The Ground Below

Chapter Twenty-Four

Charleston Grill is the epitome of opulent. We made small chatter at the luxurious round table. “So, Karter,” where did you go to school at?” Chandler asks.

Crap, I didn’t expect him to drill Karter. “I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors in English.”

My mouth drops open, and I quickly shut it not wanting my brother to know how little I know about my boyfriend.

“That’s great. Where do you work?” My head throbs. Please don’t ruin this for me, Chandler.

Karter hesitates before telling them, “I don’t have a job at the moment.”

Chandler frowns. Don’t judge him, Chandler.

“I’m working on it though,” Karter assures him. “I’m looking for a teaching position.”

Abby smiles. “Wow! You want to teach?”

His smile widens, “Let’s just say I was inspired by an amazing teacher.” He winks at me. His phone buzzes in his pocket, and he pulls it out. He frowns. “Excuse me, I need to take this.”

After Karter leaves I ask Chandler what he thinks.

“I don’t like the fact that he doesn’t have a job,” he sighs.

I roll my eyes. “He’s not marrying me anytime soon, brother. And I have a job. It’s not like I need to be taken care of.”

“I know that, sweetie, but what if he needs to be taken care of?”

My voice rises, “He has enough money, and he’s not using me for mine. And if he needs help, I’ll gladly give it to him, because I care about him. Abby would do the same thing for you, so stop with the ‘he man, she woman’ thing.

Chandler shakes his head, “I am just looking out for you. But, I don’t want to argue.”

I nod, “Okay.”

“I like him,” Abby says cheerfully. “I like how he looks at you, Parker.”

A smile reappears on my face. “Thank you, Abby.” I look around for Karter, but don’t see him. Worried, I make an excuse to go to the bathroom.

My nerves cause me to almost run over a nice old couple. “Excuse me,” I whisper rushing by.

I round the corner to the hallway where the bathrooms are, and stop short.

“Put this under your jacket, and leave.” I don’t want to believe my eyes. Karter places what looks like a pound or more of cocaine in this guys hand. The guy shoves it in his jacket, following directions. “Here,” he says placing a wad of cash in Karter’s hand.

“Thanks. I appreciate your service,” he smiles patting the guy on his shoulder.

He looks up in time to see me leaving. I rush out the doors. Disappointment crashes over me, but I don’t cry.

A few seconds later, I hear the door shut behind me. I feel his hand press against my arm, but I don’t look up at him. “You made a drop at dinner with my brother?”

“Parker, please don’t be mad,” he begs.

I glare at him. “Don’t be mad? Really, Karter? Really?” I smack his arm. “You made a fucking drop at dinner with my family. What if he would have seen you?”

“I’m sorry?”

Shaking my fist at him, I try to keep from punching him in the face. Rage boils in my veins. “Why does that sound like a question?”

“Because, I don’t know if I am.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOU’RE SORRY?” I yell.

“Shh. Calm down. I need the money, okay?”

I look down at the ground then back at him. “I don’t want to know about why you need the money or why you did it until we get home. Right now, we are going to go back in there and eat a fantastic dinner with my family, and we are going to act like nothing is wrong.”

He nods solemnly, opening the door for me. I lead, and he follows. I calm myself down on the way back to the dinner table. Laughing I say, “Look who I ran into on the way to the bathroom. He waited for me. How sweet?”

Abby gushes. “Chandler never waits on me. One time he did follow me into the bathroom. It was amazing.”

“Abby, no. Don’t need to hear that,” I tell her. She blushes.

“He didn’t follow you into the bathroom, did he?” Chandler glances at us both, accusingly.

I shake my head taking a drink of my water waiting anxiously for this dinner to be over.