Rules of Engagement

by Kay Lyons

  He was glad things were looking up for her after all she'd been through. "That's fantastic."

  The topic of conversation changed to how she'd like her storage set up and other general things, and he enjoyed the time. Eliza wasn't just a pretty face, and she had dreams and goals and ideas that drew him to her like a moth to a flame.

  They finished dinner and made their way to the storage rooms, and he realized her afternoon had been spent emptying one of them as much as she could to give him space to work and move about.

  He got some measurements, and Eliza helped him unload the shelving from the truck. "Are you sure it's not too heavy for you?" He could carry them easily, but getting them through the door was an issue because of the angle.

  "I'm too excited to notice the weight. Let's go."

  Within an hour or so, they had all the units he'd been able to bring unloaded, upright, and fastened to the walls. "I can bring more tomorrow. If you're not busy. Otherwise I can bring them in the evenings after work."

  "Um, sure. That'd be fine. I'm going somewhere with Marsali in the morning, but I'll be here the rest of the day."

  He'd enjoyed their time together, especially since they'd practically spent the whole day together, but taking Marsali's advice into account, he knew he needed to leave. "Okay, sounds like a plan." He watched as her teeth sank into her lower lip, and he stomped down the groan that wanted to erupt at the thoughts it put in his head. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

  She nodded and turned toward the door. He followed her down the hallway, managing to keep his gaze on the sway of her long dark hair for the most part.

  At her front door, she turned to face him, gazing up at him with her amazing emerald eyes.

  "Thank you. Again. I can't wait to get everything organized."

  "I'll stay. Help you. If you like." He watched as her gaze left his and she lifted a hand and placed it on his bicep, over the tattoo.

  "You've done enough for the day."

  Carter took a step closer, crowding her against the door behind her. Her lips parted and she tilted her head up. That was all the invitation he needed to snag a goodbye kiss that rocked him to his core, despite the fact he kept it light.

  Marsali's words of advice repeated themselves in his head, and he used them as a Geiger counter to keep himself under control so as to not scare Eliza.

  He lifted his head, stared into her beautiful eyes, and took a step back.

  He liked her. Every moment they spent together, he found out more to like. But patience was key, and if that's what Eliza needed to feel safe with him, that's what he'd give her.

  Chapter 23

  The week passed quickly, and Eliza had spent nearly every evening of it watching Carter create two beautiful storage areas inside of her house.

  She and Kellie did the organizing during the day while also working on upcoming events—including Piper's birthday bash—but she found herself looking forward to those evenings more and more.

  Even though it scared her how quickly she'd come to like him. A month had passed since that night he'd walked her to her hotel room. A month that now ended with good-night conversations either on the phone or video chat or simply one last sweet text.

  Piper's party was the most fun thing Eliza had planned in a very long time. It also made her think it was another business opportunity she needed to be more open to exploring. There were a lot of wealthy families in the Wilmington area who would be happy to pass off the tediousness of a kid's party to someone else.

  "Okay?" Kellie asked from nearby.

  Eliza looked up at the amazing balloon display that was the backdrop to the cake table and nodded. "Perfect."

  Carter had taken Piper out to run some errands so she wouldn't see or hear the setup process at Lincoln's.

  Lincoln and Amelia had returned from their honeymoon the day before, and when Eliza and Kellie arrived to set up, the happy couple joined in, along with Mac and Marsali, speeding up the process even more.

  But it was Piper's expression when Carter returned with her in tow that opened the last of Eliza's guarded heart. Piper spotted her friends and the mermaid decorations and balloon arch and burst into tears from sheer joy. There wasn't a dry adult eye among the group as they witnessed the pure pleasure on Piper's face as her birthday dream came true.

  Watching Carter comfort his thankful daughter broke the last of Eliza's reservations. Selfish men didn't work as hard as he did—or raise a child so sweet.

  Eliza stood at the food station trying to get a handle on her thoughts when she felt Carter nearby and turned to find him watching her.

  "You are a rock star," he said. "Eliza—"

  She held up a hand, still recovering from Piper's teariness and way too on edge where her feelings for him were concerned. "Her response was all the thanks I need. That was too precious for words."

  He moved closer and casually draped an arm around her shoulder, pretending to merely stand beside her to look at the food.

  "It was—but I still intend to show you how thankful I am later," he murmured, grabbing one of the crabby croissant sandwiches from the stack and sliding her a wink before moving away.

  The party lasted several hours, and while Eliza and Kellie kept things moving food and game wise, she noted Carter making a point to introduce himself to the parents who lingered on the sidelines, watching and taking photographs of the fun. Most of the kids had arrived with moms only, but a few couples were in attendance. Still, seeing the moms' reactions to Carter's looks meant tamping down more than a bit of unease at her jealousy. Carter's looks weren't his fault, but with every feminine smile shot in his direction, Eliza reminded herself that his looks were something she would have to get used to.

  Finally the party drew to a close, and all the mermaids and pirates left for home except for the birthday girl. Piper was now curled up on one of the many lounges surrounding the pool, playing with one of her new toys.

  Carter had taken an armload of bags and toys back to the house, and with the adults otherwise occupied elsewhere, Eliza made her way over to Piper. "Hey, birthday girl. You have one more present," she said, bringing the nylon bag with a mermaid on it from behind her back. "This is from me," she said. "Happy birthday."

  Piper sat up and thanked her before reaching for the gift. She pulled the tissue paper out and gasped at the water globe complete with mermaid, seashells, sand, and a pearl. "It's a nightlight and music box, too. I thought you could put it on the table beside your bed."

  "I love it," Piper said, awestruck as she held the gift to her chest. "Thank you."

  "You're very welcome."

  The girl hugged the globe as she surged toward Eliza and gave her the biggest, bestest hug. Eliza returned the embrace with more than a bit of feeling, unable to imagine anyone, much less her mother, walking away from the precious little girl.

  "Daddy, look!"

  Piper's hug ended as quickly as it had begun, and Eliza turned to find Carter watching them from a ways away.

  "What do you have there?" he asked, his long stride closing the distance between them.

  Eliza watched as Piper showed her father the gift.

  "Wow. That's really pretty, isn't it?" he asked.

  "Yes! I'm going to go put it in my room right now so it's there for bedtime."

  "Hey, wait a sec. Let's wrap it up so you don't break it on the way," he said, helping Piper place the globe back into the bubble wrap and tissue and back in the bag for easy carrying. "There you go. Breanne's over there. She's going to stay with you tonight for a birthday sleepover before she goes back to school tomorrow."

  "Yay! Sleepover!"

  Piper took off, her little feet flying and fish-tail costume swiveling with every step, not slowing her down a bit.

  "You didn't have to do that, you know. This party was way more than I ever… It was amazing, Eliza."

  She smiled and shrugged. "I saw the globe this week after I met with new clients and knew it was perfect. I had to get it.
"

  He glanced around them before taking her hand and tugging her out of sight of anyone inside.

  "Yeah, well, I have to do this," he said, lowering his head.

  Carter took her mouth in a kiss that left her head reeling and her hands clinging to his biceps by the time he lifted his head.

  "Lincoln and Amelia mentioned all of us going to Masonboro Island tomorrow on the boats. Will you come with us?"

  With them? Like a couple? On a date?

  He stroked his thumb over her bottom lip, distracting her even more.

  "Um. I don't know."

  "Eliza."

  She forced herself to look up, and the moment she stared into those dark eyes of his, she knew she'd lost the battle.

  "Come with me. Please."

  She inhaled and nodded and knew there was no turning back. "Okay."

  "Yeah?"

  "Yeah."

  No one commented on Eliza's presence the following morning other than to greet her with smiles and hellos as they loaded up the boats and headed out.

  A day spent on the water or sand was a day well spent, and Carter loved taking Eliza to the spot on the uninhabited island where he and Lincoln and Linc's twins had dug out a fire pit a few weeks ago to celebrate the twins' graduating high school.

  Piper went, too, along with Breanne, who'd decided to stay a little longer to be able to spend the day on the water.

  They anchored the boats and played in the shallows, baked in the sun, and rode on a Sea-Doo Mac had picked up sometime that week to add to their adventures since he didn't have a boat. By late afternoon, they had fresh-caught fish and roasted corn—which Eliza ate with gusto while avoiding his amused gaze—and sat in their beach chairs, sun-weary but content.

  Lincoln and Amelia left first with Breanne in tow, heading back to work in the morning after their time away and so Breanne could get on the road back to her dorm. Mac and Carter took care of the fire and cleanup while Marsali and Eliza packed up what was left, leaving nothing behind but their footprints and some ash.

  Now Carter looked out over the bow and spotted his towel-wrapped daughter curled up on Eliza's lap, and his heart twisted at the sight. He'd always heard that kids and pets had instincts about people, and Piper's read that Eliza was trustworthy. He thought so, too. But as Carter steered the group home, he couldn't help but think it had been as near a perfect day as possible, but if that was the case, why was there a knot in his gut because of the way Marsali looked at him? Watched him?

  He realized the women were friends, but he'd done nothing shady or questionable.

  Carter still pondered the question when they docked and unloaded. Piper asked Eliza to walk her home before she left, and the two now went hand in hand up the planks toward the yard. Mac walked behind him, loaded down with beach chairs to store beneath his house.

  Marsali lingered, which should've been his first clue that he wasn't going to like whatever was going on in that head of hers. "Something wrong?" he finally asked, bracing himself. "You've been giving me the evil eye today."

  "I'd say I'm sorry for that but… yeah. There is."

  Her tone of voice left him even more wary, and he straightened slowly, facing her. "What's up?"

  "I did something. Something you probably aren't going to like but… I do it on all my clients."

  His gaze narrowed. "I'm not your client."

  "Even more reason for you not to like it," she said softly.

  He crossed his arms over his chest and waited her out.

  "When it was obvious you and Eliza were getting close, I did what I always do when it comes to protecting someone I love."

  He bit back the curse that sprang to his lips, wondering if there would ever come a time when his past wouldn't haunt him. "You did a background check. Without my permission," he all but growled. "Do I want to know how you got my info to perform the check?"

  Marsali tucked her hands into the back pockets of her shorts and lifted her chin. "It's surprisingly easy. The point is, it's obvious that you haven't told Eliza, and since I know that you know honesty in a relationship—especially with her— is everything, I want to know why."

  Chapter 24

  The following Thursday evening, Eliza stood in the newly organized spare bedroom and basked in the thrill being organized gave her. The shelving was complete in this room and now layered with carefully labeled clear plastic bins.

  She took a photo on her phone and sent it to Carter along with yet another thank-you and kissy face emoji. The second room was a work in progress, but since they'd used up all of the free shelving in this room, Carter had come up with an inexpensive plan for the second storage room she couldn't wait to get into place.

  She'd seen him on Tuesday evening, when he'd asked her to join him for a walk on the beach. They'd met near sunset and strolled holding hands along the edge of the surf.

  He'd been surprisingly quiet, and she'd deduced it to be from a difficult day at work. He was a busy man, after all, and raising his daughter alone, and she knew how exhausted she usually was on a normal day without the added stresses Carter carried as a single dad.

  Still, ever since the day they'd gone to Masonboro Island, she'd felt a tension in Carter. But then, she also felt that way with Marsali, which was totally weird, so maybe she was just being too sensitive? Truthfully, she was on edge, because with Carter's absence, she'd discovered something about herself.

  She wanted more.

  They shared chemistry, yes, but this feeling—this emptiness—was more than that. She found herself craving his presence in her home, at her side. In her life. And that wasn't something she'd experienced with James. Oh, she'd looked forward to seeing him, but… she didn't miss James the way she missed Carter.

  But then, Carter's silence weighed on her. As did the fact he wasn't pushing for more, so maybe his interest had run its course?

  Was that it? Was that why he'd been so distant this week?

  Was she feeling one way while he felt… another?

  Her doorbell rang and she inhaled, determined to have that talk Marsali's book said they needed to have about goals and plans and expectations.

  She flipped the light off as she left the room and hurried down the hallway, bracing herself for the impact Carter always had on her.

  She unlocked the door and swung it wide, only to gasp.

  "James? What are you doing here?" One look at his bloodshot eyes and ruddy face told her he'd been drinking. A lot. "Did you drive here?"

  "Walked from the bar," he said, lifting his hands toward her. "Eliza, I never should've done it. I shouldn't have—"

  "Stop," she said, shaking her head and bracing her body behind the door in case he tried to bully his way in. "You need to get an Uber and go home."

  "No. Eliza, hear me out. I'm sorry."

  "Okay, you're sorry. Good night, James."

  "Wait—"

  His hand shot out when she tried to close the door and stopped it. "Let go."

  "Just talk to me. Don't you owe me that much?"

  Owe him? Seriously? "We have nothing to left to say to one another."

  "You're wrong. I have plenty to say. I was stupid, okay? I believed her when she said she loved me. I believed her when she said you just used me and—"

  "Wait. I used you?" Eliza asked, engaging in the conversation before she could stop herself.

  "I know. That's what I'm saying. I was stupid. I realize that now."

  "Good for you," Eliza said. "I'm glad you realized that."

  "Baby, don't be that way. I made a mistake. I did and I admit it. Please, let me come back. Eliza, take me back."

  A laugh escaped her before she could squelch it, and she shook her head, noting with no small amount of alarm and relief that Carter approached her driveway in his Jeep. "You need to leave. Now."

  James groaned and began to cry. He really was a sloppy drunk.

  "I have nothing to go home to. They're suing me, all because of her. She took the money but it doesn't
matter because I'm—"

  A moron?

  "—on the contracts. She screwed me over and disappeared with some— She's gone."

  "Yeah, well, welcome to the screwed-over club. How's it feel?" Eliza said as Carter parked and got out of the truck with a thunderous expression.

  "What's happening here?" Carter said, approaching them and positioning himself so that he stood between her and James.

  "James was just leaving."

  James shook his head, muttering under his breath about how he'd been done wrong. By Clarissa. And now by Eliza because she wouldn't listen.

  "I'll call you a cab," Carter offered.

  James cursed Carter and turned away but then staggered as he spun toward Eliza once more. "Really, Lizzie? Him? You make me sick."

  "Watch it," Carter warned.

  "Weren't you the one who always said you'd never date someone who racked up divorces like your parents?"

  Divorces? What? Her gaze shifted to Carter and she waited for him to speak. To defend himself. Correct James. But he didn't. "James, you know nothing about Carter's life," she said. "If you're angry with me, be angry with me, but leave Carter and his family out of it."

  James muttered more curses and stumbled his way toward the road. "Just like your family," he said, laughing and wagging a finger at her. "You'll be sorry you turned me down. You'll see."

  Carter stared at Eliza's pale face and frozen expression and kicked himself for not taking Marsali's advice and coming clean about his past sooner. He'd told Marsali he wanted to, planned to, but needed to find the right time. And that night on the beach during their walk… he'd tried so hard to work up the courage, but every time he'd opened his mouth, he just couldn't do it. Now time had run out and Eliza had found out in the worst way possible.

  "Come in, please," she said softly, avoiding his gaze. "I'd rather not risk my neighbors hearing any more of my personal life than they already have."

  She left the door open, not waiting to see if he followed her or not.