Page 38 of Summer Ride

“I am.” He shifted, running his eyes over the guy. Six-two, roughly thirty years old, dark hair and dark eyes. The man didn’t look familiar, but then again, there were a lot of people in the small town that he didn’t know. “Have we met?”

“No, but you know my sister. Mary Ester,” he said with a sneer. “Living in sin is what you are doing.” He took a step closer to him.

If Carter wasn’t someone who worked out three days a week, worked with horses and other animals on a regular basis, and was easily in the best shape of his life, he might have backed away. Instead, he stood his ground.

The guy’s words hit him just before his fist did.

This was Kara’s brother.

Chapter Eleven

Kara locked up the pool house, looking forward to finding out how Carter’s day had gone. For the first time in a while, she wished she could have spent the day at the sanctuary instead of the camp.

Who was she kidding? She wanted to see the little black-and-white puppy she’d fallen for. Most of the time while she’d been working the day before, the little girl had been huddled up in her coat pocket for warmth and so that she could keep a closer eye on her.

She’d bottle-fed her several times during the day and had even given her a bath herself.

She’d been so worried the little thing wouldn’t survive the night. She was thankful when Carter sent a picture to her earlier with the little thing snuggled alongside two other small tan chihuahua babies, suckling on a mother dog. She’d practically cried seeing the little one eating.

When she pulled into the driveway and parked beside Carter’s truck, she frowned at the vehicle that sat next to his. She didn’t recognize it.

They hadn’t been expecting company. Actually, they had planned to go get the rest of her things from her apartment. But what she’d wanted to do was to veg out on the sofa and watch television while eating dinner with Carter.

The moment she walked into the house; she froze. Everything inside her just… stopped.

Carter stood inside the door and saw the moment her world crashed. Thankfully, he rushed over to her and took her arm before she fell face-first to the floor. The light contact seemed to snap her out of the paralysis.

“I ran into him at the store,” Carter said to her quietly. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Mary Ester,” her brother said firmly as he stepped forward. There was a sneer on her brother’s face that she remembered always being there when he looked at her.

“Daniel,” she said, finding her voice while she held her body tightly, as if ready for the attack she knew was coming.

She’d seen her brother only one time after getting out of juvie. He’d been standing outside the moment she’d been released.

When she’d stepped into the sunlight, he’d blocked her road to freedom and spewed hate-filled words at her, telling her how she was a sinner and going to hell because she’d been living in sin. He yelled at her and told her that she should repent, confess her sins to her parents and to God, then beg them for their forgiveness.

He hadn’t given her a chance to tell her side of what she’d been through since the last time she’d seen him. He didn’t care. He’d believed the lies their parents had told him. Believed she was evil.

So she’d told him to go to hell and hopped on a bus.

This was the first time that she’d seen him after starting her new life. What was he doing here, in her new home? Why now?

“What are you doing here?” she asked, feeling the strength return to her. She knew now how to handle him or anyone else like him. He had no power over her. She was no longer Mary Ester.

“Your… boyfriend invited me.” Daniel motioned to Carter.

“No, I mean in Florida. What are you doing in Florida?” She set her bag down hard on the countertop.

Her brother shuffled slightly, as if he was uncomfortable. Good. He’d probably expected her to cave in and rush back to their parents with him.

He’d always been much taller than she had been. Tall, skinny, lanky like their father. Actually, he was almost the spitting image of their father, thinning hair, and all.

“I came to give you the news,” Daniel said, looking down at his hands. “It was her last wishes that I bring this to you, unopened.”

“Her?” Kara felt her heart skip a beat.

Daniel glanced up at her and nodded. “Our mother has gone to be with the Lord.”