Favors, Strings, & Lies_Men of NatEx_A Package Handlers Novel Page 16

  “I believe it,” I tell her, squeezing her harder. “You do everything you put your mind to. This is so not surprising.”

  When she pulls away from me and I smile at her, I receive another laugh. This one is much more Cadence than the previous one, and the sun shining on her perfect face, highlighting her angelic cheekbones and her cute little nose, makes my heart squeeze. So I take her hand and lead her over to the picnic tables where they have water, bananas, and apples for the marathon finishers.

  She grabs an apple from the basket and bites into it, still breathing hard from her hours of exertion.

  I snag a bottle of water—mostly for her—uncap it, and take a swig. Then I hand it to her, and she takes it and plops down on the bench of the farthest picnic table. Perfect.

  “Oh, it feels so good to not use my legs,” she laughs, wiping sweat off her forehead.

  “I bet,” I joke, taking a seat next to her and putting a hand on her thigh.

  She takes another bite of her apple. After a deep breath, she sighs. “Thanks for being here for me.”

  “Of course,” I tell her. “I’m glad your mom and Gina were here too.”

  “Me too,” she says around a piece of apple. Then she covers her mouth and laughs when food spits out of her mouth.

  It’s a light, happy moment. The perfect moment to do what I’m about to do.

  I glance around to make sure we’re relatively alone. When I’m satisfied that we’re not within hearing distance of most people, I stand, face her, and get down on one knee.

  Her eyes flash wide and her hand stays over her mouth, so I don’t have one to hold. When I hold my hand out for one of hers, she quickly spins toward the table to set her apple down. Then she gives me her sticky hand and we both chuckle.

  “Matthew,” she sighs, a dreamy quality to her tone. “You don’t have to do this.” She’s still smiling behind her hand, so I know she’s just saying it.

  “But I’m going to,” I insist. “And you can say no. I know it’s early and we’re only just moving in together, but I want it to be permanent. I want you to know how serious I am, how much I love you. I want all the strings now, baby. All of them. Attached straight to you.”

  As she lowers her hand from her mouth, I reach into my pocket and produce a small, light-gray box. And, when I open it, her hand flies right back to its previous position and she gasps.

  A ring with a piece of string tied around the diamond shines up at her.

  “Marry me, Cade. Maybe not this year or next year. Maybe not in the ten years. I don’t care when. I just want my ring on your finger and you in my bed.” I take the ring out of the box. “We’ll make time for dates while you’re crushing marathons and selling all the houses. We’ll figure out the future one step at a time, and if you want to try new things and set other goals, we’ll figure that out too. Whatever you want,” I tell her as I hold the ring out to her finger. “Because you don’t judge me for my past and you don’t let me live confined by it. We are so good for each other. As long as we’re honest and together. Okay?”

  She vigorously nods.

  “Is that a yes?” I ask for clarification, flashing my dimples at her for good measure.

  “Yes!” she shouts, her head tipped back and a giggle slipping out. Then she looks at me again and says, “Yes. To strings. To honesty. To no more favors and lies.” She pushes her finger forward so the ring slides on, and it’s a perfect fit. “To us.”

  “To us,” I agree before squeezing her hand and rising to kiss her lips.

  She snakes her arms around my neck and squeezes me to her. Then she kisses me again, deep and reassuring. In this moment, she tastes like apple and honesty. Like all the strings I could ever ask for. Like we’re meant to be.

  Like the first day of the rest of our lives.

  And I’ve never been happier about the idea of sharing my life with someone else. Cadence is it for me, and I’m glad we’re both so on board with being open and honest. Now, she knows how I feel, what my intentions are. And she’s on the same page. Which feels like more than I could ever ask for.

  How I got so lucky, I’ll never know. But I won’t waste any time making the most of it.

  Even though the woman prefers grape jelly over strawberry jam, I’ll live, and that thought makes me chuckle. With Cade, life with strings is pretty sweet. And that’s the most incredible feeling in the world.

  When we break apart, she excitedly says, “Come with me! I have something for you too.”

  “For me?” I ask as she drags me along by my hand, toward her car.

  “Yep!” But that's all she says until we get to our destination. Then she reaches into her back seat and pulls out a brown box. “Here. I found someone selling this online and thought it'd make up for the one I broke.”

  I take the box from her, squinting at it. She hasn't broken anything as far as I remember—and that includes my heart, thank goodness. So I can't think of what this could possibly be.

  When I open it, though, the memory of that middle-of-the-night crash right before our first time together—which is why I forgot—comes back to me. Amber and teal gleam against the dull brown of the cardboard, and the shape of one of my grandpa's creations nearly brings tears to my eyes.

  “You found this?” I barely get out around a rush of emotion. “For me?”

  Her own eyes shine too. “Yeah,” she confirms. “It took me a while, but I finally located one. I could tell how much those meant to you…” She breaks off, but that’s all she needs to say.

  She’s right. These do mean a lot to me. He had to stop making his art when he got sick, so there are only so many of these left in the world. To have another one means the world. And it’s just another reminder to give everything I have to this relationship while I’m able. If this isn’t a sign that I’m on the right track—that we’re on the right track—then I don’t know what is.

  My phone rings in my pocket, which bursts the happy bubble, though only mildly. Not much can steal the joy of this moment.

  Except perhaps the number that’s flashing on my screen.

  I set the box with my grandpa’s art on the top of her car, and when I answer my cell, a familiar voice fills my ear.

  “Hi. Is this Mr. Kent?” she asks.

  “Yes. What is his regarding?” I say into my phone, a shiver running down my spine. It’s never good news when they have to call me.

  Cadence gives me a concerned look, furrowing her brow and narrowing her eyes. Then she snakes an arm around my middle for support.

  “This is Randi from Sunnyview Senior Center,” the woman says.

  And then the words I never wanted to hear hit me like a Mack truck.

  “You need to come down here right away,” she tells me, a seriousness I don’t like invading her ton.

  I grip Cade tighter, fearing the worst. And then it comes.

  “I'm sorry to tell you this, but your grandfather isn’t doing well.”

  THE END

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  Sneak Peek of

  Desires, Sweets, & Secrets

  Book 2 in the Men of NatEx series

  Chapter 1

  Jeremy

  Packing up my grandpa’s stuff is not how I wanted to spend the week after college graduation. Sure, I made the decision a long time ago to move back here to be closer to my brother. These are not the circumstances I wanted though. But it is what it is. My therapist would tell me to make the best of it, so I’ll try to heed his words.

  My dad pulls their car into the driveway first, and I take the spot next to him in my own. My brother and his fiancée, Cadence, are waiting by his car on the street. I finally got to meet her at the funeral, but it’s still shocking to see him with someone on his arm. Especially someone like her. Damn, Matt did well. He deserves it. />
  He’s been there for me when no one else was. If my grandpa hadn’t been sick, he would have been there too, but my own parents… They’re part of why I have a therapist.

  I get out of my car after a three-and-a-half-hour drive and stretch my legs and my back. Once my brother makes it over to me, I clap him on the back and reach a hand out to Cadence. But she comes in for a hug.

  “Hey, Jeremy,” she says close to my ear before pulling away. “Sorry it’s happening this way, but I’m glad to see you again.”

  “You too,” I tell her. “Thanks for making this cranky asshole happy.” I gesture toward my brother and earn a punch on the arm.

  “Don’t even start,” he laughs, pointing at me as he walks over to my parents.

  I laugh a little, which is more than I’ve done in a while, and I’m grateful for it. It’s been a fucked-up roller coaster these last few weeks. But I’m glad to see my brother. He’ll be the buffer between me and my parents right now.

  “How long are you planning on staying?” Matt is asking my parents as I walk inside my grandfather’s home.

  “Good question.” I close the door behind me with a little more force than necessary.

  It makes my sister, Dani, jump from her seat on the couch. “Geez, Jeremy.” She rolls her eyes, her phone pressed to her chest. “Did you have to slam it like that?”

  “Don’t start, you two,” my mom says, trying to keep the peace. She walks into the kitchen and drops the bags of food we brought with us. Then she starts to put stuff into the fridge. “We can get this done a lot sooner if we work together.”

  I side-eye my brother and Cadence, giving them a this is what I’ve been dealing with look. My brother silently responds with a smirk and a half shrug.

  My dad answers Matt’s question while he sits next to my sister. “We hope we’re only here for a week. Just long enough to get everything packed up and out of Jer’s way.”

  “Even though I said I could do it myself,” I say under my breath, mostly just to get it out of my system. My therapist always tells me that keeping things bottled in won’t help.

  “We’ve been over this,” my dad responds, having heard me, apparently. “You have to focus on getting a job now that you’re out of school, and he lived here for thirty-six years. There’s a lot of stuff to go through.”

  “Not really,” Matt tells him, putting his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been coming here for a while, packing things up and getting rid of junk. There shouldn’t be much left to do.”

  “I see that now.” My mom comes out of the kitchen with a box. “Looks like most of the extra kitchen stuff has been boxed up already.”

  Cadence raises her hand. “That was me. That’s a box for donation, but if you want any of it, Jeremy”—she turns to me—“you can take it out of the box.” She shrugs and smiles, the warmth of it radiating throughout the room. It’s easy to see why my brother was so drawn to her for so long. “Most of it seemed useless to me, but the kitchen is not my area of expertise.”

  “Thanks, Cadence,” I tell her. “I appreciate the help.” More than she knows. Anything to get my parents out of here sooner.

  “No problem,” she says, giving me a genuine grin. “I thought I’d be able to help sell the place, seeing as that is my area of expertise, but I think it’s great that you’re moving in.”

  “And I don’t see why I can’t stay here too,” Dani huffs out.

  Cadence’s eyes flash wide for a moment before she takes Matt’s hand and a half step backward. Which is for the best. She doesn’t want any part of this family drama.

  “We’ve been over this too,” my dad repeats, patting Dani’s thigh. Then he rises from the couch. “You’re sixteen. You’re not moving out.”

  “I don’t want to move out, Dad.” She rolls her eyes again. She’s not normally this sullen and pissed, so I wonder what’s really going on with her. “I just want to stay with Jer for a while. Why is that so bad?”

  “We didn’t say it was bad, Danielle.” My mom comes back from the kitchen, having set the box on the table. “We said that it’s not a good idea. Jeremy needs to get a job, so he probably won’t be home during the day.”

  “And, like you said, I’m sixteen. I can take care of myself when he’s not here.” She sets her phone on the arm of the couch. “Just for the summer. Please?” Her puppy-dog eyes come out in full force.

  My parents stare at each other, an exasperated look in their eyes. We’ve all been over this, and as much as I’d like to accommodate my sister, I’m just not sure it’s a great idea. They’re right: I won’t be home much. And I didn’t exactly make the best choices when I was going to high school in this town. The last thing I want is for Dani to catch any more grief because of that. They won’t want to say it outright, so maybe I should. Because she looks like she’s wearing my parents down.

  “I’m not doubting that you can take care of yourself,” I start to say. But she doesn’t let me keep going.

  “Then what’s the big deal?” she asks, giving me the puppy-dog eyes now. “I really need a break from everyone back home right now, okay? Please let me stay with you.”

  I exhale a deep breath and look at my parents. No wonder they’re about to give in. But I don’t want her to be in harm’s way, and I can’t keep watch over her every second of the day. This is my life now, and I need to get on with it. Be an adult. Not basically be a dad right out of the gate.

  After several tense moments, everyone opens their mouths to speak. Nothing comes out until a voice that’s becoming familiar rings out.

  “Why don’t you stay with us?” Cadence asks, taking that step forward again.

  My parents swing their gazes over to her, as do I. Matt tenses his fingers around his girlfriend’s, giving her a loving kiss on her knuckles.

  “We’re not always home during the day,” she adds, “but I am sometimes. That could help, and I’d love to get to know you more.” She flashes Dani a smile.

  Huh. That’s not a bad idea. If she needs a fresh start so badly, maybe that’ll do for her. And she can still hang out here if she wants sometimes. If I’m honest with myself, I’d have to admit that I’d miss her. I do love her and want to protect her—it’s that big brother in me, after all—but I feel like I just got my shit together. It’s not a great time for me to be a permanent babysitter.

  “Hmmm,” Dani says. “I think I like this idea. Then I won’t have to deal with Jer’s revolving door of lady visitors.”

  I scoff at her. “What in the hell are you even talking about? ‘Lady visitors’? Seriously?”

  “Oh please. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she spits at me, her glare hitting me right in the chest. “Mom? Dad?” She glances between both of them. “What do you think?”

  My parents are speechless for a moment. Then my mother turns to Matt.

  “It’s up to you guys. Matt, what do you think?” she asks.

  He shrugs. “It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with my little sister. So, as long as it’s okay with Cade, it’s okay with me.”

  “Yes!” Dani shoots off the couch and hugs my mom, my dad, and then Matt and Cadence together. “Thank you!”

  “As long,” my mom starts, raising her voice to be heard over Dani’s, “as you find a job. Like you said, you’re sixteen, and your brother isn’t responsible for you. Got it?”

  “Got it! Can I borrow someone’s car to go look for one right now?” She holds her hand out for someone’s keys and waits.

  I give her a high five instead, which makes her gasp and then wrinkle her nose.

  My dad reasons with her though. “We still have things in the car. Bring those in and you can take our car while we get started on work here, okay?”

  “Mmhm!” She nods rapidly and flies out the door.

  I decide to get to the bottom of this, so I follow her out the door to help. Not so she can leave sooner, but so she and I can talk—and so I can avoid my parents some more.

  “Eag
er much?” I ask as she opens the car door.

  She hauls a bag over her shoulder. “Just as eager as you are.” Then she tries to breeze past me, nearly knocking me over.

  “Whoa.” I reach out to steady her by her shoulders, not loving the attitude when we all caved to give her what she wanted. “What’s going on?”

  “You haven’t been here, Jeremy.” She avoids eye contact with me and fiddles with the handle of the bag. “You wouldn’t know.”

  “Which is why I’m asking now,” I insist, bending to catch her gaze. “I was at college, not in prison, Dani. That’s not fair.”

  “Yeah, well, life’s not fair.” She tries to push away from me, but I don’t let her.

  Instead, I grip her shoulders a little tighter. “What the hell?”

  As she shuffles her feet, she takes a deep breath, and when she releases it, her lips tremble. Staring at the ground, she begins to crumble. “I just…” She sniffles before she tries again. “I need a break, okay?”

  “That’s what you said inside too.” I loosen my hold on her and hope she’ll stay put. When she does, I continue. “But that’s the story you give parents. Not the story you give your older and supportive brother.” I give her a small smile, thinking that might break the ice a little.

  It kind of does. She doesn’t leave or tremble any worse. Clearly, something is really wrong with her, and getting it out of her will be my new focus. Yeah, I need a job too, but she’s right. I haven’t been there for her. And there’s no better time than now.

  “Can we talk about it later?” she asks. “I just want to focus on moving on, okay?”

  Well, that was not the answer I was looking for, but I wrap her up in a hug anyway. “When you’re ready to tell me, I’ll be here.”

  “Thanks, Jer.” She sniffles and inhales deeply in my arms. “I’ve really missed you, you know.”

  “I’ve missed you too, kid.” I lean away from her. “But we’re gonna be roommates at times now, I guess. So don’t get sick of me.” After a wink, I open the other car door and start to help bringing things in.