Page 4 of Shattered Secrets

For a split second, her smile seemed to slip, but then it was back in full force. “Well,” she said, topping off Cade’s coffee, “I’ll give you guys a minute to look over the menu, and I’ll be right back.”

“Holy shit,” Cade said once Scarlet was out of earshot. “And I thought I had problems.”

Matt glared at his friend. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Cade looked at him like he was a dumbass. Which he probably was. “We’ve known each other a long time, man, and it’s honestly getting painful to watch.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” He was pretty sure he knew exactly what Cade was talking about, but he wasn’t going to admit shit.

“Right.” Cade took a sip of his coffee as his eyes rolled. “Just ask her out already.”

Matt stilled. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t bullshit me, dude. You just talked me down from the proverbial ledge, and now I’m going to return the favor.”

“No, thanks,” he grumbled.

Cade continued as if Matt hadn’t spoken, “Yes, you’ve been a growly-ass beast since you moved here, but youcanspeak. In fact, you speak perfectly fine with everyone whose name isn’t Scarlet Miller. Then you’rethat.” Cade waved his hand in Matt’s face. The fucker.

Matt shook his head and took a drink of water. He couldn’t deny anything Cade was saying. It was all true. He’d been a grumpy asshole—and he was certain many would say he still was—but hecouldhave normal, friendly, polite conversations with people.

Unless they were Scarlet.

He could count on one hand the number of times he’d spoken to her without tumbling over his words.

“You like her,” Cade said. It wasn’t a question. He opened his mouth to add more, but Matt kicked him again.

“Hey, guys,” Scarlet said, approaching their table. “What’ll it be today?”

Matt managed to speak like the mature fucking adult he was supposed to be as they placed their orders—making it the fourth time he hadn’t stumbled over his words around her—and Scarlet left with a chipper, “Your food will be right out.”

When her back turned, Matt dropped his chin to his chest. He glanced up at Cade’s chuckle, then let out a resigned sigh. “Remember when you were in middle school and the super pretty, super popular girl that didn’t know you existed asked to borrow a pencil?”

The smile on Cade’s face grew. “Oddly specific, but yeah?”

“I gave her my pencil and acted all cool, like it was no big deal...”

Humor twinkled in his friend’s eyes. “But inside, you wanted to puke?”

“Exactly.” Matt nodded to where Scarlet was helping a table across the diner. “It’s a bit like that.”

Cade laughed and shook his head. “You’re stupid. You know that, right?”

He shrugged.

“It’s not like you don’t know her. Scar’s one of Poppy’s closest friends. Just ask the woman out already.”

“I can’t.”

Cade tilted his head. “Why?”

His friend had to be fucking kidding him. “Come on, De la Rosa, you know why.”

Cade’s eyes narrowed as he leaned across the table and dropped his voice. “You won’t ask her out because she’s a single mom?”

Matt reared back, and his jaw dropped. “Fuck you, man,” he hissed. “That’s not the reason I can’t ask her out.”

Cade pulled away, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then what is?”

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