Carter (The Harlow Brothers Book 1) Read online

  I pull out my phone as I say, “It’s my fault more than anything. I should’ve made it clear when I lost that stupid bet that nothing was going to happen.” I don’t open the message, deciding to deal with Summer later. It’s been six months since Bethany’s stupid bet, and I tried to like Summer, I really did. I just couldn’t connect with her, and now she’s like a leech. She refuses to accept that I have zero feelings for her and that just blows my mind. I’ve never given her any reason to think there was going to be anything between us.

  “You know, if she doesn’t chill out with the million texts a day, you might have to get a restraining order,” Caden says, and I’m actually considering it. At first, she wasn’t bad, but lately it’s becoming hard to ignore the constant texts, or the random visits at my office. Dad has also noticed, and he’s warned me more than once I need to put a stop to it.

  “I’ll try to talk to her first before I do that. Surely this time she’ll take a hint.”

  “I don’t know about that. Haven’t you already told her over and over you’re not into her?” Cason chimes in.

  “I think it’s funny.” I stare at Caden, wondering what the hell he means. This shit isn’t funny. It’s downright creepy and border-line psychotic behavior.

  “Of course you’d think my creepy stalker is hilarious.” Cason chuckles and I huff as I lean back in my seat.

  “Who knows, maybe this Summer chick already has a secret fan club dedicated to you, Carter.”

  “Alright Caden, you’ve had your fun.” Cason and Caden laugh loudly, and I can’t stop the grin from forming. In a way, I guess it is funny. It seems I always attract the strange ones, but a stalker is a first for me. I’ve dated a few women here and there, but nothing has been serious. It’s more for me to not feel alone, than me wanting to settle down.

  We quiet down once our waitress, Kelly, comes to take our orders. I don’t have to tell her mine since I always get the same thing, but she nods her head and writes down Caden and Cason’s order. She’s quick with bringing back our drinks, and I inwardly cringe when my phone goes off five times in a row. Caden smiles as Cason looks as though he wants to punch someone. This time I do open the messages, and I’m not surprised when I see they’re all from Summer.

  Why won’t you answer me?

  Okay you’re pissing me off.

  Stop ignoring me.

  Carter please we need to talk.

  I guess you’re busy.

  I take a deep breath before replying. I can feel the irritation rising, and it’s becoming really hard not to be a dick to her when she does things like this.

  I’m having brunch with bros. We’ll talk later.

  I don’t even set my phone all the way down before she messages me right back. Caden bursts out laughing, making the other customers stare, and Cason cracks his knuckles looking bored or angry. I’m not sure which one it is since Cason is hard to read.

  Where are you?

  I know better than to tell her where I am and instead of saying anything back, I turn off my phone and lay it on the table. “She doesn’t know when to quit, does she?” Cason asks.

  “Apparently not. I’ll talk with her later. I can’t keep letting her blow up my phone and repeatedly show up at the office.”

  “And how do you plan on breaking her love connection?” Caden pipes in.

  I roll my eyes, wishing I could smack that shit eating grin off his face. “I’ll think of something.”

  “Sure you will.”

  “You can stop at any time with being a dick bag,” I snap. He holds up his hands in surrender, and I try to reign in my temper with him. He just has a way of getting to me the most out of all my brothers. Thankfully Kelly brings our food before Caden and I have words. She places our plates in front of us, and Cason and I politely thank her.

  “Thanks, Sugar,” Caden says to her, and Cason and I both shake our heads. Kelly beams and blushes as she walks away.

  “Can you not fuck our new waitress? Jesus man, we just got used to her.” Cason does have a point. Caden will fuck anything with legs and a vagina.

  “It’s not my fault you didn’t tap that last one before I did.”

  “Really? I have standards, unlike you.”

  I take a deep breath, hating to be the oldest and the one that has to calm everyone down. “Okay, we get it. Caden is a man-whore, but can we not discuss this while I eat? I really would like not to vomit all over the place.” Cason grins and Caden says something under his breath that I don’t catch, but at least they cool it and begin eating.

  Halfway through the meal, Caden has to go and ruin it. “So, what are you going to do about Dad retiring? You know it’s time to man up, and just take over the firm already.”

  I glare at him, lower my silverware, and wipe my mouth. He continues to eat, as though what he just said wasn’t that big of a deal. Cason avoids eye contact with me, staring down at his plate. “Look, I get you don’t understand why I’m having second thoughts, but for once can you please stay the fuck out of it?”

  “Why are you getting your panties in a wad? I’m just asking, hell everyone wants to know what you’re going to do. And it’s not like Dad’s making you do anything. I just know if you don’t take it, and Dad sells, you’ll regret it eventually.” Caden sighs then shovels a fork full of eggs into his mouth. He at least swallows before saying, “I know you don’t think you want the responsibility of running the firm, but I also know you’re the man for the job.”

  “Your confidence in me is shockingly surprising.” And it is. I had no idea Caden felt this way about me taking over the firm, and in a way his words give me the boost I need to make the choice. I still don’t have my mind made up completely, but knowing my brother has my back means more than I’ll ever tell him. He’d never let me live that down.

  “Well the way I see it, if I need a lawyer I know I can come to you, and how am I going to do that if some douche takes over?”

  I laugh and Cason says, “Yeah you’ll need a lawyer if you keep banging everything that has tits.” And this of course leads to them bickering again, but I can’t quit laughing at them to try and stop it. Even when the entire restaurant stares at us, I can’t seem to stop.

  My laughter finally dies down when I hear a loud crash. It’s loud enough that Caden and Cason stop their bitching, and we turn towards the sound. I watch as an average size woman wearing the Waffle House uniform bends down, and from what I can guess, she dropped something. Her back is to me, but something is telling me to watch her. It’s like that time months ago when I saw the slender woman walking down Main Street. There’s just no way I could forget feeling that way. I won’t lie, it’s freaking me out a bit because there’s no reason for me to be feeling this. But I can’t deny something deep down is telling me I need to pay attention. The woman seems to be cleaning in a hurry, and I’m sure she’s embarrassed more than anything. I suddenly want to see her face as she stands, and that’s when I realize she’s not so average after all. She has an hour-glass figure, and the black pants she’s wearing make her ass look delectable. Her dark brown hair is pulled back into a low pony-tail, and I wonder what it would feel like wrapped around my hand as I fuck her from behind.

  Whoa, what the fuck?

  I shake my head, and that’s when I notice Caden and Cason sharing one of those twin moments. They stare at one another, and I wonder if they can read each other’s thoughts. It’s strange to me when they do this. “What’s up with you two?” Both look at me, but Caden looks away first. “Seriously, y’all are freaking me out with that twin bond shit. What gives?”

  Caden still doesn’t look at me, which is unusual for him but Cason says, “I’m going to the restroom, then we can head out.” I frown, wondering why he wants to rush out of here. He gets up from the booth and before he turns to leave he says, “Plus you have a stalker to take care of, right?”

  “Yeah, thanks for reminding me,” I snap back. Cason smirks, heading towards the bathrooms. I watch him for a mom
ent, then I turn my gaze to Caden. “You going to tell me what that was all about?”

  He leans back, propping an arm on the top of the booth as he smiles at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “Whatever man. I’m going to head out then. Cason’s right. I have to take care of this Summer problem.” I toss my napkin in my plate, and drink the last of my sweet tea. I slide out of the booth, leaving a hefty tip for Kelly. “I’ll catch you later.”

  “Say hi to Summer for me,” he says, and it takes all the strength I have not to smack him on the back of his head. I leave our table, and I can still hear him laughing all the way to the register to pay.

  After paying, I quickly walk out, and stop once I get to my truck. “Are you fucking kidding me!” I glance back at the bay window we sat by, and I watch Caden with his signature shit eating grin, holding two thumbs up. Those fucking assholes. I flip him off and turn to look at the words written on the back of my truck window. ‘Wash me, dick face’ it says. I’m not sure how I missed them, or I should say, Caden, writing on my window. Shaking my head, I unlock my truck and think sometimes I hate having such annoying brothers.

  I pull up at my house and after parking, I turn my phone back on. A few minutes pass before the texts start pouring in. All twenty-seven messages are from none other than Summer. I have to admit, she sure is persistent, also annoying as fuck. I don’t even go through them all. I send her a quick message telling her to come over so we can talk about her stalker behavior, and I send her my address. I hit send before thinking it might not be such a good idea telling her where I live, but I’m confident I can get through to her about leaving me alone. She of course responds, but I don’t message her back.

  I grab my gym bag before locking everything up, and make my way inside. Stepping through the door, I sigh in relief as the cool air hits me. Being that it’s June in Mississippi, it’s hot as hell outside. I’m grateful for the cool air, and I drop my bag down by the door and my keys in the bowl on the table next to it. My home isn’t very big, it’s perfect for just me. As soon as you enter, you’re in the living room, and you can see the modern kitchen as well. It’s open and I like that I didn’t have to do much to it when I bought it. Mom and Bethany helped me fill it with furniture and they also painted the walls with neutral colors. It makes it feel like home to me. There’s three bedrooms and two bathrooms, but only one room and bathroom get used. Caden and Bethany have stayed a few times in the guest rooms, but it’s the back porch that gets the most attention. Most Saturday nights everyone comes over and we grill out, sitting by the fire pit if it’s not too warm out. It’s perfect for entertaining and most days when I’m off work, I sit outside with a cold beer and just think about … life in general.

  I shake my head and make way to the fridge when my phone pings again. I don’t bother checking since I know it’s Summer. I set my phone down on the counter as I open the door and pull out a bottle of water. I take a big gulp, slowly setting it down when I hear the doorbell go off. I rub the back of my neck as I walk to the door thinking Summer must have sped the whole way here. She got here a lot faster than I thought she would. I still don’t know what I’m going to say to her without sounding like a heartless dick, but I also know I have to be stern so she gets the picture.

  Needless to say, I’m not looking forward to this conversation.

  I wait a moment before I open the door, getting my head in the game. Slowly opening it, I’m surprised to see Summer in the shortest shorts known to man. I blink when I notice she’s wearing a low-cut shirt that leaves nothing to the imagination. I make a mental note to make sure not to let her use her body against me, but I am a man and I can’t help but gaze at her long tanned legs longer than I meant to. “Hi Carter,” she says in a sultry voice, and I snap my head up to her eyes.

  She blushes and smiles at me. Dammit, she knows exactly what she’s doing. I have to be careful around her. “Come on in.” I open the door further for her as I let her inside. I shut the door as she walks around the living room, taking in my home. I cross my arms watching her as she stops to look at the pictures I have of my family and me. There’s a few of Bethany and me, and she tenses up when she notices those. “Want anything to drink?”

  She turns around and says, “No, thank you. You have a nice house.”

  “Thanks. It suits me.” This is harder than I thought it would be. Summer isn’t someone I can just freely talk to, and I’m at a loss of how to go about this. I still don’t understand how one date with her six months ago led to her acting like a damn stalker. Sure we’ve talked and texted, but other than that, nothing ever came out of that one date. I walk over by the sectional that takes up most of the living room as I ask, “Do you want to sit down?” She nods and takes a seat beside me.

  I start to tell her why I asked her over, but she beats me to it. “Look, Carter, I know why you asked me to come over.”

  “You do?” I say, shocked she even guessed it.

  “Yeah, but,” she sighs and looks away for a moment before glancing back. “I’m not that type of girl.”

  I frown, utterly confused to what she means. “I’m going to need you to explain what you mean by that.”

  She shakes her head. “I’m not just some girl you can ignore, and then call or text me when you need a booty call. It’s all or nothing. And here lately, I just don’t understand you. One minute everything is perfect, then like today you ignored me all day. Until now that is because you need something.”

  I back away a bit, frowning and hold up my hands. “What the hell are you talking about?” Is she seriously acting like we’re a couple?

  “Don’t play dumb with me, Carter. You’ll get what you want then you’ll be done with me.”

  Okay, I’ve obviously missed something. I had no clue she thought this way and I’m still reeling over this. “Summer, I honestly have no idea how you can say I want anything from you.” She opens her mouth to say something, but I shake my head at her. “No, don’t speak, I need you to listen very carefully. I only asked you out because of a bet I lost. I know it sounds horrible, but I’m being honest right now. I took you on one date, just one. Yes, we’ve talked, and I thought we were friends, but that’s all you are to me.” I rub the back of my neck again, feeling the tension rising by the second. “I really don’t know why you thought I was more than just a friend. I’ve never even made a move on you.”

  I watch her as she quickly gets off the couch, and she stands over me. “So, you’re saying you feel nothing when you’re with me?”

  “Sorry, but no. I know that sounds harsh, but I need you to chill out with coming to my workplace and texting me all hours of the day.” My head is staring to hurt. Apparently Summer isn’t as smart as I thought either. I’ve told her more than once I didn’t have feelings for her. I’m guessing she’s in denial.

  She shakes her head as if she’s trying to shake away what I’m telling her. “I know what this is. You’re playing hard to get. I’ve seen this before.”

  “Summer, I’m not playing any games with you. I’m telling you as nicely as I can, that I have zero feelings for you.” When she looks at me with a puzzled look, I suck in a breath. I’m going to have to get through to her somehow. “Okay, Summer. I’ve tried to be nice, but I don’t have any feelings for you at all. None, zilch, nada, and never going to happen.” Jesus fucking Christ how many times am I going to have to tell her the same thing before she gets it. I can tell she’s still not getting it. She stares at me with pleading eyes, almost begging me to tell her otherwise. I get up, realizing she just needs to leave. The best thing I can do is change my cell number and hope she eventually takes a hint. I open the front door and tell her, “I need you to leave.”

  “Are you seriously kicking me out?”

  “Yes, I think it would be best if you leave and please don’t text me anymore.”

  She huffs, but she does walk out the door. Before I shut her out, she snaps, “You will regret this. And when you’re all alone,
just remember you turned me down and shut me out.” I stare at her as she turns on a heel and stomps away. Did that really just happen? I shut the door, still in shock at how that went. I knew she might not take my rejection well, but I think Summer needs to see a shrink or something.

  I head back to the kitchen to grab my phone to call Bethany. If it wasn’t for her stupid bet, I would’ve never met Summer. I dial Bethany’s number, and it rings three times before she picks up. “What’s up, buttercup?” Of course, she’s cheerful and has not a care in the world. She didn’t just experience the most mind-blowing conversation ever.

  “Beth, we need to talk.”

  “Ooh, you sound lawyer-ish. Spill it, what happened?”

  “Summer was just here.”

  It’s quiet for a few moments, then I hear her sighing into the phone. “Okay, you want me to pull it out of you. Why was she there?”

  “I asked her over so I could tell her to chill out with her stalker ways, as you already know.”

  “Alright, I’m sorry, okay? How was I supposed to know she’d be a creepy stalker? I didn’t. But you agreed to that bet too. If I remember correctly, you seemed happy about meeting someone new.”

  “That’s not the point, Beth. I wasn’t looking, and I’m tired of you constantly pushing women on me. They’ve all ended either in me being a dick because I don’t want anything serious, or they’re just plain crazy.” I rub my forehead with my knuckles then add, “I know you’re trying to help but please, no more bets dealing with women, or playing matchmaker.”

  “Fine. No more bets, but it’s time to move on, Carter. She’s not coming back, and I hate seeing you alone all the time.”

  My heart clenches and my voice is softer as I say, “I know, Beth. I know.”

  “Carter,” she starts, but I cut her off.

  “It’s fine. I’m not always alone. I have your annoying ass plus, Caden and Cason.”