Page 79 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

“So you were testing me?”

“No,” his father said. “I wanted you to know or be aware that it’s between each couple, not just what one wants.”

“I never wanted someone to stay home and take care of me,” he said.

“But Brynn wanted that,” his father said. “And she wanted you to take care of her at the same time. You weren’t good having that all on your shoulders no matter how much you said you were.”

“Why are we talking about this?” he asked.

“So you know the difference and stop beating yourself up over trying to be someone you aren’t to be different than who you were with Brynn.”

Shit. His father knew. Everyone probably did.

“No reason to scare Laine off if I’m clingy.”

“You’ve never been clingy,” his father said, laughing. “You cared and you worried. That is the difference. Remember that.”

“It seems my family isn’t going to let me forget.”

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LIKE PEOPLE

“Thank you for arranging this,” Laine said two weeks later. They’d just arrived at the airstrip on the island for a lift to her father’s house. They’d managed to find a Sunday that worked for both of them and it was perfect timing because in a week she was going to start traveling for her gallery showings.

So far Carson seemed fine with it all, but he was texting her more when he was at work and she was home.

She wasn’t bothered by it and returned the texts when she could.

When they were both working, neither had the time.

When they were both off, they were together.

She didn’t find it annoying or clingy, just that he missed her.

Laine found it sweet he was thinking of her and sometimes she felt bad she didn’t think to text him first. It’s just, that wasn’t her. She was used to going about her life having been single for so long.

He was working and she wouldn’t bug him. Just like sometimes when he texted, she didn’t reply right away. It’s not like she was going to stop her muse of painting or clean herhands when they were covered in wet pottery to see a quick text from him.

At least he understood that and never said a word.

“Not a problem,” Carson said.

“Lincoln will be here in a few,” Egan Bond said. “You’re earlier than him and that is saying something.”

“We are early risers,” Laine said. She’d met Egan along with many more Bonds at Alex’s wedding.

“Never an issue. I’m getting ready to take off,” Egan said.

She’d seen the chopper pulled out of the hangar when they drove in.

“Don’t worry about us,” Carson said. “We’ll hang out. This way you don’t witness Laine dancing in excitement.”

Egan laughed. “Bummer. It was fun watching you guys at Alex’s wedding, but I’ve got clients to get to.”

She wanted to do a little spin and dance move for Egan but decided that might be overkill even if she rarely suppressed her emotional outbursts of joy.

Besides, as excited as she was over the helicopter ride, she had some nervousness with her father.

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