THE LETTER

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CARTER WHITE

 “What? That doesn’t make any sense...” I trailed on. I was completely confused. All this time Kade’s been writing to her father in Texas, and he’s dead.

“But he lives in Texas, that’s what she told me”

“Texas?” she laughed wearily. She rubbed her eyes and motioned for me to sit down.

“Kade’s father and I got divorced when she was four. God, he loved her. He used to paint with her, teach her to draw. But he was  a heavy smoker and an alcoholic, an angry one. He would beat me up whenever he got drunk; Kadence would hide in her room. He never dare hit her, but she would witness his beatings often when she was a child...” Kadence’s mother continued. “Finally, after four years of marriage, I told him to leave. Kadence broke down. She didn’t speak for a year after her father left, she barely ate. But she got over him leaving soon. They wrote to each other constantly. He would send her paint brushes and easel’s. He lived in Russia until four years back when his liver failed. He was forty-seven. Kade didn’t know for six months; she thought he stopped writing because he didn’t care anymore. She was only fourteen, god she was so sad,” a tear pricked at Ms. P’s eye. “She stopped painting, drawing; everything. After six months, she received a letter from his wife in russia, saying that he died...” she stopped, wiping tears from her face. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Why would Kade lie to me? Didn’t she trust me at all?

“I don’t think I should be telling you all this. Kadence should tell you herself,” she said putting on a false smile. I just sat there, trying to put together all the pieces of this crazy story.

“Just be careful with her. She’s such a sweet girl at heart. But when he father died, a piece of her died, too,” she said with a look of guilt in her eyes.

“I have to go, a client invited me to dinner. Tell Kadence I said goodnight, alright?”

“Yeah, I will,” I whispered. After Ms. P left I sat there for a few minutes, trying to soak in all that Ms. P had told me. I collected myself eventually and crept into Kade’s room. She was laying on her bed, asleep. She looked so peaceful. I laid down next to her as quietly as I could. It was only 9:30. As soon as I put my head down on the pillow, she yawned and stretched her arms out in front of her.

“Mmm, hello,” she said propping herself ip on one elbow and turning to me. I leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She shivered a bit.

“Hey,” I said with a smile. “I was talking to your mom for a while”

Her smile faded. “What about?” she asked curiously, looking down at the covers on the bed. I paused for a moment, wondering if I should tell her. Maybe I should let her tell me in her own time.

“She just wanted to know how you were. I told her you were fine,” I said with a smile, taking her hand in mines and rubbing circles in her palm with my thumb.

“Oh,” she whispered before putting her smile back on. “I am fine, more fine than I’ve been in a while,” she said laying her head down on my chest.

“I’m glad,” I whispered before the room went silent. It was a nice silence, a peaceful one. She broke it suddenly.

“I can’t wait to go to your game on Saturday. Lily’s coming so she can cheer on Alan,” she said smiling into my chest. I laughed and closed my eyes. I could be like this forever. The thought of Clarissa coming back and ruining this was painful to think about. I decided against telling Kadence just yet.

KADENCE PETROV

He smelled so good; like laundry. I took a deep breath and snuggled up a little closer, placing my leg on top of his. 

“Y’know, I haven’t seen you smoke in a while,” Carter said as he rubbed his large hand down my back. It felt good, nice and warm.

“I know. I guess I don’t have much of a reason to anymore,” I said plainly.

“Why did you in the first place?”

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell him the truth.

“It reminded me of my father. He was always surrounded by a cloud of smoke when I was a kid,” I said shakily. My voice cracked a bit but I kept my composure.

“If you quit smoking, then so will I”

“Deal,” I said sitting up and parting with his mouth watering scent. Mouth watering? Oh god, what am I saying? I moved a little farther away from him. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Being close to him gave me butterflies, and they were annoying. I didn’t like feeling this way. I felt like a little school girl, giggling and smiling. It was strange, foreign even.

“Are you alright?” Carter asked. I nodded and gave a fake smile. “Good,” he said with a smirk as rolled over and hovered over me, his hair hanging down over one of his pretty hazel eyes. “Very good,” he said as he planted a kiss on my jaw and continued down my neck and collar bone. I moaned at his touch. He placed his hands on my sides, just below my breasts and on my ribcage. 

“Are you ticklish, Kade?” he said continuing to kiss my neck, leaving small hickeys. 

“No,” I said as strongly as I could.

“I don’t believe you,” he said before tickling my ribs with no mercy. I laughed and jerked in my place. 

“Please...stop!” I screamed, trying to catch my breath. He stopped tickling me and I rolled on top of Carter, straddling him. I caught my breath and smiled down at him.

“I rather like this position,” he said with a wink. He sat up and propped himself up on the headboard. We were facing each other now; so terribly close. His smile faded and he just looked at me. He cupped my face in his hands and I placed my hands on top of his.

“I think I’m in love with you, Kadence,” he whispered, searching my eyes for a reaction. I opened my mouth but closed it quickly, looking down from his gaze. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” he removed his hands from my face and pulled his hair. “God, I’m so stupid,” he said with panic clear in his voice.

“Car, relax,” I said pulling his hands from his face.

“I know you don’t feel the same way, you made that clear,” he whispered with pain in his eyes.

“I don’t know how I feel,” I whispered.

CARTER WHITE 

Her eyes were questioning, as if she was looking for an answer within herself. 

“You don’t have to say it back, I just wanted you to know,” I said cupping her face again. I can’t believe I’d blurted that out. I don’t know, it just felt so right. Her in my arms, the world completely still and quiet. I couldn’t hold it in. I was in love, and even I couldn’t believe it. I was a player and now i'm practically pussy whipped. She stayed quiet.

“Just give us a chance, please. I can make you so happy,” I whispered. She sighed and let out a deep breath. It was shaky but she smiled at me.

“Okay”

I exploded. “YES!” I screamed. I picked her up with me and spun her around the room. “Carter!” she yelled. I winked at her. 

“Call me your boyfriend, just once,” I pleaded. “Say, ‘Carter White Is my boyfriend’,” I was pushing it now but she only grinned and rolled her eyes.

“Carter White is my boyfriend...” she said with a smirk. I picked her up by her ass and she wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. 

“Do you know what I’m going to do now?” I asked her.

“What’s that, Car?” she asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.

“I’m going to make love to my very beautiful girlfriend,” I whispered as I placed her down on the bed and kissed every inch of her body.