Page 44 of Rewrite Our Story

“Technically, I wasn’t leaving her alone. I was leaving her with you as her ride. If you kidnap me now, she won’t have any ride home.”

Cade throws a dirty look over his shoulder when I pinch the skin on his forearm. “Well, it’s good that at least one of us gave a shit enough to check in with her. She said she’ll uh”—he coughs—“find a ride back to her place tonight.”

My eyebrows raise in understanding.Go Pippa. At least someone is having a good time tonight.

Cade angrily rips open the door to his truck. Before I can protest, his large hands find my waist and he lifts me up until he’s placing me in the passenger seat.

“I can do it on my own,” I argue, pushing him away from me.

He smells too good. He smells too familiar. His warmth surrounds me, and I’m scared I’ll give in all over again and yank him toward me so I can taste the peppermint once more.

Cade hovers above me. Even though he still looks angry, the slightest bit of humor lights his eyes. “Oh but I enjoy helping you,” he says slowly. My whole body heats when he doesn’t hide the way his eyes focus on my lips for a few moments longer than necessary.

Before I can attempt to shove him away again or do something stupid like pull him closer to me, he backs away from the truck and closes the door.

Like a child, I cross my arms over my chest and pout. If I’d known he’d be such a stubborn ass and follow me out, I would’ve just sat in the booth for the rest of the night.

At least then I wouldn’t be alone with him right now.

The engine roars to life as he starts the truck. He doesn’t say a single word to me the entire car ride.

He doesn’t have to. Even with his silence, I know the conversation isn’t over. He’s just dragging it out, waiting until we get home to really battle this one out.

This night is nowhere near what I’d expected it to be. And it isn’t even over yet.

23

MARE - PRESENT

I lean forwardin the passenger seat of Cade’s truck, my eyes narrowing as I stare at the dirt path in front of me. “Where are we going?” I ask, not bothering to hide the exhaustion in my voice. I want to go to bed. I want a replay of the day, to forget that anything happened between him and I tonight. I want to keep pretending that I don’t love him anymore.

I can’t do any of that. Partly because of the stubborn man refusing to answer my question next to me.

“Cade,” I push, trying to figure out where we were just by looking at the looming trees above us. “You said we were going home.”

“I did.”

I look at him, my mind reeling with what he’s talking about. Just when I’m about to open my mouth and ask him if he’d had more beers than I’d thought, his headlights illuminate what appears to be a paved out driveway.

The truck lurches forward a bit when he puts it in park, his headlights now fully illuminating a framed out house up a hill a bit in front of us.

“What is this?” I ask, unable to stifle my curiosity. It seems like, during the years I grew up on the ranch, that I’d seen every mile the property has to offer. I’ve probably seen this exact spot at some point, but the framed out house wasn’t here the last time I’d been here.

Cade leans back in his seat, staring in front of him thoughtfully. “This is home.” He rubs at the stubble peppering his jaw. “At least this will be my home one day.”

“You’re building here?”

He continues to stare at the frame in front of him for a few more seconds until focusing on me. There’s reservation in his features. Like he’s unsure if he should’ve brought me here or not.

I’m not sure he should have. It seems personal. I don’t want to get personal with Cade. I want to get over him.

“Don’t act so shocked,” he comments, opening his truck door. If I want him to answer any of my questions, I’m left with no choice but to open mine and step out to follow him.

“Why can’t I be shocked?” I ask accusingly, staring at him from over the hood of the truck.

“Don’t,” Cade says, his voice slightly breaking at the end of the word. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

I swallow. “Forgot what, Cade?”

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