AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gosh,…I always liked you. Gabe was the one who hated when his friends said anything regarding you.”
I frowned. “You…you…liked me then? Like back in school, then?” I could hear the surprise in my voice and felt the shock of his words in my body.
He turned toward me and nodded his head. “Don’t think I’m a bad man, Cadence, but Gabe set me up with Ella because I’d been complaining to him. I wanted a girlfriend, but not just any girlfriend, it was you I wanted. I just didn’t know how to tell him. I’d seen how he handled those situations, and I didn’t want it to be me on the ground being beaten by your brother. His friendship meant so much to me.”
Tears stung my eyes at his honesty. Had he really sacrificed what he’d wanted because of his friendship with my brother? Had he only taken Ella as a second resort?
I cleared my throat. “Did you…did you even like Ella? Were you in love with her?” I questioned.
Connor turned away from me and once again focused his attention out into the darkness. I waited for his answer; I didn’t want to push. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to know the answer, fearful that she had lived thinking he loved her when he hadn’t. I wished he would face me, so I could see his reaction, so I could read his expression, but he didn’t.
“Not really, not at first. It was really you I wanted. I just… I settled. For a long time, I’d just pretend it was you. I know it was wrong. Once I got to know her, of course, I fell in love with her, but it wasn’t like I imagined it would have been with you.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything to me?”
Connor chuckled. “I never thought you were interested in me. Hell, I was a farm boy. Everyone in town hated my father. Most kids hated me because of his business dealings.”
“That’s not true.”
Connor turned and looked at me. “It isn’t?”
“No, it’s not. I never hated you.”
“You didn’t?”
I didn’t waste a moment; I gathered up every ounce of courage I had inside of me and stepped across the front porch, placed my hands on his cheeks, and kissed him. I knew it surprised him, but soon his arms wrapped around me and he was kissing me back. When we parted, I looked up at him.
“I never hated you. I liked you way more than you ever knew, and I kept it hidden well. Almost as well as I’ve kept it hidden from you now.”
Instantly, his lips were on mine in a consuming kiss. Minutes later, completely breathless, he stepped away from me and, with one more kiss on the lips, he bid me good night.
Connor
Humming to myself, I checked on the new lot of calves that had been born a month ago. I’d slept so well last night, I’d gotten up early to come out and spend some time checking each one of them over. I’d just finished dumping feed and filling their water buckets when Joe came walking into the barn.
“Hey, Connor. Did you know there is someone up at the house?” he asked.
I frowned. “No.”
“Yep, lights are on in the kitchen and there is a truck parked out front beside yours.”
“What colour truck?” I asked, praying he didn’t see a silver one. That would mean that Paula and Bill were here, and after the night I’d shared with Cadence, I wasn’t in the mood for them.
“Looks like Gabe’s truck, to be honest,” Joe answered.
I smiled, excited at the thought that Cadence had finally come over. “All right. Care to take over here while I check it out?” I asked.
“No problem. Then once the others get here, we will finish up repairs on that fence and then we will start on the door to that barn. Should be able to get it finished by tonight so we can begin moving the cattle up to the front pasture.”
“Sounds good. Oh, and the material for the feed barn will be here next week. It would be good to get on that right away.”
“Not a problem,” Joe said, taking over where I left off.
I made my way up to the house, an extra spring in my step, excited to see Cadence after last night.
I walked up toward the back door of the house and immediately stopped in my tracks at the smell of bacon. My stomach turned and my mind flashed to the day I’d found Ella. It took me a minute to compose myself, to fight the nausea I was feeling.
I climbed the back steps and stepped in through the back door. Cadence stood at the counter, chopping up onions while a pan on the stove containing the bacon cooked away.
