Page 9 of Suddenly Single

“Oh yes.” I pecked him on the cheek. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from good old Mom. So, tomorrow’s Saturday. What have you planned for us this weekend?”

“Nothing.” Carter tilted his head, a far off look in his eyes. “Mom and I are going to Charlottesville tomorrow for an estate sale. Need to restock inventory for the showroom.”

“Did I hear you’re going to Charlottesville?” Lila Brooke called out. “Mary Jane and I are too. We’re having lunch at the downtown mall with her cousins. Maybe you could join us?”

“I’ll have to ask my mother and see if she’s up for it.” Carter replied, and I noticed Mary Jane and Lila Brooke sharing a knowing glance. They mustn’t have heard that his mother was coming too.

“Oh, don’t bother her, dear. This is a last-minute thing, you know what I mean.” Mary Jane drawled.

“Good night, Carter.” I switched off the lamp on the nightstand next to me. Normally he’d be cuddling up next to me, but tonight he was keeping to his side of the mattress. Somehow, I needed to reassure him I still loved him. But it was almost impossible to do when he erected these walls between us.

“Actually, I’m going to borrow your office and get a little work done.” Carter got out of bed and went to the door. “Busy day at work. Didn’t finish everything I needed to.”

“Are you…?” The door shut before I could finish my sentence. I punched my pillow, turned over, and sighed.

“He knows. I swear Carter knows. But how?”

Chapter 5

Asher

When I woke up, Carter wasn’t in bed with me, and I wondered if he’d slept in one of the other bedrooms. He knew something was up, and despite Mom’s opinion that I should keep my mouth shut, I wondered if I should just tell Carter the news. I had no problems marrying him again now that we weren’t legally married. Yes, Carter was a handful, but the thought of him being out of my life terrified me.

I swung my feet to the floor, then stood up and stretched. Carter’s robe wasn’t hanging on the back of the closet door like it usually was, so maybe he was still in the house somewhere.

“Good morning!”

“Jesus!” I jumped at the sound of Carter’s voice. “You scared the hell out of me.”

I turned back to the door, where Carter stood with his usual perky morning smile. “Coffee first.” I muttered. Carter surprised me by flinging his arms around my shoulders, and squeezing me tight. “Where did you sleep?”

“Next to you, silly. I had to get up early because of my day trip to Charlottesville with Mom.” He pecked my cheek and let go of me. “And I made us breakfast.”

I smiled. Breakfast away from the asylum. “Wow. To what do I owe this distinct pleasure?” Carter grabbed my robe and held it open for me. I stepped into it, and he tied the knot.

“Well, I took a stroll earlier, and noticed Lila Brooke and Mary Jane’s Bentley still parked up at the main house. Which means…”

“The party went on until the wee hours.” I chuckled. The older ladies party harder than we do. “Nobody is awake to make food, because they kept Florida busy half the night.”

“Yep, and I’m starving. So I let myself into your Mother’s kitchen and borrowed a few things from the fridge.” Carter took my hand and led me toward the stairs. “I hate to eat and run, but I’m picking up Mom in half an hour.”

We headed down the stairs, and with every step, I felt guiltier. Carter was still holding my hand, and had gone out of his way to prepare breakfast for us. Though that probably meant half a grapefruit and black coffee for me.

“Sit, sit.” Carter pointed at the kitchen table where two plates were sitting. I smelled bacon and prayed it wasn’t just for him. A moment later, Carter set a large veggie omelet in front of me, which included two strips of tasty bacon. “Don’t you play tennis with your lawyer friend Cort later this morning?”

“Shit. I forgot.” I crunched the bacon between my teeth.

“That’s why you’re getting an enormous meal. You’ll need energy to kick his ass.” Carter smiled, then reached over and cut a small slice of omelet and set it on his plate. “Plus, I’m sorry if I made you feel bad about gaining weight. It wasn’t my intention. I just know your father died of a heart attack, and…”

“Honey, it’s okay. Thanks for worrying about me.” I said, and my inner guilt ramped up. Damn it, Carter cared for me. How could I keep such a massive secret from him? If he found out I deliberately didn’t tell him we weren’t married, he’d have a nervous breakdown. Damn it, I needed to ‘fess up before it’s too late.

I opened my mouth to speak, and nothing came out.

“Yes?” Carter washed down the last of his omelet with a sip of juice. “What were you going to say?”

I shut my eyes, trying to find the right words to break it to him, but a vision of Mother filled my head instead.

“Not if we don’t tell him, dear.”

---