Page 36 of Confusing Cade
He didn’t. Not really. I could tell from the way his attention lingered on Bella, like he was still trying to piece together what was happening between us. It irritated me more than it should have.
“She’ll be at the grand opening in January,” I added, my tone clipped. “Her input’s been invaluable. The Promenade wouldn’t be what it is without her.”
Bella’s gaze flicked to mine, and for a fleeting moment, something softened in her expression. Was it gratitude? Relief? Hope? Whatever it was, it made my heart stutter. The air between us thickened, charged with an unspoken question neither of us seemed ready to answer. My hand twitched at my side, aching to brush against hers, to close the distance that felt both too vast and not nearly enough.
Vernon chuckled again, oblivious to the current sparking between us. He raised his glass in a mock toast. “To business.”
I didn’t return the gesture. Instead, I held Bella’s gaze a second longer, my voice dropping to a quieter register meant only for her. “Are you okay?”
Her lips parted, barely, and the faintest flush crept up her neck. “Fine,” she murmured, but the word carried a weight that lingered.
“Looking forward to the opening.” Vernon’s words drew me back into the evening. He finished his beer and gave it to another white-shirted server threading through the well-dressed crowd. “Drove by the location yesterday on my way up to Jupiter. Fine job.”
“Thank you.”
Bella grinned. “I’m thrilled Cade invited me to be part of this. It was so kind of him.”
“And it was solely your idea?” Vernon asked me. I could tell by his tone he had doubts.He’s probably heard something from Frances Fisher about all this.
“My team had a constructive meeting with the county commission the other day, and I knew I needed to loop Bella into the mix,” I said.
“I’m thrilled he did.” Bella sounded like she meant it, and now it was my turn to be surprised. In fact, everything that had happened in the last few hours had been nothing but unexpected. When I called her to ask if she’d attend the fundraising dinner, I was almost convinced she’d say no. But then she’d done the opposite. When I arrived at her apartment, it was obvious she’d put a lot of thought into what she was wearing and the way she looked, even though she’d barely had any time to pull something together. Now, she acted as if she wanted to be here with me, as if she had hoped for it.
That’s odd.
“I want the Promenade to make the best impression possible in Palm Beach County,” I said. “And having Bella be part of the ceremony will certainly do that.”
The bell sounded, directing us to take our seats for dinner and, thankfully, ending the conversation with Vernon. We said goodbyes quickly, and I led Bella to our places in the middle of the table. Like at so many of these parties, an event planning team had pulled no punches, decorating the center of the long table with greenery, gold candles, fairy lights, and roses. Each place setting featured gold silverware and charger plates threaded with silk.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, admiring the table setting.
“Yeah,” I replied, my gaze fixed on her instead.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BELLA
“I want the Promenade to make the best impression possible in Palm Beach County. And having Bella be part of the ceremony will certainly do that.”
Cade’s words before we were called to dinner stayed with me throughout the whole delicious feast. Lobster tails with braised short ribs, whipped potatoes, summer salad, charcuterie, and pot de crème for dessert, all alongside numerous bottles of high-end wine selected by a master sommelier. Amazing.
But his words...they’d warmed my soul.
He genuinely wanted my input. A girl could get used to praise like that.
