just like Carter, and she was tiny but still had curves. The fact that she wanted to spend time with me made me feel good. I wanted Carter's family to like me. I asked him if he wanted to come, but he said no. He was going to give us our girl time.
We went to the local mall and I soon realized Holly really loved shopping. Like always, I had absolutely no money so when she tried to talk me into getting things, I had to pretend I didn't want them. She was always texting on her phone and I had to admit I was jealous.
I saw her look toward the door and smile. When I turned, I saw Carter walking in. What was he doing here? He walked up to Holly and whispered something in her ear, then turned to me and swept me up in a huge hug.
"You having fun?"
"Yeah, I am. Your sister is great."
Carter smiled at me and gave me a kiss. "I need to go run a couple errands, but I'll see you back at the house, okay?"
"Sounds good!" He gave me another quick kiss, said bye to Holly and then left. I swear that after Carter left, Holly was buying twice as much stuff as she did before.
"You don't want to get anything, Madison?"
I did want to. A couple of the things Holly bought, I'd been looking at and wishing I had money for stuff like this. I didn't remember the last time I was able to buy a new outfit, and goodwill did not count. "No, I'm okay."
"My dad always makes fun of me and says the only reason I work is so I can spend it later." She started laughing and I joined her because her dad was right.
When we got back to the house, Carter was still out and I was exhausted. I said hello to his dad and brother, then told them I was going to go lie down. Tomorrow was my birthday , but I hadn't celebrated it since before my mother died. I always get a little down around this time of the year. I went to Carter's room, and I think I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I felt strong arms encircle me, not in a possessive threatening way, but in a way that made me feel loved. I opened my eyes and Carter was lying down with me, holding me in his arms. It surprised me how loving and patient he was with me. He was one of the most amazing people I'd ever met.
He noticed I was awake and looked down at me. "Hey, you."
"Hey, yourself." I was still upset about my birthday, but I couldn't be mad at Carter. I never even told him when it was. Chris knew, but he didn't mention it and we never celebrated it.
"How was your day? Did you get anything?"
He didn't understand either. "No, but I think your sister bought enough to fill an entire store."
"All right, come on. My dad has dinner on the table."
"Your dad cooks?"
"Yeah, but instead of the oven, he uses the phone." We both started laughing. He always knew how to make me smile. After dinner, his dad called Carter and I into the living room.
"I picked up a movie for you two to watch."
He handed Carter a movie I'd never heard of-'Insidious.' "Dad, this movie is gonna scare her half to death!"
"Well, then, I guess you're just gonna have to find a way to comfort her." He winked at Carter. Carter turned to me and I think he was unsure what to do.
"I'm game if you are. As long as you promise to stay close to me. I've never watched a scary movie before."
"Never?"
"Nope. I guess that's another first for us."
"Holly and Anthony are both at friends' houses tonight so they won't be home until later, and I'm going to go play poker with the guys. I'll see you in the morning." His dad walked out the door and we were all alone.
We went into Carter's room and got changed. I lay down on the bed while he got the movie ready. He lay against his backrest again. I looked over at him, trying to figure out if I should lie with him like I did before. He held out his arm to me. "C'mon, come lie down."
To say that I was scared by the end of the movie was an extreme understatement. I hadn't left Carter's side the entire time. He kept his arms around me, except when he'd rub my back or stroke my hair. When the movie
We went to the local mall and I soon realized Holly really loved shopping. Like always, I had absolutely no money so when she tried to talk me into getting things, I had to pretend I didn't want them. She was always texting on her phone and I had to admit I was jealous.
I saw her look toward the door and smile. When I turned, I saw Carter walking in. What was he doing here? He walked up to Holly and whispered something in her ear, then turned to me and swept me up in a huge hug.
"You having fun?"
"Yeah, I am. Your sister is great."
Carter smiled at me and gave me a kiss. "I need to go run a couple errands, but I'll see you back at the house, okay?"
"Sounds good!" He gave me another quick kiss, said bye to Holly and then left. I swear that after Carter left, Holly was buying twice as much stuff as she did before.
"You don't want to get anything, Madison?"
I did want to. A couple of the things Holly bought, I'd been looking at and wishing I had money for stuff like this. I didn't remember the last time I was able to buy a new outfit, and goodwill did not count. "No, I'm okay."
"My dad always makes fun of me and says the only reason I work is so I can spend it later." She started laughing and I joined her because her dad was right.
When we got back to the house, Carter was still out and I was exhausted. I said hello to his dad and brother, then told them I was going to go lie down. Tomorrow was my birthday , but I hadn't celebrated it since before my mother died. I always get a little down around this time of the year. I went to Carter's room, and I think I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I felt strong arms encircle me, not in a possessive threatening way, but in a way that made me feel loved. I opened my eyes and Carter was lying down with me, holding me in his arms. It surprised me how loving and patient he was with me. He was one of the most amazing people I'd ever met.
He noticed I was awake and looked down at me. "Hey, you."
"Hey, yourself." I was still upset about my birthday, but I couldn't be mad at Carter. I never even told him when it was. Chris knew, but he didn't mention it and we never celebrated it.
"How was your day? Did you get anything?"
He didn't understand either. "No, but I think your sister bought enough to fill an entire store."
"All right, come on. My dad has dinner on the table."
"Your dad cooks?"
"Yeah, but instead of the oven, he uses the phone." We both started laughing. He always knew how to make me smile. After dinner, his dad called Carter and I into the living room.
"I picked up a movie for you two to watch."
He handed Carter a movie I'd never heard of-'Insidious.' "Dad, this movie is gonna scare her half to death!"
"Well, then, I guess you're just gonna have to find a way to comfort her." He winked at Carter. Carter turned to me and I think he was unsure what to do.
"I'm game if you are. As long as you promise to stay close to me. I've never watched a scary movie before."
"Never?"
"Nope. I guess that's another first for us."
"Holly and Anthony are both at friends' houses tonight so they won't be home until later, and I'm going to go play poker with the guys. I'll see you in the morning." His dad walked out the door and we were all alone.
We went into Carter's room and got changed. I lay down on the bed while he got the movie ready. He lay against his backrest again. I looked over at him, trying to figure out if I should lie with him like I did before. He held out his arm to me. "C'mon, come lie down."
To say that I was scared by the end of the movie was an extreme understatement. I hadn't left Carter's side the entire time. He kept his arms around me, except when he'd rub my back or stroke my hair. When the movie
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