Page 41 of Carter

“I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d take up reading.” He smiles.

“Why does that sound like a lie?”

Chuckling, he asks, “Are you off for the day?”

“No, just going to grab lunch for me and my boss.”

“Let me walk with you.”

Warmth spreads through my chest before I can stop it. It's stupid how relieved I am to see him, especially when I didn’t even know I’d been hoping I would.

A wave of guilt hits me then. I saw him and didn’t think to ask about Ryan’s case. What the hell does that mean?

Chapter fifteen

Nash

“Did you learn something new?” Carter asks as we walk down the few steps to the sidewalk. There’s an urgency to his voice that I haven’t heard before, and it immediately has me thinking something is wrong.

But what? He was fine just a moment ago, and now… something is wrong. Maybe he’s just worried that I have bad news since I showed up unannounced. It’s my fault. I should have told him instead of showing up out of the blue like this.

“No, not exactly. I have my team re-interviewing the businesses in the area, but nothing has come up yet.”

He nods. “So, you really did want to take up reading?”

I smirk. “Maybe. How far is this place we’re going to?” I ask.

“Just another block. Have you eaten lunch yet?”

“It’s too early for lunch,” I say.

“Normally, I’d agree with you, but my boss is hungry and I slept like shit. When that happens, all I want to do is eat.”

“It’s your body’s way of getting the energy it needs.”

“I assumed as much. Annoying though. I just wish it was easier to sleep.”

“I understand that all too well.”

He looks up at me, his eyes bright in the sun. It’s fooling us all though. Out and bright, but it’s cold as hell over here. I’m not a fan of the summer; I get uncomfortable in the heat, but I’ll take spring and fall any day.

“Have you always had problems sleeping, or just after…”

“After my parents. Trauma will do that to you. It really fucks with your head.”

“I hoped therapy would help, but I don’t think it is.”

“You keep going for a reason.” He doesn’t say anything. “What’s that reason?”

Carter thinks about it for a moment as we walk side by side, dodging people bustling to get to where they’re going. The city is loud all the time, a different kind of noise than is in Chicago. It’s strange the way two major cities are so much the same yet so different.

“I like having a safe place to talk about Ryan. It makessomepart of me feel good; I just don’t think it’s doing anything to heal me.”

“Healing is… tricky.”

“That’s one word for it.” We stop in front of a café with a blue and white awning above the door and gold lettering on the window. Carter pulls open the door. I shake my head, hold it open, and gesture for him to go inside with a roll of my eyes.

Smirking, he does, and we get into the line.