Page 42 of The Life We Left Behind

We could do this. It was less than a minute. What could?—

The door to the grocery store swung open at the same time as Cade turned to see where I was. As he stepped forward, whoever was outside went to walk inside, and they both collided. Cade yelped, and the bag dropped, exploding in a scattering of chocolate offerings littering the ground around them both.

“I’m so sorry,” Cade rushed out, dropping to his knees to pick up the fallen items. “I wasn’t looking, and I didn’t…”

“It’s not your fault, kid. I wasn’t looking either.”

I froze. I knew that voice.

I hadn’t considered this being a possibility so soon. I wasn’t prepared.

Booker looked up, locking eyes with me. They widened in surprise and then he smiled, helping Cade to his feet while holding the bag of junk food.

“Delaney. I’d heard you were back in town. I was so sorry to hear about your dad.”

He hadn’t looked at Cade properly yet. He hadn’t realized whose shoulder his hand was currently sitting on, but there’d be no doubt once he looked at Cade’s face. He was the splitting image of Trace when he’d been the same age.

“Booker! Erm, thanks. I…yeah.”

Oh fuck, I didn’t know what to do. There was no avoiding this car crash. I was powerless but to let it play out.

My hand reached out for Cade, and I gently pulled him closer to me. I didn’t know why I’d done it. Out of all the Farringtons, Booker would never hurt him.

Booker frowned. He was obviously confused about why I was acting so strangely. “How long are you staying in town?” he asked, obviously grasping at something to say.

“You know my mom?” Cade piped up, making Booker finally look down at the boy beside me.

It all happened in slow motion. I watched as Booker opened his mouth to respond as his gaze fell to Cade’s face, and then no words came out. His mouth snapped shut and then he opened it again, taking a breath as if he was going to say something but then lost the ability to form the words.

Instead, Booker looked up at me in question and all I could do was shake my head in denial.

Why was this so awkward? I hadn’t done anything wrong. I might have let the Farrington family run me out of town, but I wasn’t the one who had something to be ashamed of.

So, I sucked in a breath to fortify myself and felt my spine straightening as I lifted my head high. I wasn’t going to cower before this man.

“Booker, this is my son, Cade.”

Booker’s gaze dropped back to Cade, and his eyes grew misty as he dropped to his knees in front of him.

Cade glanced up at me in confusion, but I could already see the thoughts forming in his head. This could not possibly go any worse than it was about to.

A look of determination crossed Cade’s face as he faced his uncle. “Are you my dad?” he blurted out.

Booker’s eyes widened in shock to the point where I thought he was in danger of losing one. “No, buddy. I’m afraid I’m not. I’m just…a friend of your mom’s.”

Cade didn’t look convinced. He was staring so intently at Booker that I knew he was looking for the similarities between them. The guilt of not having this conversation with him earlier was almost overwhelming. I tried to tell myself that I was waiting for a time when Cade would understand, and I guess I’d just piled more and more excuses onto it until I’d avoided the whole thing in the end.

“Why don’t we head to the bakery and grab a drink?” Booker suddenly said, and I almost stumbled back in shock.

Why the hell would he want to prolong this awkward situation any further?

I was about to make an excuse about needing to get back, but then I saw the look in his eyes. The sheer desperation. I didn’t understand it, but I also didn’t want to say no.

“How do you feel about a hot chocolate?” I asked Cade and watched Booker wilt in relief.

“Can I have marshmallows?” he asked cheekily.

“And probably a cookie as well.”

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