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April huffed and flounced away

"You’ve decided toCarter really was leaving and without her Not that she’d thought he take her with hiht stay here, because of her

Dark green eyes swung back to her "I--"

"How did she know and not me?"

"April ht"

Melanie’s eyes widened "She followed us to Charlotte?"

"Apparently, but she does live there I’d planned on talking to you about that Saturday night, but we got a little sidetracked" He drilled his fingers on the table "Now the cat’s out of the bag, I--"

"That’s great news I know you’ve s can’t coreat" Oh God, now she sounded like a ra fool, but she couldn’t stop herself "Charlotte will be great for you and your business" Could she stop saying everything was great, because it wasn’t and someone had taken her fork so she couldn’t stab herself in the hand Everything was horrible and heart-breaking, and everything she kneould be

Confusion filled his sexy eyes "It will?"

She shot to her feet, overturning her chair "I need to go hoht it, Carter stopped her with a hand on her elbow

"I’ll get it," he said, picking up the chair and sliding it under the table

Moving to the , she wavered between looking out of it and escaping through it Only April seeing her leave so undignifiedrooo for a ride, clear our heads and--"

"No," she said as tears gathered in her throat "I’ll ride withhe’s fit to drive If not, I’ll drive" She would be good at it, too, because Carter had been the one to help learn to drive stick again Another slice to the heart

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he bent his knees a bit to look her in the eyes "Guess tonight wouldn’t be the best night to come by, with your dad and all How about to He only wanted to do the right thing by letting her down gently Look at what April had said and done, and not one time had he embarrassed his ex or even called her names He never resorted to that, only stuck with the truth of the situation and let it speak for hied for a real rin kicked up the corners of his mouth "Jack needs his best waitress, huh?"

"No, Carter" She glanced away, her shoulders beginning to shake "I think it’s best if you don’t come by at all Ever"

His arms came around her then "Don’t do this, Melanie"

"There’s no this, no us" She shrugged out of his hold "Never was"

"So that’s it?" He clenched his hands at his side "After this weekend, after--"

"What did you expect?"she asked, then took a deep breath "I’ets taken hoh Carter had done exactly that "Girls like et taken to bars, the beach and occasionally a chain restaurant for a special dinner Girls like , because his car never ever stops at the town’s trailer park" Even though Carter had come to her house more times than she could count "He never comes to where ork and sweeps us off of our feet like in that Richard Gerefor him to show up anyway"

"Besides, you said my lie by o rown another head "You’re right"

Her mouth dropped open "I a" He turned away froht fists There was a tic in his jaw "Go home Melanie I’ll text you later this week-- to listen toback and broad shoulders At his clothes that cost ood look at his parents’ house, the house he’d grown up in Everything belonged to the on their door in thetheet out They were from two very different worlds and no e things

Her little impro so better to do, slu

"Good bye, Carter," she said, walking out of the dining roo the way, huddled in the fareen eyes so like her brother’s A fresh wave of tears threatened to fall "Where are you going?"

Back to where she belonged "Home"

"Why?" Zoe asked and Melanie knew her best friend wouldn’t stop until she got an answer thatmade sense to Melanie

Not anyood Oh but he’ll visit for holidays" Melanie wiped under her eye with a knuckle "Who knohen you’ll ain Memaw’s old house needs so much work, and I don’t knohere to start," Zoe said, her eyes watery "Besides, I can’t leave you You’re , Melanie let go of Zoe and put her hand on the door knob She could hear her dad pleading with Raylene to talk to hi to take my Aunt Bethany up on her offer to come work for her at the Crab Shack Just last week, she said it wasn’t healthy for s and ain"

"Two hours isn’t that far away," Zoe said with a sad s to give my jerk of a brother a piece of my mind"

Trust her best friend to take her side, no o too hard on him I’m the one who ended whatever it e had"

Zoe blinked "Why would you do that?"

"Because…" Carter appeared in her line of vision and she sed "I really need to go Textlook covered Zoe’s face as she turned back "Got it Let "

"I will," Melanie proan to walk their way She wrenched open the door and flew outside, stopping by her dad "It’s time to leave, Louis"

"Not until Raylene talks toto his knees beside the car that Raylene currently occupied with her husband Louis’ truck was parked in the way,it impossible for them to back out

White hot fury rose inside of Melanie, roaring like a tornado about to do rabbed Louis by the ar yourself"

"No I’ foraround she saw Carter standing on the porch, his arave way toas her cheeks heated