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“I’m not. We’re all in law enforcement. We’re trained to handle anything.” His tone was again bordering on harsh, like he was warning her about something.
“Are you mad at me?” She finally asked, not really wanting to go inside with him now. If her being a few minutes late was enough to set him off, he was definitely not the right guy for her.
Caden sighed and reached for her hand. “No, of course not.” He gave her a quick smile. “I’m probably just tired. The guys and I have been here since eight this morning decorating the place and making all the preparations so Luke and Orly would be surprised.”
“That was nice of all of you.”
“Yeah, and they were surprised, so it was all worth it.” He smiled then for the first time since she’d gotten out of her car.
“I’m really sorry I’m late.” She’d had to pull over to take Katelyn’s call which lasted nearly ten minutes, and then the accident on the freeway caused a traffic jam setting her back another twenty minutes. Even though she’d left her apartment with plenty of time to spare, there was just no way she could’ve made it by eleven. She’d tried calling and texting Caden, but by the time she realized how late it was, she was no longer in an area with decent reception. “Maybe I should just go. You can tell your friends I couldn’t make it.” Hallie turned to walk back to her car, but Caden put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Did I mention I get a little testy when I’m hungry?” He gave her another smile, and she was almost convinced.
“Are you hungry?” She asked, hoping to break up the tension between them.
“Famished,” he teased.
She smiled and turned back toward the gate. “Then let’s feed the grouch.”
Caden chuckled and followed her through the gate before slipping his hand in hers. “I remember promising you a fun time and I intend to keep my word.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She wasn’t, but what else could she say? She was already here so she may as well make the best of it.
They stepped into a huge yard decorated with white streamers and balloons. A large bouquet of red and pink roses sat in the center of an oversized picnic table, and just as Caden had told her, there was a large lake with a dock at the far edge of the property. Lush trees dotted the perimeter and Hallie spotted a small bird bath in the middle of what looked like a wildflower garden.
A man about Caden’s height, with chocolate-colored eyes, a buzz cut and a huge smile, wearing khakis and a polo shirt greeted them. “Hey, I’m Garrett. Welcome to my home.” He extended his hand and she took it with a smile.
“Hallie,” she said. “Your yard is beautiful.”
“Thanks, it took a lot of hard work, but it’s coming along nicely. I still have plans for the old barn and stalls.”
Hallie looked around, but she didn’t see either of those structures.
“They’re on the other side of the property.” Garrett gestured around the house. “You won’t see them from here.”
Hallie nodded, still admiring the parts of the property she could see. The large wrap around porch looked inviting and the Adirondack chairs on the dock looked cozy. She imagined curling up with a blanket and getting lost in a book or just gazing out at the trees and the water. The sunsets were probably spectacular.
“Speaking of which,” Garrett said to Caden. “A property not far from here just came on the market. Similar to this one, but it’s a bit smaller and has no barn or stalls. I know the listing agent, so let me know if you want me to put you in touch with her.”
“Thanks, I’ll think about it,” Caden said.
They followed Garrett to the picnic table where all of Caden and Garrett’s friends were already gathered. She immediately recognized Blake from her internet search and because his arm was in a sling. She made an effort not to stare, even though she wanted to run up to him and ask how he was and if he was really okay. There was also a woman there with beautiful long curly blonde hair and a soft, sweet smile. She seemed to only have eyes for the man sitting next to her, and Hallie assumed that was the couple everyone was here to celebrate.
“Guys,” Caden said. The chatter stopped and all eyes turned to him. Hallie wanted to shrink behind Caden, but he kept his hand at the small of her back, applying gentle pressure. “This is Hallie Owens. My date.”
Hallie’s head shot up at that. His date? She hadn’t really thought of this as a date, or at least she’d tried to convince herself it wasn’t. They had technically been on two dates already, both of which had been fun, but from the moment she’d stepped out of her car today, everything just felt off. All the men except Blake stood and introduced themselves, each extending their hand to her with a smile. Blake just gave her a curt nod, and she smiled back at him.
“I’m Orly Shepard,” the blonde woman introduced herself. “Thanks for coming to our party.”
“Thank you for inviting me. Congratulations on getting married.”
“Thanks,” Orly said, sweetly.
A sliding glass door opened and a dark-haired woman with purple lowlights, wearing a tight black dress stepped outside carrying a huge tray with various colorful drinks. “Okay guys, alcohol round two is served,” she said with a huge smile. She placed the tray on the table and turned to Hallie. “You must be Hallie. So glad you could make it. I’m Skyla Madigan. I run Madigan’s Bar and Grill.”
Hallie had heard of that place, but she’d never been there. “It’s nice to meet you, and yes, I’m Hallie. I’m really sorry I’m so late.”
“No worries.” Luke said. “We were just starting to sit down.”
