Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“You could come to New York with me,” Carter said.
Fuck, I wished I could. “I can’t. I have an author event scheduled at the store tomorrow. I’m already a little behind preparing for that.”
He nodded, looking as disappointed as I felt. “We’re going to need to talk about it…what Elliott’s announcement means for us.”
“I know.” But I didn’t think either of us wanted to. We knew what it meant. We’d actively worked to avoid discussing it for the two days he was here.
I felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, because we were so close.
“I’m sure that’s Elliott again. I’m already late,” Carter said.
“We’ll talk soon.” My chest felt heavy…tight…as I pulled him even closer. Carter wrapped around me like he wanted to crawl inside me as we kissed.
Then he was pulling away. I smiled and he smiled, blowing me a playful kiss, and then with one more look over his shoulder, Carter James was gone again, off on whatever adventure awaited him next.
Carter ended up going from New York to London. We still spoke every day and texted photos back and forth. He looked sexy as fuck in a suit, and not for the first time, I wished I were there to see him in it, wished I could share some of his journeys with him.
I’d never wanted that before, never wanted anything more than Fearless, my friends, and maybe love, but I thought I would want anything if it meant being with Carter.
We still actively avoided talking about Elliott’s announcement and how busy Carter would be now. I thought we were both holding on for as long as we could.
I followed along through his Instagram page, seeing him schmooze and laugh and succeed. There was no one who deserved it more than he did.
He was in London for a week and a half, and the past couple of days, we weren’t even able to talk, except through text. The time difference made it difficult, and he was so busy. When I saw photos of him, there were bags and dark circles under his eyes, which I wasn’t foolish enough to tell him about, but he looked tired…drained.
I’m going to stay up late to talk to you, he texted.
I’d seen how exhausted he looked, though I wasn’t sure if anyone would notice it other than me. Baby…go to sleep. You need your rest, I messaged back.
You’re right…I can hardly hold my eyes open. But I miss you.
I miss you too, but you need to get some rest. You’ve been busy.
There was a pause in the conversation, and I began to wonder if Carter had fallen asleep. I was at Fearless and checking my texts in between customers at the end-of-summer sale we were having.
Finally, he replied: We’re going to need to talk soon, aren’t we?
My heart dropped, but I knew he was right. The last thing we wanted was to end up resenting each other or fighting because we never got to see each other. Yeah, baby…I think we are.
I kept trying to tell myself if we ignored it, we wouldn’t have to say it.
You and me both, I replied. I don’t want to lose you.
You won’t. You’re basically my best friend.
I couldn’t help but smile. You’re mine too.
I fly out tomorrow. I can try and change my flight. I can probably be in Georgia for about twelve hours or so before I need to head to LA.
My stomach ached. I didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to say goodbye to him, but it was too much. How could I expect Carter to do his job while also trying to go back and forth between LA and Fever Falls? He would kill himself. That’s a lot. I don’t want you to have to fly here.
It had been hard to type that. I wanted to see him so badly.
We should do it in person. Plus, I really miss you.
God, why did shit have to be so hard? I kept trying to tell myself we could make this work, that somehow the distance wouldn’t tear us apart, but we knew better than that. I miss you too. Let me know when I need to pick you up. I don’t care what time it is, and no, you’re not taking an Uber. I want every moment I can have with you.
Every moment I could have as we said goodbye.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Carter
Sawyer and I headed to Fever Falls from the airport, an unsettling tension lingering between us.
Seeing each other hadn’t led to a make-out session or the passionate frenzy I’d gotten so used to. No, it wasn’t like the night when we’d been intoxicated with a couple of drinks, when passion had led us into the back seat of his car. Or anything like the many evenings we’d shared with each other since.
We sat in silence, more like we might have during that time after he caught me blowing a guy at Fever, before we’d found ourselves stranded at the ski lodge in Whistle Ridge. It’s not supposed to be like this was all I could think, even as we parked and walked up to his apartment.