Page 31 of Worthy

″If he does, it’s because you paraded me around like a snack in front of him,” I hiss.

″I don’t think it is.” Ally shakes her head, but before she can finish her thought Madd emerges from the dressing room.

He avoids eye contact as he makes his way to the counter, though his cheeks are still flushed. I offer a weak smile as I pass him and take my turn changing, getting into normal clothes as quickly as possible.

When I come back out, he’s gone, which I’m both relieved and disappointed by. I toss the shorts to Ally and tell her I’ll trade the bike for the costume, effectively ending all conversation.

Ally doesn’t let me off that easily. “Good might be just what you need,” she calls as I shut the door.

Chapter nine

Maddox

I’m going to get whiplash trying to keep up with Cade’s moods. One day he’s flirty and mischievous, the next sweet and caring, the next virtually indifferent with an undertone of lust. I know that doesn’t make sense, but that’s Cade in a nutshell. Nothing he does makes any sort of sense to me.

And the worst part, instead of running away from that confusion the way I should, I find myself wanting to run to it. To figure it out.

As if I could.

I put my bags in the trunk and shut it just as Cade strolls into the parking lot, which makes my heartbeat accelerate. A quick glance down the aisle and I see his truck parked a few spaces away. Strange I didn’t notice that until now, although admittedly I was a little distracted by the memory of his pecs outlined in the slightly too small t-shirt Ally put him in.

I’ve seen him without a shirt of course, which is a damn fine sight, but at the time I didn’t take a moment to enjoy it because my guard was up. I saw a guy who knew he was hot, liked to flirt, and I assumed that was the extent of him. I judged him by how he looked and decided I didn’t need to know any more, and didn’t want his sights set on me.

But after getting to know him a bit, after learning some of who he is and realizing the flirty playboy is only a part of the whole package, I’m not afraid of noticing how amazing his body is. I’m not afraid of what that might lead to. Nervous maybe, but not afraid. I’m actually a little curious about it.

Cade stops cold when he sees me, briefly, and I can’t tell if the look on his face is one of relief or unease. But it’s gone before I can decipher it, and he strolls slowly forward and meets me at my car.

″You survived your first costume fitting with Ally,” he drawls, a hint of a smirk on his face.

I know this is Cade’s way of talking without talking, because flirting is common ground for him, but I’ll take it over the total lack of conversation in the store.

″That’s a common occurrence?” I play along, smiling back.

″At least three or four times a year.” His blonde hair sways gently as he nods.

″What can you possibly have to dress up for so often?”

″The bike race, Fourth of July, Halloween.” He ticks off his fingers with a sly grin as he goes. “This town likes its costumes.”

″I’m not sure if that’s amusing or concerning.” I worry my lip, taking in what looks like part of a bike dangling from his hand.

″A little of both, probably.”

″And you dress up for all of them?” I search my brain for any memory of costumes during my past visits to see Uncle Rick and come up empty.

″Ally would have our heads if we didn’t.”

″What did you do before Ally?”

“Huh?” He cocks his head.

″You said she and her husband moved here not long ago. What did you do before you had a costume designer?”

″Probably wore the same costume for everything, I guess.” The bike-ishthing he’s holding floats up as he shrugs.

″That’s part of her costume?” I gesture toward the bundle of metal in his hand.

″Maybe. I don’t have it completely figured out yet. But the hoop skirt suggestion gave me some ideas, once I figured out what it was.” He rubs the back of his neck, a gesture I’m becoming fond of even though I haven’t decided if it’s rooted in modesty or embarrassment.

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