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“I’m not joking,” Sara said. “And once Cam finds out—”
“He can’t find out,” I cut in. “I don’t want him to know.”
“But… He’s your brother, hon. He loves you to bits. He needs to know.”
“No, he doesn’t. Because everything you want to do to Guy, he honestly would do. And worse. So he can’t ever know.”
“Why the hell did you tell me?” she demanded, throwing up her hands. “I’m not good at secrets. Not when it comes to keeping things about my husband’s sister away from him. Especially not something like this. You’re asking for a hell of a lot, Cadence.”
“I asked you because you’re the only person I know who understands what I’ve been through.” At least with part of it.
Sara had miscarried before. She could understand at least that part of things, although I doubted she’d ever been in a relationship like I’d had with Guy. But I needed someone I could talk to, someone who could help me sort through all the insanity in my head. I couldn’t go to my sisters or my mom. I’d fed them the same story we’d told the press about my ankle, and that was all they ever needed to know. They all believed I lived a charmed life, and I was perfectly content to let them continue thinking it. The same went for Cam. He couldn’t know. But Sara could…and she could threaten to feed Guy to the alligators.
“Please?” I said, since she was still staring at me like I’d grown a few heads. “I just need someone I can talk to about it, but I don’t want to turn it into a big thing, you know?”
“Honey, there’s no turning it into a big thing involved. It is a big deal. Huge. Are you sure he dropped you intentionally? It wasn’t an accident?”
I’d been dropped accidentally enough times to be able to tell the difference, and if Sara really thought about it, she would realize that. “I’m sure. One hundred percent positive. He meant to do it.”
She scowled. She didn’t flat out reject my pleas, but she didn’t exactly agree to help me out with my brother, either. This was going to be harder than I’d hoped.
“And you’re going on a date with 501?” she asked. “Are you ready to date after all of that? Oh, who am I kidding? There’s no way.”
“Tomorrow. And you’re right, I’m not even close to ready.” I was still trying to screw my head on straight again.
“Well… At least he’s a good guy. Maybe you don’t trust your own judgment about men right now, but you can trust mine and Cam’s. It’ll be all right. Just don’t get in over your head, okay? Start out as friends or something. Is it too late to make it a double date? I bet Babs and Katie—”
Right then, the front door opened and my brother walked inside.
As soon as Connor saw his father, he raced over to hug him. “Daddy! We’re gonna feed the motherfucker to the agilators!”
I turned panicked eyes to Sara, who was cool and collected as ever. “He means 501. If he tries anything with Cadence when they’re on their date tomorrow.”
Something told me she was constantly coming up with quick excuses as to why Connor said some of the things he said.
Cam narrowed his eyes at Sara, but he didn’t try to argue about it. He let out a hmphing sort of sound and picked Connor up.
I tried to remember how to breathe.
“CAN WE FEEDhim to the agilators, too?” Connor asked, looking up at Anthony with a toddler version of an evil grin.
“No, we can’t.” I had a hard time not laughing at this kid. I didn’t know how either Cam or Sara could ever keep a straight face with him. “We’re not feeding anyone to the alligators.”
“Mommy said we could.”
“Are there going to be alligators at the park?” Anthony asked, taking Connor’s coat from me and holding it out to help the little boy into it. “I’m scared of alligators.” He winked at me.
“You’re scared?” Connor cackled while I busied myself with grabbing the diaper bag and lunch box filled with at least four times more snacks than we could possibly need for a two-hour trip to play.
Sara rolled her eyes and finished buttoning up Cassidy’s coat. “Come on. I don’t know about alligators…”
“They’re gonna eat him,” Connor said gleefully. “And I’m gonna watch.”
Somehow, the three of us adults managed to load the two kids into Sara’s SUV and climb in ourselves, along with all our mounds of stuff, and soon enough were on our way to the indoor park. No sooner had we arrived than Connor seemingly forgot all about alligators due to the massive ball pit waiting for him. I managed to pry his coat free before he sprinted away and dove in without waiting to see how deep it was.
Connor sunk in up to his head, but he had the biggest grin on his face. I doubted he would care if he went completely under. At least the pit was full of balls and not water.
Sara busied herself with taking Cassidy’s coat off and finding a play area more appropriate for someone of her size, leaving me and Anthony to find a locker in the coat room to store all our stuff.
