Page 10 of Summer Ride

The cute little four-bedroom place sat in the middle of a huge grassy field. There was a large barn that he told her would house animals that he would rehabilitate himself now that he had the space.

There was a three-car detached garage off to one side of the home. He had even purchased an old riding lawn mower to keep up with the grounds.

The two-story farmhouse could have easily been in one of those fancy country-home magazines. Sure, the place needed some TLC, but as Carter put it, it had good bones.

She’d been excited for him and had even helped him remodel the place to make it livable. They’d spent months working together, painting, remodeling, and even organizing the home.

Every day as she watched the old place shine, she dreamed. She’d tried to keep things light by helping him move in his things and make the place his home.

Then one night the week before, as they lay in bed in his newly remodeled bedroom together, he’d finally asked her to move in with him.

“Think about it,” he’d started. “We can both save on rent. You’re closer to work so you don’t have to drive as far. And we can be like this every night.” He held her against his chest and wrapped his legs around hers.

After a few moments of daydreaming, she remembered where she’d come from. What she was still keeping from him. The dark secrets that she’d sworn would never see the daylight, no matter the cost.

She was not her past. But she’d be damned if she would let it seep into her present.

She’d allowed the dream to go on too long with Carter. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew she was lying about her past. Still, after that first year together, he stopped asking certain questions about her childhood.

It killed her that she had to keep secrets from him.

Reality came crashing down on her so fast that she rushed to the bathroom, dressed quickly, and then made some stupid excuse that she had to go home.

He’d let her go.

What did that say about her?

What did it say about him?

She’d avoided him ever since that night.

How had she allowed herself to grow so soft in the past few years of working at the camp? She had become complacent in her new life.

Not only had she let her and Carter’s relationship go beyond the borders she’d set in place, but she’d made many close friends at the camp. She knew and trusted everyone that she worked with. More importantly, she’d caught herself slipping on a few occasions and weaving truths about her childhood into conversations instead of the well-rehearsed lies she’d promised to tell everyone.

She needed to keep her secrets. To feed her friends lies about her made-up past in order to survive. If anyone found out the truth, she’d be ruined. They would never forgive her.

This was her life now. This is what she wanted.

She had to do everything in her power to protect it. Keeping secrets from someone who cared about you, hurt, that wasn’t in doubt. But it was for the best. Or so she kept telling herself.

When she noticed Carter growing more distant from her, she knew that she couldn’t wait for him to break things off with her.

After five long years of playing cat and mouse with him, she could tell that he was growing very frustrated. She finally understood that she had to call it quits for good.

She arranged to meet him during her lunch break one day. They normally met at their favorite spot on the beach, the place where she’d first seen him.

That day when he got there with their packed lunches, she pulled back from his casual kiss.

“What is it?” he asked with a frown.

“I… I think this has gone on long enough.” She lifted her chin.

Carter’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Just so we’re clear, this means…” He motioned between them.

She nodded. “I’m thankful for the casual relationship, but I think we should just be friends now,” she said quickly, before she lost her nerve.

Carter’s eyes slowly went over her face before locking onto her eyes.