Page 59 of The C Agreement

Me:Dinner and a movie it is.

Rayne:And it’s going to be a romcom. Don’t say you don’t like them. I’m sure they aren’t your favorite, but they are funny, so I know you’ll laugh a little.

There was her backbone.

Me:*putting my hands up* You’ll hear no complaints from me.

I put my phone down and looked forward to Friday.

TWENTY-TWO

CADE

On Friday,Rayne picked a restaurant that neither of us had been to, but she’d always wanted to try it. It was far from where we lived, which was perfect for not running into Beau and Em.

“Beau texted me today and asked what I was doing tonight,” Rayne said as she set down her fork.

“Me too.”

“What did you tell him?”

Using my napkin, I wiped my mouth. “I told him I had other plans. He didn’t say much after.” He’d sent back a wink emoji. “What about you?”

“I thought about telling him I wasn’t going to do anything since I have a party to go to tomorrow, but then it crossed my mind that they might show up at my house. So, I told them I had a date.”

My eyebrows went up at this.

Rayne waved her hands in front of her. “Oh my God, I just said that because it’s dinner and a movie. I don’t actually think this is a date.”

I smiled. “It’s fine, Rayne.”

She dropped her hands and furrowed her brow. “It is?”

Laughing, I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Yes. We’re doing dinner and watching a movie. It’s a classic date.”

She grinned and squeezed back.

“Besides, it’s you.” I shrugged. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

Her eyes dimmed, and she pulled her hand from mine.

Shit.I’d messed that up.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” I licked my lips, searching for the right words. “I meant, you won’t read too much into this.”

“Right. Of course.” She picked up her fork again and wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Rayne.”

She paused and lifted her gaze.

“You mean something.”

I could see she didn’t believe me.

“Say it back to me.”

“Say what back?”

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