32. Cade
Man, I feel like a woman - Shania Twain
Nashville is alive with chaotic energy, neon lights flashing and music pouring out of every bar. The air is buzzing with excitement, a perfect backdrop for Paige’s last night. We made a quick stop at check-in before the girls got ready in the suite, while the guys and I hung back in my room. Now we’re all heading down Broadway, me and my girl leading the way towards Tootsie’s. We enter the world famous honky-tonk, where a live band is playing an upbeat country tune. The atmosphere is electric as I wrap an arm around Paige’s waist, holding her close while we navigate the crowd.
“Let’s get some drinks,” Miles suggests, heading towards the bar, Mags reluctantly following closely behind.
Leaning in to whisper in Paige’s ear, I say, “we really need to keep a close eye on those two.”
Paige giggles. Despite their bickering, they seem to have come to some sort of truce for tonight.
Paige leans into me, her voice soft but full of energy.
“This place is amazing! ”
I kiss her temple. “Glad you like it. We’ll make this night unforgettable.” I say, lacing my words with a sensual undertone.
Mags returns with a tray of shots, Miles hot on her heels. We each take one in hand.
“To Paige!” she says, raising her glass high, signaling everyone else to do the same. “May your time in Canada be short, and your return swift!”
“To Paige!” Everyone echoes, clinking our glasses and downing the shots. The overwhelming flavor of the lemon drop hits my tongue and I wince at the sweetness.
As the band continues to play, Ivy snags Paige’s hand and drags her to the dance floor. They laugh and twirl, all worries momentarily forgotten in the rhythm of the music. I watch her moving in the dim bar lights, every swerve of her hips holding me spellbound. She laughs at something Ivy says, then throws her head back, the sound of her laugh drowned out by the loud music but I can see the dimples in her cheeks, and the way her nose crinkles; the unfettered joy sending a pang straight to my chest.
“Not gonna lie, this is pretty great,” Miles says, drawing Maggie’s attention.
“Yeah, it is,” she says. Something I can’t quite put my finger on passes between them as I return my gaze to my girl, gyrating her hips to an old Dolly song. A smile stretches across my face at the sight until a man approaches my girl and puts his hands on her waist. She jerks away but he’s persistent.
“Oh fuck no,” I say, placing my beer on the nearby high top table as I stride over to the dance floor with purpose. My pulse quickens with a mix of protectiveness and anger. Pushing my way through the crowd, I notice Ivy is now yelling in the man’s face as I approach, my girl standing rooted to the spot behind her friend, looking utterly dejected. I glare at the man, my eyes giving a silent but clear warning before I turn back to my wife.
“Are you okay, baby?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Can we go?” she asks, her tone flat. I notice Liam approaching out of the corner of my eye. He snags Ivy around the waist and pulls her towards our table as a bouncer escorts the man out of the bar.
“Of course. Let’s grab everyone and head out.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her temple. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s okay. Just some piece of shit who can’t take no for an answer.” I turn to Ivy now, giving her a nod in appreciation for having my girl’s back.
The rest of the night is a blur of laughter, dancing, and music. We flitted from bar to bar, each one offering a different vibe. At some point, we find ourselves at a karaoke bar, and Paige convinces me to sing another duet. It seems like ages ago when we sang together for the first time at The Ridge. We danced and sang to loud, boisterous applause, despite the fact that I was faking it through most of the lyrics.
The girls are all on stage now, doing some synchronized dance to a pop song. Miles jumps up on stage a moment later, and I have to admit the chemistry between him and Mags is electric. Liam and I give each other a knowing look as Miles finishes his part and returns to the table.
“Don’t start,” Miles says, before we can say a single word. I mime zipping my lips and throwing away the key before I wink in Paige’s direction. The song finishes and the crowd is deafening. Paige runs across the bar, parting the crowd as she barrels towards me. I wrap her in my arms and spin her in a circle, claiming my wife in front of the entire bar as I lay a hungry kiss on her lips.
Paig e
The Nashville skyline shimmers under the night sky as we stand at the edge of the rooftop bar, the city sprawled out below as the distant hum of music fills the air. Cade’s fingers intertwine with mine as he wraps both arms around my waist, pulling me back into his chest and resting his head on my shoulder. The air is thick with emotion, both of us reluctant to speak, an awareness of our impending separation sparking between us.
“It’s so beautiful up here,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly would shatter our moment together in the secluded spot at the edge of the rooftop bar.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replies, the deep timbre of his voice sending shivers across my skin as I’m pulled tight against him.
Turning in his arms, I wrap my hands around his neck, playing with the hair at his nape. Cade’s thumb brushes gently over my cheek. “I’m going to miss you so much, Paige.”
I smile but my eyes grow misty, leaving my own words unsaid before leaning in to rest my head against his chest, memorizing the rhythm of his heartbeat. Cade’s fingers dance along my spine, absentmindedly tracing patterns along my back, his touch a balm to the lingering ache in my soul.
“Do you remember the first time we met?” I ask, breaking the silence, and pulling back slightly to meet his gaze. His brown eyes illuminated by the dim moonlight, the gold flecks in his irises sparkling like the stars in the night sky.
Cade chuckles, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. “How could I forget? The moment I saw you in that airport, all of the air evaporated from my lungs and my heart stopped beating.”
His words make my heart skip a beat, but I clarify, “No, I mean when you first sent me the message on the app. God, it feels like so long ago now.”
“It took me so long to get up the nerve to send that message,” he replies. “I had your profile saved for days. I remember seeing your beautiful brown eyes and the dimples in your cheeks, thinking it felt like that smile was just for me.” He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, his eyes locking on mine again. “You changed my whole life, Paige. You’ve made me see a different future for myself — for us. I don’t know how I’m going to wake up without you every day.”
“We’ll be okay. It’ll be like going back to the way things were before… all of this,” I say, gesturing around at nothing in particular. “It won’t be forever. We’ll get through it.” The words were more for myself than anything, though I knew I didn’t hold any conviction in my voice.
“Promise me you’ll come back as soon as you can,” Cade murmurs, his voice tinged with unspoken emotion.
I place both hands on his face in a soft caress, “I promise.”
We knew this moment was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. The thrill of starting over in Oak Ridge came with the bittersweet knowledge that I would have to leave everything behind if only for a short time. As Cade helps me unload my suitcase from the truck, the weight of our final moments together settles over us. He pulls me into a tight embrace, his breath warm against my ear. Having already said goodbye to the rest of our motley crew, Mags ducks into the terminal, leaving me and Cade to have a moment alone.
“Take care of everything and come back to me, baby,” he whispers, a slight hitch in his voice. I nod in acknowledgement, blinking back tears.
“I will. ”
With one last lingering kiss, I walk into the airport, my heart pulling me back to Cade, though every step brings me further away. Tears cascade down my face as I catch up with Mags.
“Are you ok, babe?” she asks.
“I will be. I hope.”
The flight to Toronto is uneventful. I pop in my headphones and listen to an audiobook, having to rewind several times as my thoughts continue to drift back to Oak Ridge. To where I left my heart. To my husband.