He doesn’t know about… before.
From the look in his eyes, he has his theories, and I’m sure they’re not that far from the truth. But he’s never asked and I’ve never told him. I don’t know, that’s probably pretty telling in itself—couples share things, solid couples at least, and part of me wants to tell him some of it. But it’s not that easy.
Sometimes… sometimes things happen that are too painful. The very thought of putting them into words, speaking them out into the universe, tears a piece of your soul.
My secret with Justin is one of those.
Cade’s seductive grin slips and he releases my hand. I wrap it against my chest, guarding against a sudden chill, and watch him grab our bags from the truck.
“Who else is coming?” He shoulders his duffle and lifts the handle on my rolling case, then takes off for the tall staircase. Feeling a headache mounting, I fall into step behind him.
“I assume some of the guys from the team,” I say, scoping out the cars and trucks already parked on the driveway and in the street. An F150 with huge tires tells me Dad’s pitcher is here. “Brandon, Drew, and Carlos are in our FACS class, plus they’re Justin’s best friends. They met up at school this morning to pick up our robot babies. Also my friend Mi-Mi should be here since she’s Brandon’s partner for the project.”
His girlfriend Aly is in our class, too, so she’s a definite. That makes me happy. We only ever shared a class or two but she’s super sweet and Dad adores her. Plus, her baking skills are legendary. I admit I was a tad jealous when she hooked up with Justin last year; she was the first girl who made him smile like he used to—not the fake one he wears in the halls, but the real one that reaches his eyes.
Unfortunately for Justin, they never had a chance. Anyone with eyes knew Aly and Brandon were inevitable.
“And what do you see?”
“Inevitability.”
I lose my footing on the stairs and grab hold of the railing.
In the barn, Justin seemed so sure that we belonged together. That I’ll forgive the past, drop my boyfriend, and run back into his open arms.
Why is he so confident? Will what he’s hiding really make that much of a difference?
I honestly don’t know what I hope for more—that it will, or that it won’t. That scares me.
We reach the top of the staircase, where the large terrace overlooks the Gulf, and Cade pops his neck, rolling it like he does whenever he’s nervous. Not the best start to our weekend.
“Hey.” Reaching up, I slide off his sunglasses and find his dark eyes troubled. “Thank you. I know you don’t want to be here, but you came anyway... for me. I appreciate it.”
I lean up on my toes and press a kiss across his mouth.
Cade exhales against my lips and presses his forehead to mine. “You’re worth it.”
The way he’s looking at me says he means much more than just this weekend. I nod, unsure of what to say, and he touches his lips to my nose. With a sigh, he turns and knocks on the door.
Considering how many people are here, I expected the door to instantly fly open. When it doesn’t, he raps again, then tries the knob only to find it locked.
“Maybe try the bell?” I suggest, rocking back on my heels.
He presses it, sending a series of twinkling sounds into the air, and a nervous flutter tickles my belly. I always hate being late to a party. People stare and they whisper. It reminds me too much of my illness.
From inside, a female voice screams, “Coming!” and my heart jumps into my throat.
A BMW is parked below. It was the first car I spotted when we arrived, my eyes trained to seek out Lauren before I could be ambushed. Justin told me she was invited, so I knew about it coming here. She’s Carlos’s wife for the project, after all. But my plan is to avoid her at all costs. If she answers the door, that won’t be avoiding. It’ll be in my face. And nothing screams bad omen like an awkward door greeting by the other woman.
Thankfully, when it opens, a cute, tiny redhead appears.
“Awesome!” Aly pulls the door wider and waves us in eagerly. “Peyton, your timing rocks.”
“Uh, okay.” At Cade’s questioning glance, I lift a shoulder and say, “You’re welcome?”
Aly laughs as I step inside what suddenly feels like a cloud—or a home for the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Everywhere I look: white, white, white, white, white. The sofas—white. The walls—white. The rugs—you guessed it—white. I shake my head, wondering who would invite a bunch of crazy teenagers to a place so painstakingly immaculate, but then roll my eyes as I answer my own question.