Page 34 of Cade

“I have a date. With Weston.”

Dawson whistled on the other end of the phone, the cool air from the vents blowing on my face.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he said with a chuckle.

“I’m freaking out,” I said, hearing my voice shake a little.

“Why? It’s just a date. It’s not like you’re marrying the guy.”

“Because he’s... him... and I’m... me, and you know my social skills are sorely lacking and, like, what will we even talk about? I have nothing interesting to say or—”

“Pump the brakes, Cade. Breathe. Take a deep breath, and just breathe, buddy.”

Immediately, Dawson shifted from his cavalier, charismatic air to firefighter mode, the one where he was serious and tackled everything with stoic poise and grace; the one he reserved for settling down fights or holding it together to pull someone from a burning building.

Dawson was mostly an aloof, overconfident pain in the ass, but when push came to shove, he was the best man to be in anyone’s corner. It also helped that he at least had dealt with my anxiety before, both on a friendly and not-so friendly level.

I did as he instructed, sucking in a deep breath as we counted to ten.

“You’ve been on dates before. It’s not something you don’t know how to do. And I can honestly tell you, your conversation skills are fine. Just be yourself.”

I let out a dark, strangled laugh. “You mean the anxious, self-deprecating, shut-in who lives on rom-coms and ice cream?”

Dawson sighed. “You forgot the bunny slippers, but no. I mean the successful man who doesn’t seem to know he’s a fucking catch. You bought your own damn house, Cade. You are amazing at your job, you’re bomb at karaoke, I don’t care what you say, you make a mean risotto, and on a scale of one to ten, you are a fucking twenty. Don’t sell yourself so short.”

Dawson’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. Even when we’d been together, he’d never talked to me like that. It wasn’t jealousy or remorse, but rather a cold, hard truth. Dawson laid it out, and for the first time, I had the inkling to believe him.

“I guess I don’t normally see myself the way you see me.”

“It’s not just me, Cade. Everyone who knows you, knows you deserve more than the bullshit you think you deserve. You’re a fucking gem. So go be a gem. Go on the date, smile and be yourself. Have a good time. I guarantee you, that’s all you’ll need. The rest will fall into place, and you’ll have that guy eating out of your palm in no time.”

I turned to look at the looming building of Rhodes Enterprises, feeling a little better.

It’s just a date. It’s not forever.

And I am starving.

“Thanks, Dawson,” I said as my nerves started to settle.

“Anytime, buddy,” he said, his tone going soft before he hung up.

I took another deep breath and counted to ten, then drove off in the direction of Bernard’s.

CHAPTER 21

Cade

I walked through the front door of Bernard’s with one goal—to give Weston my best impression. And also to have fun and get a damn whiskey barbecue burger with a side of extra fries because I was starving.

I’d called Diane to tell her I’d be coming back a little late, on account that I was having lunch with one of the ‘employees’ of Rhodes Enterprises, as was customary for business. It wasn’t a complete lie, Weston had assured me such luncheons were a normal thing between business partners, and as far as she knew, we were partners.

I just wasn’t sure if it was business or pleasure, or perhaps both.

Maybe if things go well, Weston and I will see each other again... at the next event.

I spotted Weston before the hostess looked up from her phone. He sat off to the left of the restaurant, which at this hour during the week, the restaurant itself was practically deader that a doornail.

Still, in the midst of the place, Weston looked refined in his suit, his watch glinting in the amber light to really drive home his apparent Bruce Wayne look.

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