Page 54 of Confusing Cade
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CADE
Yes, something had indeed gotten into me. Something raw and...real. With her, I was carefree and invigorated, as if life was an endless adventure waiting to be explored. Or maybe it could have been the exhilarating thrill of my recent hole in one. Regardless, I was doing something I didn’t normally do, and I relished every moment of this newfound spontaneity.
Taking Bella Moretti to my Deer Valley house for a midweek getaway was spontaneous perfection for me. Since buying the place six years ago, I’d probably visited only a handful of times, and far less than I wanted, especially considering the millions I'd invested in a five-bedroom lodge nestled a short distance from the main ski lift and the luxurious Stein Eriksen Lodge. This house was more than real estate; it was my first piece of property not tied to my father's influence or my family's legacy.
And the area around Park City was nothing short of stunning. On every visit the drive from the airport to the mountains took my breath away. The vast, unblemished sky and the panoramic views stretched for miles in every direction. It all felt like magic. I first experienced this wonder on a ski trip with college fraternity brothers, taking it all in on ski runs while we spent spring break at a longtime family retreat that was the epitome of old money. At the time, they’d seemed to take this beauty forgranted, but I’d vowed to own a piece of this paradise once my future was truly mine.
Now I did.I just need to take more time to enjoy it.
We arrived shortly after noon, the sky above Salt Lake City so clear it felt like a canvas painted just for us, every brushstroke of blue deliberate and vivid. At the charter terminal, a sleek black Mercedes gleamed under the winter sun, its curves promising both speed and sanctuary. I tossed our bags into the trunk with a practiced ease, my pulse quickening as I slid into the driver’s seat. The leather was cool against my palms, the faint scent of polished wood and new car mingling with the crisp air still clinging to my jacket.
“Ready?” I asked, glancing at Bella as she settled into the passenger seat, her dark hair catching the light, reminding me of a polished tortoiseshell.
She nodded, her lips curving into a small, tentative smile. “As I’ll ever be.”
I pointed through the windshield. “Wait until you see the snow in the mountains. The forecast says it’s going to be incredible, with powder so light, it will be like skiing through clouds.”
Bella’s smile faltered slightly, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “I still don’t have great winter clothes,” she said. “This Florida girl’s wardrobe is more suited for the beach than ski slopes.”
I merged onto Interstate 80, the hum of the engine a steady undercurrent to my thoughts. “Don’t worry about that,” I said, keeping my tone light but firm. “I know a guy.”
Her eyebrow arched, a familiar glint of curiosity in her blue eyes. “A guy?”
“Yeah.” I chuckled, tapping my fingers to the soft, melancholic pulse of Radiohead’s “No Surprises” drifting fromthe speakers. “A guy who knows where to get the best gear. You’ll be outfitted like a pro by the time we hit the lodge.”
The city began to fade in the rearview mirror, its grid of glass and steel giving way to rolling hills and the jagged, snow-dusted peaks of the Wasatch Range. The mountains loomed ahead, ancient and unyielding, their slopes cloaked in a pristine white that reached heaven. God, it had been far too long since I’d been to Park City. As I drove, an unusual peace settled over me, a quiet that wasn’t just the absence of noise but the presence of something deeper, something tied to the woman beside me.
As we approached the exit for State Route 224, I stole a glance at Bella. Her profile was sharp against the window, her expression a mix of awe and uncertainty as she took in the landscape. The sunlight gilded her cheekbones, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.Fuck, she’s stunning.
Even when we were quiet together, it was easy. Her dry wit amused me, and her strength moved me. And what surprised me more was how seamlessly she’d fallen into my world. Two weeks ago, I barely gave Bella Moretti a thought, and yet somehow, she’d become so essential to my days. I wanted time with her. I wanted the endless meeting-filled days to be filled with something other than the silence of my apartment.
What I’d suggested to David was feeling more absolute.
I’m falling for her. Hard.
“There’s a great outfitter by the canyons,” I said, breaking the silence. “Just before we hit the main part of Park City. We can stop there and get you some proper clothing.”
“We?” she asked, her voice tinged with a playful skepticism as she turned to face me.
I laughed. “Me. I’ll pay for whatever you need.”
Bella sat up straighter. “You don’t have to do that, Cade. I can pay for my own clothes.” Her tone was firm, but there was a vulnerability beneath it, a crack in the armor she wore so well.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. This wasn’t just about clothes. It was about her letting me in, about me proving I could be more than the guy with a quick smile and reckless ideas. “I want to. I’m the one who dragged you out here, Bella. Let me do this.”
