Page 11 of Forever After All (Pine Harbour #2)

Carter

Me: There might be a change of plans for later.

Alice: Letting us all down? Wow. Rude.

Autumn: Change of plans?

Sawyer: I swear to god, if you back out of dinner…

Me: Not backing out. I just have something for us all to do instead.

Autumn: Oh?

Me: You might want to dress warmly.

Sawyer: If this involves my wife being cold, it isn't happening.

Autumn: Hey.

Autumn: I can speak for myself.

Autumn: But if this involves me being cold, it isn't happening.

Me: *sad face emoji* come on. Live a little.

Alice: I'll do it if Autumn does it.

Me: Pressure is on sis.

Autumn: Fuck you, Alice.

Sawyer: What is it?

Me: Hockey.

Alice: You mean, sexy men warming up on the ice and beating the shit out of each other? I'm in.

Autumn: Well… in that case.

Sawyer: Watch it, wife.

Autumn: Ha! Don't pretend like you're in charge.

Me: So, is that a yes?

Alice: YES! But just so you know, I don't have a fucking clue about hockey, and I won't be watching for the game.

Sawyer: Give me strength.

Autumn: Yes. We're in.

Me: @Alice, I'm still picking you up. See you at 5:30. Oh, and we're all going for drinks later.

Sawyer: That escalated.

Alice: That's what she said.

I arrive at Alice's place a little before 5:30 and press the buzzer for apartment twenty-six.

A small electrical sound hums as Alice picks up the receiver, and the line crackles as she speaks through the microphone. You'd think that for a pretty damn nice apartment block, they'd have a better door system than this bag of shit.

"Hello? Carter, is that you?"

"Were you expecting someone else, Alice?"

"No, I suppose I wasn't," she replies, letting out a small laugh. "Sorry. That was a bit silly."

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Are you letting me in? We've got a little time to kill before the game."

"Sure, come on up." I hear a buzz and the sound of an automatic lock signifies the door is unlocked for me to enter.

With two apartments on each floor in the building, I decide to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Walking up the twelve flights of stairs takes longer than I thought, and I quietly thank myself for maintaining my fitness levels after retiring.

Stairs can break even the strongest of men.

There is a reason why everyone hates the Stairmaster at the gym.

I don't like elevators. In fact, I avoid them at all costs after developing an irrational fear of them when I was a kid. It stems from being trapped in one when I was seven years old, and since that day I’ve convinced myself the same will happen to me as a grown adult.

But instead of someone rescuing me like they did back then, I’m entirely convinced I’ll get trapped inside and never be able to get out.

I also don't like stairs. So I am shit out of luck.

Alice swings the door to her apartment open as I reach it.

Fuck, she looks good.

"What took you so long? Is the lift broken again?" I laugh internally at her use of British words. It is still so funny to me that she's lived here for years and hasn't picked up many Americanisms. Whereas I could spend five minutes in the UK and the accent would become my entire personality.

"No. Well, I don't think so anyway. I didn't even try. Wanted to take the stairs." I gesture vaguely to the doors behind me that lead to the stairwell.

"You're odd, Carter. You know that?" Alice steps aside, letting me in through the doorway.

She really does look incredible. Forcing myself to swallow, I turn into a teenage boy in front of his crush and forget how to speak.

She is wearing all black everything—a black sweater tucked into black pants, which are tucked into black socks.

To top it off, her long, light brown hair is curled to perfection, hanging halfway down her back, stopping at her waist.

"A few people may have mentioned that in my time." I walk inside, kick off my shoes, and take a look down the long hall with doors leading off to either side.

"Make yourself at home. I'm still getting ready, I won't be long." Alice hurries into one of the rooms on the right-hand side of the hall, and I glance down just in time to catch sight of her ass as she disappears through the door which shuts behind her with a satisfying click.

I poke my head into the living space at the end of the hall, which opens into a large living room on the left and open-plan kitchen-diner on the right.

The entire back wall of the apartment—if you can call it that—is made up entirely of windows that have amazing views of Pine Harbour and the neighbouring town.

The kitchen has dark wood cabinets with black countertops and copper lighting hanging over the island in the centre.

Appliances stretch along the side wall. Who needs that many appliances?

There’s a heavy wooden dining table and bench in the corner and old French art posters on the wall.

In contrast, the living room is light. Light brown walls stretch the length of the room with a large tan leather couch centred against it.

Green and tan accessories decorate the arms of the couch, and some side tables are covered with books, dried flowers, and an old record player.

There is a huge multi-coloured rug in the centre of the floor, covering most of the hardwood, giving the room a cosy feel. This place is nice. Real nice.

As I’m looking out of the window watching the sun setting over the water, Alice brushes past me, and it catches me off guard. I was too busy admiring the view to hear her coming out of, what I assume is, her room .

"I told you to make yourself at home. Go grab a seat and I'll put some coffee on."

But I don't move from the windows. I like to people watch, and this is a great people-watching view.

"You did. Sorry, I was too busy sussing the place out. What a great fucking view. This apartment is awesome." Propping myself against the pane of glass, I continue observing the world. It must be great to have such an open space, while having so much privacy being this high up.

With two mugs of coffee in hand, Alice props herself next to me and hands me one of the mugs.

Together we watch the sun disappear as evening descends upon us.

I glance to my side to take her in again, and she's completed her look with some black high-tops.

She smells sweet, like caramel, and her lips are painted the perfect shade of red.

"I forget how beautiful this view is sometimes. You don't appreciate it as much when you get to see it every day."

"Hmm." That’s the only noise I am capable of making as I imagine kissing the lipstick right back off her mouth again.

"You look so fucking good."

Think it. Don't say it, you fucking clown.

"Oh, thanks," she replies, looking a little embarrassed.

"You don't look too bad yourself, mister.

" Alice gently nudges me in the side and moves a little closer to me than I'm currently comfortable with.

I feel her body heat against me, and I'm about three nanoseconds away from my dick telling on me.

Trust me, there is nothing else I like more than having Alice so physically close to me that I can feel how warm her skin is.

But she has made it quite clear that we are just friends, so I don't want to ruin it.

She's really cool and I want her in my life however I can have her, even if that is just as friends.

Yeah, she's really fucking sexy too.

Shut up, brain.

"We should head out. We don't want to be late." I cut through my own personal torture to diffuse the sexual tension that only exists for me.

"I'm actually really excited for my first hockey game!" She beams, and little dimples form on her cheeks.

"Wait. You've never been to a game? Ever?"

"No, I haven't." She grimaces at me in jest. "Don't hate me for it, I couldn't handle that. You can teach me everything I need to know."

I put on my best dad voice and reply. "You've not only let yourself down, but you've let me down too. I'm not mad, Alice, But I am disappointed." A low rumble of a laugh follows.

"Wow. That was cold." She shivers mockingly and walks down the hall towards the apartment door, grabbing a beanie hat from the back of a chair and pulling it down over her curls.

Not looking at Alice's ass as it sways tests every ounce of my willpower.