Page 44 of Getting Over You

“Cade,” I say. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I wanted to tell you in person,” he says, chuckling.

“Are you drunk?” I ask. I turn to Shane. “I have no idea what’s going on. I’m so sorry.”

He smiles, warm. “No problem. Do you want me to give you a minute?”

I say, “No.”

Cade, absolutely elated, says, “Yeah, buddy, that’d be awesome.”

I glare at him. He’s definitely intoxicated; hair disheveled, eyes tired. I’ve never seen Cade like this. “Why are you here?”

“I told you,” Cade says, his face plastered with a big grin. “I wanted to tell you about the shop in person.”

“You told me,” I say, stern. “I’m happy for you.”

“We should celebrate,” Cade says.

“How about,” I offer gently, “we celebrate some other time.”

Cade frowns, his body slumped. “Gigi.”

He’s so drunk. “Cade. Now’s not a good time. I’m on a date.” I motion to Shane, the heat of embarrassment creeping up myneck. It spills across my face, white hot. “I’m so sorry,” I tell Shane again.

Like sunshine, he smiles.

“Well, sorry for interrupting,” Cade says, still frowning. “I wanted to tell you, and I knew you’d be here.”

I’m appalled to see Cade completely drunk, but even more appalled to see Cade in a mood that isn’t turned on or utterly aloof. I didn’t think he was capable of any emotion but those. “Can I ask why you look so sad?”

“Why do you care?” Cade spits.

Even under the influence, he won’t answer an uncomfortable question. I can’t wait to make him feel like an ass about this later.

“You seem bummed,” I say. He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. He reminds me of a toddler who didn’t get his way. Like I’m telling him they actually sold out of the action figure he wanted for weeks. “Shouldn’t you be happy? You got your shop.”

“I wanted to celebrate with you,” he says quietly, slurred. “Just you and me, princess.”

God. My heart squeezes at his words. I turn to Shane, wishing for the first time that he wasn’t here. And that makes me feel horrible.

“Do you… Do you want to call it a night?” Shane asks.

“No.” I sigh, my gaze flipping to Cade as he stands there with his arms crossed defiantly. “But I think I have to. He’s drunk, and I don’t know where he came from. I need to get him home.”

Shane nods, understanding. “I’ll drive,” he says, “if you want.”

He’s simply too good for words.

Knowing Cade thought of me when he got his news and wanted to share it with me gives my hopeless romantic heart hope. False hope that I need to shove down and bury.

My heart is an idiot.

Shane helps me get Cade in the apartment, and once he’s gone, I sit against the wall in Cade’s room, my knees curled up to my chest. I wanted to stay a bit, either to make sure someone else would be home with him or to ensure as best I could that he wouldn’t asphyxiate.

It’s getting late, and I know EJ is home—I heard him and Rory in the other room. But I can’t bring myself to leave.

“Princess?” Cade mumbles.

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