Page 24 of Cade

“Cade, you better call me back asap. You cannot force me into what you want. I won’t do this.” She pressed the end call button with a not so satisfying touch of the screen. She needed the satisfying click of a home phone or a flip phone closing to add emphasis to her emotions right now.

April was fuming when she got into her car to leave. Cade hadn’t called her back yet, and she was pretty sure there was steam coming out of her ears at this point.

What right did he have to do this to her when she had no intention of agreeing still? At this point, she was willing to make him look awful to everyone in her office. Maybe she should tell them he had cheated, and that they had to end the engagement? Really, she could say anything she wanted.

Her ride to his office was spent plotting the worst things she could tell her boss about him and why the engagement had to end. She drew the line at saying he’d harmed her. She wasn’t about to falsify claims of him hurting her, but cheating was still on the table.

It seemed the entire city was against this rage fueled ride. The normal traffic was only worsened today by her agitated mood and the amount of construction she ran into. She probably should have taken it as a sign that she shouldn’t continue this path, but refused to accept it. He had this coming.

Finally pulling up, she allowed another petty thought to creep into reality. She introduced herself to the valet and told them that Cade was paying to park her car. It was less than a drop in the bucket of his money, but it was feeling good until he said he needed to call Cade to confirm.

“No, no. That’s okay. I’ll just pay. I don’t want to disturb his meetings,” April backed out of her previous claim of Cade paying.

“Is there a problem?” Catherine jumped into the conversation.

April took her in. She wished she could pull off a white skirt suit. Never would she ever, for fear she’d spill something on it, or worse. Not Catherine. She was the most put-together person April had ever met.

“This woman here claims that she is to put her parking on Mr. Hawkins’ bill. I offered to verify that, and she suddenly changed her mind.” He looked over at April like he knew she was lying and Catherine was about to tell her off.

Catherine smiled and touched the man on the shoulder. “I can confirm that her parking should go on Cade’s bill. Not like it matters anyway, because I’m pretty sure that he gets it free. Please handle her car with the utmost care.”

April’s jaw dropped as she processed Catherine’s words. Catherine reached out and took April’s keys from her hand and dropped them in the waiting valet’s.

“Come on, April.” Catherine turned to walk away before turning back to the stunned and sufficiently shamed valet. “And see that she is added to the list. I would hate to have Cade interrupted for something as simple as a parking issue when you already have the information you need.”

April scrambled to catch up with Catherine’s long strides and keep her composure. She almost needed to run to keep up, but finally stepped into the elevator with her.

“Come with me to my office,” Catherine whispered to her as others joined them on the elevator.

April nodded and swallowed. She knew Catherine was a force to be reckoned with, and it was terrifying to wonder what Catherine wanted with her.

Silently, April stepped out and followed Catherine to her office. While she’d been here before, it was never outside of a conference room and as she followed Catherine, she couldn’t help but feel as though she were being walked to the principal’s office.

“Have a seat.” Catherine gestured to one of the white chairs in her office. “This won’t take long.”

April cringed inwardly but did take a seat. “Thank you for helping me out there.”

Catherine waved her off. “Please, the least he can do is pay for your parking.”

Did she know? She knew they were close, but would he have told her about the arrangement he was trying to force on her?

“I know my brother is up to something, and I am not going to ask you what. I also know who you are to him and I find it interesting that my brother is struggling to keep you in his life right now.” Catherine took a seat behind her glass desk and rested her elbows on it as she leaned forward. “What I want to know is, what do you want?”

Stunned, April didn’t have an answer ready.

“Well, I’ll take conflicted over a hard no any day of the week. Next question, are you upset with him right now?” Catherine’s smile was growing.

April nodded. “Very.” On this, she could undoubtedly answer any day of the week. She was going to rip him to shreds when she made it up there.

“And he doesn’t know you’re here?”

“No. But he might have an idea I am coming.”

“One second.” Catherine pulled up her phone and typed in it. “I’m just checking to see if he’s in a meeting or not. I’ll restrain myself from following you up and witnessing what I am sure is about to be an amazing show.”

“Umm. Thanks?” April said.

“Interesting.” Catherine gave her a conspiratorial smile. “He doesn’t have any more meetings today. Do you know where you’re going?”

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