Her Last Love (Small Town Hearts Trilogy #1) (11 page)

Later that evening, after hours of eating corn dogs and funnel cakes, laughing like loons over attempts to win prizes, and riding every ride in the carnival, Carter and the boys took her home. The cab was quiet, the only sounds were that of the kids’ even breathing as they slept in the backseat, hugging the stuffed animals their dad had won for them. Carter reached for her hand, giving a quick kiss to the back of it, and kept it wrapped in his the whole ride home. 

As they pulled into the driveway, Lynn reached for her bag, and the leftover cotton candy and the toy she, too, had received from Carter. 

"Don't worry about walking me to the door," she said quietly. "You need to get the boys home and into bed." 

"They'll be okay for a minute." He reached for the door handle and pulled. The interior lights of the truck came on, causing Nathan to lift his sleepy head and peer out from under heavy eyelids at his father. 

"It's okay, Nate. I'm just going to make sure Ms. Lynn gets inside safe. Go back to sleep." 

Nathan nodded, his head and eyes already drooping again, he leaned his head against the window. Carter and Lynn closed their doors as quietly as possible, then followed the brick walk that was now being illuminated by solar lights. When they came to a stop at her front door, Carter reached up to rest his hands lightly on her upper arms. 

"Thank you." 

"For what?" 

"For being okay with taking the boys tonight. They had a blast." 

"Carter, it was more than okay. They're great kids, and they're not the only ones who had fun." 

"Good."  

"Although...." 

"Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good." 

"No, it's not a big deal," she began. "At least not for me. Might be for you though." 

"Dare I ask?" 

"Well, I can't give you specifics, because I promised, and because we did a spit shake on it." 

"Sounds serious." 

"It is, and not just for Logan. He asked me some questions, told me some things, while we were on the carousel. I told him I wouldn't tell you what exactly. If I decided it was important, I would tell you. And you’d know you should talk about it. It’s important, so you two should talk." 

"Okay." Carter looked towards the truck where his boys slept, puffed air out of his cheeks. "Guess we'll be having a chat then." 

Lynn nodded, looking down at the concrete between her feet. Somewhere during the activities of the day, she realized that she was feeling things towards Carter again. Things she hadn't felt in a long time for anyone, and she wasn't sure how to handle them. 

"Anything else you need to tell me?" 

"Uh, no." Dear God, was it written all over her face? "If I say any more, I'll end up breaking my promise." 

"And you're okay?" 

"Yeah, just tired. You should tell me goodnight, so I can head inside and you can get those kids home to their beds." 

"Hmmmm..... an offer I can't refuse." He pulled her into a snug embrace, tilted her head, and gave her a lingering kiss. "Thank you, again, for making today more perfect than I imagined it could be." 

"No thanks necessary, but you're more than welcome." She smiled up at him. 

"Now get inside," he ordered, with one last quick kiss. "It's cold out here, and I don't want you getting sick. I'll call you tomorrow," he promised as he made his way back to the truck. 

"I'll talk to you then. Drive safe." She watched and waved as he backed out of the driveway and headed down the road. Once the truck was out of sight, she slipped inside and closed the door behind her. She headed to her bedroom, knowing that even though she'd spent the day with two active boys, she wouldn't get much sleep that night. She had to figure out how to deal with the fact that she was falling in love with Carter all over again.  

* * *  

Fall was now in full swing. The once-colorful leaves were now falling to be crunched under the feet of those walking down the sidewalk, and fat orange pumpkins were gracing front porch steps. October had sped by in a blur, and soon it would be time for the kids to wear the costumes they'd been talking about for weeks. Teachers understood that nothing would be accomplished in school today, not with colorful costumes, an assortment of candies, and fun parties to go to only a day away. 

Lynn had a party of her own to go to this year, an adults-only costume party with Carter as her date. Tonight, she would dress up in the costume she had rented, go to the party and have a great time. She hadn't even had to go through the debate about what to be; Bethany's girls had introduced her to the Disney movie Brave, and had said that she looked like Merida, and could that be her outfit for the party? She'd been unable to say no to the pair of sweet faces and had promised to do her best to find a suitable costume. She looked over at the forest green floor length dress hanging on the back of the bedroom door, with its fitted waist and long puffy sleeves. The kids would be impressed, she thought, when they saw her hair. She'd gone online to find out how to make her hair curly like the movie's heroine. Which was why she had her once-wet hair wrapped and pinned around several dozen drinking straws. Lynn laughed to herself as she mused about the lengths that some adults go to make kids happy. 

She had to admit she was looking forward to trick-or-treating with Carter's sons tomorrow night. Lynn hadn't been since she herself was a child, and it would be fun to experience it from the adult perspective. But as much as she was looking forward to taking the kids out tomorrow night, she was anticipating tonight’s party even more. She was grateful that the hosts of the party tonight had been intuitive enough to plan the party for the night before Halloween, so that parents could still attend and be available to take their kids around the neighborhood the following evening. 

A glance at the clock and Lynn saw she had about an hour before Carter came to pick her up for the party. She gathered the costume, the shoes, the mock bow and arrow, setting them by the front door before heading back to the bedroom and slipping into the dress. Lynn was just sitting down at her mirror, preparing to finish her hair and start on her make-up, when the phone rang. She picked up the portable handset that sat on the table beside her. 

“Hello?” 

“I'm only going to tell you this once, you bitch. Stay away from my husband.” The words sounded as if they had been bitten off through clenched teeth. 

Lynn set down the compact she had in her other hand, and took a deep breath, trying her best to recognize the voice of the woman speaking. 

“Who is this?” 

“Don't play dumb. Though with you, it wouldn't be playing, now would it?” 

“Look, I don't know who this is, but I don't appreciate you calling this way. Call here like this again, and I'll be reporting it.” Lynn pulled the phone away from her ear to make the move to hang up, when the voice on the other end of the line spoke again, catching her attention. 

“You really are stupid, aren't you?” The woman on the other end of the line sneered. “This is Hillary. You remember, Carter's 
wife
?” 

Lynn paused, unsure of what to say. Before she could reply, Hillary continued. 

“Yeah, I figured you'd remember who I was. I sure as hell remember you. Just like I remember the last time I had to make a phone call like this and remind you where you stood in the grand scheme of things.” 

Lynn found her voice, and used it to let her irritation at the phone call be known. 

“I'm sure that there's a point here somewhere, Hillary. Why don't you get to it?” 

“Don't get snotty with me, you goddamn home-wrecker. That's why I called, to tell you to stay away from Carter. You think I don't know that you've been seeing him again, calling him? That you two have started to email back and forth again? I've read the little notes you've sent each other. It's sickening.” 

“From everything I've heard, you two are divorcing, so what Carter does is none of your business anymore. And I'm sure he'll be thrilled to hear that you've been hacking into his email. Again.” Lynn pressed her other hand to her head, felt the headache start to build in her temples and the nausea began to churn in her stomach. 

“Go ahead and tell him. I don't care. What I don't hear from my boys, I find out on my own. Any way I have to. So go ahead, rat me out. Do you think I don't know him well enough to guess his stupid password again when he changes it? Please. Don't make me laugh.” 

“You're pathetic, Hillary.” 

“Pathetic? Screw you. I'm not the one banging someone else's husband --” 

“Not that it's any of your business, but I have not slept with Carter, not once, since I've been back.” 

“Bullshit. I know better. All you know how to do is spread your legs. So, I will say this one last time. You better stay away from Carter and stay the hell away from my kids. They’ve got a mother already, and they sure don’t need some low life, home0wrecking piece of white trash taking up space in their lives. Got that? You better hope you do because if you don’t, I will make life hell for you.”

The sound of the phone on the other end of the line being slammed down echoed in her ear. Her hands shook from tension and anger as Lynn set the phone back down on the table. She went to get a drink from the refrigerator and paced off the after effects of the call.  

She should have seen it coming, she thought to herself. It had happened before, and here it was happening again. Hillary was right in one part of her rant; she had made similar phones calls to Lynn before. Lynn had been home on leave a couple of years ago, and Hillary had caught wind of it, thought that Carter was cheating with her. Only he hadn't been. And again, Hillary had brushed off any denial that Lynn had offered, even when Lynn had told her she hadn't seen or spoken to Carter in years. She didn't appreciate being called a liar. 

And she 
really 
didn't appreciate the other names that Hillary had offered either. Bitch. Home-wrecker. Low life white trash. The more Lynn stewed over it, the more upset and angry she became. She sank down onto the low couch, elbows on her knees, head in her hands, taking deep breaths. 

This is how Carter found her after knocking on her door and coming in when she called out that the door was open.  

“Is everything okay? What happened? Talk to me, honey.” Carter crouched down in front of her, placed his hands on her calves as he spoke to her. 

“Everything's fine. Well, not fine, but nothing earth shattering.” She sat up, swiped her hands up and over her face. “I had an upsetting phone call, that’s all.” 

“From who? Everyone's okay, nobody's hurt?” 

“No, everyone's okay. Hillary called me.” 

“Hillary?” Carter stood, his eyes narrowing as he imagined what his estranged wife might have to say. 

“Yes, Hillary.” She clasped her hands in her lap as she looked up at him, her eyes following him around the room as he paced, much as she had earlier. 

“What the hell did she want? And how did she get your number?” 

“I didn't think to ask about my number,” Lynn admitted. “I was too busy listening to how I wrecked your marriage, how I was no good, and how she would make my life hell if I didn't leave you and the boys alone.” 

“Tell me what she said, word for word.” Carter sat down on the couch next to Lynn, took her hand in his. 

Lynn recounted the conversation, leaving nothing out. When she reached the point about the emails, Carter swore. 

“Looks like I'll be changing my email address again. Damn it all, I wish she'd act like a grown woman instead of a spoiled child.” Carter looked at Lynn. “Sorry. Finish it, please.” 

Lynn told him the rest, including Hillary's threat. Carter now held her hand between both of his as he closed his eyes and hung his head for a moment. 

“She's crazy. She's out of her damn mind. I think I always knew it, but it's gotten worse.” He picked his head up and looked into Lynn's eyes. “I will talk to her. And I promise I'll do everything I can to keep her away from you, or from calling you.” 

“You can't control her, Carter. She's determined, and she'll do what she wants. All we can do is be prepared for her.” 

“You're probably right.” He looked down at the Batman costume he forgot he wore since he'd left the mask in the truck. “Guess you don't feel like going tonight, huh?” 

“Are you kidding? And pass up on the chance to see you out in public looking like that? Wouldn't miss it.” She grinned at him. “Though I am very tempted to stay in and let you rescue me. Is that a rental, and if so, how long can you keep it?” 

“Go finish getting ready before I take you up on that,” he laughed. “We've got people waiting.” 

* * *  

Carter was riding high the next day as he made his way over to Hillary's to pick up the kids for trick-or-treating. After the initial upset at Lynn's house, they had gone to the party and had a great time. It had resulted in a late night of dancing, strolls down memory lane, and for some, drinking. Thankfully the hosts of the party had planned ahead and made sure every group that came through the door had a designated driver.