The Ground Below

Chapter Fifteen

I feel the sun on my face, and it wakes me. In Karter’s haste to get me to go to sleep, I forgot to shut the curtains. Rising up on my elbows, I notice that only I lay in the bed. He probably woke in the middle of the night to go back to his room

Standing, I walk over to the vanity. My reflection startles me, and I almost laugh. My curls are in knots, and it doesn’t pass me that I’ll have a mess untangling them after all the hairspray Ina used. My mascara is halfway down my face as if I had been crying.

Jumping in the shower, I wash my hair three times. I’ve never used so much hairspray in my life. I believe Ina is on a mission to kill the ozone layer. Look at me sounding like an eco friendly person. It’ll take me a whole bottle to get this stuff out, and a whole bottle of conditioner to replenish my hair.

Spending so long in the shower, I start thinking about Karter, and how quickly he rushed to my side last night. I wonder if I talk in my sleep, but I got his attention somehow. Had he heard me screaming his name? Please, let the answer be no.

With my hair still in a towel, I head for the kitchen. My stomach is growling, and I need food. Karter picks that moment to walk out of his room shirtless, towel in hand, and wet hair. Oh, god.

He catches me looking, and takes in my appearance when he winks and says, “I could have saved some water if I knew you were showering too.”

I don’t even want to acknowledge the reaction that got from me. A shiver runs through my body, and my cheeks redden. “Maybe we shouldn’t have the air on so cold after you just got out of the shower. You’ll be sick.” He walks to the thermostat, and changes the setting. “There.”

Relief swells in me that he didn’t notice my blush. I need to tamp down my reactions to him. I’m in over my head with Karter. “You weren’t about to eat, were you?” He looks around the kitchen back to where I’m standing at the fridge. My only response is a nod. He has something under his sleeve, and I can tell.

It’s a figure of speech, because he’s shirtless.

“We’re going out to get breakfast, and then you’re going to meet my band.”

“You have a band?” I ask incredulously.

He smirks, “I’m in a band, yeah. I play the drums. I know what you’re thinking; drummers are sexy. You have my permission to swoon.”

I laugh, “Consider me swooning.”

“Anyway, you met most of the band—Joe, and Buddy. But, you need to meet the singer, and his girl. Maybe you can show them what you got on that piano.”

My stomach starts to stir, “Maybe.”

“I might keep you out all day. Dallas is home for the day, and I really don’t want to see him. I can’t stay in this house all day without going insane, so you might not be home until tonight.”

“There is no way for me to get out of this?”

“No,” he says sharply. “You have to go. And you might want to start drying that long hair of yours since it takes you so long.” I don’t question how he knows how long it takes, since it’s probably obvious my hair takes a decade to dry. But, I have another question that’s been grating on my mind since I arrived here.

“Why do you always call Dallas by his name?”

He looks at me funny, “What else would I call him? I mean I got a few choice words for him, but Mom wouldn’t like that.”

“How about ‘Dad?’”

“Well, maybe if he was my dad, but he’s not.”

“He’s not?” I’m dumbfounded.