Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The storm had long since passed when they headed back to Carl’s father’s house. They drove with the sound of a radio station playing country music quietly in the background. Mandy dozed in the passenger seat, pleasantly exhausted and spent.

When Carl stopped the car Mandy realized they were back at the house. She sat up and blinked as she looked around.

“Mandy...” Carl stared straight ahead, his hands playing with the keys. He’d opened the garage door, but hadn’t driven the truck inside. “I want to apologize for what happened.”

“You don’t have to apologize.” Mandy reached out to touch his hand. “I was clearly a willing participant.” She grinned happily. “Both times.”

He moved his hands to the steering wheel, avoiding hers. “It can’t happen again.” Carl shook his head. “It didn’t mean anything. With everything going on, I needed a distraction. That’s all it was. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.” He refused to look her in the eye.

His confession hit like a punch in the gut. She swore under her breath. She should have known! All she would ever be for him was a good time on the side, a nice distraction from work. He wasn’t capable of caring for someone beyond that. He had probably opened up to her more than anyone else, so she should feel a sense of accomplishment in getting that from him. She had thought there had been more to it than sex when he had taken her under the bridge. It’s just wishful thinking. Stupid thinking. “Of course.” She swallowed. “I-I’m glad you told me. I’m not looking for anything. It won’t happen again.” And she’d freakin’ told him about her dream! She wanted to die of embarrassment.

He looked at her with what she could only see as pity. “Mandy—”

“Don’t. It’s fine.” She opened the truck door. “The neighbors are going to start wondering why we’re just sitting in the driveway.” She forced a half smile before getting out, leaving Carl sitting in the cab, staring at her with longing and regret.

The look on his face hurt her more than his words. She knew he’d never be interested in her. She was just a distraction. No one else was available and she was more than a willing participant. She had acted like a freakin’ dog in heat. And then asked for more!

What the hell was she thinking?

How in the world was she going to get through the next few days?

Mandy hurried into the house, thankful the door was unlocked. She raced up the stairs and to the bathroom. When she came out, she could hear Carl moving about in the kitchen and the clink of a glass on the counter. She lingered in the hallway, not eager to head back down to try and make small talk with Carl. She noticed only one of the doors on the landing was fully closed.

Curious, she moved to it and tried the door. It wasn’t locked so she opened it and looked inside.

It was covered with family pictures and posters of rockstars and baseball players. Mandy recognized a young Carl and Mark with their parents. Mark looked every bit the golden boy, while Carl always had a mischievous look to him. As the kids got older, the darker streak in Carl became much more evident. There weren’t any family photos after Carl’s mid-teens, but there were a couple more with just his parents and Mark as they got older. Mandy swallowed. Even though it had all been for Carl’s own good, she could understand his bitterness well. The photos reminded her of her own family photos. After she started gaining weight, her mother and sister had encouraged her to take the photo much more than be in the photo, so that their firstborn daughter disappeared after her twelfth birthday in the family photo album.

She knew this was Carl’s old room. Mark’s room across the hall and beside the bathroom had suitcases spread all over the floor with clothes neatly stacked and sorted in them from his many stays to take care of his father. All the other rooms in the house had been updated into the 21st century, but Carl’s room was like a time capsule.

There was no sign of the powerful businessman she knew.

All she saw was just a regular teenager who liked rock music, sports, and video games. The desk was messy and cluttered, and looked like it was never used for its intended purpose. His closet drawers were shut haphazardly with a part of a shirt hanging out of one and a sock out of another, as if the teenaged Carl was going to walk back in and grab them for a quick change of clothes.

Mandy sat down on the bed and leaned back. Something crinkled underneath and she pulled out two magazines from under the pillow. One was a well-worn copy of Playboy and the other a worn copy of Business Insider, which looked like it had been stolen from the local library twenty years ago. She smiled. That was the Carl Salvo she knew.

“Mandy?”

She jumped off the bed like she’d been doing something wrong when she heard Carl call her name as he moved up the stairs. The slightly ajar door burst open.

Carl slowly looked around the room before his eyes settled on her. His face told her nothing. He’d managed to mask every emotion and vulnerability. “Why are you in here?”

There was no accusation in his voice, and no emotion. If he acted mad, she could retaliate but this... this she didn’t know how to respond to. “I didn’t... I thought...” She sighed. “I was just curious.”

“It’s none of your business.”

She blushed at his bluntness. “You’re right. Sorry.” She moved to go back into the hall but Carl didn’t move from the doorway.

“I apologized for what happened. What else do you want me to say?”

That you want me! That I’m the best freakin’ thing that’s ever happened to you? “Nothing. It’s fine. Don’t read into this. I just wanted to see why the door was closed.”

“Does it matter?” He shook his head and closed his eyes a moment, the strain of earlier returning. He flicked his hand. “Forget I asked. It doesn’t matter. Look, I just got a call from one of the investors on the new business deal. He’s going to pull out.”

Mandy listened to Carl talk but in the back of her mind she already knew what he was doing. He wanted to push her away, get her out of the picture so he didn’t have to feel guilty or awkward every time he looked at her while burying his father.

“... I need you to head back and take care of things. I obviously can’t. I don’t want to lose this guy. He’s one of the reasons the deal’s going to take off. You need to convince him to stay with us.” He checked his watch. “I’ll get you on the next flight. It’ll give you enough time to head back to the hotel and pack your things and then jet to the airport. Gina’s already booking your flight and setting up a limo to pick you up at the airport.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Sorry to send you off, after... well, you understand how important this is. And this is why I hired you, after all. So you could take care of things when I’m unable to. I’ve got the funeral. I need to write the eulogy. I can’t go back.”

“It’s fine.” She didn’t miss the relief that showed in his face when she agreed. “Just let me grab my purse and then you can drive me back to the hotel.” She would need to shower and pack, however, part of her was more than eager at the opportunity to run away from him and avoid dealing with what had happened in the truck cab.

“Mark’s on his way back here. So I can’t leave.” He checked his Rolex watch. “I’ve called you a taxi. It should be here any minute.” As if on cue, a horn beeped outside the house. “That must be it.”

“You’ll be all right, with the funeral and everything?” She closed her eyes. Why should she even care?

“I’ll be fine. Thanks.” He moved to the side to let her head downstairs. “Thanks again for coming. It was greatly appreciated.”

“Glad I could be here for you.” She brushed past him and pressed her lips tight together. The lump in her throat killed but she refused to let any tears fall. At least, not until she was back home in her own bed.

She was furious at Carl for basically tossing her out the door. However, she couldn’t argue because she was frantically running away as well.