Nope.
As soon as we turn the corner, we see that everyone is on the balcony outside for the draw of the door prizes.
Someone points at us and then everyone is pointing. Eli quickly takes off his jacket and drapes it over my head, but I can still hear the giggling and laughing as we rush to the parking lot.
“And the winner of the new golf clubs,” the announcer says over the microphone, “is Carrie Rivers!”
“Of course,” I mutter as Eli takes me away.
“Do you want to go accept them?” he asks with a laugh.
“I never want to see a golf club again,” I say as we try to escape with the ounce of dignity that we have left.
The soft grass turns to gravel and I know we’re close.
“Over there,” Eli says as he pulls his jacket off.
“That’s your car?!” I ask with my eyes brimming wide. It’s a freaking Ferrari. Red. Gorgeous. That’s all I know about cars.
“Yeah, come on.”
Geez, I had no idea that Eli was rich. But then again it makes sense—once he gets the hearts out of his eyes, he’s a really clever guy.
Just as we arrive to safety, two annoyed voices ring out.
“Carrie!”
“Mr. Cline!”
We both gulp as we turn around and see the two people we don’t want to see.
My boss is glaring at me with a disapproving look on his face and Mr. Brown is seething as he stares at Eli in disbelief. His son Gabriel is standing behind him, trying not to laugh.
There are so many eyes on us. I’m soaked. I just lost my virginity to a man I barely know. My mind goes numb as my legs seem to weaken.
This is all so much. Overwhelm hits me like a punch in the gut as I stand there with my ears beginning to ring.
Get out of here.
Something in me snaps. Panic maybe, or my fight or flight instinct. But I just start running to my car.
Mr. Brown approaches Eli as Mr. Miller follows me.
“Are you kidding me, Carrie?” he says. “You’re fired!”
I turn and spit in his face. “Fuck you, you creep!”
He recoils and wipes the gob of spit off his cheek as I jump into my car and turn it on. I slam on the gas and he has to jump out of the way as I hightail it out of there.
Chapter Nine
Carrie
“It was the best and worst night of my life,” I tell Chester as he rolls onto his back so I can rub his tummy. He mumbles his delight as I begin to drag my nails up his furry stomach.
I hate how the night ended. It was perfect until we got caught.
Then, everything came crumbling down around us.
I’m unemployed. Again.
But that’s not what’s really hurting me right now.
I messed it up with Eli. He’s probably upset with me that he lost the account with Mr. Brown. There’s no way that the conservative old man will continue to invest in Eli’s company after that display.
“Ugh,” I groan as I lay on my back beside Chester and stare at my ceiling that really needs to be painted.
What a bummer.
Chester starts to shake with a seizure and I instantly dart to his side to make sure he doesn’t get hurt. This is a disaster. I won’t be able to afford the insane veterinarian bills and medication anymore. I was already at the cheapest vet in town and he seems to be more of a quack than a real doctor.
I drop my head and let the tears come as Chester gets up, looking confused.
The doorbell rings and I shake my head. “Go away.”
They don’t.
Knocking follows and then more ringing.
“Fine.”
I push up to my feet and then walk over to the door. I look like shit—still in my pajamas with my hair a mess from last night and my eyes all puffy red, but I don’t care. I have no one to impress.
“What?” I ask as I yank the door open. My heart seizes in my chest when I see Eli standing there looking sexy as ever.
He’s dressed perfectly for Sunday morning in an old faded baseball hat, a Nirvana T-Shirt, and old ripped up jeans. God, he’s hot.
“You’re crying,” he says with his face dropping. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I quickly say as I wipe the tears away with the back of my hand. “I was just watching a sad commercial.”
His brow scrunches up like he doesn’t quite believe me, but he lets it go. “I want to introduce you to my new friend.”
I jerk my head back in surprise when a man dressed sharply in a Polo shirt and khakis steps forward with a nod. I was so focused on Eli that I didn’t even notice he was there.
“Hello,” he says in a professional manner. “I’m Dave Matthews.”
“The singer?” I ask, confused.
He shakes his head. “I get that a lot, but no. I’m a veterinarian.”
My head perks up. My heart nearly stops.
“He’s going to take care of Chester,” Eli says.
“Why?” It’s the most ineloquent answer, but it’s what flies out of my mouth.
“I told you I was going to take care of you,” he says as he stares at me like he did last night. “And that means taking care of Chester too. I got my sister Brooke to find him last night. He’s the best veterinarian in the state.”
I leap into his arms and he wraps them around me with a smile on his face. There’s a loving look in his eyes as he gazes down at me. I don’t look nearly as hot as I did last night, but that doesn’t seem to matter to him at all. It’s pure adoration in those dark brown eyes as he holds me tight like he’s never going to let me go.
“Is this the little guy?” Dave Matthews (not the singer) asks as he walks past us to where Chester is on the floor. He immediately starts examining him as Chester licks his nose. “What medications is he on?”
I start rattling off the long complicated names and giving him the schedule as he checks Chester’s teeth. “Hmmm,” he says with a pensive look. “That’s not ideal. I have a new medication that’s working wonders that I’d like to try.”
“That would be amazing,” I say as my whole mood shifts.
My whole world is shifting because of Eli.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I say as I look up at him.
“He’s going to take care of him from now on,” Eli says. “Whatever you or Chester needs, you two will get. And it’s all on me.”
I’m shaking my head as I stare into his eyes. I’m in love with this man.
“It’s conditional, though.”
My stomach drops.
“On what?”
“That you come with me.”
“Holy shit fuck!” I scream as our raft surges toward a huge wave.
Eli’s arm wraps around me protectively as I brace myself for the impact. It comes hard. Our raft bounces up and poor Luke gets thrown out of it like he was shot out of a cannon.
Our raft keeps flying down the river, dipping and rising with every swell of the rough waves.
My man wanted to prove that he was good at sports, so he brought me white water rafting with his family.
“That was amazing!” Gabriel shouts as his eyes widen with excitement.