Page 36 of A Forever Love

I need to find someone who’s not eleven years younger than me and definitely not my colleague’s daughter, whom I’ve known half my life.

“I think I should go,” I say abruptly, getting up from the couch without much thought.

Merida stops mid sentence, a look of confusion crossing her face. Her gaze flickers between me and my half-empty wineglass. “Did I bore you that much?”

The insecurity in her eyes is like a sucker punch to my solar plexus. She might have changed on the outside, but she’s still the same Merida, a bit broken and a bit insecure. What the hell am I doing?

“No, something related to a case popped into my mind. But before I go, there’s something I want to give you.”

She narrows her brows. “What is it?”

“Considering I’ll be living right across from you now, I thought you should have a spare key in case of emergencies.” I unclip one of the keys from my keychain and pass it to her.

Yeah, nothing has changed. Merida is still Keith’s daughter, my friend, and the girl who once confided in me.

“Are you planning to go on a drinking spree soon?” she teases, arching an eyebrow as she takes the key.

“Drunk Carter only makes an appearance once a year.”

“Once a year is more than enough to scare anyone. Believe me.” She winks, and I find myself matching her smile.

“Since you’ve decided to unleash the heavy insults, I guess that’s my cue to leave.” I step toward the living room through the balcony door, but then a thought strikes me. I pivot around and spot her kitten, which had been perched on the corner ottoman but is now snuggled up in Merida’s lap.

So, this is how they spend their evenings.

Before I can forget why I paused in the first place, I ask, “What time do you leave for work?”

“Around eight.”

“How about we go together? I have a meeting with Kristy and Oscar near your office, so I can drop you off.”

“Are you sure?” Her petting of Miss Sparkles halts for a beat.

“I’ve been your chauffeur since you were five, mittens.”

She grins. “Yes, you were.”

* * *

After returning to my apartment and changing out of my suit, I sprawl out on my bed. But I’m scared to even close my eyes, because every time I do, Merida’s image floats before me. Not the familiar Merida I’ve known all her life, but this newfound version that she’s become over the past four years. I’m like a horny bastard, conjuring up visions of water droplets trailing down from her head, caressing the side of her face, and finally nestling on her neck as she stood by the door, wrapped in a pink bathrobe. I didn’t need X-ray vision to figure out that she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath—the soft fabric did a shitty job of hiding that fact.

Fuck. I get up from the bed and press my palms against my eyes.

What the heck am I thinking?

I deserve to be locked up for harboring such inappropriate thoughts about the girl I’ve known for so long. I try to recollect our first encounter at the Kings Security campus, the day Keith came in for an interview. Even back then, Merida was far beyond her years, posing questions that shouldn’t have concerned her. For the longest time, I resented Keith for not giving Merida the care and love she truly deserved.

There are some people everyone admires and loves, but they’re never cared for enough because they always seem self-sufficient. I call it the price of being too good, and my Merida has paid it more times than needed. I’m grateful for the day Clementine entered the Adams house and gave Mere the love and care she truly deserves.

I rise from the bed and pour myself a shot of whiskey before plopping down on a nearby side chair. As I take a sip of the amber liquid, the incident she mentioned earlier comes back to me.

She did save my drunken ass more times than I care to remember.

* * *

Merida – age 13

Carter – age 24

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