Page 25 of My Mistake To Make

My mom gasps and holds her hand to her chest, and I remember at that moment, Charlotte was her friend.

‘Charlotte’s daughter is here?’

‘Ah, Mama. I’m sorry.’ I wrap my arm around her shoulder.

‘She’s great, Mama,’ Zoe answers.

Mom waves her hand in front of her and excuses herself to finish fixing dinner, Merv is hot on her heels, and I look each of my sisters in the eyes. No more talk of Cara tonight.

‘How was it, though?’ Zoe whispers, and I shake my head.

‘All good, but let’s change the subject, huh?’

She nods and returns her attention to the game.

I tuck Bowie up in bed, say goodnight to my sisters, then my mom, as she heads up to take a bath, and I sit on the back porch with Merv.

‘She okay?’ I ask, and he nods.

‘Yeah, she’s good. Talk of Charlotte always makes her a little reflective. If I’d known Cara was her kid, I could have given Lynnie a heads up.’

I nod my head, knowing my mom is going to need a few days before she can set her eyes on Cara, and I wonder if Cara has thought about all the people here who knew and loved her mom. I should talk to her about that. I look up at the stars and can’t stop the small smile that curves my mouth when I think about going to talk to her.

‘I should head up. I have some work to do.’

I push up out of my seat, say goodnight to Merv, and head upstairs. After a quick shower, brushing my teeth, and some clean clothes, I get to work on my plans for the house.

I do not knowwhy. Maybe it’s because this project means so much to me, or maybe it’s something I’m not willing to acknowledge, but pulling up at the cabins on Monday morning, I feel nervous.

What the fuck is wrong with me? I’ve never been nervous about anything in my life—well, I lie, I was nervous going to talk to Roberta Reynolds about buying the house, and I was scared shitless of becoming a father, but they were big, potentially life-changing events. Doing what I love, what I do best, drawing up plans for a client—I shouldn’t feel nervous about this.

It must be the house. It must just be that I want this job so much. Yeah… it’s definitely the house.

I get out of my truck and grab the paperwork I spent a ridiculous amount of time putting together between Saturday night and this morning. Bowie was baking with my mom before Jessie came to get her, so I sat at the kitchen table working most of yesterday. I’m so pleased with what I’ve put together. I don’t know her budget yet, and she doesn’t either until she finds out what’s in that bank account Roberta set up for her. She did hint at a budget from the house she sold in Scotland, and that’ll be plenty to get us started. I’ve drawn up the plans we discussed, as well as some alternative options for her to think about, and I’ve put together various quotes based on the different plans. I hope she likes it.

I knock on the door, but there’s no answer. It’s not that early, but I know she was struggling with jetlag, so I decide against knocking again and, instead, slide the plans under the door before turning away. I make it two steps before I hear the door open behind me, and I turn back, wishing to fuck that I hadn’t.

‘Oh, hey, morning.’

She beams at me, that long hair of hers tumbling down over her shoulders in messy waves… shoulders that are bare. Bare because she’s wearing nothing but a towel.

‘Oh my god, these are your plans,’ she says excitedly, clutching the folder in her hands and flipping it open, but like a douchebag, I can’t tear my gaze from where her tits are threatening to bust out of that towel. One false move, and I’ll see everything I spent the past two nights alone in bed wondering about.Jesus, Doug, lift your fuckin’ eyes.

By some miracle, she’s still smiling down at the papers when my gaze lands on her face, and fuck, she’s fucking beautiful. Ithought she was pretty before, with barely any makeup. Now, with none, just a peppering of freckles showing across her nose and cheeks, a slight flush of pink to her skin, and that smile—I’m in trouble with this woman.

‘These are amazing, Doug. Thank you.’

She lifts those big brown eyes, and I swear my heart beats faster. I reach up to the back of my neck and clear my throat.

‘Uh, yeah, you can, you know, take your time.’

She smiles so wide, so genuine, that the hit of dopamine makes me dizzy. She has no fucking idea what she’s doing to me right now. She’s just happy to have my plans in her hand.

‘Thank you so much.’

‘I should let you get…’ I gesture toward her, not wanting to guess what her plans were before I interrupted.

‘Oh my god,’ she squeals, then giggles. ‘I’m in a towel. I forgot.’ She holds the folder up in front of her, still laughing. ‘Inappropriate, Cara. Sorry.’ She apologizes to me and steps back into the room. I want to tell her no apology necessary but don’t want to open that can of worms.

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