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"It’s not like that, Carter Alexia just needed a place to stay I’m sure she told you that her parents have been less thansupportive"

"What?" Carter asked, clearly having no idea what he was talking about "I gather you know, but she already told her parents as well?" The concern in Carter’s voice was real and raw Brant found hi sorry for him

Alexia was nowhere to be seen and Brant sat on a barstool in his kitchen faced with a decision If she was going to place hi on with Carter, then he wasn’t going to lie when asked a direct question "Yeah, she did and it wastough"

Carter’s voice rose again as he asked, "What do you h as in don’t expect any support from them I think they pretty s up in the air with you and the her off at the knees, she was desperate That’s the only reason she would have come to me after all this ti such an asshole about the whole thing"

"I don’t really know ether, she had always had athe decisions First, it was her father and then me I think she almost needs the coether Especially if things are unsettled between you two I suspect that’s the biggest reason she turned to me when her parents didn’t offer it"

"Yeah," Carter answered absently, "thatthat role in our relationship I justI’ back into that old crowd she was running with I can’t stand to see her relapse after going through so et clean She thinks it means I don’t trust her and that she’s just a burden toour whole relationship nois okay"

Brant was starting to feel like he was a cross between Alexia’s father and a host on a dating show, but this stuff happened when you got involved in people’s lives--and he was in up to his neck in Alexia’s "Just give her time, Carter Let her recover froain"

Carter insisted on leaving his phone nuly thanked him for his help Finally, with assurances that he would call if anything happened with Alexia, Brant gratefully ended the conversation He wasn’t used to dealing with e Suddenly he re spell at work to yank his chain and chuckled God, he missed her so much in that moment that he felt an actual ache in the area of his heart He was s settled here so he could focus his attention back on the little spitfire as turning his carefully ordered existence on its ass

"I’ nervously from one foot to the other behind him "I shouldn’t have put that off on you It’s just toohard" Brant felt a different ache as she started to sob on the last word This ache he kneas so like heartburn from too much stress No doubt he had even consu dinner as well

"It’s okay, Lex, I uy and he obviously cares about you"

The tears started falling harder and Brant thought thatand run for the sanctuary of his roo about feelings to an ereathe doesloveet out between sobs Brant pulled a tissue froht better of it and handed her the entire box instead He patted her back aardly and for the second time that day she wrapped her arms around him and cried He rubbed her back and just let her cry He had a feeling that the upheaval with Carter was just a small part of the upset Very little time had passed since she had left rehab, and she was no doubt still trying to cole to stay clean She was scared to be a burden to Carter, but terrified to be alone He cursed her parents silently for being so insensitive to what their daughter was going through She needed them and whether they had intended to or not, they had confir but a burden to those she loved now Brant felt that if things had gone better with the to listen to Carter and have hope that their relationship could work

"He does love you," Brant agreed, "and he’s worried about you"

She took a , "Will you come sit with me for a while? Maybe we could watch a ht now" Brant felt warning bells go off inside of hiardless of their history, but he couldn’t be her savior That job needed to go to the man who loved her He would have to step carefully, because he didn’t want to drive a wedge between her and Carter

"Ah, I wish I could I have sos tomorrow" She reater good, right? "Iit’s just that I ay for a few days and now things are really backed up at work"

Her sreith a workaholic father, so I do understand that business usually comes first" Brant winced, but he didn’t see any other options Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Carter was the ht now, I think I’ll head to bed Do you have everything you need?"

Alexia nodded and turned toward the guest rooht as he walked toward the master bedroom at the other end of the house That was the second time in one day that a woman had looked at hi her make dinner reservations and now Alexia He didn’t see a lot more than it used to

Chapter Fifteen

Suzy looked up from her computer as Emma threw herself in the chair in front of her friend’s desk Before she was even seated, she o ahead and try me," Suzy said with interest