Page 16 of No Place Like Home
“Well, that’s another story.” Elisa looked up, amusement flickering across her face. “Magnolia Blossom has been through it the last few months, not even counting the hurricane. But I know what you mean.”
Rosalyn shifted positions on the ladder. “I’m just grateful Madame Paulette is letting me practice here like the good ol’ days.” Funny. She used to be so ready to hit the big time, she could hardly stand it. Now, she’d give anything to go back to those carefree days spinning on the silks a few inches off the ground.
Where it was safe.
“Did you and Cade keep in touch all these years?” Elisa’s overly casual tone sounded anything but subtle.
Rosalyn accepted the carabiner Elisa passed to her. “Not really. We ran into each other a few years into college, at a football game.” That night played through her dreams more than she wanted to admit. Usually when she was tossing and turning in yet another hotel room alone, city lights bright outside her window. What-ifs swirling. She shrugged. “We lost touch after that, besides the occasional social media message.”
“I love the type of friendships that pick up like nothing ever happened.” Elisa kept one steadying hand on the ladder.
“Cade and I were more like friendly rivals.” Though hehadstarted using that nickname for her again, and therehadbeen that banter about who beat who at what competition.
“I’ve known Cade a long time, and he and Noah have gotten closer the past year, which has been good for Noah.” Elisa’s voice warmed like a woman in love.
Rosalyn clipped the carabiner onto the swivel. “I’m sure it’s been good for Cade too. Not that he ever seemed to have trouble making friends.” Or having girlfriends. She leaned forward to attach it all to the reinforced beam on the ceiling. “He always fit into every clique in the school with ease.” Especially the cheerleaders—a fact that annoyed Amber to no end.
And when Amber was annoyed, everyone in her friend group had to be annoyed. Rosalyn still wasn’t sure why she’d hated Cadesomuch back then.
“Maybe the four of us could go out together while you’re in town.”
Rosalyn jerked, her leg wobbling on the upper rung.
Elisa grabbed the ladder with both hands. “Careful!”
“Sorry. I’m usually much steadier up here.”
“I’ll quit talking until you finish.” Elisa mimed zipping her lips shut.
Rosalyn double-checked the setup as her mind raced. A date with Cade was definitely not penciled into her calendar for this brief stay in town. But the thought did send a little happy skitter up her spine.
Still, she couldn’t even entertain the thought right now. Not while she had to watch her back. Not while her future was a giant question mark.
“Speaking of Cade…” Elisa’s voice trailed off and Rosalyn glanced down in time to see her point toward the front window of the studio.
Cade paced the sidewalk in the dying evening light, a leather laptop bag tucked on his shoulder, a cell phone glued to his ear as he gestured with his freehand. Even with his sleeves rolled up and top collar unbuttoned, he still looked professional. Put together. Confident.
Yeah, she better get off this ladder before her knee went from achy to swoony.
Elisa stepped back, out of Rosalyn’s way. “I swear that man can talk anyone into anything. You should’ve seen him with the police a few months ago when Noah and I broke into the courthouse.”
“I believe it.” If Rosalyn hadn’t witnessed Cade talking the school cafeteria cooks into double portions of mystery meat and single-handedly convincing the principal to install a second vending machine, she would’ve believed it simply for the dimple crowding his jaw.
Cade Landry was hard to turn down.
Then the rest of Elisa’s statement registered. “Wait. Did you say the police?” Rosalyn joined Elisa near the window, crossing her arms over her chest and hoping the other woman couldn’t hear her suddenly erratic heartbeat. “I’ll have to hear that story sometime.”
“He still gets a little paranoid about Sheriff Rubart.” Elisa chuckled. “Which is fair.”
They watched as Cade continued to pace and gesture. Rosalyn tilted her head. “So who is he sweet-talking now, you think? Another vendor for Magnolia Days?”
“Rumor has it—and by rumor, I mean Noah called me an hour ago—Cade is looking to get a movie crew back in these parts.” Elisa tucked her hair behind her ears. “It’s not a bad idea.”
“Back?” Rosalyn watched Cade pace. “They’ve been here before?”
“Cade didn’t tell you?” Elisa snorted. “I assumed he told everyone he met he was an extra in a ‘major motion picture.’” She air-tagged with her fingers.
Rosalyn raised an eyebrow. “And by major motion picture you mean…”
