Page 24 of Worthy

That’d be a whole lot easier to do if his voice wasn’t drifting in through the open window.

“Seriously dude,” Deacon grunts. “We’ve gone out every night since I got here, but in the last week you’ve only been out twice, and you went home early. What’s up?”

“I’ve had shit to do,” Cade says.

“Like what?”

“Working on Ally’s bike…” he trails off.

“Pfft. Like you can’t do that in a few hours,” Deacon scoffs.

“I don’t even know how to do it yet. I mean, what the fuck is a hoop skirt, and how do I put it on a bike?”He sounds so confused I can’t help but smile.

“If you don’t know what a hoop skirt is, then youhaven’t been spending time on Ally’s bike,” Deacon mutters.

“Well, do you know what it is?”

“Yeah, it’s a skirt shaped like an umbrella that starts at your waist and goes all the way down to your feet.”

“How the fuck do you know that?” Cade demands.

“I studied design.”

“Landscape,” Cade’s frustrated voice interjects.

“You still have to take other classes. And fashion was a good class to pick up girls. Or gay guys.”

“That explains it,” Cade mutters.I chuckle into my palm.

“So, why aren’t you coming out with me?” Deacon demands.

“You really need me to help you pick someone up?” Cade’s tone holds a challenge.

“Of course not,” Deacon scoffs. “But having a wingman doesn’t hurt, and I need a wingman this weekend, there’s supposed to be another bachelorette party coming through. Maybe they need entertainment.”

Bachelorette party? Entertainment? What can that mean?

“We’ll see,” Cade says.

“We’ll see? What is wrong with you? How are you not drooling over the idea of getting your dick wet?...Oh shit!” Deacon’s voice rises. “That’s it, isn’t it? You have somewhere you’re already getting it wet, don’t you?”

I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until I hear his response.

“My business cousin.”I don’t have to see Cade to know his jaw is locked tight.

“Since when? You’ve never kept your social life secret from me before. Is it Maddox? You spent the night last night. Tell me it’s Maddox,” he presses.

My breath gets trapped in my lungs as I strain to hear Cade’s response.

“Don’ttalk about him like that,” Cade warns.

“Why not? I know you think he’s hot, don’t tell me you don’t want to hit that.”

“Of course, he’s hot. But he’s not like the trust fund people who roll through here. He’s got shit he wants to do with his life. He’s too good for the guys in this town,” Cade says with authority.

Too good for the guys here? I apologized for acting like an entitled prick, but does he still see me that way?

“Lots of people have stuff they want to do with their lives, that’s never stopped you hooking up with them before,” Deacon grumbles.

---