Page 45 of I Choose You

Kaden: Yes

Kaden: What’s your condition?

“Please don’t say you’ll only come if he doesn’t.” I held my breath, waiting on those three dots to be replaced with her reply.

Brooke: So long as I don’t have to sit near Kody, okay.

That wasn’t so bad. I could swing that.

Kaden: Deal

Brooke: Don’t make me regret this.

I’ll try.

16

BROOKE

I spent all evening getting ready for this dinner.

Multiple outfit changes. Several overhauls of my hair. Switching out jewelry. My makeup was on point, though. At least that was one thing going right.

After Kaden sent me that SOS message and begged me to come to his family dinner, he must have put his phone down. He didn’t reply to my following text asking where we were going. The location was a vital detail. Casual? Formal? Semi-formal?

For an agonizing hour, I had nothing to go on to even know how to begin preparing. I tried to guess if this was a laidback cookout sort of thing or an elegant restaurant affair.

It mattered, but I didn’t want to pester and prod and text repeatedly. He’d take that as a sign of nervousness, and I couldn’t risk that weakness heading into the night.

I was nervous, though I’d try my best to hide it. Like I told Rena, Kaden unsettled me. My usually formidable confidence took a hit. I was off balance trying to figure the man out, guessing how to fit him into my life. Facing his family—especially his damn twin—would completely throw me off my game.

Before I could sink into anxiety about it and truly become aggravated, he’d replied. Swann’s lived up to what could almost be its namesake. Swanky. I’d gone to eat there just once. My mom’s boss’s fiftieth wedding anniversary party had been held there, and I went as her “date.”

Suffice it to say I could abort all backyard BBQ ideas and focus on the fancy.

Despite my nerves and the roiling tension in my stomach, I almost felt like I had to go. This would be my chance. His invitation came out of nowhere. I’d been wondering when he’d contact me after that quick kiss goodbye almost a week ago. If he was waiting on me to make a move and reach out to him, he would’ve been waiting until hell froze over.

He needed someone at this dinner, considering he’d begged. He wanted to bring someone to a family event, and I understood what that meant. This was a big deal to him. Tonight would matter. And that set the stage, so to speak. If I wanted to get back at him, this would be a chance to do so in a lasting way he’d feel well after I showed him what happened when I was scorned.

Perhaps I was several years too late, but still. It was the principle of it.

As I got ready and checked my reflection in the mirror, my worries deepened.

Could I truly say that I had moved on from the hell that had been high school if I still wanted to seek revenge on him and settle the score?

Would this really grant me any sense of closure?

Or was I being petty?

No. I was not petty. I didn’t plan to ruin his life. I wasn’t going to cause a scandal. I only wanted to get him back a little bit. Karma dictated it, did it not?

Before he was due to pick me up, I nodded at my reflection one last time. Who was I kidding? The last last time. I resolved not to mess this up. And hopefully, once I saw to my mission of getting revenge, I could well and truly move on. Once and for all, I could let it go and see what happened next.

I almost wanted to insist I’d drive myself to Swann’s but he was persistent that he pick me up. I wasn’t surprised he pushed the point so hard. I’d nearly stood him up.

I hadn’t told Rena because she fell under the annoying better late than never school, but I almost thought I had gotten my revenge on Kaden by almost standing him up. To me, someone who hated to be late or kept waiting, what I’d done that first night was a horrible crime. It had bothered me to be so late, but it had been part of my strategy. I wouldn’t admit it aloud, but that was why I had that alcoholic drink before I left home. I’d needed to fortify myself for the exaggerated and forced wait.

Right on time, Kaden pulled up in an SUV. It was spotless and looked expensive, but when he stepped out and approached me, he looked as spotless and wealthy. Dashing in a finely tailored suit, he tempted me. The lack of a smile with his greeting unnerved me. Could he somehow be as uneasy about this dinner as I was?