spoken that way, or shown me she had feelings for anyone other than herself in years.
Maybe people do change, but that doesn’t mean I can let my guard down. Especially where she’s concerned.
With a quick nod in Bethany’s direction, I step off the plane and head towards my car. When I lean down into the driver’s seat, I watch a limo pull up to the curb and Bethany gets in. That’s something I put to the back of my mind and will seek more information on, later.
Sending Kelly a message, I let her know I’m headed to the office. I knew this was something I was ready to do, but I wasn’t prepared to make all these choices today.
“Unexpected changes” are coming to my world, and are more than what I anticipated.
Standing in the elevator, I think about what Kelly will do. I have the plans in my head, but will she be able to uproot her life for my new career?
I stop at the temporary desk to greet her. “Can you come into my office for a moment?”
“Yeah,” she responds. She looks to be unsure of why I need her first.
“Close the door behind you and have a seat,” I say as I point towards the chair in front of my desk.
“What’s going on, Carter?”
“Calm down, I just need to go over a few things before you hear from them,” I explain as I point towards the wall.
I run my hands up and down my jeans to wipe away the moisture caused by my internal nerves. Stopping to look up at Kelly, I remember all the support she’s given me.
Biting the bullet, I start by saying, “Kelly, I’m changing locations and would love for you to come with me. I know it’s asking a lot from you, but you’ve been with me from the very beginning. I’m also going to need new board members as of today. I plan to buy them all out and you will have your choice of any position within the company.” I watch her features to see if I can tell what she’s thinking.
“You know I will always work for you. I also have nothing tying me here. With that, boss, where are we uprooting to?”
“I’m honored that you will join me and you should know where. California. I need to be close to Tabitha. It only makes sense. Nothing is left here, and as of today, you are the only one here I trust.”
“Tell me what we need to do.”
“First, I need you to make a transfer to this account for me.” I slide a piece of paper across my desk towards her. “Then, hire a moving company, for not only yourself, but for me. I don’t have much other than clothes and boxes full of drawings.”
Confused, she’s still looking at the piece of paper, and then she looks back up at me. “Carter, what is this for?”
“Do you trust me, Kelly?”
“Of course I do,” she responds with resentment in her voice that I would even ask her that question.
“I promise it’s nothing illegal, and if you must know, that’s for Bethany. Don’t ask me why I’m being nice, but I honestly feel that she needs someone right now. This will make a nice little nest egg for her to start over.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. I won’t question your motives with that one, I just pray she’s gone forever. You need this fresh start as well. She wasn’t the one they tried to destroy. So with that said, please forgive me when I tell you I don’t agree with this,” she says as she holds the paper up in front of her.
“I wasn’t sure I would help her myself. It wasn’t until I got off the plane today and watched her get into a limo. Her family is still up to no good, which is why I plan to be far away from this hell hole. The board is working with Mr. Edwards, and that changes today.”
“Are you sure? I never suspected anything from them. This could be a ploy on her account, Carter.”
“No, this is the first time in years I actually trust her. I can’t put my finger on it, but I do.”
“If you say so, boss. Oh, you going to tell me how your trip was?” she asks, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“It went well and I think we might have reached a new level in our relationship. Tabitha still has trust issues, but I plan to knock them down one by one. She’s leaving in a few days for a business trip, which is why I will leave again tonight after business is taken care of. I trust you will handle all my affairs here, and keep me updated. While she’s away, I plan to look for some property, or a bigger place to live for the two of us, and a new office.”
“What about the house and your condos here? You just going to leave it all?”
“I don’t need that house. It was designed for different reasons and the gate was the only part that is the two of us. The contractors can sell it off or destroy it for all I care. I will still own the places here, we’ll just travel and hire people to manage it all. I mean it, Kelly, when I say once I get on that plane tonight, I’m not looking back. Oh, and put the bike up for sale.”
I hear her gasp as she looks at me in shock. “You love that thing. Why would you not take it with you?”
“I do, but I bought that bike to piss Bethany and her family off. The next one I buy will be with Tabitha by my side, one that she likes,” I say as I lean back into my chair and put my hands behind my head. I look up at Kelly and finish. “I know you, and I can’t explain it, I just don’t want anything left to make her think of my life or marriage when I return. You know, the clean slate will equal a new relationship between us. She’s it for me, has been since the first day I set eyes on her.” I allow a small smile to spread across my face. Just thinking about that first day, catching her asleep on the computer screen, it was the best meeting I’ve ever attended. Just think, I almost allowed Kelly or someone else to take it over for me.
“I understand perfectly, Carter. We all have that one soul that belongs to ours. I’m happy you’ve found that.”
“Thank you, Kelly. I am as well. Now, no going to tell Jessica about my plans either. I know you two are up to something.”
“Ha, Carter. Have a little faith in me, why don’t you?”
“Oh, I do, I’m just saying. Now, I need to go get rid of the lying bastards in the next room. Any questions?”
“No, but I would love to watch you in action.”
“Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go,” I say as I stand and wait for Kelly to follow me.
For the first time in years, I actually feel like I’ll be the one in control of my life. No one else will be able to tell me what to do, what to wear, or how to behave. I was fortunate to have saved enough money that all I need to do is control the b
usiness I currently have. If I choose to never build another building from this moment on, Tabitha and I will still have a sweet life together.
All the money that was given to me by the Edwards family all those years ago is being transferred to Bethany’s account. See, all those years ago, it was Robert and Jack who backed the company. They invested in me to get me on my feet. Once I had the board and was bringing in the money, I bought the shares back from them.
The Edwards family and Bethany had no idea. That’s what happens when you learn from the best on how to be shady. I protected myself for the one thing that meant the most to me at the time. Georgia’s Inc. was designed with my future in mind, not my past. Still to this day, I don’t know what I would’ve done without Robert. He was more than just my lawyer, he filled in for my father and became an excellent business partner in the end. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish he was here to see what I am about to do.
As I walk into the small conference room, it’s him that I’m doing this for. The people sitting around this table, dressed in their thousand dollar suites, are the ones who took his life. They might not have placed the explosives, but each of them had a hand in it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tabitha
SOMEHOW I MADE it home without crashing or running any pedestrians over. I can’t shake the feeling I had as I watched Carter disappear this afternoon. All of a sudden, my world just became real. The panic that consumed my body happened so fast today. The last time I felt my chest caving in like that was in college.
Unexpected Changes Page 12
