A Secret Discovered

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Someone asked for this and so I delivered. Have fun!

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Yawning, Carter rubbed her eyes and glanced at her phone screen. The time was just a little before midnight. Strewn across her bed were pages of notes and textbooks laying open. On her computer was an essay for her psych class.

The apartment around her was silent, the absence of her father creating the strange void. Carter snatched her phone and found the one person she wanted to help break the silence. The rings echoed in her ear as she waited, biting her thumbnail.

"Carter?"

Donovan's voice was thick with sleep and she couldn't help picturing him in his bed, shirtless.

"Did I wake you?" she asked, trying to shove away the image.

There was a rustle of sheets and in her mind's eye she saw him rolling onto his back and stretching an arm above his head.

"Are you alright?" Donovan asked, ignoring the fact that she had woken him up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just..." She curled her toes, twisting her lips to the side. "I just...ummm...had a question about..." She grimaced. "Psych class."

Donovan gave a deep, throaty chuckle. It was the sexiest sound Carter had ever heard.

"Carter, you understand if you want to call me just to hear my voice, you can. You don't need a reason."

Cheeks flaming, Carter buried her face in her hand. It had been the truth for her call but still, she felt stupid.

"I'm really not good at this girlfriend thing," she muttered.

That same sexy laugh rolled over the line.

"I don't care, as long as you're my girlfriend you can be terrible at it." The title pulled a smile from Carter. "So, do you want me to monologue for you so can fall asleep to my voice?"

Carter laughed. "I don't believe you're capable of monologuing."

"For you, I could figure something out."

A warmth that seemed to only appear when he talked that way spread throughout Carter. She sank back onto her pillows, cradling the phone to her ear.

"How about you just tell me about your day?" she said.

"That seems pointless since you were there for most of it or the only good parts of it, but sure, I'll tell you about my day."

The sleep in his voice drifted away as he talked. Most of what he said barely made an impression on Carter's tired brain but it didn't matter. What mattered was he was talking to her because despite having been woken up to do it, he cared for her. It was such a strange sensation that even after a year of officially dating, she couldn't wrap her mind around the truth of it.

"Are you asleep?" Donovan asked.

"No, I'm still here." Carter was curled up on her bed, facing the other side of the mattress, imagining Donovan laying beside her. Donovan yawned and she could hear as he shifted.

"Okay," he said, a sleepy note in his voice. "Now you talk."

"You sound like you're about to fall asleep again."

"Then I'll get the best night's sleep ever."

Smiling, Carter talked. She couldn't remember what she said, the words were meaningless but the affection behind them wasn't. When half an hour had passed, she heard the gentle tones of Donovan's heavy breathing.

"Night, Donovan," she whispered.

She hung up and slid off her bed, padding into the kitchen. The refrigerator light glared at her as she went searching for something to eat. She was about to settle for a bowl of cereal when the lock on the front door turned. Shutting the fridge, Carter sank into a crouch.

"I'm not sure why we're here," her father said. "I should have taken you home first."

Maggie let out a teasing laugh. "You've been a bit distracted tonight, I imagine your brain went on autopilot."

Carter shifted to her stomach and edged forward on the cold tile, peering around the corner of the kitchen counter. Outlined in the doorway was her father, his hand on Maggie's waist, while her hand rested on his cheek. From her light summery dress and his slacks and button down, they had clearly come from a nice dinner date. The thought of announcing her presence felt too awkward at that moment, so Carter remained hidden.

"There's a reason for that," Steve said.

As Maggie cocked her head, the corner of her mouth curled up in question. Carter's father ran a hand through his hair and moved his weight from one foot to the other. Carter's eyebrows shot up. Her father was...nervous.

"The thing is," he said, each word measured like he had practiced them. "The last time I told a woman that I loved her, it was my ex-wife, I was twenty and I said it too early, not understanding what those words really meant. When the divorce went through and I realized I was a free man I promised myself I wouldn't say those words until I was prepared to make the commitment they demanded."

Carter knew to her core that this was not a conversation her father would want her to overhear, but there was no way in hell she was going to stop listening. Steve cupped Maggie's face, smiling down at her. It was a look so full of admiration and affection, Carter felt herself grinning.

"Maggie," Steve said. When he sank down onto one knee before her, Maggie sucked in a breath and Carter had to cover her mouth to stop herself from gasping. "I love you and I never want to say these words to any other woman but you. Will you marry me?"

In the moonlight, Carter could see the glistening of tears on Maggie's cheeks.

"Yes, of course."

When Steve stood and began kissing Maggie, Carter buried her face in her hands. More than giving them privacy, it was the only way she could contain her happiness. Before that moment she had never understood why people jumped up and down screaming when they heard good news, but right then she understood. All she wanted to do was shout at the top of her lungs that her father was going to be happy.

Eventually, the pair broke apart and whispered something to each other.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Maggie said. "We'll tell Carter then."

"Tomorrow."

Maggie kissed him one last time.

"I love you," she said, then slipped out the door.

The smile Carter's father wore was one she had rarely seen since her mother left. It made him look ten years younger and almost boyish with happiness. Scooting away, Carter sat on the kitchen floor waiting for her father to head off to his room.

To her surprise, he made his way to the kitchen. When he flipped on the light and found Carter grinning up at him, he froze.

"You heard-"

"Every word," she said. "It's nice to know you're not as slow on the uptake as I thought you were, old man."

He father laughed, it was filled with amazement, happiness, and wonder.

"You approve then?" he said.

Carter pushed herself up. "I was the one telling you to marry that woman ages ago. It's you who took forever to get on board."

Still smiling a smile that Carter hoped would never go away, her father hugged her.

"I love you, Captain," she said. "And so does Maggie. It's good you can finally see it."

"I can." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Sarge."

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BLASTING BOMBSHELLS!!!
THAT JUST HAPPENED!! 😱

So of course you knew that Steve and Maggie eventually got married, well now you know how it came about!

Tell me what you think?

Honestly, they are pretty adorable! I'm just happy Steve has found his real true love and can be happy forever now!! ☺️

Yeah, I'm pretty much out of words right now, just too overwhelmed that Steve finally got his girl!

Vote, comment, follow or do nothing at all! 😄

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