Page 32 of No One Else Can Have Her

Sarah reached into her purse and then threw a card in his direction. Nate caught it, and glanced down to see it was a bank card.

“I have no idea what your problem is,” he said, holding up the card. “This is your bank card. What’s the problem?”

“My problem is simple. All these years, you’ve been paying me to stay with Carly, to keep an eye on her, and I’ve accepted the payments, even though I haven’t needed the money. I have tried to turn a blind eye, but you know what, I can’t do it anymore.”

Nate stared at her. “What can you not do?”

“Lie to Carly about this. She needs to know the truth. She needs to know that all these years, you’re the one that has been sabotaging her dates. Either threatening them so they don’t show up, or paying them to make the date completely awful. Carly needs to know that you own the building where we live, as well as the bar, which is why she can afford everything. Why she can pay her rent, because it’s being paid to you. You own everything. You’ve helped her do everything in life, and she doesn’t even need me to pay for half the rent because you pay me to be with her, just as you do the same with Mitch. Don’t even get me started on Reese and Dalton. I know you pay them to go and see her at work as well.”

“What?” Carly’s voice drew Nate’s attention. He didn’t think she would leave the nursery, and he had no idea how much she had heard.

Nate couldn’t quite read the look on Sarah’s face. He didn’t know if she had done it on purpose or if this was a mistake.

“Carly,” Sarah said.

She walked downstairs and without a look at Sarah, she turned toward him. “You sabotaged my dates?”

Nate didn’t say a word. He looked at her, and he knew in that moment, whatever plan Sarah had concocted hadn’t worked. The pain in Carly’s eyes was clear to see.

“Carly, I can explain.”

She shook her head. “You did, didn’t you? Why?” She pulled away from him.

“Carly,” Sarah started to say as she realized her plan was backfiring.

Carly spun around. “Don’t you dare Carly me. You had to be paid to stay with me.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe this. All this time, I thought you were my family, and instead you … lied to me. All of you.”

Nate didn’t like this, and he felt the panic building. He reached out to touch her, but she pulled away from him.

“Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me again. I trusted you. I trusted all of you. You made me think there was something wrong with me. Every single date. Why would you do that?” Carly pulled away from him and rushed to the door.

“Carly, wait!” He didn’t know what to say and he couldn’t find the words. “Please don’t go.”

“Did you do it?” Carly asked.

“Yes.”

“I don’t know who you are.”

“Carly, please,” Sarah said.

“And you accepted payment to stay with me. There is nothing for us to talk about.” With that, Carly opened the door and rushed out.

Nate couldn’t allow that to happen. He ran toward her and it didn’t take long for him to move in front of her to slow her down. She couldn’t get into a car, because she’d never learned to drive.

“You have to stop, Carly. We need to talk about this.”

“There is nothing to talk about. You all lied to me. You, Sarah, Dalton, Mitch, and Reese. All of you.” She slapped at his hands when he tried to reach for her. “Don’t touch me. I don’t want you to touch me. You all lied.”

“We didn’t lie.”

“But you paid them all.”

“So they would accept the money. I promised I would take care of you, and I am in a position to do so.”

“You don’t get it, Nate. They should never have taken the money in the first place.”

“Carly, you might be pregnant, and I don’t want you to leave like this.”

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