Page 111 of Finding Forever

“Or me,” Cade—who’d been listening in on their conversation in open amusement—vowed.

“Where does he sleep?” Fern asked curiously, her eyes scanning the small living room. After her last visit, Fern knew that there were only two bedrooms in this house, but James Hawthorne had come in through the front door just now, not from one of the rooms.

“In our h-house across the street.” Beth and Gideon’s second house was their workspace and also had a couple of bedrooms. “We’re both on holiday at the moment so it’s fine having him stay there and it’s great because we all still have our privacy. I don’t know why, but he really loves staying here. I think it’s his version ofroughingit.”

She exchanged another conspiratorial grin with Fern and Cade.

Dinner wasan informal buffet of cold meats and salads and instead of sitting at the small dining table, they all crowded into the living room with plates perched on their knees. There weren’t enough chairs and Cade shocked Fern by sitting on the floor in front of her, his broad back resting against her legs.

Her eyes kept tracing over his shoulders, the back of his head, unable to quite believe that he was so casually sitting on the floor. He was wearing well-worn blue jeans tonight. And Fern had done a double take when she’d first seen them. The faded seams and obvious wear on the fabric indicated frequent use, and yet she’d never seen him in them before tonight. Which was a damned crime, since the man filled a pair of jeans very,verynicely. No sag in the front or the back. He’d combined the jeans with his old, comfy-looking, running shoes and a red T-shirt.

It was a strange little gathering. Smith barely spoke, glaring down at his plate for the most part—surly and uncommunicative—while Kenny looked on the verge of tears for the better part of the evening, leaving Beth and Fern to try and fill in the awkward silences.

Talk turned to Cade and Fern’s appearance on theHolmes@Homeshow. It had garnered alotof positive press for them. Their story had been picked up by more mainstream publications, and the public had gone gaga over their “love” story. It was a little baffling to her, but people had actuallylikedFern, and were especially charmed by her—go figure—shyness, her genuinely awed reaction to Iris, and her blatant fangirling over the woman’s books.

Granger had pretty much been—deservedly and universally—vilified. The whole thing had led to even more interview requests for Cade and Fern. Most of which they’d turned down, citing the need for privacy and stating that Fern needed to rest.

Toni and Allie had made a few television appearances of their own in direct response to the Mike Holmes thing and haddone a few “tell-all” interviews with some of the less savory gossip rags. They’d come across as strident, petty, and mean. The result of which had only made Fern more sympathetic to the public. A lot of the popular influencers had actually created mocking reaction videos of the sisters’ interviews. A few had pointed out that if that was a sample of what Fern had had to live with for so many years, it was no wonder she needed a mental health check.

Granger, in the meantime, had been suspiciously quiet. Which made Fern nervous. What was he up to? It couldn’t be anything good.

“And what was Trystan Abbott like?” Beth asked, feigning a swoon. Gideon slanted her an irritated glance and she met his stare with a wide-eyed, innocent one of her own. “Whaaaat? You-you know I think he’s super-hot, Gideon. My dream… dream m?—”

“Uh uh, Lizzy-bit, finish that sentence at your peril,” he warned and she giggled.

“Come on, Gideon. You can’t blame me. He’s the hottest man in the world,” she taunted, unrepentant. Then smiled at him sweetly. “While you’re on-only the hottest man inmywuh-world.”

He opened his mouth to retort, then paused as he considered her words. His face softened and his shoulders relaxed as his face settled into what could only be described as a ridiculously smitten expression.

“I’ll take that,” he said, his adoring gaze practically eating her alive and her smile softened as she returned his adoring gaze.

Fern smiled as she watched their interaction. They were so at ease with each other, so happy and in love. She yearned for a similar relationship… but the only man she could imagine it with wasn’t in the market for the whole happily ever after thing.

Her eyes dropped to his broad back again. He was wholly focused on his meal, but occasionally, she felt the light graze of his fingers over her ankle. She knew it was intentional, no way those leisurely, sexy circles were accidental touches.

She became aware of everybody staring at her and blinked back at Beth, in confusion.

“I’m sorry? Did you ask me something?”

“I asked if you were nervous recording that interview with Mike Holmes? I’d probably be a wreck.”

Both her husband and father-in-law scoffed at her words.

“Please, you’d be brilliant at it, like you are at everything,” Gideon said and, while his words were sweet his tone was long-suffering, even disdainful.

“Of course, I would be,” Beth said with an eye roll. “I didn’t say I’d suck at it… I just said I’d be a wreck. Idoget nervous about some things, Gideon.”

“I’ve yet to see it,” James Hawthorne said with a chuckle. He directed his gaze toward Fern and elaborated, “She’s fearless this one.”

“So, were you nervous?” Beth repeated, ignoring the two men.

“Yes. But having Cade right there helped a lot.”

Her father-in-law harrumphed slightly, the sound rife with disapproval.

“You should call him Niall, girl. Especially in public. He has a professional reputation to uphold, hearing you refer to him asCadein a public forum, is bound to be confusing for our business associates.”

Cade tensed against her knees and she watched the back of his head angle upwards as he watched his father. She couldn’t see his expression, but she knew he wasn’t happy with his father’s command.

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