Page 52 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

They followed Hadley to their seats. “Duke is in the kitchen tonight filling in.”

“Good to know,” he said.

“I’m sure he’ll be out to say hi,” Hadley said grinning.

“What was that about?” Laine asked.

“The family being nosy.”

“It’s not a secret,” she said.

“Nope,” he said. “It’s not.”

The waitress came over and they ordered drinks and food. Fast things because he wanted to get the hell out of here and in Laine’s bed.

“I just thought of something. Dancing in the rain was on your list. Is that why you danced to the restroom?”

“It is,” she said, smiling. “And it was a lot of fun. I guess I felt like dancing for more than just the fact it was raining out.”

Carson nodded. He could tell by the look on her face there was a lot more and he wasn’t sure his body could stay calm at the moment.

“Tell me about this tattoo,” he said.

She giggled at him. She must have understood what he was doing.

“My father has a koi fish on his back.”

“So you did it for him?” he asked.

“Do you know what a koi fish represents?” she asked.

“Not really,” he said.

“Koi fish swim against the current to overcome great obstacles. They symbolize strength, courage, patience, and success through perseverance. They can grow very large and live a long life, becoming a symbol of prosperity and good luck.”

“Wow,” he said. “I guess that makes sense for your father. When did he get his tattoo?”

“After college graduation.”

“Seems fitting,” he said.

“It was for me to do the same. I only hope I can live up to what he’s done and make him proud,” she said softly.

Definitely more going on here, but he figured Laine would tell him when the time was right.

Serious conversations about their parents weren’t normally the thing to do before you got someone naked.

16

LET LIFE HAPPEN

Laine wasn’t sure why she added the last part of her explanation to Carson but was glad when he asked, “Do you normally put something new on the list when you cross something off?”

She wasn’t ready to say more about her tattoo than she wanted her father proud of her, when half the time she was frustrated he wasn’t there for her when she needed it.

Most things she could just push past in life and write it off and move on.

With her father, she’d never be able to do that.

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