Page 24 of Confusing Cade
I blinked, my hands unclenching as I tried to picture Cade smaller, skinny and young, the wind whipping through his hair as he wrestled with a fish that size. “I’ve never been deep-sea fishing.”
“It’s fun. Just you, the boat, and the water. Great place to think.” Cade’s voice softened, a faraway look in his eyes as he shared the memory. He stopped short, catching himself with a small laugh. “God, sorry to get off topic. I haven’t told anyone that story in a long time. Guess I got carried away.”
I nodded as I pictured him out there, alone with the waves and his thoughts. His openness stirred something in me, a quiet trust that made my own nerves feel safer to share. “No, I get it. It sounds peaceful. Honestly, I could use some of that right now. I’m feeling kind of nervous about this ceremony. It’s so... public.”
Cade closed his portfolio with a gentle thud, his full attention on me. His eyes were steady, inviting. “Tell me why.”
“Well, apart from the fundraiser, I haven’t been at any high-profile events in years,” I admitted. “After we settled Dad’s estate, I left that whole life behind. I became anonymous. It was easier that way.”And cheaper.
“That’s one reason why I think this is an inspired idea,” he replied. “Nobody is expecting you.”
“Exactly.” I placed my hands on the armrests of my chair. “Doesn’t that mean—”
“What?”
“What if things go wrong? What if people are disappointed? What if people find out that I’m running a pseudonymous account on FanZone?”
He shook his head. “It will be too tightly controlled for that. My team will have it all planned to the letter. Nothing to chance. That’s how I operate.”
“I’m not embarrassed about how I’ve been making money,” I said, aiming for defiance, though my voice wavered slightly. I’d brought it up, not him, and now I felt the need to justify it. “I’ve done well. I did what I had to do.”
Cade’s eyes held mine for a moment before they drifted, slowly traveling the length of my body. A warm flush crept up my neck as his gaze lingered, taking in every curve, every detail, like he was seeing me for the first time. It sent a shiver through me, a quiet thrill that made my pulse quicken. “I’m sure you did,” he said, his voice low, almost reluctant. “I wish you hadn’t resorted to it, but it wasn’t my decision to make.”
I straightened, clinging to my resolve. “I made over a hundred thousand dollars in the first three months.”
His eyebrow lifted, a flicker of surprise in his expression. “That’s a good amount of money.”
“It paid for Lilly’s tuition. That’s the most important thing. She’s able to stay at school, and I even put some money away for college.” I raised my chest some, feeling proud and a little triumphant about the obvious surprise in Cade’s voice. Nobody could ever say I didn’t know how to hustle. Not now, not after this. “And I did it. Only me.”
“That’s admirable too.”
“But I still don’t want to deal with it, you know? It’s not something I want to confront publicly.”
He leaned across the table, his gaze boring into me. “That won’t happen, Bella. I promise.”
I stared back at him, my breath catching in my throat. Something in his voice, the quiet certainty of it, chipped away at my guarded edges, making me want to believe him. For the firsttime, I felt a flicker of trust, like I could lean into his words and not fall.
I just hope to God that he’s right.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CADE
I meant those words.That won’t happen, Bella. I promise.
