Page 21 of Second Draft

“It changes everything.” I hold his gaze, trying not to flinch at the intensity of it. “I appreciate you wanting to help, but this is already weird between us.”

“It doesn’t have to be. With my job, I’m gone for weeks, sometimes months at a time. Plus…” His jaw tenses, mouth tightening. “Once Travis gets his head out of his ass and realizes what he’s giving up, he’ll be back.”

Not likely.

I shrug.

Carter’s mouth tightens, and he breathes out heavily through his nose. “This is your home, for as long as you need it to be.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah. I do.” His frown tightens. “You were right earlier when you said Travis and I aren’t very close. It’s my fault. I left him alone when our parents died. If I’d done things differently, maybe he wouldn’t be such a self-absorbed, asshole.”

I can’t help but smile at the fierceness in his tone. Travis hadn’t spoken much about his parents. I knew they were dead, that they’d died in a head-on collision, but that’s all he had said.

“What happened to them?”

Carter lets out a long sigh before answering, “They were in a car accident. My mom was killed instantly. She wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, and …” He looks up at the ceiling and shakes his head. “She was ejected from the car. Broke her neck on impact.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Both Travis and my Dad were rushed to the hospital–”

“Travis was with them?” He hadn’t told me that part.

“He had a few fractured ribs, a concussion, and a broken arm. He was lucky. If you saw the wreckage…” He drags his fingers through his dark hair. “It’s a miracle anyone survived.”

“And your dad?”

“They pronounced him brain-dead at the hospital. When I got there I was given the option of unplugging him, or keeping him hooked up to the machines.” His eyes go distant and his lips tighten in a thin line. “I knew my Dad wouldn’t have wanted to live like that. So I made the decision.”

“God. That must have been terrible.”

“Yeah. But what was worse was when Travis came out of surgery and found out what I’d done. He never forgave me for it.”

“How old was he?”

“Seventeen. Not old enough to be alone. But I left him anyways. I was consumed by my own life. My own needs. I practically left him on his own after that. I made sure he had everything he needed. Cleaned up his messes whenever he called for help. But looking back I think that only made things worse. What he needed was family.”

I can see the guilt in his eyes, hear the love for his brother in his voice, but there are some mistakes that can’t ever be fixed, especially if one person isn’t willing to forgive.

“Have you told him that?”

“Probably not as gently as I could have.” His lips twist up slightly. “Travis and I have a complicated relationship.”

“That seems to be the only type he’s capable of.”

Carter grunts. “You may be right.”

We sit in silence for a few moments, both caught up in our own thoughts.

“I’m sorry for the way he treated you.” His gaze is on me again.

“You can’t blame yourself for his actions. No matter how many mistakes you may have made, he’s his own person.”

“True. But I can make sure that his child is taken care of. That you…” He reaches out and takes my hand, making my entire body turn into an inferno. “Are taken care of.”

“I’m…” I swallow, finding it difficult to concentrate on anything but his touch. “We’renot your responsibility.”

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