Loving Cara

by Kristen Proby

  Ed’s lips twitch. “Okay, get started then.” Ed shows him how to work the nozzle and how to wash them properly, then leaves him to it. Cara and I stand to the side and watch. I can feel her body heat next to me. I glance down and tuck her hair behind her ear, smiling when she looks up at me in surprise.

  “This one has a spot on it. Rewash it.” Ed hands a plate back to Seth, who scowls at him.

  “It does not! It’s clean!”

  “I say it’s not. Rewash it.”

  I feel my hands clench. I want to argue with Ed—it looks clean to me—but I remind myself that they’re trying to teach my nephew a lesson.

  Fuck, I hope he learns it.

  Cara sighs beside me, flinching when she shifts her feet. I have a feeling it’s because her ass and inner thighs are sore from riding yesterday.

  Without thinking, I reach down and cup her ass in my hand. “Are you sore?”

  She gapes at me, looks over at Ed in a panic to make sure he’s not looking, which he’s not, and then gapes at me some more.

  “Yes,” she hisses, and moves out of my grasp. “Stop that.”

  Her face flushes as she clears her throat, crosses her arms under her round breasts, and unknowingly presses the fabric against them, showing me that her nipples are puckered.

  Damn, I want to take her right here.

  “I’m done,” Seth announces, his voice tight with anger.

  “Here’s some more.” A waitress drops off a tub full of more dirty breakfast dishes, and Seth growls before pulling them out and washing them.

  So it goes for the next hour, Seth washing and grumbling and Ed barking orders at him. Finally, at around nine thirty, Cara kisses Ed’s cheek and turns to Seth.

  “Okay, I think we’re done here. Dry your hands.”

  Seth quickly dries his hands and starts to walk out of the kitchen without a word to anyone, but Ed stops him.

  “This is where you can thank me, son.”

  “Thank you for what? You should thank me for washing those gross dishes.”

  Before I can step in and remind Seth of his manners, Ed shakes his head and says sternly, “No, you can thank me for the seven bucks an hour.”

  Seth just shrugs and nods and walks sullenly out to the car to sit in the backseat. “Are we going home now?”

  “How was that?” Cara asks rather than answer his question as she pulls out of the parking lot.

  “It sucked.”

  “Okay.” She nods thoughtfully. “Was it as easy as you thought it would be?”

  Seth shrugs and looks down at his feet.

  “Answer my question, please.” Her voice is strong, leaving no room for disagreement.

  He exhales as he drops his head back against the seat. “No, it wasn’t easy.”

  “Was it something you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life?”

  Seth’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “Not for the rest of my life!”

  “Well then, an education might be a good thing to have, Seth.” She winks at him in the rearview mirror.

  I glance back to find Seth with his jaw dropped, staring at Cara in shock.

  Cara pulls the car to a stop at the curb in the heart of downtown, right in front of a law office. My longtime friend Ty Sullivan is a partner here.

  “Are we going in to see Ty?” I ask Cara.

  She smiles and nods.

  “Why do I need a lawyer?” Seth asks, his voice suddenly scared.

  “You don’t, but you might work for him for a little while.” Cara leads us into the air-conditioned building as Ty walks out of his office to greet us.

  “Hey, man, good to see you.” Ty moves toward us, extending his hand out for mine.

  “You too. We need to go shoot pool one night soon, catch up.” I grin and shake his hand.

  “I’m up for that.” Ty smiles softly at Cara and kisses her cheek, and my defenses immediately go up, even though I know being jealous of my best friend is irrational and ridiculous. Still, I can’t help but wonder, are Ty and Cara an item? If they are, I haven’t heard about it. “Hey, Carolina.”

  “Hey, Ty, thanks for this.”

  He just shakes his head, and when he looks down at Seth, Ty’s eyes grow cold and his face gets tight. This is exactly how he looks in a courtroom.

  “Seth?”

  “Yeah.” Seth’s voice is soft but still defiant. His eyes are large and he takes a step toward my side, which surprises the hell out of me.

  “I’ve heard that you’re looking for a little work.”

  “What can I do here? I’m just a kid!”

  My thoughts exactly.

  “Cara tells me you’re pretty smart. You know the alphabet, right?”

  “Duh.”

  Ty narrows his eyes at him and waits for a different reply.

  “Yes.”

  “Good, then you can do some filing. It’s important that you file them perfectly. If papers get lost, bad things happen and important people get really pissed off.”

  “I can file.”

  Ty nods and leads us into his office, where he has a stack of papers about two inches thick that need to be filed away.

  I pull Cara back out to the hallway. “There could be sensitive files in there, Cara. Is this appropriate?”

  “He assured me over the phone that there was no confidential information in the paperwork, and it’s a big enough pile to keep Seth busy for a while.” She smiles as she rests her hand on my arm. “Trust me.”

  “How much do I get paid?” Seth asks.

  “Seven bucks an hour, kid.”

  “But this is a lawyer’s office!”

  “You’re just filing, not saving someone from the death penalty,” Ty responds dryly. Seth settles in to work and Cara and I sit across from Ty at his desk.

  “Can I listen to my iPod while I do this?” Seth asks hopefully.

  Cara looks to me and I nod.

  “Sure,” she responds.

  Seth eagerly plugs in his earbuds and turns the volume up.

  “How’s Jillian?” I ask Ty.

  “Cara would be the one to ask, she talks to Jill more than I do.” Ty looks at Cara expectantly.

  “She’s good. Working hard.” Cara smiles at us and shrugs. “We have a phone date tonight.”

  “A phone date?” I ask.

  “Yeah, we try to carve out a few hours every month to catch up. Tonight’s our date night.”

  “Why did she decide to stay in California after the divorce?”

  Ty frowns and rubs his forehead. “Good question.” He glances at Cara, his face sober. “Has she ever confided in you about what happened with the asshole?”

  Cara shakes her head and sighs. “No. Even when we’ve had too much to drink, she won’t tell me.”

  “She’s so damn frustrating,” Ty mutters as he pulls his hands down his face and back up through his hair in agitation. “I wish she’d talk to me about it so I’d know how to fix it.”

  “You’re always fixing things for the women in your life,” I mention quietly, and cross my ankle over my knee, memories of not so long ago echoing through my mind. “Maybe she wants to take care of this on her own.”

  Ty just stares back at me and cocks an eyebrow. “Would you leave it alone if it were your sister?”

  “Fuck no.” I sigh.

  “I wish she’d come home,” Cara murmurs. “For good. Not just to visit.”

  “Yeah, I need someone to harass,” Ty agrees with a sad smile.

  “You guys always did torture us endlessly. What was up with that?” Cara turns to me, looking all exasperated and adorable.

  “You were girls, we were teenagers, and it was our God-given right as older brothers—and friends of older brothers—to torment you.” She bites her lip to keep from laughing, her eyes sparkling with memories.

  “But no one else would dare give us a hard time for fear of your wrath,” she says, laughing, and she’s absolutely right.

  If anyone else had fucked with them
, we would have killed them.

  “Where is Zack these days? Is he still deployed? I haven’t talked to him for a while.” Ty grabs a paper clip off his desk and slowly begins to straighten it.

  “He’s been in Afghanistan. He should be back in Texas this week, and then he’ll be on his way here once he processes out of the army.” I sigh and glance over at Seth to make sure he’s still listening to his music.

  “What the fuck was Kensie thinking?” Ty breathes.

  “Who cares? Seth is safe, and Zack will be home soon, and hopefully things will calm down for everyone.”

  “What will Zack do here? The army is all he’s known for more than ten years.” Cara frowns and crosses her short legs. I wish she’d worn shorts again today. Her legs are toned and soft. I wonder what they’ll feel like wrapped around my waist.

  Or propped on my shoulders.

  “I’m not sure what his plans are.” I shake my head, attempting to focus on the topic at hand. “I think he’s just anxious to get here and make sure Seth is okay. We’ll take it from there.” I’m ready for my brother to be home full-time. As Cara said, he’s been gone for more than ten years, and it’s time for him to come home. He’s a good man, and given the chance, he’d be a good dad, no matter what lies his bitch ex-wife put into Seth’s head.

  “I’m done.” Seth stands and pulls his buds out of his ears.

  Ty joins him and checks over his work. “That was faster than I expected. Good job.”

  Seth grins proudly and waits while Ty checks Seth’s work.

  Ty pulls a few files back out of the drawer. “These three were out of order,” he accuses, his tone hard. “Someone could have gone to jail or lost a lot of money because you filed these incorrectly.”

  “I tried my best.” Seth sets his jaw and frowns.

  “I told you, it has to be perfect.”

  “I don’t care about your stupid papers.”

  “Seth,” Cara warns just as I’m about to shove to my feet. “Ty is your employer. He deserves your respect.”

  “Sorry,” Seth mumbles.

  “Overall, you did good, Seth. Thank you.”

  Seth turns to me. “Can I go to the car?”

  “Sure.”

  He rushes out of the building and Ty sighs. “That sucked. I don’t want to play the scared-straight game again.”

  Cara laughs and rubs his arm soothingly, and I suddenly want to punch my best friend in the face. “Thanks for helping.”

  Ty’s eyes are on mine, and he smiles slowly, the bastard. “My pleasure, little one.” He bends down and kisses her cheek, runs a finger down her face, and Cara gapes up at him.

  So, they’re not a couple, and Ty thinks he can have some fun with me. Bastard.

  “Let’s go.” Cara turns toward the door. “We have one more stop to make.”

  “You’re an ass,” I mutter to Ty after Cara leaves through the door.

  “I know.” He grins and then sobers. “You like her.”

  “Yeah, I like her.”

  “She’s grown up nicely.” Ty nods.

  I narrow my eyes on him again. “Why am I just now noticing?”

  “I don’t know, man.” He slaps my shoulder and holds the door open for me. “Good luck.”

  I follow Cara to the car and climb in. “Where to now?”

  “Just one more stop.” She checks the mirrors as she pulls into traffic. “How was that?”

  “Ty’s an ass,” Seth says.

  “Watch your damn mouth!” I yell before I can stop myself. “Ty is my best friend, and an adult, and you will respect that.”

  Seth crosses his arms defiantly and I sigh. “I’m sorry I yelled, but, Seth, you’ve got to stop with this disrespectful attitude.”

  “We’re here.” Cara pulls the car to the stop and I gape at her.

  “The jail?”

  She turns her amber eyes to me and nods solemnly, and I think I’m going to throw up. There is no way in hell I want my nephew in the jail. He’s only twelve years old!

  “Come on.” Cara climbs out of the car and we follow behind her.

  “Hey, Cara, Josh.” Brad Hull, one of the police detectives, meets us and greets us warmly.

  “Hey, Brad.”

  “You must be Seth,” Brad greets Seth, and shakes his hand. “I’ve heard a bit about you.”

  “Yeah, I suck.”

  I gasp and stare at Seth in shock. He does not suck. Sure, he’s a pain in the ass, but what kid isn’t?

  “Actually, that’s not what I was told.” Brad frowns down at Seth. “I’ve heard that you’re a really good kid.”

  “You did?” Seth asks skeptically. “Then why am I here?”

  “Because even good people screw up.” Brad sighs and leans against the wall, crosses his arms and ankles as he looks down at Seth. Seth’s eyes are glued to Brad’s gun. “You interested in firearms?”

  “Having a gun and a badge doesn’t make you cool,” Seth sputters, then frowns as if he’s not sure why he said that.

  “You’re right.” Brad nods thoughtfully. “They don’t make me cool. They help me to keep people like Cara safe from people like you.” The last part of the sentence is said quietly, but Seth’s face pales and tears fill his eyes, and I want to hug him tight and tell him that he’s going to be okay.

  But I wait to see where Brad’s going with this.

  “I would never hurt Cara!” Seth exclaims, and turns his sad gaze to the woman next to me. “Cara’s great.”

  “Do you think your words don’t hurt her? Or your grandparents? Or even Josh?” Brad changes his stance and tucks his hands in his pockets. “What if you get really, really mad at them?”

  “I don’t start fights,” Seth argues. “I’ve never hit anybody. I just keep to myself.”

  “But, Seth, not everybody goes to jail just because of their fists. You don’t treat anyone with respect and you are thoughtless with your words. Who’s to say that one day you won’t decide you can hurt someone physically too? Or take something that doesn’t belong to you?”

  Seth is shaking his head, processing what Brad is saying. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I’m going to show you something, Seth.” Brad doesn’t touch Seth, he just motions for him to follow and leads him through a heavy metal door and down a long line of jail cells. He walks into one, but Seth stops at the door. “Come inside.”

  Seth does as he’s told and stands in front of Brad.

  “I believe Cara when she said that you’re a good kid, Seth. I don’t ever want to see you in here after today. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, sir.” Seth’s voice is nothing but a whisper. It’s tearing me apart.

  “Okay.” Brad shakes his hand and leaves us alone, waiting for us by the main door. Cara steps inside the cell with Seth, and it takes everything in me to not follow her in and hold her close, to yank both of them out of this godforsaken place and make sure they’re safe for the rest of their lives.

  They shouldn’t be here.

  “Seth.” Cara takes his shoulders in her hands and looks him dead in the eye. “Everything you do matters. Your classwork, your chores, your family. It all matters. How you talk to others and treat them matters too. If you don’t change your attitude, bad things are in store for you, and I know that you don’t want that. You are such a bright kid, and you, my friend, are going to be an amazing adult. But you have to change your attitude.”

  Seth’s lips quiver as he watches Cara’s face while she talks to him.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

  “I know. Come on, let’s go home.” She hugs him close for a minute.

  He actually hugs her back before walking over to me and looking up at me. “Can we go home now?”

  “Yep. Let’s go home.”

  The drive home is quiet. Seth doesn’t say a word from the time he gets in the car until Cara pulls into my driveway.

  After we’ve all climbed out, Seth stands awkwardly and shuffles his feet. “Do I have any cho
res to do this afternoon, Uncle Josh?”

  “No, I think you’ve done enough work for the day. You can go do whatever you like.” I look down into Seth’s face, so similar to my own and Zack’s. For the first time since that bitch dropped him off to us a little over three months ago, I feel hope.

  Seth nods. “Okay, thanks. Bye, Cara. See you tomorrow.” He grabs his bike and rides it down the driveway, then cuts right to the barn.

  “He’ll go talk to the horses,” I murmur, and reach down for Cara’s hand. It’s so small, like the rest of her, and yet she’s one of the strongest people I know.

  I couldn’t admire her more than I do right now.

  “I’m sorry it was so hard for him today,” she whispers with tears in her eyes.

  “Rough day for you too, honey.”

  She looks up at me and nods and bites her lip, and I just can’t stand it anymore. I need to taste her.

  I cup her face in my hands and lean in, keeping eye contact with her as I do, and I brush my lips over hers, so lightly that I can barely feel her. I nuzzle her nose with my own and nibble the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flutter closed on a sigh.

  “I’m not interested in cowboys,” she whispers.

  “Why?” I breathe.

  “Because I don’t think tight Wranglers and cowboy hats are hot.”

  I chuckle against her ear and gently tug the lobe with my teeth. “Then it’s a good thing I wear Levi’s.”

  God, she smells like heaven. Her hair smells like strawberries and her skin is soft. I want to lose myself in her.

  “What about Blondie?”

  What the fuck? “Who?”

  “The blond chick I saw leaving your house the first morning I was here.”

  “That was Erica. She’s with Fish and Wildlife. I think I have a wolf issue.”

  “Oh, I thought she might be your girlfriend or . . . something,” Cara mutters as color rises to her cheeks.

  “I don’t have a girlfriend or . . . something.” I grin. “Cara, you live in the same small town I do.” I look her in the eyes and hold her face in my hands. “Rumors are just that: rumors. I haven’t been with a woman in over a year.”

  Her gorgeous eyes go round and she blinks up at me, processing this information.

  “I didn’t think I was your type,” she murmurs, making me chuckle.