Page 88 of Trouble Walked In

Last night’s tension eased a little as they worked. It was a beautiful day, and Carter kept up a running commentary about his football practice, school in general, and about how he was thinking of changing his major.

“Why? What’s wrong with marketing?” Lizzie started to wrap another set of lights onto a panel.

Carter moved the ladder over a few feet and climbed up to get one of the higher strings down. “It’s okay, but the classes are graphics oriented, and I think a finance degree will help more with running the winery.”

Lizzie watched him balance one foot in a way only an athlete could manage. “Running the winery?”

“Yeah. I mean, I can’t let Mark do it all by himself. He’d screw it up. He doesn’t have my natural talent with numbers.”

Lizzie smiled up at him. “True. His talents are with the wine. It takes both to run a business. I just didn’t think you wanted to.”

“After a year of college, it doesn’t seem like such a bad thing. I mean, you make it all look easy.” He dropped the string of lights to the ground and climbed down the ladder. “So is that dude coming back or what?”

She shifted her gaze. “No.”

Carter huffed. “Dude was all over you, then just disappears. That’s so not cool.”

“He has work to do.” Lizzie put the lid on the first bin of lights and locked it into place. “Just like the rest of us.”

“Yeah, well, if it was me, I’d stick around.” Carter looked away. “I just think you deserve better.”

Lizzie wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she busied herselfwith another string of lights instead. She didn’t notice that Carter had moved so close to her until he reached out to pull the lights from her hands.

His intensely earnest gaze locked on hers. “I could be that guy. I would treat you so much better than he ever would. I wouldn’t run. I’d stay by your side. Always.”

“Oh, Carter. You are a sweet, wonderful man.” The longing in his eyes nearly broke her heart. Renic had been right. Carter did have a crush on her. He was sincere, kind, and would make some girl very happy one day. “I’m so flattered. But I’m not the girl for you.”

His shoulders dropped. “Why not?”

“You’re too young, for one thing.” She tilted her head, considering. “Although the other side of that is more true. I’m too old.”

He scoffed at that. “No, you’re not.”

“I am, Carter. You know I am. Your life is just starting. You have the entire world ahead of you, and you deserve to spend it with someone who’s experiencing it the same way you are.”

“What if I don’t want that?” Carter looked at the ground somewhere near her feet. “What if what I want is you?”

Lizzie took a deep breath. “I think of you and Mark as the brothers I never had. We’re a family, and I love you. But not that way. Do you understand?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Carter picked up the finished bin. “I’ll take this back to the barn.”

“Carter,” she called after him.

He didn’t look back.

Had she encouraged him without even realizing it? Her heart hurt. She should have noticed his crush sooner. Let him down more gently.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Tears bubbled in her eyes and spilled over as she tugged at the next string of lights. She felt horrible. She’d broken Carter’s heart. She’d said awful, horrible, bitchy things to Renic, and worse, the reasons for her behavior felt flimsy and weak.

She sat on the top step of the stairs that led to Lookout Point and wiped at the tears that refused to stop. She couldn’t look at the daybed without picturing that magical night with Renic. Maybe she’d just leave the lights up.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel path behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Della coming toward her in a white sweater, long, brown suede skirt, and tall boots.

Lizzie sniffed and hurriedly dried her eyes. “Having fun in my closet, I see,” she called out in a cheerful voice that was too high-pitched and wobbly.

Della flashed a big smile. “Well, Jordanna only brought me enough for a weekend. Besides, I look good in this, even if I had to roll it up at the waist. It was way too long.”

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