Page 20 of Confusing Cade
“She’d probably appreciate being part of the opening,” David said.
I laughed. Given how our meeting went, I doubted that. “The meeting with her this morning didn’t go so well.”
He gaped at me. “You already met with her?”
“Couldn’t resist.”
Now, it was my turn to shrug, once again playing up how much I didn’t care, and how uninvested I was.I’m Cade Weston, I have so many more important things to do with my time than ruminate on the welfare of the daughter of my family’s old enemy...
David’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it from his suit pocket, glancing at the brightly lit screen. “Shit.” He glanced at me. “Louisa had an accident at soccer practice, and Maureen’s on the way to the hospital with her.”
“Oh fuck,” I replied to David as he scrambled to his feet. No matter how hard David worked, or how many demands clients like me placed on him, he was a great father to Louisa and her brother, and a solid husband to Maureen. I admired him for juggling it all. “Do you think it’s serious?”
“Probably a broken arm. Sorry, but I gotta get going, man. I’m going to have to pick up Parker.”
I waved him away, telling him that I totally understood. We said our goodbyes, and I insisted on paying for his drink. In less than two minutes, I was alone again and brooding in my dark corner of the increasingly crowded bar.
After about fifteen minutes, my phone buzzed on the bar top, pulling me from my thoughts. A text from Chris Rowan:Promenade snag—landscape contractor says irrigation system install is delayed. Subcontractor claims they are missing permits, but I checked; they were filed weeks ago. Could push greenery completion back two weeks. Looking into it.
I stared at the screen, jaw tightening. Another delay?Goddamn it.The Promenade was my legacy, and these hiccups were piling up like storm clouds. Why were permits suddenly vanishing? It didn’t add up. I typed back,Find out what’s going on. No excuses. Chris had connections to everyone who mattered in South Florida. If anyone could sniff out the problem, it was him. But the unease lingered, sharp and cold. Was this just bad luck, or something more?
“May I get you anything else?” the bartender asked, bracing her hands on the bar and leaning forward just enough to show off a hint of cleavage underneath her white button-down shirt.
Which reminded me of...
“No, nothing.” I tugged my wallet from my back pocket, fished out a wad of cash, and thrust it on the bar. “This should cover it.”
She nodded and hustled off to process the payment. I waited, arms crossed, the night air sharp against my skin as I stepped outside for the valet. When the car pulled up, I slid in and gunned it out of the lot, frustration boiling under my collar. I was disappointed at David’s hasty exit, but I understood it. When he’d bolted to take care of Louisa, his voice had been tight with worry, but his purpose was clear. He had a family to hold together, and people who needed him. Me? I had fast cars, a fat wallet, the possibility of a career in politics... and nothing else that mattered. Driving into the dark, I felt the emptiness claw at me. David’s life was messy, sure, but it was full. I was just a guy with a loose thread, drifting through nights like this, no one waiting for me. Love, connection, and meaning were for people like David—not me. My own parents had shown me that love meant staying in a miserable relationship with someone you hated and watching them die. I didn’t want that. I gripped the wheel tighter, hating how much that truth burned.
When I got home, my housekeeper, Cynthia, had left a plate of smoked salmon, capers, Boursin cheese, and tomato wrapped up in the refrigerator, and I sent up a silent thank-you that she took such good care of me. Truly, she was more like a mother than hired help, and I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she ever decided to retire. It simply couldn’t happen.
I ate the meal in front of a mindless football game: Atlanta vs. Seattle, a rare matchup with a lot of hype but little payoff. While on the couch, I drank a third glass of bourbon and mulled over David’s advice again. He was right. Having Bella at the ribbon cutting would have been kind, respectful, and even empathetic. It wouldn’t hurt anything.
Still, after that morning’s meeting, I wasn’t sure I could convince her to come. Even if Kyra put in a plug for me, I wasn’t sure it would be enough. I’d have to work at it. Hard. Even then, it might not work, and I wasn’t the kind of guy who relished the prospect of failure. But I also wasn’t a man who backed down from a challenge.Not even this one.I took my phone off the end table and scrolled through my email until I found Lois’s cursory message outlining Bella’s contact details and other information for our meeting. Once I had it, I decided to call Bella.
Fuck it. Can’t hurt, can it?
She picked up on the second ring, and I was surprised she didn’t send it to voicemail. “Hello?”
I could tell by her tone she hadn’t recognize the number. “It’s Cade. Cade Weston.”
Bella pulled in an audible sigh. “Listen, I thought this might have been—”
“Give me a second to explain. Don’t hang up.”
“I think you said everything you needed to say.”
“Thanks for doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Listening to me.”
She laughed. “No cap.”
I scooted to the edge of the sofa and braced my elbows on my knees, even though she couldn’t see me. This wasn’t a negotiation, but I wanted to make sure I framed my next words in just the right way. I focused on one thing and one thing only. “I really want you to be part of this ribbon cutting next month. I think it’s important for our community, and I want to... I want to respect your family and your father’s legacy.”
She scoffed.
