Caroline frowns, checking the time on her phone. “She’s usually finished with her shift by now. I was hoping she could sit with us for a few minutes. I wanted to go over some wedding details.”
I am already so over wedding details. “Maybe some other time,” I say easily, like it’s no big deal, having a conversation with Stella and my sister. Back in the day, it wouldn’t have been. When we were younger, I merely tolerated Stella. She was annoying. I immediately deemed all of my sister’s friends annoying. That attitude lasted right into our very early twenties.
But then something changed. Specifically with Stella. I noticed how beautiful she was. I liked her feisty personality. She isn’t afraid to share her opinion. She stands up for what she wants. Her curves used to make my hands itch, like they couldn’t wait to touch her.
“Hopefully,” Caroline says, pursing her lips as she continues watching Stella.
“I should probably get going soon.” Now I’m the one checking my phone for the time, though I’m lying. I have nowhere to go, nowhere to be. Absently I scratch the palm of my hand and I immediately stop. They itch because of Stella.
As in I want to touch her.
Bad idea, bro. Really bad idea.
“Oh Carter. Can’t you sit still for a just little while?” Caroline returns her attention to me, sipping her drink. The giant rock on her ring finger catches the light and nearly blinds me.
Alex Wilder went all out for that engagement ring, and I have to say, I’m glad to have him as my future brother-in-law. Considering we were best friends back in middle school, it’s been great that we’ve reconnected. They’ve gone to visit me when I lived in Southern California. I came up to visit them here too, but always quick trips, never wanting to linger too long.
I left home for a reason. I wanted more. We didn’t have much growing up, and I was surrounded by rich people my entire life. This town, this entire area always made me feel…less than. The minute I could leave, I did. Why would I want to come back? So I could look like a failure?
Guess I failed, because here I am. Fairly broke and in desperate need of a change. Since Alex and Caroline got together, they kept trying to talk me into returning, and I kept brushing them off.
Until I got into a screaming match with the broker at the agency I was working at about a month ago. Didn’t help that the broker was also my ex-girlfriend and she hates me. Never get into a relationship with a woman you work with, is what I learned after my messy breakup with Robyn.
The screaming match turned into me quitting in a moment of pure frustration and anger. Regret hit me the moment I said the words, but then I realized this:
I was burned out.
Tired.
Exhausted really.
Once I got home—after I had a few beers with friends, both celebrating and lamenting my new professional status—I calmly assessed my situation and realized I wasn’t in the best position to quit my job. For the past five years, I’ve worked hard yet spent my money just as hard too. I was a complete workaholic who also knew how to party. I was generous to a fault, paying for my friends’ and colleagues’ dinners, bar tabs. You name it, I covered it.
My savings isn’t as large as I’d like it to be, though I can survive for a while if I manage my money carefully. I’m not a fan of debt. I like to keep my credit card balances low to nonexistent. I should be all right, but I need to find a job.
More than anything, I want to take a nap.
“I need to find somewhere to live,” I tell my sister. I want my own place. My sister’s fiancé mentioned before I moved that I could live with him for a while, and I considered it. Staying with Alex at his huge house by the ocean would be nice and all, but I know Caroline is always there. I’d feel like a third wheel. Rent in the area is astronomical. I could possibly buy a place, but the down payment would take up all of my savings, possibly more, and I’m not even sure if I want to remain here permanently.
“You could stay at Alex’s,” Caroline points out, because she always makes that offer.
I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”
The look on her face tells me exactly what she’s thinking. I’m stubborn. I’m being ridiculous. And maybe I am. But I don’t want to live with Alex. I don’t want to get locked into some year-long lease in some shitty apartment either. Currently I’m staying at the Wilder Hotel in Pebble Beach for free, but I don’t want to be Alex’s charity case.
I do have some pride, after all.
“You don’t want to stay at the hotel for a few months?” she asks.
I’ve already told her I don’t want to. “If I could find a place with cheap month-to-month rent, that would be ideal. Though I know someplace like that doesn’t actually exist in this area.” I take a big sip of my coffee. The latte makes me think of Stella. Just being back here makes me think of her. Hell, she’s only a few feet away from me, and every once in a while, the hairs on my arms feel like they’re standing on end. Like I can feel her watching me.
Is she watching me?
Glancing over my shoulder, I spot her immediately. It’s like she has a sensor and I can home in on her without even trying. She is watching me, and my heartrate starts increasing.
But then I realize she’s glaring at me with fury filling her brown eyes, and I look away, trying to ignore my disappointment.
That look in her eyes is confirmation she really must hate me.
“…and so I’m thinking maybe you should move in with her. Temporarily. I know the idea sounds crazy, but I really believe it could work. What do you think?”
Caroline’s talking to me and I didn’t hear most of what she just said.
“Repeat that again?” I ask wearily.
Caroline rolls her eyes. “I’ve been hinting to Stella for a while that I plan on moving in with Alex, but I haven’t told her straight out yet. Well, now I’m going to, because Alex wants me to move in next week, and you could take over my bedroom once I’m gone! Temporarily, of course, until you figure out what you want to do.”
Did my sister just suggest I should move in with…Stella?
Hell no.
“She won’t like that.”
“Oh, come on! You two have always gotten along!”
That isn’t true. “Not really.”
“You’re busy people. You’ll barely see each other.” Caroline waves a dismissive hand.
“I’m currently not working, so if I moved in, I’m sure I’d see her all the time.” No thanks. I feel bad enough, ditching her like I did after that one night. If I had to face her on a daily basis, knowing how much she hates me?
I couldn’t take it.
“You’ll find a job quickly, I know you. You don’t like sitting around doing nothing.” Caroline frowns, her gaze drifting to the front of the bakery, most likely settling on Stella. “I don’t want to leave her alone, but Alex is practically begging. We’re getting married in a couple of months, so I may as well move in now…”
“You really think Stella would want me as her roommate?” Of course she wouldn’t. And if Caroline knew the reason why, she wouldn’t want us to be roommates either.
“I don’t think she’d mind…” Caroline shrugs. “What’s the big deal?”