Page 6 of Smoky Mountain K-9
He flashed her a grin. “No.” Closing her door, he rounded the hood and got in.
“Not somber, huh?” A smile played with her lips, pulling one from his. “Does that mean you’re wild?”
“No,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m just a regular guy.” He started the truck and backed down the drive and onto the street. “I could ask the same about you. Do you have the personality to match your fiery hair?”
Mara wrinkled her nose, her smile escaping. “My temper can match it sometimes, but that’s about all.”
Carter nodded once. “So, tell me about yourself. I know a little from Ben and Gemma. You’re her boss, right?” he asked, mentioning his boss, Ben Davidson, and the man’s wife.
“Yes.”
He grinned. “What’s that like?” Gemma was great, but she was a firecracker.
Mara laughed. “You know her well.”
His chuckle filled the cab alongside hers. “Yeah. She’s great, but, man—she’ll give you a run for your money.”
“She will. She’s a hard worker, though. And good at her job. She’s a great friend too. I lucked out when I moved here to find a couple of women who I can’t imagine life without.”
“You’re talking about the woman who bid on me? Brooke? That’s her name, right?”
Mara nodded. “I’m still aghast she spent that kind of money on me. Which is why I didn’t back out last minute.”
His brow furrowed slightly as he glanced at her. “Did you want to?”
“Oh, yes. Dating isn’t something I do. Did Gemma tell you I was a widow?”
“No. I’m sorry. That must have been rough.” He couldn’t imagine what that was like. Losing someone you thought you’d grow old with.
“It was. I still miss him, and I think part of me always will.” Her voice turned soft, and she looked away.
Carter glanced out his window, his lips tightening. Well, at least he knew where he stood. That should make tonight easier. He could treat her as a friend. They’d have a pleasant time, then part ways.
“Brooke was right, though. I need to put myself back out there.”
Or maybe there could be more to this than two friends having a nice evening together. His brows dipped, then smoothed out. Did he want that? He wasn’t sure. She was pretty and stirred something in his blood. But he didn’t want to be a substitute for a ghost.
“That doesn’t mean I’m expecting anything from you.” She held her hands up, her eyes going a little wide. “I know the circumstances around our date are a bit—odd. I’m not looking for anything. But I think tonight will be a good test of whether I’m ready to start dating again.” She paused for a second, then cocked her head. “That doesn’t mean I think you’d make a terrible boyfriend. I’m sure you’re a great guy.” She stopped, a touch of color highlighting her cheeks.
Carter bit back a smile, amused by the rapid-fire words coming out of her mouth. He glanced over again to see her tuck her bottom lip between her teeth. He chuckled. “I understand what you’re saying. I’m not looking to start anything from our date, either. We’re fulfilling an obligation.” That’s what he was going with for now. No expectations.
“Exactly.” Her posture relaxed. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
He was too. It would make their time together pass more smoothly if neither of them was looking to get something from this date.
Shifting in his seat, he changed the subject. “So, you said you moved here? How long ago was that?”
“It’s been about three years. I took the job as the equestrian center’s director just after my husband died. I needed to start over—to get away from the memories.”
Running away from bad memories was something Carter could understand. There were plenty of those in his past. “Where are you from, then?”
“Oklahoma. Blake and I lived in Oklahoma City, but I grew up in a small town a couple of hours west of there. We met at my first job in OKC. He was the maintenance director for the facility. After he died, I needed something different.”
“I’d say you got your change of scenery.”
She smiled. “Yeah. But it helped. I was able to grieve without getting lost in it. Back home, everywhere I looked, something reminded me of him.” She glanced at him. “What about you? You’re not from the Foggy Mountain area, are you? I think Gemma mentioned something about how happy she was that Ben stole you away from your other department. You met them during the serial killer case, right?”
His mouth slanted up. “Yeah. They saved my mom’s life. Our sailboat’s engine blew and ripped a hole in the hull. She was trapped below deck and Ben got her out. Maverick too.” Carter swallowed hard at the memory. It still hit him like a punch to the gut how close he’d come to losing his mom and his K-9 partner.