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“Thank you,” Cade said. “That’s … considerate of you.”
Clint only nodded.
“Well.” Jacey put her hands up. “Forbid me interrupting dirty laundry airing.”
Cade laughed and rubbed at his neck. “Thank you for understanding.” He met her gaze and his green eyes said he was grateful.
Maybe she shouldn’t know every detail of his life, but she wanted him to trust her and tell her. The woman these two men had loved hurt both of them deeply.
“I will put away the groceries and finish preparing dinner. Clint, will you eat with us?”
“Oh, no thank you, Jacey, but I do appreciate the offer.”
“Anytime.” It was intriguing that she felt as if this was her home and she could offer a former friend of Cade’s to stay for dinner.
They both nodded to her, picked up their hats, and strode out the front door.
Chapter
Fourteen
Cade’s stomach rolled and his palms were damp as he plunked his hat on his head and followed Clint out the door. Dirty laundry? Was his old friend going to try to mend the fence Clint had taken another series of axe chops to when Cade had tried to apologize the day Jacey had dropped into his life? Cade could admit he had instigated most of the battles, but it still took two to tango.
They stayed in the shade of the porch. Clint turned to him, his jaw working. “You tried to make things right on Tuesday and I wasn’t ready.” He paused and looked out at the valley. The sun filtered through the trees and everything glowed. “You’ve got an incredible spread up here, Cade. All your hard work has paid off.”
“Thank you.” Cade shifted his weight. He appreciated the compliment, but he knew his valley was incredible. What he didn’t know was whether Clint was ready to talk this out or not.
“Did you work with Rhett to build all of this for her?”
No reason to ask who ‘her’ was.
“Heck to the no. Rhett and his crew helped me build it as therapy after she dumped me.” Cade squinted out at the lake and valley and his cattle and barn and horses. He was proud of this place, but before Jacey came … he hadn’t even realized it, but something important had been missing from his life. He didn’t mind being alone until she made him long to have her by his side every day of his life. How would he handle it when she left?
“Makes sense. Are you over her?”
Cade’s brows rose. Clint was still talking about Sheryl when his mind was focused on Jacey. “Yes.”
Clint pivoted to him. “If Sheryl came back tomorrow, begged your forgiveness, explained she’d made the worst mistake of her life, promised to love only you the rest of her days, had an elaborate plan to elope right here in your valley the moment Pastor Heath was available…” He took a deep breath. “If she said she didn’t want some fancy engagement ring or an exotic honeymoon, all she needed was you to be happy. What would you say?”
“Have you lost your mind?” Cade had a cold knot of anger in his gut. He’d thought for a moment his friend was ready to mend the hacked-to-pieces fences, even if they had to super glue shards together to get a base of wood, but Clint wanted to bring up those old longings? The truth was, he would’ve been tempted … six days ago. “You’ve thought about this twisted Sheryl crawling back to you fantasy before, I take it?”
It was rude and judgmental of him, but it fit their relationship the past year.
Clint gave him a thin smile, admitting nothing.
Cade didn’t appreciate the smile or the questions, but he was relieved to find the idea of Sheryl coming for him made him indignant, not excited. He could never trust her and Jacey was a million times more appealing to him.
Clint came in with another jab. “Quaid’s worried about your commitment to his sister.”
“Pardon me? I’m protecting Jacey. We don’t have a commitment.”
Clint tilted his head back toward the house. “You kissed her?”
“I don’t see what business that is of yours, but no, I haven’t.” He shouldn’t have admitted to anything. He was proud of his self-restraint and here Clint was grilling him as if he had no honor. His hands balled into fists. Apparently instead of trying to work out the Sheryl-induced fighting, Clint had come to play big brother to Jacey and make certain Cade was over Sheryl. If Clint was intent on making his own play for Jacey … the battle would be much worse than a year ago.
“Are you falling for her?”
Cade rolled his eyes.
