Текст книги "The Billionaire Single Dad"
Автор книги: Mandy Baxter
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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 8 страниц)
Thirteen
For over a week, Tess had been feet from him and yet, it had felt like miles. After Carter’s conversation with Travis yesterday, he’d come to a decision. It was time to live his life. Steph had wanted him to live. For him, for her, and their girls. The guilt he felt wasn’t fair to any of them. He’d loved Steph more than he thought he could ever love another woman. Loving Tess wasn’t a betrayal of that love, it was a testament to what they’d had that he could open himself up to love for a second time.
Carter’s own stubbornness had almost caused him to miss out on a chance at happiness. He wasn’t going to let it pass him by again. He reached out and smoothed an errant strand of hair away from Tess’s face. Her gaze softened, but the deep blue of her eyes still reflected the hurt he’d caused. He’d do whatever it took to make it up to her.
She didn’t respond to his lame attempt at an apology. Carter took a deep breath and held it for a moment. “I was scared Tess. Scared of what I felt and rather than admit that to you, admit that I was worried about how a new relationship might affect the girls, I pushed you away. I said a lot of things I didn’t mean and if I could, I’d take it all back. I’m sorry, Tess. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you forgive me. I…” He let out a gust of breath. “I’m in love with you.”
Tess’s soft mouth parted and it was all Carter could do not to lean down and kiss her.
“You’re in love with me.”
Carter’s heart leapt up into his throat at her monotone response. “I knew the second you stepped up to my back door to give me a piece of your mind that I’d fall in love with you, Tess. You’re so strong, so sure, so goddamned beautiful that I can’t breathe when I look at you. You’re so caring and soft. So passionate. The past week and a half without you almost ruined me. Jenny and Jane love you. They miss you.” He reached out and traced his fingertips over the silly penguin necklace draped around her neck. “I know you miss them too. Forgive me for being an asshole who hurt you. Forgive me for being too damned stubborn and scared and guilty to acknowledge what my own heart wanted. Let me make it up to you. Let me love you, Tess.”
Tears glistened in her brilliant eyes, and Carter’s chest clenched.
“Flowers would have been okay, you know,” she said through her tears. “And a hell of a lot cheaper than a contractor.”
Relief swamped him and Carter let out a slow, shaky breath. “Flowers wither. A sturdy barn lasts forever.”
She smiled. God he’d missed that smile. He took Tess in his arms and pulled her close, wrapping her tight in his embrace. Carter didn’t know how many minutes passed while they stood there, her body tucked against his, warm and soft. It felt so right to hold her. He never wanted to let her go.
“I never wanted to take anyone’s place or insert myself in your family, Carter.” Her voice muffled against his T-shirt as he wrapped her tighter in his arms. “I thought I could keep emotions out of it. That I could let that day between us be what it was and nothing more. But you made me feel something. Something real and intense. Something that I didn’t think I could afford to lose. You hurt me. I know you were trying to protect Jenny and Jane as much as yourself, but it still hurt.”
Carter felt her slipping away. Her body pulled away from his and his arms stiffened as though he could keep her right where she was. His heart thundered in his chest, adrenaline dumped into his bloodstream, and his gut bottomed out. He couldn’t bear to lose her.
Tess looked up into his eyes and a soft smile curved her mouth. “I’m a firm believer in second chances, Carter. I think we both deserve one, don’t you?”
“I’m still scared,” he said. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if he wasn’t honest with her. “I still have doubts. I don’t want the girls to be hurt if this doesn’t work out between us. I don’t know what’s appropriate. Hell, how do single parents date? I have no idea. They have to be my first priority, Tess. Always. You don’t have kids and—”
“Carter.” Tess stepped away from him. Her brow knitted and her lips gathered into a petulant pucker. “You have to stop trying to micromanage your future. I’m afraid of all of those things too. I don’t want to move in or move to Dallas or anything else. I don’t even want to spend the night. Not until you’re ready. Until I’m ready. And until Jenny and Jane are ready. And yeah, it might not work out. But we won’t know if we don’t at least give it a try.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing,” Carter said. “I don’t know how to date.”
“Trust me,” Tess said. “No one does. You just roll with the punches and see what happens.”
Carter reached out and took her hand in his. “I meant what I said, though. Tess, I love you. You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”
“Daaaaaad!” A scream that could have shattered glass interrupted them and Carter turned toward the house. “Jane hit me!”
“Are you sure you want to be a part of this craziness?” he asked Tess.
She gave him a soft smile. “I’m sure.”
“I need to go diffuse this situation before blood’s drawn.”
“You do that and I’ll go talk to your contractor,” Tess said.
“I really want to pay for this remodel, Tess,” Carter locked his gaze with hers. If it hadn’t been for that barn, he might never have met her. He wanted it to stand for a good long time. “Okay?”
“I’ll talk to Steve and see what we can do,” she said. “But next time Carter, just buy me a milkshake or something.”
“Got it. Come over when he’s done?”
Her answering smile caused his heart to stutter in his chest. “I’ll be back soon.”
* * *
Tess waved as Steve pulled out of her driveway. She was still a little numb, dazed by Carter’s offer to remodel the barn and Steve’s assertion that cost wasn’t an option. Anything that Tess wanted, she’d get. Period.
Extreme home makeover aside, it wasn’t the craziest thing Carter had done today. She’d told him she’d head back to his place but instead, she flopped down on her couch and stared at the wall. Over a week apart and not a word, and then he’d blindsided her with a contractor, an apology, and an admission of love. One more surprise today and she’d have a freaking heart attack.
True, she’d been quick to forgive him. Maybe too quick. Tess wasn’t looking for a rollercoaster relationship. She wanted the total package: stability, dependability, honesty, and love. She couldn’t give her heart to Carter, knowing that his guilt and worry might get the better of him again. She couldn’t allow herself to love him if he might push her away again for whatever reason. He’d said he loved her, but what would happen when he thought of Steph and lost himself to his grief. Would he take those words back in order to guard his heart? Send her away again, only to apologize by sending a contractor over to remodel her house next time? Tess was through playing games. She wanted something real.
There were also the girls to consider. Tess wasn’t going to deny that Jenny and Jane had won her over. They were adorable, feisty, tough as nails, and at the same time, sweet. Was she ready for the responsibility of what it meant to be in their lives? Was she ready to contemplate the possibility of being a stepmom? True, she was jumping the gun on that one, but it was something she needed to consider if she was going to be with Carter. She wouldn’t only be dating him, she’d be dating them. If it didn’t work out and she broke his heart, she’d break theirs too. Could she shoulder that possibility?
The prospect of loving and caring for someone else’s children didn’t scare or faze Tess. She didn’t have to give birth to Jenny and Jane to love them. But she’d always thought she’d have kids of her own. Would Carter want that? Maybe he was happy with his family the way it was. Tess wanted it all, and she wanted to know what it was like to carry her own baby, to give birth, all of it. It seemed silly to worry about it so soon—it’s not like Carter had asked her marry him—but she didn’t want to get a year into their relationship and realize that perhaps she’d made a mistake.
Now who’s making excuses to guard her heart? She and Carter were quite a pair. A couple of brokenhearted saps who wanted love and at the same time couldn’t bring themselves to open up to it. Carter had said he loved her and told her she didn’t have to say it back. Tess didn’t know if she was ready for love, but she was ready for something with him. The only way she’d know if their relationship would last was to go all in. And it was about time Tess went after what she wanted.
She left the house and crossed the space between their lawns. Butterflies swirled in her stomach and her heart fluttered in her chest. Nervous energy pooled in her limbs and her brain buzzed with too many thoughts for her to narrow them down to a single one. Love was scary. Terrifying, actually. A wild ride that left you feeling exhilarated and sick at the same time. Tess took a deep breath and brought her fist up to knock on the patio window. Carter appeared from somewhere in the house and slid the glass door open.
“Hi.”
Tess wanted a partnership. A family. Love and tenderness. Heat and passion. And the more she thought of those things, the more she realized that the only person she wanted it with was Carter. “Hi.”
For a long moment they stood rooted to their respective spots, their gazes locked. Carter opened his mouth to speak but before he could get the words out, Jenny and Jane raced through the kitchen, laughing and squealing as they inserted themselves between him and Tess.
“Dad! We found a frog in the front yard! He’s huge! Come see!”
“Can we keep him, daddy? He won’t give us warts. Only toads do that. We’ll feed him bugs and give him water and grass to sleep on. Puhleaze! We’ll take really good care of him!”
Carter reached out his hand, his gaze still locked with Tess’s. “Want to see a frog?”
She smiled as she placed her hand in his. The warmth of his palm soothed her and Tess marveled at how quickly Carter Christensen had managed to win her over. He was one of the good ones and she’d be an idiot to ever let him go. “Who doesn’t enjoy a good frog sighting?” she asked. His answering smile was like the sun, so brilliant that she had to look away. Tess turned her attention to Jenny and Jane instead and the joy on their tiny faces. “How about we go see him, but leave him outside where he’ll be happier? I’ll show you how to draw frogs on the computer later tonight if you want. We’ll print out the pictures and hang them on your walls.”
They regarded her with doubtful expressions but their smiles remained intact. “Maybe,” Jane said slowly. “But let’s go look at him before he hops away!”
The girls led the way through the house to the front yard as Tess and Carter followed, their fingers entwined. “They really like you, you know.”
Tess looked over to see a wide smile spread across Carter’s lips. Yeah, she’d be a fool to not at least try to make things work with him. Good men were few and far between it seemed. And somehow, Tess had managed to move next door to one of the best around. “I really like them, too,” she replied. “Their dad is okay, too. A little on the cranky side, but I think I can turn him around.”
Carter pulled Tess to a stop. His expression became serious, his heated gaze delved into hers and she shivered. “You already have,” he murmured. “I love you, Tess.”
She swallowed down the lump that rose to her throat. Carter might have been able to lay himself bare but Tess wasn’t quite to that point yet. He’d have to be patient with her. With them. “Come on,” she said as she urged him to keep walking. “Let’s go look at a frog.”
“You’re going to love me too, Tess,” he remarked as they headed out to the front yard. “I’m going to make sure of it.”
Of that, she had no doubt.
Fourteen
The whoosh of sharpened blades as they rushed over the ice filled Tess’s ears moments before the two hulking bodies crashed into the Plexiglas barrier that separated their seats from the rink. Jenny and Jane fed off the energy, the roar of the crowd, the excitement, and leaned forward to bang on the glass with the other hockey fans.
“Oh no you don’t.” Carter reached out and plucked the backs of the girls’ T-shirts, hauling them back to their seats as though they weighed nothing at all. They were a little put out that they couldn’t be as rowdy as the rest of the Stars fans, but as a consolation, Carter let them stand on their chairs. Placated, but far from calm, they continued to jump up and down on the seats as they cheered the team on to victory.
To think, at one time Tess had thought that they’d want to play with Barbie dolls.
Game seven of the playoffs had turned out to be a nail-biter. Whoever won the game was headed to the Stanley Cup finals. They’d been to all of the playoff games. Nate had made Christensen Petroleum’s jet available to fly the entire family to every single away game so they could support Travis. Nate, Chloe, and Noah had opted for the privacy of a skybox, but Carter and the girls had preferred to be in the thick of the action. Tess had to admit, she preferred the action and vendors’ food to the swanky, catered box.
“Having fun?”
She leaned forward and peered at Carter. The girls were sandwiched between them and he wore a wide smile that made her heart beat a wild rhythm in her chest. “Of course,” she called over the din of the crowd. They’d been seeing each other for three weeks now and Carter still felt as though he needed to make sure that Tess was comfortable, having fun, happy.… His concern for her was endearing but she knew that his real worry was that she’d yet to speak the words that he’d so easily offered to her the day he’d made his grand apology. I love you.
One of the Penguin’s forwards took a shot on goal and the puck whizzed through the air. Travis reached out with his glove and made the save. The crowd went wild around them. Jane’s enthusiastic jumping got out of control and she toppled forward. Tess caught her before she spilled end over top and settled her back on the seat.
“That was a close one!” Jane flashed a bright smile that rivaled her dad’s in its charm.
Tess had never dated anyone with kids before and there were definitely things she’d had to get used to. It was rarely just her and Carter. There were the rare occasions when the girls spent the night with Nate and Chloe, but otherwise, they were a foursome. All activities were family appropriate. Movie nights were usually G– or PG-rated and likewise, Tess had had to learn to curb her swearing, a feat that cost her a dollar for the mason jar in Carter’s kitchen every time she slipped.
Then there was the long-distance aspect of their relationship. Nacogdoches wasn’t far from Dallas—a couple of hours—but it made seeing Carter every day impossible. She spent weekends with him here or he came out to the lake. On a couple of occasions when Tess had clients to meet in the city, she got an extra day or two with him, but the preseason would start soon and she’d lose even more time with him when he went back to playing football full time. There were speed bumps in their relationship, ones that had taken Tess time to adjust to despite the fact she’d been so confident early on that she could handle Carter’s busy life.
He never missed an opportunity to tell her that he loved her. That he missed her. And he’d never once asked her to reciprocate. Carter was a man of infinite patience and love. He gave selflessly every single day of himself, his emotions, his time, even his money. And he didn’t do it for recognition or to get something in return. He was the most amazing man she’d ever met and Tess loved him more than she had words to describe it. It shouldn’t have been so hard to say the words to him, not when she felt them in every single fiber of her being.
He’d admitted to her that he was scared of what a new relationship might mean. How it would affect him and the girls. How it would hurt them if this didn’t work out. Tess was scared too. Of giving her heart completely not only to Carter, but to Jenny and Jane too. She loved them all so much that she thought her chest would explode from the excess of emotion. As he’d taken the leap with her and of the two of them, Carter had the most reason to guard his heart. It was time for Tess to go all in as well.
The sound of a loud buzzer preceded the roar of the crowd as the Stars scored. Jenny and Jane went wild, their little arms pumping above their heads as they screamed and cheered. Music blared from the loudspeaker and the girls hopped down from their seats to dance. Tess looked to her right to find Carter watching her. The wild celebration around them melted away until there was only the two of them. He leaned over the two seats that separated them and braced a hand on the armrest of Tess’s seat.
Their mouths met. A slow, sweet kiss with parted mouths and heated breaths. Public displays—especially when the girls were around—were usually G-rated, but Tess gave this one a PG-13. She reached up and cupped his cheek, her nails scraping over Carter’s stubble. The girls screamed and laughed before turning to shake them both by the shoulders.
“You’re on TV!”
“You’re kissing on TV!”
Carter pulled away with a wicked grin and Tess glanced up at the multiple giant screens that replayed their kiss for the entire rink. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and laughter bubbled in her chest.
“We’re caught.”
The crowd cheered loudly and Carter chuckled. “I think they want a repeat performance.”
Tess grabbed him by the collar as the crowd cheered them on. “In that case, we’d better not disappoint them.”
She pulled him in for a kiss that pushed the boundaries of their previous PG-13 rating. When they finally parted, Tess was dizzy and breathless, and so damned in love that she couldn’t see straight. She needed to tell him. He deserved to hear the words.
“Will you come out to the lake this weekend?” she asked.
Carter flashed a brilliant smile. “Absolutely.”
* * *
“Ready?”
Tess had ushered everyone out to the barn before they could even get their bags out of the truck. Steve’s crew had finished the remodel a couple of days ago and she couldn’t wait to show it off.
Carter couldn’t take his eyes off of Tess. It had only been four days since they’d been at the hockey game together, but that was four days too long. This long-distance arrangement was getting harder and harder for him to accept. He didn’t want to see Tess only on the weekends or when she had a meeting in Dallas. He wanted seven days a week with her. Especially now that the preseason was about to start and his free time would be virtually nonexistent.
“Hurry, Tess! We want to come up!”
“Hold your horses, you too,” she chided playfully. “I’m going to take your dad up first, then you can come up.”
The remodel on the barn had turned out great. The ground floor had been converted into an office space complete with a sofa, conference area, and kitchenette. Carter was a little surprised, since he’d assumed she would convert the ground floor into living space and the upstairs into an office. The once-rickety ladder was now a sturdy staircase complete with a slatted banister.
Tess turned and led the way up the stairs and Carter followed. Their position allowed him the perfect view of her ass and his hands itched to reach out and touch. The last thing he wanted right now was to keep his contact with her kid-friendly. He needed skin-on-skin contact with her like he needed air. When she got to the top of the staircase, Tess turned.
“Close your eyes.”
Carter regarded her for a moment and she folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t let me fall,” he teased.
“Please,” Tess scoffed. “These stairs are top safety rated.” When he didn’t close his eyes she sighed. “Take my hand,” Tess said. “I promise I won’t let you fall.”
She might have sounded put out but her wide grin told another story. God, he loved that smile. He wanted to wake up to that smile. Carter swallowed against the nerves that caused his heart to pound in his chest and closed his eyes.
Tess reached out and took his hand in hers. The warmth, the softness of her skin only served to jack his nerves into the stratosphere. They’d been seeing each other for almost a month and even though Carter told Tess he loved her every day, she’d yet to say it to him. He wore his heart on his sleeve and he was okay with that. Tess was more guarded. He knew she cared for him and the girls, but Carter longed to hear those words from her. She guided him up the last three stairs and when Carter found solid footing, he paused.
“Okay.” Carter heard the smile in Tess’s voice and it filled him near to bursting with emotion. “Open them.”
Carter’s jaw dropped. Not an office, not a living space, Tess had converted the loft into a sports-themed playroom for the girls. A net dangled from the ceiling filled with soccer balls, a decal picture of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team graced one wall. The other two walls were butter yellow and light blue, variations of the girls’ favorite colors. One corner sported a table and chairs, there were beanbags for them to lounge on, cubbies for shoes, art supplies, or whatever else they wanted, and a small TV was mounted to the north wall. It was a playroom of epic proportions.
Carter had wanted Tess to make this space her own. Instead, she’d given it to his girls.
“You didn’t have to do this,” Carter said.
Tess smiled. “I wanted to. I can work while they play. Or we can hang out downstairs and watch TV while they play. It’ll be a space for all of us to use however we want.”
“Tess.” Words failed him. His hand balled into a fist in his pocket and Carter swallowed down the emotion that choked him.
“I love them, Carter,” Tess said. Her gaze met his and she reached out to take his hand.
All Steph had wanted was for them to be happy. She’d wanted their girls to have a family. Parents who cared for them. Never in a million years could Carter have imagined he’d find someone as perfect as Tess. He sent out a silent prayer of thanks. She loves our girls, Steph.
“They love you, too.”
“Can we come up now?” Jane sounded like she might explode if she had to endure another minute of waiting.
“We’re dying down here!” Of course, Jenny had her sister beat when it came to lack of patience.
“Take a few deep breaths and count to fifty,” Carter called back. “Are you sure you’re ready for the noise and energy they’re going to bring to what’s supposed to be your quiet work space?”
Tess gave him a soft smile. “It’s unbearably quiet here when you guys are gone. I hate it.”
So did Carter. So much so that he’d made a decision. “I’m selling my house in Dallas.” He’d planned to save that news for later, but like Jenny, he couldn’t wait. “I want to live in Nacogdoches. The girls can go to school here and I’ll commute during the season. I’m tired of the distance between us, Tess. I can’t stand it.”
She beamed. The brilliance of her smile had nothing on the sun. “I love you, Carter,” she said on a breath. “I’ve missed you so much the past few weeks. I don’t want to be apart from you guys for even a day.”
I love you. Carter had been waiting weeks to hear those words from her. His heart pounded in his chest. “I love you, Tess. I don’t think I could love you more.”
He lowered his mouth to hers. Tess kissed him deeply, her lips moving over his in a slow tease that caused the blood to rush through Carter’s veins. The sound of giggles from downstairs brought them back to reality and Carter pulled away with a smile. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. We’re a wild bunch.”
“I wouldn’t want you any other way,” Tess said. Her wide blue eyes delved into his, her expression open and honest. “I love you, Carter. I’m in it for the long haul.”
“Puh-leaze can we come up?” Jane’s voice bounced with her plea.
Carter raised a questioning brow.
“Come up!” Tess called with a laugh.
The girls raced up the stairs. When they made it up to the loft, their surprised faces and gasps of delight coaxed a wide smile to Tess’s face. They didn’t waste any time breaking in their new space, and Carter pulled Tess down onto one of the beanbags while the girls played.
“They’re never going to leave, you know,” he murmured in her ear.
“Good,” Tess said. She grabbed Carter’s arms and guided them around her. He leaned in for a quick kiss. “This is what I want. All of us here, together.”
Relief flooded him. It’s what he’d wanted since the day he’d told her he loved her. “You’re sure about this, huh?”
“I’ve never been so sure about anything,” Tess answered softly. “You guys are it for me. Forever.”
“Forever?”
Tess smiled. “Does that scare you?”
Carter disengaged his right arm from around Tess and dug into his pocket to retrieve the tiny velvet box. He’d planned to wait until the end of the weekend, but it seemed like the perfect time. Tess snuggled against him. The heat of her back against his chest put Carter at ease. He opened the box and held the shining diamond ring up for Tess’s inspection.
“It doesn’t scare me at all,” Carter murmured close to her ear. “I love you, Tess. I can’t say it enough. Will you give me the opportunity to say it every day for the rest of our lives?”
Tess turned to look into his face. Tears welled in her eyes. She cupped Carter’s cheek in her palm and a soft smile curved her beautiful mouth. “Absolutely.”
