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“How long are you going to wait before you give her an answer?”
Time was quickly evaporating. Every tick of the clock was a reminder that he had to decide one way or the other. They’d parted with the understanding that he’d let her know sometime before Saturday evening when the dance was scheduled.
Although Cade was a relative newcomer to Oceanside himself, he’d been around long enough to know the high school football games were huge events. The stands were crammed during each home game with students, parents, and local supporters from the community. Friday-night football was big entertainment in a small town, and Oceanside was no exception. The players were treated like royalty. Businesses waved flags bearing the Oceanside Eagle logo, hyping up each game.
As a compromise, Cade decided to attend the game with Hope, even if it meant he would need to climb the bleachers. Stairs could be a painful challenge. Putting all his weight on his injured leg often caused debilitating pain. To alleviate that, he often took one step at a time, attracting unwanted attention. To face those pitying looks while half the town’s population stared at him sent a chill up his spine.
Silence filled the room as Cade was lost in his thoughts.
Harry interrupted Cade’s musings. “Didn’t you recently mention that Hope had some kind of run-in with the team’s quarterback?”
At the memory, Cade’s entire body stiffened. In that instant he had his answer. Hope alone at the dance, unescorted, could possibly make her a target. Cade hadn’t gotten all the details of what had happened or exactly why, but he knew enough. He’d even done a bit of homework himself. He’d asked to view the security camera of the grocery’s parking lot. The equipment was old and outdated, and the picture too fuzzy for him to make any clear identification, although it clearly showed that the tire had been vandalized.
Cade had his suspicions. Whoever was responsible looked young, likely a teenager.
“I have to go to that dance,” he said, with newfound determination.
“You aren’t obligated, Cade. This isn’t your concern.”
“Hope is my concern.”
Harry crossed his legs. “What if, at the end of the evening, she wants to dance with you?”
Leave it to Harry to force him to face the most uncomfortable aspect of this. All he could do was be honest. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
Harry was all smiles.
“That pleases you?”
“It does,” Harry said. “You aren’t focusing your attention on yourself or your limitations. Your concern for Hope has overridden your fears, and that’s a step in the right direction.”
“If you say so,” Cade grumbled.
—
Fifteen minutes later Cade left Harry’s office, and he noticed his step was lighter. Now that he knew what he was doing, he felt good inside. At their first meeting Cade hadn’t wanted anything to do with counseling. These days, he was grateful for Harry, who would be the first one to tell him to pull his head out of his butt and make it sound like Cade’s suggestion. The guy had a gift.
This dance with Hope wasn’t about him and his limitations. His focus was on the woman who had caught his attention. Being by her side, protecting her from any potential problem, was what was important. Whatever embarrassment he suffered would be worth keeping her safe.
Instead of meeting Hope at the game an hour before the starting time, Cade showed up at her cottage.
Her eyes revealed her surprise when she opened her door. Shadow was at her side and didn’t so much as bark when he saw it was Cade. It seemed Shadow accepted him and all it’d taken was a single hot dog.
“Come in,” Hope said. Her eyes filled with expectation as she waited for him to explain the visit.
Moving into the house, for a moment, Cade couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was already dressed for the game in skinny jeans and a school sweatshirt with the Eagles logo. She was beautiful. Her silence reminded him she had no idea why he’d stopped by.
“I decided to be your plus-one for the dance,” he said.
Her face dissolved into a huge smile. “I’d love that, and thank you. I wasn’t looking forward to attending the dance alone.”
“But you should know I have certain limitations, and if that embarrasses you—”
“Stop,” she said abruptly, and reached out to grab hold of his forearm. “You’re being ridiculous. I know you have an injured leg. It doesn’t bother me, and it shouldn’t bother you, either. Now, enough said.”
Cade couldn’t resist. Even before she finished speaking, he drew her into his arms and kissed her. It was impulsive and out of sheer relief that she understood and accepted him with his many flaws and shortcomings. He took her by surprise because her mouth was closed, but she quickly adjusted, opening to him. Her arms went around his neck, and she leaned in to him, sucking on his bottom lip, giving herself to him. He wasn’t sure how long they kissed. Not long enough. One taste of Hope and it left him craving more.
When she opened her eyes, Hope looked up at Cade with the sweetest smile. “That was nice.”
