“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I just really hate this,” I said.
“What? Waiting for the burgers? Me too. I wish they would start them earlier when they know we’re coming over.”
I let out an angry scoff. “Yes, the burgers. That’s exactly what I’m upset about. I’m frustrated and angry and hurt because the damn burgers aren’t ready.”
“Lauren, what’s going on?”
I gave him an incredulous look. “Seriously? You can’t think of anything that might be wrong? It couldn’t possibly be that I’m sitting there watching my best friends hug and kiss on their partners while the guy I’m seeing who I thought cared about me and our relationship will barely even get near me, much less actually acknowledge me to any of them.”
“We’ve talked about that,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said, pressing my lips together and nodding. “I know. We talked about it. Which actually means you talked about it. Because you’re the one who insists that you don’t want to tell people we’re a couple. I thought we were just holding it back for the first couple of weeks or so, keeping it to ourselves. I’ve wanted to tell everybody for weeks now. But you’re insisting on hiding me, and I just don’t understand it. I thought things were good between us.”
“They are,” Carter said.
“But not good enough for you to be willing to tell our friends about us.” I put down my plate. “I just can’t do this anymore.”
I started away from him, heading down the steps off the deck so I could go around the side of the cabin to my car. Harleigh would understand when I called her later.
“Lauren, wait,” Carter called behind me.
He said it too loud for it to just be for my benefit, and I turned around. He was standing up on a chair in the middle of the deck, his arms spread out to either side. I rushed back up onto the deck.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “Get down. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Everyone, I have something to confess,” Carter said, ignoring me. “I am in love with Lauren.”
My heart skipped a beat, and tears sprung to my eyes. He stepped down off the chair and walked over to me.
“Really?” I asked.
Carter nodded and took my hands, pulling me close. “Really.”
“I love you too.”
Cheers rose up around us as we kissed. We came apart laughing. Carter turned around to accept the clap on the back and beer being offered by Aiden as Rebecca came up to the table to get her own plate.
“I should have placed a bet,” she said. She eyed me mischievously. “You better break it to that guy you’re seeing gently. I hope he takes it well.”
I laughed as she winked, and we walked over to the other girls together.
27
CARTER
A week had passed since I jumped up on a chair and told everyone I loved Lauren, which also meant it had been a week since she told me she loved me too. That was the important part to me. All the teasing and wise-ass comments by the peanut gallery of Deacon, Everett, and the rest of our friends didn’t matter. Not when I could openly tell her I loved her, and she said it back.
It was also nice that I could come into work and if she had stayed at her place, I could kiss her when I first walked in. Granted, I would have kissed her first thing even if I had brought her myself and she had stayed at my place, but it was a little more special when she had spent the night away from me. Our little secret had gone away, but now I got the thrill of being openly in love with her and not having to hide it from anyone anymore.
As I got into work that morning, Lauren had beaten me to the office, as was becoming custom. Even when I brought her, she would boogie out of the truck and unlock the door, so she was inside before I was. I smiled as I saw her, and she stood up, leaning over her desk to kiss me. I didn’t let her go, putting one hand behind her head and deepening our kiss to muffled giggles on her part.
The door opened behind me, and I heard Deacon exhale in mocking disgust.
“Get a room, you two,” Everett grumbled.
“Is he telling us to go into my office together?” I joked. Lauren playfully slapped my arm.
“Nope. Nope, nope, nope,” Deacon said. “Not while I am in the building, please. Also, we’re going to have to talk about moving the video game system out of your office, Carter.”
“Go ahead. I have better ways of relieving stress now.”
“Carter!” Lauren said, laughing.
Deacon and Everett burst into laughter rather than continue to tease me, and I shook my head.
“Sorry, that one was right there,” I said.