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In so many of my books, I’ve read about gritty relationships and loving someone through the times when you want to give up. But none of the books had anything on what Cade and I are going through as a couple.
Yet I find myself thinking …What would those characters do in our situation?
But the truth is, it doesn’t matter. My and Cade’s story isn’t a novel. We’re just us. And to a lot of people, I bet they’d look at our relationship and think we’d never make it back to each other. Not completely anyway. But I know they are wrong.
I love that man with my whole heart. And I’d wait for him forever if I had to.
A few minutes later, Cade walks back inside the house. He wipes his eyes with his sleeve and catches me watching him.
“Allergies,” he says with a shrug. “You know … damn trees and shit.”
My brother and Watson sit in the living room, laughing about something. They look relaxed, like a weight has been lifted, and they joke around like they’re kids. All because their best friend is home and healthy.
I touch Cade’s arm, and the shock that shoots up my hand, traveling through my body, has me pulling away from him, not wanting to overstep. “Are you all right?”
He lifts himself up onto the countertop, his legs dangling down, and he nods slowly. “I guess. I don’t know. I just feel out of sorts. In rehab, as much of a pain as it was … everything was scheduled, down to the minute. Now, well, I just feel kind of—”
“Out of control?” I whisper.
“Yeah, kind of.”
As his eyes stare into mine, I see that same look of sadness that’s always been there, and I wonder if he’ll always carry that with him.
“I gotta go talk to LaConte at some point this week. Figure all that shit out.”
“Maybe you need to create a schedule of your own?” I shrug. “You know, block off certain times to do things, like work out, homework, things like that?”
He looks down, growing visibly embarrassed. “Remember how I told you that, at rehab, I spent a lot of time taking care of animals? Specifically the horses?” He exhales. “I actually liked that.”
I open my mouth to answer, but there’s a knock on the door, and when I peer around, glancing out the window, I smile at Cade. “It’s Link. I’m sure he’s here to see you.”
He hops down, shocking me when he bends down and kisses my forehead. “Thank you, Haley.”
“For what?” I whisper, weak in the knees from a damn forehead kiss.
“For saving my life,” he says softly, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer before he walks around me and opens the door for Link to step inside.
Wanting to give them some time to talk, I head toward the stairs. “Going to go do one last sweep of my room,” I say to my brother as I pass by. “In case I left anything behind.”
Hunter gives me a look. “Hales,ofcourseyou left something. It’s you we’re talking about.” He laughs, looking at Watson. “Now that she’s moved out, we won’t find random change, papers, and hair elastics everywhere.” His eyes widen. “Or the five thousand water bottles.”
“Eff off. I’m pregnant. I need the water,” I grumble, climbing up the stairs.
Hunter has always been particular, neat, and put together. Me … not so much.
A quick sweep ends up taking me over twenty-five minutes. I gather up a few odds and ends and a hoodie I found in one of the dressers. But for the most part, I have everything moved into my new place.
“As always, Hunter was right.”
“Talking to yourself, Haley baby?” Cade drawls.
I yelp and damn near jump out of my skin, startled from him sneaking up on me.
I turn to see him leaning against my doorframe, and he looks so handsome. His hair is cut on the sides but a little longer on top. There’s something about him that feels like home. And I so wish I could hug him, burying my face into it and breathing in his scent.
His eyes dart around the room before stopping on the bookcase. “You didn’t want to take it?” He walks toward it, running his hand along the wood. “I can make it better. Or paint it a different color if you’ve changed your mind on the powder-puff blue.”
“Idowant it,” I say softly. “It’s my favorite thing ever. And you know that’s my favorite color.” My voice cracks the slightest bit, but I try to keep it together. I need to be strong. For him.“It’s beautiful and absolutely perfect and everything I always pictured it to be in my mind, growing up. But it means so much to me mostly because you built it for me.” I pause, my hands fidgeting together nervously. “But because you made it for me to have here, I didn’t want to take it with me when I moved out.” I shrug. “Besides … Hunter and Watson probably would have put a dent in it or something when they moved it.”
