Page 3 of Shattered Secrets

Sliding onto the opposite seat, he lifted his chin at his friend. “Hey, man. What’s going on?”

Cade returned the chin lift and pushed the menu toward him. “Order first, then we’ll talk.”

Matt’s brow arched in question. It wasn’t like his friend to hedge. Cade didn’t beat around the bush. He was straightforward and to the point. It was one of the things Matt appreciated about the guy.

He pushed the menu back. “You know I always get the same thing. Now talk.”

Cade picked up the menu, then set it back down, shifting in his seat like his damn pants were on fire.

Matt leaned back in the booth and draped his arm along the back. “Dude. Everything okay?”

Cade nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, sorry.”

Matt took a sip of his ice water and waited. When Cade remained silent, he let out a sigh. “Are you going to tell me what’s up or not?”

“Right. So you know how Poppy officially moved in a couple weeks ago?”

Matt nodded and eyed his squirmy friend.

“Well, as you know,” Cade continued, “when Poppy moved in, we adopted two cats. And as you also know, I’m heading over to London at the end of this week for a fight.”

Matt nodded again. Cade was a former MMA champion—basically an MMA legend—and now one of the most sought-after and successful coaches in the world. Two of his fighters were headlining a huge UFC fight card in England the following weekend.

Matt made a circular motion with his hand. “Aaand?”

“And I’m bringing Poppy and the twins with me.”

“I thought the twins were interning this summer at Hudson Security?” Poppy’s sons were great young men who’d just finished their freshman year at the University of Washington.

“They are—and Gavin knows—but I wanted to surprise them with a European vacation. After the fight, we’re gonna take about three weeks to travel around.”

Staring, Matt prodded, “Sooo... you need me to watch your cats while you guys are gone?”

“Yeah. I’d usually ask Dante, but he took Rebecca and the kids to Seattle to visit our folks for a few weeks. Our parents haven’t had a chance to spend much time with their new baby and?—”

“Dude, stop.” Matt held up a hand, halting his friend’s verbal diarrhea. If Cade was babbling, something was seriously wrong. “I have no problem watching the cats. You know that. Why are you acting so weird?”

“What?”

Matt arched an eyebrow.

Cade took a deep breath, then his words left him in a whispered rush. “I’m gonna propose to Poppy when we’re in Europe. I was thinking the Eiffel Tower, but is that too cliché?” His friend shook his head. “No, that’s too cliché. I shouldn’t doanything too touristy, right? Yeah, I definitely need to stick with something original. But what about?—”

“Take a fucking breath, brother.” Matt laughed and kicked Cade under the table. “Look at me.” When panicked eyes stared back at him, he did his best to rein in a chuckle. “Poppy’s not going to care where you propose to her. She’s not pretentious like that. So if you want to propose to her? Just do it. If you want to sweep her off her damn feet with roses and champagne and the Eiffel freaking Tower? Do it. And, dude, if you have the twins with you, then all the better. It’ll be perfect, Cade. Stop overthinking it.”

Cade let out another breath. “You think?”

“Yeah,” Matt said, happy to see some of the earlier panic subsiding. “You’re making it way too complicated. Keep the ring on you and just ask her.”

“Simple as that?” Disbelief colored Cade’s features.

Matt shrugged. “You obviously know her better than I do, but even I know she doesn’t care about fancy. You and the boys are what matter most to her. However, my one piece of advice is to do it early on in your trip. That way,this”—he waved his hand at his friend’s anxious expression—“is curbed. I mean, as entertaining as this freak-out is, I suspect you guys want to actually enjoy your time in Europe?—”

“Hi, Matt,” a sweet, melodic voice interrupted. “Can I get you anything to drink besides water?”

Everything inside him locked up like a hundred-pound weight had suddenly dropped onto his chest. He glanced at the young woman in the old-fashioned bubblegum-pink waitress uniform. Scarlet’s kind smile, her vibrant brown eyes, and her rainbow-streaked hair had his tongue twisting and the words sticking to his throat.

“I’m good,” he mumbled.Fuck.

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