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“Damn it, Cade,” she whispers, and I can see her eyes are overly bright, tears threatening to spill.
“Can you live with the thought of never seeing me again, Finley?” I murmur, using her name, needing to get my point across, because I’m done with seeing my woman beat herself up over this shit.
“No,” she admits softly.
“Does that mean you’re ready to just admit that we’re going to do this and stop running.”
“You’re a real jerk, Cade.”
“Kiss me, Red,” I respond, lowering my lips to hers.
15
Finley
I wake up the next morning completely alone. I suppose that shouldn’t piss me off so much, but it does. Last night he was all in, promised to help me get ready for the adoption and today?
Today I wake up alone.
I try to push all thoughts out of my head, but as I look around and fail to see a note from Cade, my doubts grow. I jump in the shower and go through my morning routine. Finally, I grab some clothes and then blow dry my hair. When the phone rings, I release a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. I grab it without even looking.
“Stud, you better have a good reason for not leaving me a note—”
“Finley?”
“Hey, Tommy,” I answer, instantly deflated when I hear the voice on the other line. It’s the young kid that I hired to help me at the shelter.
“I know I’m supposed to help you today and tomorrow, but I can’t. I was helping Chief Holden at the fire department and I fell and broke my ankle.”
“Oh no,” I whisper, wincing. “I’m sorry. I hope you heal quickly.”
“Thanks Finley. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”
“It’ll be okay, you just concentrate on getting better.” We say our goodbyes and I put my phone down with a heavy sigh. Today is not going as planned at all. Again, I know I’m being unreasonable, but I’m blaming Cade for all of it.
As the hours tick by, I still don’t hear from him. I’ve baked cookies and made the punch I’m going to serve tomorrow. I just need to do small stuff to get ready. The big stuff will be all outside. I’ve got to get the tables out there and covered. I’ve got balloons and banners to hang… I look at the clock and realize it’s almost dinner time and I’ve not heard from Cade all day. I’m pissed, but I’m also hurt. Last night he made me believe…My parents were good at that, and I was always gullible enough to believe them. What if I’ve made a mistake when it comes to Cade?
If I don’t keep busy, I’m going to drive myself insane. I’ve got flowers from the Budding Hearts flower shop in town. It’s actually been renamed Urban Flower or something now, but I liked the old name better. I thought it was kind of catchy. Anyway, I would have liked to have more flowers, but I’m on a strict budget, so I got what I could and then put them in vases with water for tomorrow. Then, I grab the Valentine’s banners.
Outside I get the ladder out of one of the sheds. Stinker is lying in the yard and he looks at me with his sad eyes. I look at him with guilt. I was going to take him with me when I left here, but if I go with Cade, we’ll be on the back of his bike and who knows when I can have my stuff shipped. Of course, today it’s beginning to look like I won’t be going to Kentucky. It’s only fair that I make sure he gets a chance to be adopted tomorrow—even if it might kill me to say goodbye to him even one day early.
I scratch him behind his ears and then grab one of the banners and climb up on the ladder—intent on securing it across the front of an old gazebo that’s out there. I can hear a bike coming up the driveway, but I ignore it. I also ignore how much better I feel knowing he’s here.
“Damn, it looks like Cupid has thrown up out here, Red.” I roll my eyes because it doesn’t. I haven’t even started decorating out here except for the banner. “Shouldn’t you wait until tomorrow to put the balloons out here?” he asks. Okay, so I put balloons out too. He’s also probably right about waiting, but now is not the time to point that out.
“I have a lot to do because I do all of this alone,” I mumble. “I can’t afford to wait until the last minute.”
“I told you that I would help you, Red,” he says, and I turn my head to look at him, holding onto the ladder to steady myself.
“Gee, Stud, when I woke up alone, after you promised to help me all day, I had to wonder. I mean, you didn’t leave a note or wake me up to tell me you were leaving, so I didn’t really know what to think, now did I?”
