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“Come on.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and turned so we could walk back toward the house. We moved around the side and then past his car. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk.”
The closer we got to the restaurant, the more nerves took over my body, and by the time he was pulling open the door, I was a full-on mess. What if someone saw us and knew who we were? What if—
“Cade?” a deep voice asked from toward the back of the compact room. The restaurant was the smallest one I’d ever seen, but there was a vibe to it like nothing else. “Is that you?”
Glancing at Cade had me seeing his growing grin, and then he held his other hand out to the man coming toward us. “It is,” Cade said, his hand on my waist squeezing a little in reassurance.
“Well, I’ll be damned. Don’t think I’ve seen you in about six years.” The man paused and looked him up and down. “You’ve grown.” I stared at the man, noting the wrinkles on his face and his white hair. He couldn’t have been a day under seventy. “And who’s this lovely lady?” His gaze swung to me, and I wiped my clammy hand on my dress.
“This is Aria.” Cade pulled me even closer to him. “My girlfriend.”
I wasn’t sure what else the man had said. I hadn’
t even caught his name as he showed us to a table toward the back, because I was way too busy repeating what Cade had said over and over again.
Girlfriend. He’d called me his girlfriend. Did that make him my boyfriend? He’d just put a label on our relationship, and I couldn’t have been happier. We were doing this. Really doing this.
“I’ll take a beer. What about you, Aria?” Cade asked, his voice finally breaking through all my thoughts.
“I’ll take a water please,” I replied, my voice low.
The man wandered off to get our drinks, and Cade took hold of my hand. We were opposite each other, but I wished I could sit next to him. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” I blew out a breath. “Just nervous.”
He nodded. “I get it. It’s weird being able to do this.” His lips quirked on one side. “But I love it. This is what it will be like as soon as the school year is over.”
I gripped his hand tighter. “Will it?”
“Yeah.” His eyes shone with happiness as he said, “I’ve been offered a job at Shire Oaks College to coach. I’ve accepted it, so I won’t be working at the high school after this school year.”
“Oh my god.” I leaned forward, wanting to throw my arms around him, but the table was in the way. “You’re going to coach at Shire Oaks?”
“Yep.” His face nearly broke from the way he was grinning. “Which means as soon as school is out, so are we. I’m not keeping you a secret for much longer. I need everyone to know exactly how I feel about you.”
I couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. He was telling me we’d be out in the open for everyone to see. It scared me, and I wondered what everyone would think, but I was ecstatic over what he’d said. We’d been a secret for what felt like so long that it seemed strange to have people know about us, but I was ready for us to be out in the open. More than ready.
“No more hiding?” I whispered.
He placed his legs either side of mine, making me feel more secure than I ever had. He lifted my hand to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles, all the while not looking away. “No more hiding, baby.”
Chapter Fourteen
ARIA
Things had been different between us since we’d come back from the lake. I was more secure in what we were, and I didn’t doubt for one second how Cade felt about me. He’d promised me it would only be a matter of time until we could be out in the open, and I was counting down the days like my life depended on it.
We’d spent all our free time together since we’d come back from our “romantic getaway” as Hope liked to call it. I stayed at home enough to not look suspicious, but when I was in my bed alone, all I craved was having Cade next to me.
Tonight Mom thought I was staying over at Hope’s again, and Hope’s sister thought she was staying at my house. We were both lying to be with the people we loved, and neither of us thought twice about it.
A knock sounded on the door, and I stared as Cade walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway. I was fascinated with the way he strolled around his house in only sweatpants and his bare feet. It was orgasm worthy, and it would never get old seeing him like that.
I tried to listen to the murmurings in the hallway but couldn’t understand what they were saying, and a couple of minutes later, Cade appeared with a bag of takeout. He always made sure I had a full stomach so I could take my meds.
“Chinese okay?” he asked. I didn’t know why he asked because he knew I’d eat anything, especially Chinese food.
“Hell yes.” I groaned as he stepped closer, but I wasn’t sure whether it was the smell of the food or the way his abs tensed with each of his steps that caused it. He seriously needed to put a shirt on if he was going to sit next to me because all he would do was distract me.
