She's Broken

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

                Harley’s ears went back and Carter threw his arms back with a sigh.

                “Bloody hell, horse,” he muttered, taking a step back until Harley’s ears pricked again and he continued grazing. Carter gave Harley a curtsey before grinning at me.

                “And hello, stranger,” he said. I pushed myself away from Harley to walk beside Carter on the way up to the swing. It was always our place to sit if Jenna wasn’t around, which she wasn’t, she was having the time of her life in Cyprus with her family.

                “Where have you been?” I asked, dropping onto the swing next to him. He spread his limbs out and patted his lap. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, only moving one of my legs over his lap and leaning back against the cushions. He rested his arm on the bone of my shin and then gave me a small smile.

                “I have been out of service for a very good cause, I assure you,” he started and I chuckled, resting my head on the back of the swing.

                “Better be or I’m giving you an unhonourable discharge,” I warned. A grin spread across his face and he patted my leg once in assurance.

                It had been three days since I’d spoken to Eli at the stream and since then I’d been practising on my touching with my mum, Ally and Lisa, who were all happy to help. I hadn’t seen Steven once so I’d assumed that he’d been taken into custody to give a statement.

                “In other words, you’re kicking me out of our friendship?” he teased. I responded with a curt, decisive nod and he smirked, shaking his head.

                “You wouldn’t. You’d miss this too much,” he taunted, gesturing over his body. I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

                “I’d have a full kitchen if I did.” He feigned hurt for a moment before twisting to tell me his ‘news’.

                “Okay, check this out,” he said, moving his head over, showing me his ear. He’d done as he’d always said he would and had a stretcher put in. I laughed and pushed his head away.

                “You abandoned me to stretch your ear?” I asked and he shook his head again.

                “Not just that. I kind of had a thing going on with Jenna,” he said, trailing off at the end of his words. I frowned, studying his guilty expression.

                “Please don’t tell me you had another argument, I’m not picking sides.” Carter rolled his eyes, giving me a fake irritated expression.

                “I didn’t shout at her, I slept with her,” he corrected. My mouth dropped open and I stared at him for a good few minutes before I picked my jaw back up and raised my eyebrows.