Page 7 of The One Who Risked it All

I grinned, sheepish. “The guys at the station can be pretty merciless. A man’s got to protect his reputation.”

“Your reputation as what? A teenage girl?” She was still chuckling, shaking her head.

“Hey, I’ll have you know this takes serious dedication. I have to remember which cup is which when I order for the whole crew.”

As we bantered, I felt some of the awkwardness melting away. But beneath it all, a part of me couldn’t help wondering what might have been if things had gone differently all those years ago.

I leaned back in my chair, relishing the easy rhythm we’d fallen into. It was time to steer the conversation somewhere safer, though. “So, speaking of the guys at the station,” I said,drumming my fingers on the table, “Nathan and Rebecca left for their trip. Two whole weeks in the Bahamas.”

Carla’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I know. I actually helped Becca pack earlier this week. I’m so happy for them.”

“Yeah, well, someone’s gotta hold down the fort.” I chuckled. “My parents are watching the boys.”

Her eyebrow shot up, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I hope your parents have plenty of coffee. Those three terrors? Oh boy.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I know, right? Dad’s already talking about reinforcing the backyard fence.”

“Smart man.” Carla grinned. “I’ve seen those boys in action. They’re like tiny tornadoes.”

As she spoke, she absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture was so familiar, so quintessentially Carla, that it sent a pang through my chest. I was so cooked. One conversation with her and I was a love-sick puppy, desperate for scraps of attention.

“I give it three days before Mom’s calling for backup,” I said, trying to focus on the conversation and not the way Carla’s eyes crinkled when she smiled.

She leaned forward, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “Want to start a betting pool? My money’s on day two.”

I snorted. “You’re on. Loser buys coffee next time?”

The words were out before I could stop them. Next time. As if this wasn’t a chance encounter, as if we did this regularly.

Carla’s laughter faltered for just a moment, and I saw a flicker of something in her eyes. Uncertainty? Longing? Before I could decipher it, she recovered, her smile back in place.

“Deal,” she said, and I tried to ignore the way my heart skipped at the prospect of seeing her again.

Carla took a sip of her coffee, her eyes meeting mine over the rim of her mug. “So, what about you? Any big plans for Thanksgiving?”

I leaned back in my chair, trying to maintain my casual demeanor. “Oh, you know, the usual Wells family extravaganza. Turkey, stuffing, and a healthy dose of awkward silence.”

She tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Awkward silence? That doesn’t sound like you.”

I chuckled, but it felt hollow even to my own ears. “Yeah, well. It’ll be different this year without Nathan and Rebecca there to run interference.”

“Between you and your dad?” Carla asked softly.

I nodded, suddenly finding it hard to meet her gaze. I didn’t want her to see how much the thought of my dad affected me. “Let’s just say I’m not exactly looking forward to being the sole focus of Dad’s... attention.”

The words hung in the air between us, heavier than I’d intended. I hadn’t meant to let that slip, but something about Carla had always made it easy to be honest.

“Eli,” she said, her voice gentle, “is everything okay?”

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to brush it off with a joke. “It’s just... you know how it is. Dad’s always had these expectations, and I’ve never quite...” I trailed off, gesturing vaguely. My heart was tight in my chest at my admission. I never talked about this to anyone, so why was I spilling it now? This was far from the charming flirt I was trying to be.

Carla reached out, her hand hovering over mine for a moment before she seemed to think better of it. “You don’t have to be Nathan, you know.”

“Tell that to Dad,” I muttered, then immediately regretted it. “Sorry, I shouldn’t dump all this on you. It’s not your problem.”

But as I looked at Carla, I saw no judgment in her eyes, only understanding. I cleared my throat, desperate to lighten the mood. “Hey, speaking of Nathan, did I ever tell you about the time we decided to become circus performers?”

Carla’s eyebrows shot up, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I don’t believe you have. Do tell.”

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