Return To Love. Betsy St. Amant

banister and tried to ignore the lewd gaze he raked over her. “Whoa, I should have bet Carter more than a hundred bucks. You’re worth at least one fifty.” He leered. “Think he’ll mind sharing?”

      He reached for her, but Gracie shoved away and pounded up the stairs, the taunts and catcalls of the party ringing in her ears as she made her escape—Carter’s laugh echoing the loudest of all.

      “It’s just a matter of time until he asks me out.” Tawny’s voice jerked Gracie from her unwanted instant replay of the past. “Hey, you all right? You look a little red.”

      Gracie blinked and realized her hands were clenched into fists. She drew a deep breath, willing the emotion to ease from her throat and avoided Lori’s look of concern. She straightened her shoulders. “Never better.”

      She had a job to do—get Andy on board for the aquarium gala. The past would have to stay behind her.

      And so would Carter Alexander.

      Carter leaned against the wall under the basketball hoop and swallowed his last bite of cheese pizza. At a table in front of him, three high school boys wearing backward baseball caps and T-shirts laughed as they tried to see who could sink a napkin in a cup of soda first. Beside them, two older kids with multiple tattoos lining their arms finished off their dinner while discussing the youth group’s limited options of dating material.

      “The blonde with the braids is pretty hot.” The teen with the spiky hair glanced over his shoulder toward a crowd of laughing students.

      The second boy scoffed, his eyebrow ring shining under the fluorescent gymnasium lights. “That’s Jeremy’s girl. Everyone knows that.”

      “I’m not afraid of him.” But Spiky Hair’s eyes darted to the large football player and back. “Whatever. What about Jay-Lynn?”

      “Parents won’t let her date ’til she’s sixteen. Got six more months.”

      “Bummer.”

      “Yeah, it stinks. Almost as much as the music tonight.”

      Carter straightened from his position on the wall. These guys didn’t enjoy his songs? He edged a step closer.

      Spiky Hair seemed just as shocked. “What do you mean, man? You don’t like Carter’s stuff?”

      “I don’t see why he had to give up the good music. This new stuff is boring. He could have been a mega star.” The kid with the piercing shrugged. “I just don’t get it.”

      Disappointment crowded the pizza in Carter’s stomach. Should he approach the boys and try to explain his decision, or let it go?

      The choice was made for him when they both abruptly stood with their trash. “Let’s see if that Bruce Willis movie is still playing at the theater.”

      “Sounds good to me.” The boys moved toward the trash cans.

      Carter watched them wave goodbye to Andy and slip out the side doors. A late movie, in the middle of the week? It was a school night. Things sure had changed from when he was a teenager. His parents would have never let him out after the youth service, even after he had his driver’s license. Maybe these boy’s parents didn’t know where they were—or didn’t care.

      He shook off the melancholy as he glanced around the gym. Several of the kids were still eating, and a few kicked a hacky sack around in the back of the room. Did the rest of them feel the same way about his music as Spiky Hair and Eyebrow Ring? He’d hoped they’d see past the sacrificed fame and into the heart of who he’d become. It seemed as though Gracie had missed that particular message, as well.

      Maybe he could hang around awhile longer, bum with Andy and try to get more involved with the youth group. He didn’t want his concert to be a waste. What if God had more for him at L’Eglise de Grace than he realized? It was definitely something to consider.

      He crumpled the napkin he’d used as a plate in one fist and headed toward Andy, who had his back turned talking to—Gracie? Carter’s steps slowed. He didn’t want to interrupt. From the look on Gracie’s face the subject was serious. But then again, how serious could it be if Haley and Jeremy were at the other end of the table? He slid into the chair next to Andy, across from Gracie, and smiled.

      Gracie’s blue eyes flitted briefly to his and then back to Andy. Dismissed. He ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach.

      “Hey, man, get enough pizza?” Andy slapped Carter a high five.

      “Is there such a concept?”

      “Good point.” Andy held up one finger. “Sorry, Gracie, you were saying about a fund-raiser?”

      “I just think it could be really beneficial for everyone—the penguins, the kids and me—if the youth group got involved. You’re always searching for a community project for them to participate in.” Gracie licked her lips and Carter fought the urge to swipe a smear of pizza sauce from the corner of her mouth.

      If they’d still been in high school, he wouldn’t have hesitated. Probably would have licked his own finger and rubbed it right across her chin, just to get her girlie, disgusted reaction.

      The difference was, in school he wouldn’t have been tempted to kiss those same lips. Now, it was all he could think about. It’s not your place anymore—you missed that chance. He shifted positions in the metal folding chair and tried to focus on Andy’s words.

      “Sounds fine to me, Gracie. I think a project would be great for them right now. Some of the youth seem a little restless. They need a goal, and what could be a worthier cause?” Andy tapped his fingers on the table. “You just tell me what you need, and I’ll make sure we get volunteers ASAP.”

      “Thanks!” Gracie’s eyes lit and she leaned forward against the table. “This is such a relief. You have no—”

      “I’ll help, too.” The words flew from Carter’s mouth before he could fully process them.

      “You?” Gracie’s brow furrowed. “But don’t you have to get back home?”

      Hadn’t he just thought about talking to Andy about staying in town longer? What better opportunity to be a positive influence to the youth group than working side by side with them on a common goal—and if that same goal brought him closer to Gracie…Besides, maybe if he stuck around, he could dissuade Gracie from naming the wing after his father.

      Carter smiled. “I’d be happy to. That is, if Andy doesn’t mind having a roommate for a while longer.”

      “No way, man, that’d be awesome. It’s a plan.” Andy slapped both hands on the table. “Now we just need a sign-up sheet.”

      “A plan,” Gracie echoed as she stood. “Right.”

      Carter ignored the dismay dripping from her voice. It stung a little now, but after she spent more time around the new Carter, she’d warm up to the idea—and hopefully to him.