Page 70 of This Moment

“Did it really do well like you said, or did you have to sell because it was failing? You haven’t really been upfront about your past, Cadie.”

“Kian Carter!” Opal stated, her hands going to her hips. “That was rude of you.”

When I pulled my gaze off my aunt and looked at Cadie, I swore she looked as if she might cry. I instantly felt like an ass. I wasn’t even sure what in the hell had gotten into me. Opal had never given anyone that much control over the bakery, and maybe a part of me was worried she was making a mistake. But another part of me knew Cadie could handle it. So why was I being a dick?

Cadie turned away. “Opal, I know you need to work, but is there any way I can get a ride with you?”

“Don’t be daft, Cadie; I’m heading to the house, so there’s no need to have Opal leave here and drive out of her way.”

Without saying a word, Cadie walked toward the kitchen, and a few moments later, I heard the back door slam.

Opal spun around and pointed her finger at me. “You are the biggest idiot I have ever met. Why would you say that to her?”

“It’s true! Why make you drive out of your way.”

Throwing her hands up and letting out a growl, Opal looked as if she wanted to strangle me. Instead, she rubbed at her temples.

“First, you questioned her ability to manage the bakery, accused her of running her bakery into the ground, then called her foolish. I’m surprised the girl didn’t hit you upside your head.”

“I wasn’t calling her foolish, just the idea of you taking her home when I’m going that way.”

Opal exhaled. “I would have thought you were more intelligent than that. After all, wasn’t it Yale where you attended school?”

I scrubbed my hand down my face. “Fine, I messed up. I just don’t understand why she won’t tell anyone about her past.”

“Who is the daft one now? Did you ever stop for one second to think there may be a good reason Cadie doesn’t want anyone to know about her past? You’re frustrated because you don’t know about her history, and you just took it out on her.”

It hadn’t occurred to me. But when Opal voiced it, a million things ran through my head. Was she running from someone or something? Had she done something illegal? Maybe she was in an abusive relationship, and she ran.

“Fuck,” I whispered.

“There goes your thinker working. I knew the moment the girl walked into this bakery she was running from something…or someone. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”

“Do you think she broke the law?”

Opal laughed. “No.”

“A guy?”

She shrugged. “That is her business, Kian. Not ours. Now, I think I’m going to just bring my laptop home and work on the books tomorrow. Cadie is opening the bakery and working so that I can have the day off.”

I watched as my aunt turned on her heels and walked away. I pushed my hand through my hair and cursed.

Making sure the front door to the bakery was locked, I turned out the lights and called out to Opal. “The front door is locked, and all the lights are out.”

She walked out of her office. “Perfect timing. Will you walk me to my car?”

“Of course. How do you think Cadie made it back to the house?”

“Most likely called an Uber.”

I sighed. If anything happened to her because of my big mouth, I would never forgive myself.

Opal squeezed my arm. “She’ll be fine, Kian.”

I barely stepped through the front door when Sally started in on me.

“What in the world did you do to Cadie?”

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