Honeysuckle Summer (The Sweet Magnolias #7)(101)

Carter shook his head at the traditions of these loyal friends. “Fine. I’ll pick up beer and wine.”

He leaned down and kissed her, lingering long enough to stir up plenty of heat. “Love you,” he said, then took off to clock out and put the party plan in motion.

Only when he was sitting in the front seat of his cruiser on his way back to the sheriff’s office did he realize what he’d said. Love you had come out of his mouth without thought, but he realized it was true. Somewhere along the way he’d fallen in love with Raylene, the kind of love that had kept his parents together through tough times and good, the kind that would get them through, as well.

Now he just had to figure out some way to convince Raylene she had the strength to love him back.



When Raylene emerged from the house and stepped into the backyard without a moment’s hesitation, an impromptu cheer went up. She stood where she was, a tray of food in her arms, and what had to be a silly grin spreading across her face. She found Carter in the crowd and saw the hope in his eyes. It would have dazzled her if she hadn’t been so scared of letting him down.

She hadn’t missed those casually spoken words as he’d been dashing out of the house earlier. He’d kissed her, then said he loved her. Oh, he could have blown it off as something any friend might say to another one at the end of a visit or a call, but she knew better. He’d meant it. She just wasn’t sure she was ready to face the implications.

And until she was, she needed to keep a safe distance between them.

It turned out that was easier said than done on a night when it seemed everyone was conspiring to throw the two of them together. There was undeniable magic in the night air, along with the sweet scent of honeysuckle.

It was nearly midnight when everyone began drifting off. Even Carrie and Mandy rode off on their bikes, leaving Raylene alone with Carter.

“Don’t you need to spend some time at home with the girls? You’ve been neglecting them lately, and I know Carrie still needs you,” she said, sidestepping him when he reached out to pull her down beside him. She picked up the last of the plates from the party and carried them inside. With an audible sigh over her evasiveness, he followed.

“You’re trying to avoid me,” he accused gently, standing directly in her path. “Why is that?”

“I told you earlier. We don’t know yet what any of this means. I don’t want you getting your hopes up or starting to make any kind of plans.”

“I know you might still have a rough road ahead, but just think about what you accomplished today. You faced down your abusive ex-husband. That took amazing bravery.”

“Knowing Mandy was outside and that I had to protect her gave me the strength I needed to do that.”

“Well, I say that makes you remarkable.”

“Carter, it doesn’t mean there won’t be more bad days ahead.”

“Can’t you just enjoy the moment?” he asked, regarding her with bewilderment.

“It’s not the moment that worries me,” she said. “It’s that look you keep getting in your eyes, as if everything’s suddenly all right.” She met his gaze. “Plus, you said you loved me,” she added, making it sound like an accusation.

He seemed amused. “Shame on me,” he said. “What an awful thing to say!”

“I’m trying to make a point here,” she said testily. “You only said it after you thought I was well—and that the agoraphobia was somehow magically behind me now that Paul’s been dealt with.”

He frowned at that. “And you think that means…” He hesitated, looking puzzled. “What do you think it means?”

“You never said the words before, when you thought I was a wreck. It felt like you were holding back, giving yourself an out in case things never improved.”

“That’s ridiculous! First of all, I never thought you were a wreck,” he said fiercely, holding her gaze until she finally gave a nod of acknowledgment. “And second, it wasn’t until this afternoon that I realized how deep my feelings for you run. I should have said it differently. I should have made some big production out of it, I guess. But it came out, because in that moment, I knew it was how I felt. Period. Don’t make some big deal out of the fact that today was the first time I’d said it.”

“Love is a big deal, Carter. I’m not sure I’m ready for that, especially if it’s contingent on me being back to normal.”

She’d known for a while now that what she felt for him was powerful. She’d even labeled it love. Acting on it, however, facing all of the implications for their future, she wasn’t prepared to go there, not when her life might no longer be on hold. If she once again had a future filled with possibilities, she wanted to explore all of them.

“Then you don’t love me?” he asked.

When she hesitated, he might have looked hurt, but instead, he merely nodded. “That’s okay. I think you do, but if you’re not ready to say the words, I’ll wait.”

Was that what she’d wanted to hear, that he would sit on the sidelines patiently waiting until she got her feet back under her and knew who she could be again?

“That’s not going to work,” she told him, struggling with real regret. “You have a family to think about. Concentrate on them. See that Carrie gets well. Don’t put one second of your life on hold for me. If I’ve learned one thing and nothing else over the past couple of years, it’s that life is too precious to waste a minute of it. Out of fear, I’ve wasted far too much.”