Haley spun the silver bracelet on her wrist around and around, unable to stop. The pendant on the chain with the star sign for her birthday clinked with each rotation.
"I don't see why you're so nervous," Jace said. "It's your cousin."
The doors to the San Diego airport slid open and Haley bit her lip as a new wave of passengers flowed out. The day was warm as if California forgot that it was November. From speakers around the airport parking lot, the sound of the Beach Boys sang out, welcoming tourists. The whole day had a cheery vibe. Haley felt none of it.
"Yes, she's my cousin," Haley said. "But she's not my cousin like you and your cousins are."
Jace surveyed the mass of arriving people, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. "Yeah, but you told me you were close."
Haley spun the bracelet faster. "We were. Kinda. We always hung out over family reunions even though we're only like third cousins or whatever." She paused, frowning. "The last time I saw her though was when I was thirteen. Her mother left a few months later and...well...her father and she stopped coming to family reunions."
"How come she's stopping by now?"
A soft breeze floated around them, tangled with it was the scent of the sea.
"I'm not actually sure. She said that she was going to be in San Diego to meet her boyfriend's family and wanted to know if I wanted to get together for a couple of hours to catch up."
Jace nodded. "I'm sure this is going to be fine."
Haley released her bracelet and laced her fingers together, twisting them into tight knots. "Thanks for coming with me."
"Of course. I'm honored I ranked higher than your boyfriend."
"Oh, you didn't. Isaac is just with his father and I didn't want to take time away from that."
"Ouch."
Smiling, Haley bumped her shoulder against his arm. "You're fine. It's not like you would put me above Josie."
"Fair enough."
When the doors slid open again, Haley coiled her fingers even more, turning the tips white. A new stream of people exited and dispersed while Haley scanned their faces for one that was familiar. Beside her, Jace let out a whistle.
"It's a good thing I have a girlfriend," he said.
Haley glance at him then followed his line of sight to a girl with a duffle bag slung over one shoulder. She had light brown skin, coffee-colored hair - tied into a ponytail, dark blue eyes and a lithe figure. Though pretty there was nothing else about her appearance that warranted attention. She was dressed in a simple black t-shirt, jean shorts, and Converse.
What did set her apart was the way she walked, like she could conquer the world if the thought occurred to her.
Haley blinked as recognition hit her. "Yeah, that's my cousin Carter."
At the moment Haley spoke, Carter spotted the pair and grinned. The smile made Haley relax as it was filled with familiarity.
"Hey, Haley," Carter said, stopping.
"Hi, it's been a long time."
"Yeah, too long."
Jace cleared his throat and Haley started, remembering he was there. "Right, Carter this is Jace. Jace, Carter."
When Jace held out his hand, Carter took it, offering a kind smile.
"Hi. Baseball, right?"
Jace blinked in surprise, darting a glance at Haley. "Yeah, how did you-"
Carter motioned to his torso. "Your shoulders and how they are in proportion to the rest of your body."
Both Haley and Jace stared at Carter who looked completely at ease.
"Seriously?" Haley asked.
Carter nodded. "Yeah, football players have a more bulky look to them, swimmers have a triangle type physique and basketball players are the most evenly proportioned."
Stunned silence followed this statement. Carter glanced between the two of them.
"Well, it's really nice to meet you, Jace. I know Haley was nervous meeting up so you're a good friend."
Haley opened to mouth to correct Carter by saying, 'not my boyfriend' when she registered that Carter hadn't made that assumption at all.
"Wait," she said. "How'd you know he was just my friend? And that I was nervous?" Haley thought she had done a good enough job at hiding her surprise and nerves over the meetup.
Carter pointed to Haley's hands. "When I first saw you, your hands were all tangled together. You were nervous. As for the friend thing, you're not standing close enough. Also, it was obvious you were nervous, any boyfriend would have taken your hand to calm you down. Also, there's the fact that Jace has a girlfriend named Josie."
"I'm sorry what?" Jace said, swiveling his head around like he wasn't sure this was all some elaborate prank. Haley wanted to do the same thing, completely at a loss. Carter pressed her lips together, amused.
"Well, when I shook your hand," she said, "I saw that you're wearing a bracelet you would get in Hawaii with the name Josie painted on the strip wood. I put two and two together."
Haley felt like she wanted to sit down. It was like she was in some weird alternate universe where Sherlock was a girl and happened to be Haley's cousin.
On the tail end of this thought was how Haley had spent months watching her classmates, picking up pieces of their lives and thinking she saw it all like Carter was doing. The only difference seemed to be that Haley was always wrong but somehow Carter wasn't.
"Wow," Jace said. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"Things usually do if you know what to look for."
Haley wanted to argue this but swallowed her retort. Instead, she gestured to the parking lot. "Do you want to get going? I figured we could go get lunch somewhere."
"Sounds good," Carter said. "Do you mind if we eat somewhere outside, it's cold back in D.C. and I like how warm it is here."
"Yeah, that's totally fine."
"I know just the spot to eat," Jace added.
After picking up some Mexican food, the trio found a grassy spot by the harbor to eat. The breeze was slightly chilly helping keep the heat of the sun from getting too overbearing. As they ate, the last five years of their lives were traded back and forth. Haley felt for her cousin as she heard how her mother left and the years that followed.
Only a year ago, Haley had feared that her own parents were getting a divorce and the relief of finding out they weren't had been overwhelming. Imagining life without speaking to her mother at all felt impossible. But Carter spoke with an even tone, laying out facts, not feelings.
When the trash had been balled up and tossed away, Carter leaned back on her hands, tipping her head back, eyes closed. Haley studied her, coming to terms with how the spirited playmate of her childhood was no longer there. Instead, there was a girl who was fierce but guarded. Haley wondered what would have happened if Carter's mother had never left. Jace's phone rang breaking into her thoughts.
"You mind if I get this?" he asked.
Carter waved him off with a careless gesture. When Jace had moved off, Carter spoke, never changing her position.
"You can ask me that question you want to now," she said.
Haley froze, unsure what question it was that Carter was referring to. When Haley didn't say anything, Carter lifted her head.
"You've wanted to ask me about how I did what I did with Jace since we left the airport."
Haley shifted, not realizing she had been so obvious. "Well, yeah." Carter only stared at Haley, waiting. "Here's the thing," Haley said. "Last year I did what you did. I sat back and watched everyone around me, analyzing them, thinking I knew what box they fit into and knew all about their lives." She dropped her gaze and tugged at a strand of grass. "I was wrong. About it all. But then you show up and know all this stuff about Jace but you're not wrong." She twisted her lips to the side. "I'm not sure how it's different."
Carter nudged Haley's shoe with her own, forcing Haley to meet Carter's eyes. There was a look of understanding there which helped Haley relax.
"It's simple," Carter said. "You were raised by a realtor and a lawyer while I was raised by a Secret Service agent."
Haley cocked her head, thinking she saw the connection but not entirely sure. Seeing her confusion, Carter crossed her legs and leaned forward.
"Haley, from the time I was thirteen my father would take me places and we would read the crowd. That means he would show me how to see specific aspects of a person and understand them and their personality. It's what he had been trained to do. Your parents weren't ever going to have the level of knowledge my father does to give to you. Also, you can't put people in boxes."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I know that now."
Carter laughed. Haley twisted a piece of grass in her fingers. "So you can really know someone's personality from just looking at them?"
"I can know parts of it. You can never know everything. For instance, on first meeting Jace I knew that he was confident in his identity and loyal."
"How could you possibly know that?"
Carter shrugged. "Easy, his bracelet."
Haley shook her head and dropped her chin into her hand. "Yes, how did I not see that? It's so clear."
"It is. Let's take the bracelet. The name Josie is written on it. It's clearly a feminine type of jewelry. That tells me that Jace was hanging with his girlfriend and took it because that's not something a girlfriend would give a boyfriend.
"But not only did he take the bracelet, but he's also chosen to wear it even when it could mean that his fellow baseball player friends could tease him about it, most likely calling him 'whipped'. Jace hasn't taken off the bracelet so he's confident in his identity that a taunt like that would mean nothing. The reason he kept it on is because he wants the world to know that he's in a relationship and doesn't care how other people see him. He's loyal."
All Haley could do was stare. "That was...woah..."
Carter gave a careless shrug. "All part of growing up with my dad."
"Can you do that with everyone?"
"Usually."
Haley twisted around, looking for a new target to test this statement on. As she searched the mostly empty area, a car pulled up to the sidewalk. From the driver's side, a guy wearing sunglasses stepped out. He had bronze skin, handsome features, and a tall, toned body. He rounded the car and leaned against the side, waiting.
For a second, Haley couldn't help but gawk. It was looking at a model and unable to tear her eyes away.
"What about him?" she asked, finally reminding herself she had a boyfriend.
"Who?"
Haley pointed to the guy. Carter tilted her head, gazing past Haley, eyes narrowed in thought.
"Clearly confident, you can tell by the way he holds himself, but not egotistical, simply comfortable in his own skin. Patient. He's waiting but he's not on his phone, he's fine going without a distraction."
Haley nodded along, seeing the details Carter pointed out.
"Intelligent," Carter continued. "An avid book reader. Has a dry sense of humor. Self-contained. Tends towards running and boxing." Haley furrowed her brows, not sure how these answers were being attainted. "Determined. Hard-working. Loyal. Compassionate. And finally, trained as a Marine."
Haley shook her head. "Okay, how did you get all of that?"
Carter grinned, her eyes still pinned on the guy. "I cheated."
"How?"
Carter met Haley's gaze. "I happen to be dating him."
At this Haley laughed and Carter grinned wider.
"That's your boyfriend?" she asked.
"Yup."
"And you're going to meet his family?"
"Yup."
"How do you feel?"
"Terrified."
Haley didn't know what to say. The idea that this self-assured girl could ever feel fear was unthinkable. But somehow it made Haley like her even more.
"Want to meet him?" Carter asked.
In answer, Haley stood up and the pair crossed the grass to where the guy. When he saw Carter, an easy smile slid into place.
"Donovan, this is my cousin Haley," Carter said.
Donovan shook Haley's hand and she was aware of how small hers felt in his.
"I'm pleased to meet you," he said.
His voice was low and smooth and Haley had the feeling he would have no trouble talking a jumper off a ledge with that voice.
"Same."
Jace reappeared and a second introduction was exchanged. Donovan checked the time and looked at Carter. "I don't want to interrupt, but we do have a bit of a drive."
Haley took a step back. "It's actually good timing, we were just finishing up."
Carter smiled at Haley. "Thanks for this."
"I'm glad you called," Haley said.
With one more farewell, Carter and Donovan climbed into the car and drove off, Haley waving goodbye. For a moment, Haley watched as the Mercedes disappeared.
"Is it just me or was that guy ridiculously good-looking?" Jace asked.
Haley laughed. "It's not just you."
Jace threw his arm around Haley's shoulders and the pair walked off together.
**********************************************************************
Oh my oh my!
Haley and Carter finally met! What did you think? 👉🕳👈
So wrote this for two reasons.
1. I had a lot of people asking me for it once they knew that Carter and Haley were related.
2. Because I knew that most people thought Haley was like Carter in the first few chapters but as time went on she was not like Carter at all and this was to show you the reasons why.
Also can we please all admit that Jace is adorable and we completely and totally love him? Cause I know I do!
Also I always wondered what it would be like to view Carter from a outsider's perspective (other than Donovan's cause he's not normal himself). It was fun to write that, seeing how she is rather strange and intimidating.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Vote, comment, follow because let's face it you love me!