hope your kindness and devotion never change.” Having completed his assessment, he gave her a tiny smile.
Cindy blushed at the compliment and Carson admired her for it.
“Also, I think your children are old enough to understand,” she said, pulling the attention off her and returning the conversation to his dilemma. “If you talk with them and explain on their level that you’ll always be there for them no matter what, I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“You make it sound so easy.” He allowed himself to imagine for a few seconds what it would be like to live as a bachelor.
Seeing Cindy’s dark eyes staring at him over the rim of her glass, Carson snapped back into co nsciousness. “Why is it you don’t have a steady man in your life?”
“Huh? Where’d that come from? If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a dozen times. It’s because they’re not looking for a long-term relationship—that’s why. They’re just interested in a slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am encounter with no strings attached. No love, no marriage, no baby in a carriage. I’m just waiting on the Lord to send me that special man made just for me.”
“That’s a good attitude.”
Cindy stared into the distance with a longing e xpression, not answering, and Carson felt he’d intruded too far into her personal life. “Whose place is this, anyway?” he asked, changing to a safer subject.
Cindy blinked and turned back to him. “How’s that again?” she asked hazily.
“I said, whose beautiful place is this, anyway?” He took another sip of ginger-ale.
“Yours! Surprise!” she said in a singsong voice.
Carson nearly choked on his soft drink. “Mine?” He wiped the soda from the corners of his mouth with his knuckle and stared in astonishment. “What do you mean, it’s mine?”
“I mean, this place is what you need to clear your mind.”
“Clear my mind?” he nearly echoed. “Are you suggesting I rent this place for a weekend getaway? I’m not that kind of fel—”
“No,” Cindy broke in. “That’s not what I’m su ggesting at all. Only a moment ago you asked me not to change my caring nature.” She left him some room to respond but he didn’t. “Shame on you for even thinking like that.”
“Well, what’s this all about then?” His brows came together and he could hear the sharp impatience in his voice.
Cindy’s lower lip quivered and she wiped the corner of her eye. “I didn’t mean anything inappropriate. It’s just that a friend of mine who’s a real estate agent happened to tell me it was for lease, and I thought, well, it would be perfect for someone in your situation—” Her voice quivered and she broke off.
Her reaction forced Carson into a corner. He scooted closer and pulled Cindy into his arms and mumbled, “I’m sorry. I should have known better. I’m sorry.” After a minute or so, he released her.
Cindy turned her face away. Finally, she said in a voice so soft that he could barely hear her, “I just thought I was doing you a favor—trying to make your life easier.” She kept her eyes averted from him. “Separating yourself from Katharine awhile will give you time to breathe, think rationally, and decide what would be best for everyone involved.” She reached out and touched his hand, still not looking at him.
“It’s sweet of you to look out for me, but I’m not sure about this,” Carson said, looking around. “I mean, it’s a beautiful place, a comfortable and rela xing environment, but I’m really not sure this is what I need to do.” He was a married man and being in the room with Cindy with make-out music playing was absolutely forbidden.
“Look at it this way,” Cindy began. “You and Katharine married young—right out of college—and didn’t give yourselves time to consider that you might be incompatible. Sometimes we allow the d esires of our flesh to take control. After all, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The truth of those
Cindy blushed at the compliment and Carson admired her for it.
“Also, I think your children are old enough to understand,” she said, pulling the attention off her and returning the conversation to his dilemma. “If you talk with them and explain on their level that you’ll always be there for them no matter what, I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“You make it sound so easy.” He allowed himself to imagine for a few seconds what it would be like to live as a bachelor.
Seeing Cindy’s dark eyes staring at him over the rim of her glass, Carson snapped back into co nsciousness. “Why is it you don’t have a steady man in your life?”
“Huh? Where’d that come from? If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a dozen times. It’s because they’re not looking for a long-term relationship—that’s why. They’re just interested in a slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am encounter with no strings attached. No love, no marriage, no baby in a carriage. I’m just waiting on the Lord to send me that special man made just for me.”
“That’s a good attitude.”
Cindy stared into the distance with a longing e xpression, not answering, and Carson felt he’d intruded too far into her personal life. “Whose place is this, anyway?” he asked, changing to a safer subject.
Cindy blinked and turned back to him. “How’s that again?” she asked hazily.
“I said, whose beautiful place is this, anyway?” He took another sip of ginger-ale.
“Yours! Surprise!” she said in a singsong voice.
Carson nearly choked on his soft drink. “Mine?” He wiped the soda from the corners of his mouth with his knuckle and stared in astonishment. “What do you mean, it’s mine?”
“I mean, this place is what you need to clear your mind.”
“Clear my mind?” he nearly echoed. “Are you suggesting I rent this place for a weekend getaway? I’m not that kind of fel—”
“No,” Cindy broke in. “That’s not what I’m su ggesting at all. Only a moment ago you asked me not to change my caring nature.” She left him some room to respond but he didn’t. “Shame on you for even thinking like that.”
“Well, what’s this all about then?” His brows came together and he could hear the sharp impatience in his voice.
Cindy’s lower lip quivered and she wiped the corner of her eye. “I didn’t mean anything inappropriate. It’s just that a friend of mine who’s a real estate agent happened to tell me it was for lease, and I thought, well, it would be perfect for someone in your situation—” Her voice quivered and she broke off.
Her reaction forced Carson into a corner. He scooted closer and pulled Cindy into his arms and mumbled, “I’m sorry. I should have known better. I’m sorry.” After a minute or so, he released her.
Cindy turned her face away. Finally, she said in a voice so soft that he could barely hear her, “I just thought I was doing you a favor—trying to make your life easier.” She kept her eyes averted from him. “Separating yourself from Katharine awhile will give you time to breathe, think rationally, and decide what would be best for everyone involved.” She reached out and touched his hand, still not looking at him.
“It’s sweet of you to look out for me, but I’m not sure about this,” Carson said, looking around. “I mean, it’s a beautiful place, a comfortable and rela xing environment, but I’m really not sure this is what I need to do.” He was a married man and being in the room with Cindy with make-out music playing was absolutely forbidden.
“Look at it this way,” Cindy began. “You and Katharine married young—right out of college—and didn’t give yourselves time to consider that you might be incompatible. Sometimes we allow the d esires of our flesh to take control. After all, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The truth of those
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