"No, you're fine, Stan," I said. "So Cade thinks I'm running my mouth to the cops?"
"No, I don't really think he thinks that," Stan said. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't inadvertently - "
"What's his problem, then?" I interrupted.
Stan didn't answer.
Oh.
"So he's jealous?" I asked. Unbelievable.
So Cade suddenly thought my dating life was his business, and enough to talk to his father about it.
"Oh boy," Stan said. "I don't think I should have said anything. I didn't mean to upset you."
"No," I said. "I'm glad you did."
Stan cleared his throat. "I think maybe I should be going."
I threw myself into yard work, my irritation at Cade building even as I tried to stifle it by diving into a physical distraction. Getting a little dirt under my fingernails had never failed to work as a stress reliever, but now I found myself getting more and more worked up over the conversation I'd just had with Stan.
So Cade thought I was colluding with the sheriff or was jealous that I went out on a date with Jed. Either way, it pissed me off.
When I saw him riding toward the barn on one of the horses, I was so worked up about what he'd said to his dad about my dating life that I felt myself marching across the field on autopilot. I caught him just as he was walking out of the barn, and he stopped abruptly when he saw me, looking up from underneath that cowboy hat.
And I wasn't going to let the fact that he looked sexy as hell in that hat and boots deter me from the fact that I was pissed the hell off at him.
"What are you doing here, June? You should be hanging out down at the police station, shouldn't you?"
That was it. That goddamn cocky attitude. Now I for sure wasn't distracted by that smug smile and those piercing eyes.
"What, were you spying on me?"
Cade shoved his thumbs in his belt loops, and stood there, unmoving. Something about seeing him stand there like that, casual, like he didn't give a shit, pissed me off even more. "I didn't spy on you, June. I just happened to walk by."
I laughed. "Sure, you just happened to see me at Nina's."
He shrugged. "If you want to have some fantasy that I'm interested in you enough to spy on you, go right ahead. It's not any of my business if you want to date some douchebag small town deputy,” Cade said, his tone mocking.
"Better than dating some loser from a biker gang," I said.
Cade's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.
I'd hurt him.
Good.
"Stay away from him until we're out of here, June," he said.
"Do you think I'd do something that would jeopardize that family in there?" I asked. "I'm not stupid. And you're not going to tell me who I can and cannot see. My dating life is off limits. It's none of your business who I date, where I go, or what I do."
"You think I give a shit who you date?" Cade asked, his voice louder now. "I couldn't care less who you choose to go out with. But it is my fucking concern when you're in bed with the deputy in town, while I’m trying to keep Crunch and April and MacKenzie safe.”
“In bed with the town deputy?” I heard my voice rising, the sound shrill. “I’ll get in bed with whomever I want, wherever I want, Cade Austin. And that’s not going to ever be any of your business." I heard my words coming out faster, uncontrollable now. "And if you think I'm talking to Jed about Crunch and his family, you obviously don’t know me that well. Maybe you never did.”
“Clearly not,” Cade said, a dark expression on his face. “Although you sure think you’ve got me pegged.”
“I think whatever the hell you’re into now – all the criminal bullshit with the biker club or whatever - I don’t think the old Cade would have gotten involved in that one bit.”
“That’s for damn sure,” he said. “And the old Cade wouldn’t have told you to go out with the deputy, like I’m doing right now. In fact, Jed sounds like the kind of guy who would be perfect for you.”
I could have slapped him, slapped that stupid smug expression right off his face. “You’re probably right, Cade. At least I know now you’re not the kind of guy who’s perfect for me.” I didn’t stop to listen to whatever else he might have to say. I just turned on my heels and walked back toward my house.
Axe
I watched June walk back to her house, my blood pumping loudly in my ears. Shit, that woman had a way of getting under my skin. I stomped inside the barn, getting more and more furious by the second.
Spying on her. Hell, she was full of herself, thinking I was obsessed with her. Like she was something special.
She is something special, though, isn't she.
I put that thought out of my head. No, she was a stuck up bitch. I thought she was the same June I used to know, but she'd morphed into someone else, an uptight snob.
Some loser from a biker gang. That's how she saw me.