Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 106

Briar

We pulled up to my grandparents cabin with our silly prizes strapped to the back of our bikes courtesy to the bungee cords under Carter’s seat. I huffed out a sigh as Martha watched us roll up the driveway like it was the highlight of her week. I couldn’t deny the woman this even though it ate at me. Always hoping for some morsel of who my father was. I shook the thought off as I killed the engine and dismounted the bike. At least this week we had some excitement to share. It would be a blessing to have something to talk about that didn’t remind me of my father. 

Martha cleared the porch as Henry strode out of the house and walked up to me surveying the bike. 

“You got a bike? When did you learn to ride?” She asked and chuckled at the gift basket and unicorn strapped to the back.

“Jake left me the bike, Carter taught me to ride since Jake never got the chance,” I let her know. Emotions coursed through her features as she glanced over at Carter as he walked over.

“Jake would be so proud,” She said with tears in her eyes. She looked over the bike surveying it as Henry approached her, eyes catching on the dragonfly emblem and she paused. She shared a look with Henry and he shook his head. Another thing between them they wouldn’t share. I schooled my features but Carter caught me giving me a knowing look.

“I made stew, it's been simmering on the ready. Let me just get some bread going,” Martha mushed, turning back to the house. Carter’s hand squeezed my shoulder; he knew where my mind went. Another dinner without answers. On the inside I was screaming. However Carter’s presence helped me force myself through it and we made it though dinner talking about the lost boy and our fun at the fair. When Carter mentioned the win at the desert contest Lana threw me into, Martha paused again and looked at me strangely like she saw me for the first time. Her eyes cleaved to Henrys. As I watched them share another look I swallowed my expectations with a bite of Martha’s stew. It tasted like ash. 

I set my fork down. “Must have eaten too much fair food,” I apologized. Who was I kidding, my appetite lately had borderline equal to Lana’s lately. It was the secrets and the unspoken truths eating a hole in my soul and right through the pit of my stomach.

After dinner Martha suggested we go to the overlook and Carter as usual opted to help with the wood, leaving me alone with my grandmother.

“Why don’t you ever talk about my father,” I finally asked her.

“I don’t know if the answers you seek are going to be the ones you want,” She said with a sigh.

“I don’t have a bunch of expectations, I just want to know who he was,” I let her know.

She became quiet and reflective.

“Soon Briar, just understand that things are not always what they appear,” was all she said before ushering me out the back door to the overlook. We didn’t talk on the way. The silence was charged, a heavy, looming weight between us, as if she realized now that by omitting information about my father she had created a wedge in our relationship that had been festering over the last few months. Right before we got to the overlook she grabbed my arm stopping me.

“Your mom and Jake, they didn’t talk much about him did they?”

I shook my head no.

“Sometimes secrets are kept for a good reason.” I stared at her unsure of what she meant. “Once you know the truth Briar, there is no turning back, everything you thought you knew could be tainted. I blinked, weighing the gravity of that possibility… but hadn’t I been doing that since I got here.

“Eventually the truth always comes out, I’d rather hear it from you then someone else,” I said before brushing past her into the alcove of wilderness open to the deep valley and the twinkling stars overhead. Carter followed me to the bench seat and I curled into his strength letting it protect me from my mind’s churning unease. Something told me I may not like what the truth was. However, Jake had insisted I come here from the grave. He wanted me to know and deep down I knew my world would be upturned once I found out.

Carter rested his head on mine, his arm around me. He interlaced the fingers of one hand into mine and I sighed. This, my soul craved this. I tilted my head back, my lips brushing his ear.

“I have a secret.” I barely whispered against his lobe.

“Oh?” He asked brushing his cheek against mine as he said. “Your secret is safe with me,” he seemed to gently purr into my ear.

He leaned in expectantly. Our mouths tickling each other's sensitive flesh. I made him wait an excruciatingly long moment before I said. “I love you too Carter.” He pulled away and looked at me in surprise. I smiled sheepishly and shrugged. Then he gripped my face in his and kissed me deeply.

When we parted Martha was grinning at me and Henry glaring. Well shit. I felt like I had been caught red handed. We had never done more than curl up on the bench or occasionally hold hands around them. This thing between us was relatively new to them.

“It’s about damn time,” Martha said, getting up from the chair. Come on Henry, time to clean up and leave these two love birds alone.” 

Henry just continued glaring at Carter as Martha led him away.