Carter (The Harlow Brothers Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

I saw you walking. I thought I’d seen a fucking ghost.” I chuckle at his words, but it dies as he says, “I know Carter and Mama will be happy you’re back,” he stops when I start shaking my head.
    “Please Caden, don’t tell anyone I’m here yet. I … I’m not ready for anyone to know. Especially Carter. You understand, don’t you?”
    He looks away as if he’s thinking about what I’m asking him. I know I’m putting him in an awkward position, but Carter cannot know yet. I can’t let him see me like this, and I’m definitely not ready to face him. Caden nods and says, “Yeah, I understand. But, I won’t lie to him. If he asks, I have to tell him. You of all people know why.”
    “I’d never ask you to lie to him. I remember our pact, even if it seems like forever ago since we made it.” Caden nods, seeming to agree. And I do remember our little group pact we made years ago in our tree house. We made a promise never to lie to one another. Even at eleven years old, I saw what lies did to people. I watched my Mom and Dad fight on multiple occasions because my Dad claimed she was lying. I knew Mom lied to Dad before. Once I caught her kissing a man outside our home, and she told me to promise to never tell anyone. I didn’t listen, immediately telling Carter, and Mom made sure I couldn’t sit down for days after she found out I’d told.
    “Good. Do you want a ride somewhere?” He asks as he points his thumb to his police car. I don’t think twice about it before I nod my head and thank him as we both get in. I place my bag by my feet, and once I put on my seat belt, Caden slowly pulls out, heading north. We leave Main Street behind, and it’s not until we pass by the Waffle House when he asks, “Where do you want me to take you?”
    “Annie and William’s, please.” I glance at him and quickly add, “If they still live there. I haven’t spoken to them in a long time.” I turn away, absently staring out the window as I whisper, “A lot can change in thirteen years.”
    I don’t know if Caden heard me since he didn’t say anything about my last comment. He does begin to tell me Annie and William still live in their small house out on Jess Lyons Road. He doesn’t ask me why I want to go there, he knows how much Annie and William mean to me. We all loved Annie and William. If we weren’t at Caden’s parents’ home, we were at Annie and William’s. We spent so much time there, that William built us a tree house in the backyard and put up a tree swing. Annie would make all kinds of food for us, and it always seemed like Thanksgiving Day when she did. These are the good memories. The ones I cherish and wish I could go back to relive again.
    Caden’s voice trails off as I think about the past. Our silence isn’t uncomfortable. It’s actually nice to be around someone I trust again. Someone I know who won’t ask me twenty-one questions just to gain information about me to use later. I don’t have to watch what I say, when I do talk. I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s such a relief to be with an old friend again. I want to break our silence, but then again, I want to relish in this peaceful feeling I’m having. It’s a feeling I thought I’d never have again after everything that happened between Easton and I.
    Then I wonder if Mom moving to Charleston had anything to do with how my life changed so much. I still have no idea why she chose to move down the street from us.
    Things started to change quite drastically after Easton met my Mom. For years, I was able to come up with excuse after excuse to why Easton couldn’t meet her. I didn’t want him to see how selfish she was, or how she treated me. Easton didn’t know about my past with Carter. I didn’t tell him about how my father died, and how much I blamed my mother for it. He didn’t know anything actually. I kept my precious memories to myself, only thinking of them as I fell asleep every night. I kept my secrets