"No, baby. These nights with your Gramma are a special time for just you guys. It's okay though, we'll hang out another time."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Satisfied with this, Logan went back to whispering with his brother, until they reached the bridge once again and the boys had to inspect it from this side too.
Moments later, they pulled into Carter's driveway alongside Lynn's car. After helping kids unbuckle seat belts and pulling them from the vehicle, the adults handed the kids their shopping bags and the whole crew headed inside. No sooner than the front door closed than Nathan and Logan kicked it into high gear, racing down the hallway to stow their gifts and grab their overnight bags. Lynn could hear the thumps of things hitting the floor, followed by the galloping of small feet headed back her way.
"You guys were fast!" She exclaimed, as she sat on the edge of the couch.
"We packed our stuff last night, so it was ready."
"Very smart." She nodded.
"We hafta to go now," Logan somehow looked sad and excited at the same time. "I'm glad you went with us today. It was fun."
"Yes it was," she agreed as he wrapped his arms around her neck for a hug. "Be good for Gramma, okay?" His head bobbed against her shoulder.
"Okay, Nate." She turned to the older boy once his younger brother had released her. "All ready to go?"
"Yeah." He shuffled his feet before he, too, gave her a hug. He looked at her as he pulled back from the embrace. "We'll get to see you again soon?"
"As soon as we can," she confirmed. He mirrored his brother's nod, he picked up his bag and joined his father and sibling at the door.
"I'm not sure how long this will take," Carter told her. "Mind sticking around till I get back?"
"Sure." She nodded. "I'll be here." She looked over at the boys, gave a little wave. "Bye guys, hope you have a great time!"
"Bye Ms. Lynn!" the boys called as they made their way out the door. "Love you!"
Stunned, the tears pricked the back of her eyes as she looked up at Carter, who merely smiled as he closed the door behind him. Before she could gather herself enough to reply, the boys had bolted out the door and to the truck with Carter on their heels. The truck was pulling out of the driveway by the time she found her voice again.
"Love you, too." Her words drifted into the now-empty house.
* * *
Carter returned home half an hour later, having dropped the kids off with his mother. All three of them had been bouncing off the walls by the time he had left. After the day at the mall, and the noise at his mom's, Carter was thankful for the silence that now filled the cab of his truck.
During the drive back to his house, the quiet gave Carter time to think about the boys' parting words to Lynn. He had known they were growing attached to her, but they had never told him how they felt. Carter had been just as stunned as Lynn had looked when the boys had told her they loved her. But, because he loved her too, all he could do at the moment was smile. He had no worries about the boys growing too attached to Lynn. Carter knew that even if things didn't work out with them, and he had no reason to think they wouldn't, Lynn would always do her best to be friends to his sons. If for no other reason than the fact she had promised them she would.
When he made the turn onto the road that would lead to his house, Carter propped his elbow on the door, and ran a finger over his top lip as he thought over the situation. He wondered how Lynn would react if she found out that his kids had never said those words, to anyone, outside of members of the family. He had a pretty good idea of how she would react. She would melt. He grinned at the thought.
Before he knew it, he was pulling into his driveway once again. He relished the thought that the woman he loved was waiting inside for him. That he wasn't coming home to an empty house as he usually did after dropping his guys off for an overnight. He killed the engine and climbed from the truck, skirted around the hood, making his way up the porch steps and into the house.
The spicy scent of Lynn's spaghetti sauce greeted Carter as he walked through the door. He'd recognize the smell of it anywhere. In their younger days, she'd perfected her sauce using him as her guinea pig. The meal had become a favorite of his, one he'd missed when they'd parted ways. Now, he hurried to peel off his coat and get to the kitchen.
"Am I smelling what I think I'm smelling?"
"Why yes. Yes, you are." Lynn turned from the stove where she stood stirring the sauce in a pot. She lifted the wooden spoon, scraped the back of it on the edge of the pot, and held it out for him to sample. The thick liquid sat warm on his tongue, his taste buds tingling at the mingling flavors of the tomato, oregano, and basil.
"Mmm-hmm," he hummed deep in his throat as he swallowed. "That right there? Food of the gods."
Lynn laughed as she went back to stir the sauce once more before checking on the pasta. She deemed them done, set the strainer in the sink, and drained the water, leaving the pale pasta strands curling around each other. Before she could shake the rest of the water off, the oven timer beeped.
"Would you mind getting that?" she asked. "It's the breadsticks."
"Sure." Reaching around her to grab a potholder, he pulled the door open and slid the cookie sheet of breadsticks, soft and warm, from the oven. The aroma of butter and garlic wafted through the air, joining the tantalizing scent of the sauce. Once he set them out of the way, he leaned against the counter and watched as Lynn mixed the noodles and the sauce together.
"You didn't have to go to all the trouble. Not that it's not very much appreciated."
"I know. Needed to keep busy. To be honest, I was afraid I would curl up on the couch and fall asleep."
"Ah, yes. Such is the result of spending the day out with two energetic kids." He looked on as she went to the refrigerator and watched as she pulled out the makings for side salads. Perplexed, he studied her again. "Wait. I had salad stuff in there?"
"No," she laughed. "Though you should, because the boys would probably eat it if you did. But this came from the store down the street. I did a quick run for a few things while you ran the boys to your mom’s."
"Hey." He reached for her, turned her towards him. "Best girlfriend ever."
“Well, I try.” She smiled as she pecked his cheek with a quick kiss before turning back to the food. He decided he should be of some help, so he gathered plates and forks, setting the table. Carter had noticed the bottle of wine breathing on the counter, so he added two wine glasses as well. Inspired by her meal, he added a trio of white votive candles he'd swiped from the stash he kept on hand for power outages, and folded paper towels into fancy napkins.
Turning from the stove to bring the food over, Lynn caught sight of the table he had set for her. Her heart tumbled a little in her chest, knowing that though the both of them were tired from the busy day, he had thought to give her some romance during their time alone together.
"Carter, that's so sweet. Thank you." She stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss before setting the pot of spaghetti on the table. He followed her as she went back to retrieve the rest, snagging the bottle of wine and the breadsticks she'd tucked into a basket, and left her to carry the salad and dressing.
"Lynn, this looks great."
"Thanks. Let's just hope it tastes as good as it looks."
"Oh, I think I can guarantee it will, based off the taste I had." He piled a small mound of pasta on his plate, joined by a breadstick and a small portion of salad. After he took the first bite of the spaghetti, he nodded. "Yep. No worries there. It's fantastic."
Lynn smiled as she poured wine into his glass, then her own, before she made her own plate. Cooking for Carter had always been a pleasure for her. He'd always been honest in what he thought needed to be changed and had always been happy to eat when the results were good.
"So." She took her first bite. Nodding, pleased that it had turned out as she hoped, she continued. "Did the boys get settled in okay with your mom?"
"Are yo
u kidding? They were all so excited that I'll be amazed if any of them sleep tonight. I swear, when the boys stay over, my mother is like a big kid herself."
"Runs in the family then, huh?" She grinned.
"Yeah. Guess it does."
They were both quiet for a few minutes as they ate, each just enjoying the other's company. Carter picked up his wine glass, watching her, considering as he took one sip, then another.
"Well." He set his glass back on the table. "The boys certainly made an interesting declaration as they were leaving earlier." He watched as her face changed, saw her feelings in her eyes.
"Oh, Carter. You have no idea how much it meant to hear them say that! I mean, I was sure they liked me, at least a little, and we had fun together. But love?" She shook her head. "No clue."
"To be honest, neither did I. And they usually tell me things like that. So it was just as much a surprise for me as it was for you."
"Surprised is a good word for it. Want to hear the funny part?"
"What's that?"
"I love them too." Tears filling her eyes. "I had no idea I could feel this way about someone else's children. Don't get me wrong. I love Kari's daughter, and Bethany's girls, but this is different. I'm not sure how to explain it."
"Give it a shot.”
"How do I say this without it coming out wrong?" She mused. "Okay, it's like this. I love them, not because they are your sons, but because of who they are on their own. And because it’s like... like they could belong to me. Like they could be my boys. Does that make sense, or does it sound creepy?"
"No." Carter's voice was husky. "No, it's not creepy at all. It's honest, and sweet. And perfect."
"Please understand that I realize they have a mother. And I would never try to interfere with that."
"Lynn." Her name came from his lips in a near whisper before he picked up his chair and moved it closer to hers. He took her hand in both of his, he looked into her eyes. Lynn surprised and moved to see his eyes shining with tears.
"First, I understand you would never try to take Hillary's place on purpose, unless it was necessary and in the best interest of the boys to do so." At her nod, he continued. "Second, you will never realize how much it means to hear you say you love my sons as your own. I think that means as much to me, or maybe more, than hearing you tell me you love me." He reached up to swipe away the tear sliding down her cheek with his thumb. Lynn reached up and held his wrist so that his hand cupped her jaw and leaned in to kiss him.
"I do love you. And days like today make me love you more." She sniffed, then pulled back, so they were face to face again. Lynn took a deep breath and ran her hands over her face and smiled. "But if we don't finish eating and get this mess cleaned up, I will end up a crying mess on your couch."
Carter reached over to grab his plate and wine, and the two finished their meals while laughing over amusing snippets from their day. After putting the leftovers away and the dishes into the dishwasher, Lynn turned to Carter.
"I guess I should go." Her tone told him she was uncertain, like she wanted to stay but didn’t feel she should.
"And why would you want to do that?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I thought that maybe you'd want the house to yourself for a while." She mirrored his movements, then she tilted her head back to grin up at him. "You know, to find the house under the mess."
"That kid," he laughed as he shook his head. "Brutally and often times inconveniently honest."
"It was funny!"
"To you maybe." Carter looked down at her, and his look became serious again. "But back to the matter at hand. You don't have to go. I was hoping you'd stay."
"I'd hoped that you were hoping I would stay," she said, smiling. "I even packed a bag just in case. Mind getting it from the car for me?"
He kissed her nose and patted her butt before going for his coat so he could retrieve her bag. He turned to her, grinning from ear to ear as he pulled it over his shoulders.
"I love it when you come prepared."
* * *
Later that night, they lay curled together in the middle of Carter's king size bed. Even though it had been a long day, they had found the energy to pleasure each other. Now, they lay in silence, the only sounds were of their breathing, and the occasional snoring from Trooper, who lay outside the bedroom door.
"I don't know how you do it."
"Oh, that? Lots of practice, honey."
"Smartass." She laughed as she smacked his bare chest. "Not that, though it was pretty good."
"Pretty good?" He asked, mocking insult.
"Mm-hmm," she murmured, snuggling in closer, her head on his shoulder. "But what I meant was, I don't know how you can handle the quiet."
"Your house is quiet."
"Yes, but my house is always quiet. I don't have two little people running around, laughing, arguing. Here, you have all that, and it fills the rooms, so it seems extra quiet when they're gone."
"Guess I never noticed it."
"Well, when I'm here and they're not, I do. Seems emptier somehow." They both lay still, studying the quiet.
"Do you remember how we used to lay and talk like this?" Carter asked, running his fingertips up and down Lynn's arm.
"Oh, you mean how we'd squeeze into that small bed of yours and pray we wouldn’t smother each other? Or worse, fall off?" She laughed at the memory.
"Yeah, that too. But how we'd just talk. Especially there before you left to go to basic training."
"Yeah. We were joined at the hip those last few weeks, huh?"
"Well, we wanted to spend as much time together as we could, knowing we wouldn't see each other for months. The thought of that about killed me because I saw you all the time."
"Me too. I felt that about you, and my family, and my friends. Did I ever tell you about when it came time to take my induction oath?"
"No, I don't think you did."
"Trust me, you'd remember if I had. Because when it came time to swear in, I almost didn't do it."
"What?" He slid his arm out from under her head, turned so they lay face to face, and propped himself up on his elbow.
"I almost freaked out to the point of a panic attack. I barely remember raising my hand."
"You never said anything."
"Yeah. At the time, I think I felt overwhelmed, and embarrassed about the fact I wanted to chicken out in the middle of it all.”
"But at the airport, you never even gave a clue."
"Because I was too busy sleeping, trying to escape the nerves. You know, I still have the picture somewhere my mother took of the two of us on the chairs at the airport. The one where I'm asleep in your lap, and you're laid over on my shoulders sleeping too."
"God, I remember that trip like it was yesterday," he admitted with a slight shake of his head. "The drive to Louisville, do you remember? We got halfway there, and you flipped out because you had forgotten about the time change, and you would be late for checking into the station."
"Yeah, I remember." She laughed as she closed her eyes for a moment. "I remember thinking, Well this is a great way for me to start out in the military, being late for swearing in."
"But you did it. I was so proud of you and devastated at the same time. You were gone from my everyday life, but you were doing something important."
"It didn't seem important back then. It felt like a lot of work. And a lot of sore muscles."
"I know what you mean." He laughed, thinking back to his own days in basic training for the Navy. "I remember every day, checking the mail, hoping that there would be a letter from you."
"I used to do the same at evening formation, because that's when we got our mail. People hated me during mail call."
"Why is that?"
"Because between you, and my family, not to mention Kari, Bethany, and other friends, I got a lot more mail than most people." She laughed as she thought back. "The drill sergeants had this rule that for every piece of mail we got, we had to
do so many push-ups. That didn't last long because I got too much mail for them to keep up with it."
"I got a lot mail from you too. A surprising amount, considering where you were and what you were doing."
"There's a reason for that."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Uh-huh. See, we would get to go to the PX once a week, so we could get any personal items we needed. And while I was there, I would buy those sappy cards I was always sending you. So even if I didn't have time to write a real letter, I could at least drop a card with a couple lines in the mail, so you'd know I was thinking about you. And on the nights I had fire guard duty, I would write you the long letters. Even though it technically wasn’t allowed, everyone did it because it kept us from falling asleep. But anyway, during those times, I'd have hours to write and think, and by morning I could finish it and put it in the mail."
"You sneaky little devil you." He told her as she lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug.
"You do what you have to, so you can keep going."
"True." He brushed the hair back from her face. "You know what helped keep me going?"
"What's that?"
"I counted down the days with you until graduation. Because I'd be able to come down with your folks and see you."
"Really?"
"Knowing I'd be able to not only see you, but touch you." His fingers grazed the curve of her breast, smiling at her quick gasp. "And kiss you." He slid his lips across hers. "And hold you." With that, he gathered her up in his arms, and showed her just how much he had missed her back then.
16
The days had been rolling by, often in a blur. Before Lynn knew it, a glance at the calendar told her that Christmas was only a couple days away. This year, she'd be spending the day with her family for the first time in longer than she cared to admit. Before then, though, she would open her home to family, friends and co-workers for a Christmas Eve celebration.
She'd been planning for weeks. Even though the party was a casual, drop-in style, everything was ready, the menu set, food and alcohol purchased. The last few days had been spent in a cleaning frenzy. Though her house always tidy, Lynn had gone through every room as if she were preparing for a command inspection. The kitchen counters were now scrubbed and neat, the floor mopped to a high shine. The living room was vacuumed, dusted, and polished to within an inch of its life. And the bathroom, also scrubbed down, now boasted new fluffy guest towels, fancy soaps, and cinnamon potpourri in a crystal bowl on a shelf above the sink. She had closed the door to her room, hoping guests would take the hint that the room was off limits. If not, then she would simply lock the door.
Her Last Love (Small Town Hearts Trilogy #1) Page 22
