Page 61 of Quiet Chaos

“I heard the business is doing well.” Cade jerks his head for a yes and she continues to ask, “How did you two meet?”

Since Cade is a man of many words, I answer her question. “He’s my guardian angel.” Julia gives me a surprised smile. “An old boyfriend dumped me, or I should say, I left him at a gas station. I didn’t have any clothes or money. Cade found me and offered a room until I could get on my feet.”

Eyes large as fish, her mouth drops open, and she says, “You’re kidding?”

“Nope! Cade’s a wonderful man.” I put my hand to the side of my mouth, pretending to tell her a secret. “He doesn’t like too many people to know. He has a reputation to uphold.”

I wink at him as he shakes his head and chuckles.

The timer goes off, so I check on the lasagna, which is bubbling. I place it onto a wood cutting board on the set table amongst the salad. Cade sits at the head. Julia and I are on each side of him. I pass over the salad and make slices into the lasagna.

“This smells wonderful, Sky. Thank you so much for cooking.”

“Do you cook?”

“Not so much anymore. It’s just me, so I’m not motivated enough to make a lavish meal for one.”

I take her plate and dish out a slice of lasagna. “You’re not married?”

“Divorced. I was married for twenty years to a man I never loved.” She shrugs. “I thought if I had someone in my life, I wouldn’t feel so lonely, but it made me lonelier.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

We eat while Julia and Cade read one another through observation as I wait for one of them to speak. Instead, they let their eyes do the talking. So many questions in their expressions and so much hurt.

“Cade, why don’t you tell Julia about the club?”

He narrows his eyes at me, takes a sip of water, and then wipes his mouth. “I’m in a motorcycle club.”

“So is…” Julia stops as she stares into his eyes. “That’s great. I’ve heard they’re like family.”

He bobs his head and I say, “Yes. Tell her who you are in the club.”

“The President.” I kick him under the table, and he scowls at me before sitting back in his chair.

Julia responds, “I can see you’re definitely a leader.”

The table goes quiet again until I fracture the stillness. “And a talker.”

Julia looks up at me, swivels to Cade, back to me and both of us burst out laughing. Cade folds his arms over his chest, watches us chuckling at his expense, and then caves. His guttural laugh catches Julia off guard, so she stops for a moment before laughing louder.

After that, the mood shifts, and Cade’s shoulders relax. He opens up a little more. His responses are still short, but he asks questions. Julia even brings up Christine and Charlie, which surprises him at first and then he’s happy about it. Maybe talking about them makes him feel like they’re there with him, as if he hasn’t traded them for her.

We walk Julia to the door. She asks Cade for a hug, and he obliges. She gets in her car, and he hugs me to his side. When she backs out of the driveway, Cade closes the door and lets out a long breath.

I slip my arm around him as we head to the kitchen. “I think it went well.”

Not expecting a response, I clean up the kitchen and Cade helps. We work in silence. I sneak some ground beef into Armstrong’s bowl.

“Sky!”

“Oh, don’t be a fuddy duddy. Let him have a little. He doesn’t get it every day.”

“Fuddy duddy? What are you,eighty?” Cade hugs me from behind. His face resting in the crook of my neck and says, “Thanks.”

We rock from side to side. “For what?”

“The lasagna. Making Julia comfortable.”

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