Page 75 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

He could see that too. “Your father worries,” he said.

“You don’t know the half of it,” she said. “In college he hired men to be available for me.”

“What?!” he asked.

Laine burst out laughing at him. “If you could see your face right now. My mother said I enjoy shocking people, but I didn’t plan that. No, the first guy was Nick. He was a retired state trooper. I told you my father was in the wrong place when he had his accident. He didn’t ever want that to happen to me. He’d hire men to be on the payroll to be around to let me know where it was safe to go. If I broke down in the middle of the night, someone I could call to change a tire or pick me up. Maybe bail me out of jail.”

“Jail?” he asked.

She laughed again. “A joke. But the rest isn’t.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. Not that he’d think she’d had any trouble with the law more than maybe protesting something.

“I’m positive,” she said. “You’re taking this much better than I thought you would.”

“I guess since I’ve got a sister that we are protective of, I see some of it. Again, the name and money make it hard too.”

“You get that. I would have told you soon anyway. I mean, I just feel so close to you and don’t want this as a secret. I expected my father would want to meet you but not this soon.”

He smiled. “How soon?”

“As soon as we have a day together on the weekend. I told him it’s about two hours with the ferry and the schedule for that.”

“Not long on a chopper and we could cross it off the list.”

She launched herself at him for a hug and a kiss. “I thought the same thing. You’re okay with this?”

“What have I said or done that would make you think I’m not?”

“Nothing,” she said. “Could be why I love you.”

Her hand flew to her mouth. He pulled it away. “Hey now, don’t be shy.”

“I don’t think anyone would say I’ve got a shy bone in my body.”

“That’s right,” he said. “You don’t. The question is, do you mean that or did you just say it in your excitement? Like finishing a painting and wanting to dance?”

“Both,” she said. “I mean it and feel it. I think I’ve been feeling it but had no plans on saying it. But life just happens.”

“That’s right,” he said. “Life happens and what is happening is that I love you too.” He grabbed her face in his hands and planted a big smacking kiss on her lips.

“This turned out much better than I thought it would.”

“Don’t be afraid to tell me anything,” he said. “I mean it. I know you had a different upbringing than most. No one’s is the same. I don’t and won’t judge you.”

“And I won’t judge you because that takes too much negative energy. We’ve all been there before and life is just too short.”

“That’s right,” he said. “Too short not to be happy and have what we want in life.”

Carson wanted to say he wanted her, but there was no way he’d voice it now.

The fact they loved each other and said it was more than enough for him.

He had time yet to work on her.

“That’s right. Do you have any questions for me?”

“I’m sure I’m going to have a lot, but you don’t have to answer them.”

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