Page 48 of Caden's Situationship

“Was Caden really a stripper?” Avery asked.

I sunk down into the seat of the car. “No.”

“Oh my God,” Serenity exclaimed. “Caden is so … Caden. He’s got that whole reserved cowboy thing going for him, but I guess, you just never know these days.”

“Damnnnnn,” Tyler shouted. “Let’s get this bitch some more truth juice because I need to know if this is true or not.”

I sighed as everyone started shooting questions my way. Something told me we weren’t going to make it to the club. I glanced down at the empty tumbler in my hand.Stupid weed smoothie.Note to self: Some people may like weed, but weed didn’t like some people. Caden was going to kill me.

Eighteen

CADEN

“I thought the ladies said they wouldn’t be back for another few hours,” I said, when I noticed the rental car they were in pull up in my driveway.

“Jordyn told me they were headed to a club after they picked up Tyler,” Crayson confirmed. “Not sure why they’re back so early.”

Malakai laughed when he got to my front window. “I do. Judging by the way they all look, I’d say they liked those weed smoothies Jordyn made a little too much.”

I shook my head because I’d questioned my brothers about it when I saw my blender out and could smell some shit I knew didn’t belong to me.

They all stumbled into the house talking a mile a minute, but it was Cordelia who caught my attention.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, going straight to her.

She bit her bottom lip. “Please don’t be mad. I am so, so, so, so, so sorry.”

I laughed. “You’re also so, so, so, so, so high.”

“That too,” she said. “And I didn’t mean to tell them. Those smoothies are like magic. They make you say things you can’t take back.”

I studied her concerned eyes. “What are you talking about?”

She glanced over my shoulder at the others.

“Honey, we’re letting you break the news to him,” Tyler said, sitting down at the kitchen table and pretending to eat a bag of popcorn.

The way they all were looking, I felt like the only thing she could have told them was …

“I may have slipped up that you used to be a stripper,” she blurted.

I dropped my head, so not ready to have this conversation with my family. I knew she was under the influence, so I was sure she didn’t mean to say anything, and she confirmed my assumption when she began rattling off how it had slipped and how sorry she was.

At first, I could feel myself getting anxious at the fact that I hadn’t been the one to share this news with my brothers. But then, I saw her big, beautiful eyes rimmed in unshed tears and realized that she’d probably spent most of the time with the others freaking out about what I would say.

Knowing her past and how her family would treat her when she did something wrong in their eyes, I immediately pushed away any angry feelings I had about the situation. Hell, I was honestly shocked I hadn’t slipped up and said the news sooner.

“It’s okay Cordy.” I pulled her to me, trying to get her to calm down.

“It’s not okay. It wasn’t my news to tell. I really am so sorry.”

I kissed her forehead. “I know you are, darlin’. But I needed to tell them this weekend anyway. You just sped up my time table, that’s all.”

She glanced up at me, wiping a few fallen tears from her cheeks. “Do you mean that?”

“Of course I mean it.” I leaned down and kissed her lips, wanting her to understand that I meant what I said. I didn’t want her carrying around this weight. I probably would have kept on kissing her had my brother not cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry, but did I hear that right?” Malakai asked. “You used to be a stripper?”

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