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“Okay, it’s my turn to ask another question,” she said. “Tell me about your friends. If I’m going to be meeting them in a few days, I should at least know something about them.”
That was something Caden could talk about all day. He was as close to his friends as anyone could be, and most of the time he thought of them more as brothers than friends. “Absolutely. I’m glad you asked. My best friend is Luke, he’s the one who got married. He’s a vice detective with the Dallas Police Department. His wife, Orly, is a nurse, and she just got a job at St. Matthews Pavilion Hospital.”
“That must get super stressful. Taking care of sick people all day long. I bet she’s awesome.”
Caden nodded. Orly was the strongest person he’d ever met. Not only did she do her job with grace and professionalism, but she was also telepathic and could hear people’s cries for help in her mind. She once described it as more of when they were praying or silently pleading for assistance or rescue while they were in grave danger. He couldn’t imagine being in that kind of dire situation, but Luke had been, and Orly had saved his life. Caden wouldn’t tell Hallie about that though. At least not until he knew he could trust her to keep Orly’s secret.
“What about Blake?” Hallie asked.
Caden chuckled. “He’s the newest in the bunch and the youngest. I actually helped train him a few years back when he first joined the bureau and we just connected. He’s a great guy, a little hot-headed, which is probably why he got shot.” He said it light-heartedly, but having someone he cared about hurt in the field was the hardest thing about the job for him.
Hallie’s smile all but faded and he knew she was thinking about being interrogated. He quickly moved on. “Then there’s Garret Cooper. He’s a Texas Ranger, and last year he bought some property just outside the city with access to a private dock and a large lake full of fish that never stop biting. It’s actually where the party on Sunday is going to be.”
“His place sounds amazing,” Hallie’s face lit up, then sobered. “Though, I guess I have a confession to make, and I hope it doesn’t make you like me any less.”
Caden reached across the table and took her hand in his, once again loving the feel of her soft fingers against his more calloused ones. Their gaze met in an electric moment and the idea of not liking the woman in front of him just didn’t seem possible. “Tell me,” he said, the words coming out almost in a whisper.
Hallie was visibly just as moved by the moment as he was. She swallowed and shifted in her seat. “I’ve never been fishing.” Her hand lingered in his and Caden left his fingers wrapped gently around hers.
“What?” He asked with a slight grin. With so many rivers and lakes in Texas, it was hard to believe anyone who lived in the state hadn’t been fishing at least once in their life.
“I know. It’s such a Texas thing, but I've never done it. My parents were never really outdoorsy types of people. They were more into staying at five-star hotels and going to malls and the hottest beaches, like Cancun and stuff.”
“Do you want me to teach you how to fish?” Caden asked, still abundantly aware of her soft fingers pressing against his palm. The words came out of his mouth almost on autopilot since most of his attention was on the sensitive points of where their touch met.
Hallie gave a slight shrug. “Maybe. But the idea of watching that poor fish die just takes the fun out of it for me.”
Caden had never thought of it that way. Hallie reached for her glass of Cherry Coke. He casually watched her fingers wrap around the glass and his mind suddenly went straight to the gutter, imagining how it would feel to have those fingers wrapped around him like that. Around his cock. Fuck, he needed to get a grip. What was this woman doing to him? He cleared his throat, desperately trying to remember what they were talking about. “I think fishing is supposed to be more about the time you spend with the person you’re fishing with. You know, like a relaxing, almost meditative activity.”
“You make it sound nice,” she said softly, her gaze never leaving his. There was a fire in her eyes, no doubt mirroring his own from the undeniable chemistry swirling between them. “Are those all the people who will be there on Sunday?” She asked.
Caden shifted in his seat and smiled. “No. I also have a friend in the fire department. His name is Martin Ebbert. He was in the police academy when he was accepted into the fire academy, and he’s never looked back. Actually, he’s the youngest in the state to become fire chief and get his own fire house.”
“Wow, all your friends are so accomplished.”
Caden smiled. “We do okay. Lastly, there’s Tanner Rhodes. He’s a homicide detective for the Dallas Police Department. He’s also the quietest of all of us, but once he gets to know someone, he’ll be your best friend for life. He’s also the fastest and was on the track team in high school and college.”
Hallie considered this for a moment. “And Luke is the only married one?” She asked.
“Yeah. Being in law enforcement, it’s not always easy to find someone who wants to be part of that lifestyle.” Caden said just as his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. “Sorry, but this is very much what I just meant. When my phone buzzes, I always have to check and sometimes I even have to answer.”
“Oh,” Hallie said.
He couldn’t quite read her expression, but the message on his phone caught his attention.
Avery: Progress?
Caden recoiled on the inside. He knew exactly what Avery was asking. He looked up at Hallie who was cutting a small piece of her lasagna. They’d hardly registered the waitress when she came back and took their dinner orders, or when she brought their food.
It was like even in this very public place that was filled with a good-sized dinner crowd, he and Hallie were the only ones in his small bubble. He’d almost forgotten this wasn’t just a date, and the pain of reality rushing back in made him wince. “I’ll be right back,” Caden said, and stood from the booth, making his way to the front of the restaurant.
***
Hallie patiently waited for Caden to return, making a mental note to bring Alicia and Meg here. They would absolutely love this place. Alicia would die when she saw all the chandeliers, and Meg would love the food.
After Caden hadn’t returned for a few minutes, Hallie pondered the last thing he’d said. When he first mentioned something about his lifestyle in law enforcement, she wasn’t sure what he meant, but now she understood. It wasn’t a terrible thing, though she could see how intrusive it might be. Still, she would never ask him to choose between his work and her. Obviously, whatever that message was about, was way more important than the small talk they were enjoying. And she truly was having a wonderful time.
No one had ever listened to her so intently when she talked about her store, and she’d never met anyone who had so many close friends.
