Page 104 of Matchmaking the Rival

I blinked, sitting up straighter. I felt as if he'd slapped me.

"You spoke with Cade?"

"Yes, he cornered me at the bar, and one thing led to another."

Cade would never tell him our relationship wasn’t serious. He just wouldn’t.

“Anyway, the guy is an ass. He probably just used you to get information on Sonya.”

I was so sick of Alfred. I knew Cade, and this couldn't be further from the truth. His company could buy Sonya's tenfold. He didn't care about the strategies of a minor competitor.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." I took my bag, hurrying out of the room. I suddenly felt like I couldn't get any air. I couldn’t be around Alfred any longer. He was completely toxic.

And he was wrong. Maybe he hadn’t made up talking to Cade, but just misunderstood. No, I was sure Alfred misconstrued it all and twisted the conversation to his benefit.

Then again... Cade and I had never spoken about where this relationship was going. Hell, we weren't even referring to it as a relationship.

I took in a deep breath when I stepped into the dark corridor, needing to calm down a bit. There was too much commotion in the ballroom. I felt like I couldn't even hear my own thoughts.

Cade cares about you, Meredith. He said you’re important to him. That you’re part of him. That’s all you need to know.

Still, caring about someone didn’t mean you were ready for a relationship, or that you wanted to commit.

Holy shit. I was all jittery.

Come on, Meredith. This isn't the time to have a meltdown. Put your big girl panties on.

But I couldn't do it. I couldn't give myself a pep talk and walk back inside. I needed to get out of here.

I took my phone out of my purse, forcing myself to take deep breaths. As I shot Sonya a message, I also realized I had about six missed calls from Cade.

Meredith: Not feeling well. Do you mind if I take off?

Sonya: No, you go. I might do the same thing. I can't seem to get rid of Alfred.

Well, good luck selling him the company. Even she couldn't stand him.

My mind was racing. God! Was Cade not ready for a relationship? He'd told me repeatedly that he hadn't had anything like this with anyone before. I took it as a romantic sign, but what if what he actually meant was that he wasn't ready for more?

I wanted to be here for Cade and celebrate with him. And yet I knew the second I was face-to-face with him, I’d question him about the conversation with Alfred. I didn’t want to ruin this evening for him. We could talk another time. But I couldn’t stay here.

Since everyone was still in the ballroom, there was no line at the coatroom. I got mine right away and tightened it around my middle, then put on my beanie as well before I stepped outside. The cold whipped my face as I looked for a car. I finally went to the doorman and asked, "Where are all the cabs?" There had been a million of them dropping off guests when I arrived.

"I'll call one for you, miss. They're one block down there." He pointed to the left.

"Thank you." No way in hell was I walking that distance. I'd freeze. I closed my eyes because the wind made them watery.

It already smelled like winter and Christmas—which was in two days. The first snow wasn't too far away. I was always right about that.

I took in another deep breath. Christmas and winter were usually my happy places. They gave me good vibes, and I needed all the good vibes I could get right now.

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