AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shitty?” I said, finishing his sentence.
“Yeah.”
I shrugged. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Connor waited until Gabe returned to the house to say good-bye. While Gabe walked him out, I stayed behind, starting dinner, praying that moving back didn’t turn out to be some huge mistake.
Connor
The sky was threatening rain as I drove down the long driveway to Gabe’s place. The next time I’d drive down this driveway, my friend would be on his way overseas. I cut the engine of my truck and hopped out. Gabe sat on the front porch, beer in hand, with his feet up on the railing.
I chuckled as I made my way up the front steps. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this relaxed in, well, forever.”
Gabe laughed and tipped his beer bottle back, emptying the contents. “This is what you get when you’re told to get out of the kitchen.”
“I see.” I glanced in through the screen door, seeing Cadence moving around the kitchen. “Is she cooking?”
Gabe nodded. “I fear she is.” He chuckled.
“Cadence cooks?” I asked. “I figured she would have had this thing catered in.”
“Nah, she became all domesticated when she lived with Grams.” Gabe chuckled. “I seriously was afraid to eat when I first went out there, but her food is actually good.”
“Don’t think for one second I can’t hear the two of you from in here!” Cadence yelled from inside the house.
I looked at my best friend and we both laughed. “Oh, Cadence, chill out!” Gabe yelled. “Do me a favour and bring us a beer.”
“You’ve got legs. Get your own beer!” she yelled back.
“How about I get us another beer?” I questioned, making my way inside the house. When I stepped inside the kitchen, the smell of food caused my empty stomach to grumble.
“What’s for dinner?” I questioned, sticking my head into the refrigerator and grabbing two bottles of beer from the door.
“Lasagna, garlic bread, and if you both behave yourself, devil’s food chocolate cake for dessert,” Cadence replied as she dropped a spoonful of icing on the cake.
“Sounds great,” I said, dipping my finger into the bowl that contained the icing.
Cadence glared at me as I licked the frosting from my finger. “Really?”
I smiled, reached in again, and took another swipe at the sweet icing. I couldn’t help myself as her eyes met mine. I brought my finger to her lips and gently touched them, leaving a smear of chocolate icing behind. I gave her a smile and then turned and made my way back toward the front door.
“Connor, that isn’t behaving yourself!” she yelled.
“What the hell did you do?” Gabe questioned me as I passed him his beer.
I chuckled. “Nothing. Just taste tested the icing. You all packed up?”
“Yeah, just have one last load of things in the dryer,” Gabe answered just as the front door opened and Cadence stepped out, holding a cooler in her hand.
“What you drinking there?” I questioned, reaching for the bottle.
“It’s an iced pink lemonade,” she said, holding the bottle up so I could see.
I reached out and grabbed it from her. Before she could protest, the bottle was already at my lips, and I’d taken a mouthful. The drink was very sweet and didn’t mix well with beer at all. I began choking as it hit the back of my throat. I swallowed hard, cleared my throat, and handed it back to Cadence. “That is disgusting,” I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“I told her, but she still seems to be stuck back in her college days.” Gabe chuckled.
“This is disgusting. Well, I have news: so is your spit all over the bottle,” she said, furiously wiping at the edge before taking another sip.
