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

even closer, reminding myself every day of the pain I went through when Carter broke my heart into pieces. I didn’t open up to anyone while I lived in South Carolina. I chose to keep everything locked away, thinking if I just stopped remembering the past it would eventually go away. It didn’t, but I learned how to pretend to be perfectly put together.
    “Are you sure you don’t want to stop by and see Mama? I know she’ll be ecstatic to see you.” Caden’s voice pulls me out of my head, putting a halt on the way my thoughts were going. I turn to face him, thinking of what to say. “It’s fine if you don’t want to. I just thought I’d ask again before I drop you off at the Barrett’s.”
    I sigh, looking away. I do want to see Linda and Mitchell. I miss them just as much as I’ve missed Annie and William. But, I can’t let anyone else see me this way. I feel as though I’ve hit rock bottom. I look and smell horrible. The last thing I want is for them to pity me, and question what happened. If anything, I don’t want them to see how ashamed I am of myself. I could’ve changed how I came back, but I didn’t. I was too weak. “Maybe some other time,” I say quietly. I can’t help but feel like a terrible person as his face falls. He nods, and I hope he understands why I don’t want to see them yet, even if I haven’t told him. Caden used to be very good at reading people, their emotions, and I don’t think that skill ever left. He looks over at me for a moment, giving me a small smile. It reassures me he’s not upset I turned down his request. “Tell me about everyone. How are they?” I add. I want to change the subject, and I do want to know how everyone has been.
    Caden makes a right at the red light outside of town. Our ride is coming close to an end, and I realize I don’t want it to. I want to talk to Caden for hours about what I’ve missed. “Who do you want me to start with? You’ve been gone a long time. A lot has changed.”
    I think about it for a few minutes before I decide. “Cason. Tell me about him.” I knew it would be best to start with Caden’s twin. Back when we were kids, they shared a bond none of us understood.
    I watch his face light up as I mention Cason’s name. He smiles, saying, “Cason is Cason.” He chuckles loudly as if he’s reliving a memory. “He owns a gym now. Mostly teaching the ladies how to defend themselves, and he seems to like being a personal trainer.” He looks both ways at another stop sign before he turns right once more. I start to ask more about Cason, but Caden begins to give me more information. “Cason is probably the one that’s changed the most. You remember how he used to be very quiet, never got into any trouble and was pretty smart in school.” I nod, remembering before I left, Cason seemed the same as he always was. “Well, he’s not like that anymore. None of us understood what happened. It happened shortly after you left, and we went through some shit with Carter. I don’t really know what’s going on with him, and that’s saying a lot since I can always tell when something’s off. He’s always in a pissed off mood or picking fights for no reason. I’ve had to get him out of trouble more times than I’d care too.”
    I feel my chest tighten when he mentions Carter, but I ignore it. Caden doesn’t speak for a few moments, and I don’t interrupt him for a while. He seems lost in his thoughts, and I hate that Cason isn’t the same as he once was. “What about Clark and Caleb?” I ask, hoping to take his mind off his troubling twin.
    “Clark’s deployed right now. He joined the Army as soon as he turned eighteen, and he calls home every chance his gets. He’s always been the hero type out of all of us. Now, Caleb, he’s doing pretty well. He’s getting ready to graduate at MIT.”
    “Really? Wow, that’s amazing. I always knew Clark would join the military. It’s all he ever talked about, and Caleb’s one of