Page 91 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

For some stupid reason, she couldn’t stop herself from confessing everything that was weighing on her heart when she was with Cade. It didn’t make sense at all—especially since it had been six days since she’d told him they shouldn’t be friends, and he had agreed.Had all of that flown out the window when the trees flattened the sunroom?

When she was around Cade, she just naturally opened herself up to him. And she’d been almost certain he had done the same last night. She’d been stunned to discover that he’d been engaged, and that his fiancée had broken up with him three weeks before the wedding. She’d never expected him to share so much. The pain she saw in his eyes when he spoke about his ex tore at her heart. The woman had obviously hurt him deeply—so deeply that he’d completely given up on love.

It was all so overwhelming. But even more than that, she’d been almost sure that Cade was going to kiss her. She touched her lips, and goose bumps ran down her arms as she imagined what it would have felt like for his mouth to claim hers. If only the kettle hadn’t chosen that exact moment to whistle!

She rubbed her forehead as confusion and disappointment warred inside her. It was probably for the best that he hadn’t kissed her. Why was she imagining kissing Cade when she was planning to get back on the road after the inn sold? Thinking about having a relationship with him was insane, especially when he made it clear he had no interest in love or romance. They would never make sense as a couple. They were too different—and they had opposite ideas about the inn too. He was distrustful of nearly everyone, but she always saw the bright side of things. If they were together, they’d probably do more bickering than kissing.

But she was certain those kisses would be worth the hassle...

Stop it, Everleigh!

She had to ignore these ridiculous feelings. Cade would never be more than a friend to her, and that was that.

Something stirred near her legs, and then Bryant appeared at her side and meowed.

“Good morning to you too.” She stroked his head, and he purred.

The delicious scent of bacon filtered in from the kitchen, and her stomach growled. She pushed herself up from the bed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. The cat grunted as he jumped off the bed and raced to the bedroom door. She surveyed the room, finding a triple dresser, a tall dresser, and a chair.

The tops of the dressers were neat and tidy. The triple dresser held a tray with a handful of coins and a wallet, along with a couple of framed photos. Curiosity launched her across the room, where she picked up one of the frames.

The first photo featured a young Cade posing with an older couple on a dock with a small boat in the background. She surmised by their ages they were his grandparents. She guessed he was around ten or twelve, and his hair was sunshine blond. He beamed at the camera, and she smiled as she imagined him as a young man fishing and laughing with his grandparents.

The second included Cade standing with a couple on the beach. He appeared sixteen or seventeen, and she recognized the woman as his mother. He definitely had his mother’s bright-blue eyes, but she saw glimpses of his father’s smile in his. What had teenage Cade been like? Did he enjoy school like she had? Or had he yearned to be anywhere else?

“Meow!”

Everleigh turned to where the cat paced by the bedroom door. “Sorry! I’m coming.”

She set the photo back on the dresser and then let the cat out before slipping into the bathroom. She flipped the bathroom switch, but the light didn’t come on. After retrieving the lantern from the nightstand, she washed her face and rinsed with mouthwash before frowning at her reflection. Her hair was a frizzy disaster. She picked up Cade’s brush and stared at it, taking in the golden-brown strandstucked between the bristles. He’d said she could use anything she wanted, but would he mind her using his brush? Shaking her head, she placed the brush on the counter and then finger-combed her hair into a more presentable mess.

“It is what it is,” she declared before traipsing toward the door. As she stepped out into the den, she breathed in the delicious smells of breakfast.

Cade worked at the stove with his back to her, and she couldn’t help herself from staring at his broad shoulders and sculpted legs while he cooked. He craned his neck over his shoulder at her and grinned, sending her pulse into hyper speed. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“What time is it?”

He consulted his phone on the counter. “Ten.”

“I don’t usually sleep this late.” She yawned and stretched. “How’d you sleep?”

He shrugged. “Well enough.”

“You’re not a very good liar, Cade. I knew you should’ve taken your bed, and I could’ve slept out here.” She sidled up to him and breathed in the delicious smell of western omelets cooking in a large pan while bacon sizzled in another. “Need any help?”

When the kettle began to whistle, he grinned. “Pour the tea?”

“Sure.” She fixed two mugs of tea while he carried two full plates to the small table. Then they sat down across from each other. “Oh my goodness.” She picked up her fork and admired the western omelets. “This is amazing, Cade.”

“If we had power, I would’ve made toast and coffee to go with it. But this is all I can manage on my little stove.”

“I’m still impressed.” She took a bite of the omelet and rested back on the wooden chair, her taste buds dancing with delight. It was the most flavorful omelet she’d ever had. “This is outstanding.”

“Glad you like it.”

She pointed her fork toward the plate. “You need to make omelets for the guests.”

“I have.” He sipped the tea. “When we have more guests, I will.”

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