Chapter 25
Kaden
“Okay, spill,” Jason demands as he follows me into my apartment after helping deliver Hope’s garden bench.
The drive back to my place was quietly awkward, with Jason casting me one too many strange looks as if he were trying to unravel the mystery of what just happened at Hope’s house.
I haven’t told him how I know her, or why we speak like we’ve been friends for years.
I never imagined I’d see her again, so it never crossed my mind to tell my best friend anything.
To him, Hope is just a friendly stranger who offered her expertise on plants for my apartment—nothing more.
But the way he’s been silently watching me tells me he suspects there’s more to my connection with Hope than I’ve admitted.
“Spill what?” I ask, pulling two bottles of flavoured water from the fridge and handing him one.
“Who is that woman? And why did she seem a little too comfortable around you, like she already knew who you were?”
“I told you, she’s just a stranger I met at the farmer’s market the other day, who shared some very helpful plant advice with me.”
“Do you usually offer refunds to people you’ve just met, and even go so far as to help their son with his school project?”
I take a long, hearty gulp of my water, unsure what to say, and from the look on his face, he knows he’s got me cornered.
“No, I didn’t think so,” he says, shaking his head. “Look, if you’re not going to tell me how you really know her, could you at least tell me if there’s something more between you two? Because I could’ve sworn I felt a bit of… heated tension from both of you.”
“What? No, of course not!”
“Kaden, I’m willing to bet China felt the heat radiating from you, so don’t even try to lie.”
“Jase, I swear to you, there’s nothing happening between Hope and me. We barely know each other. We get along, yes, but that’s all. She’s simply a new friend who also happens to appreciate my work, and give great plant tips. That’s the truth.”
He hums in response, still not thoroughly convinced.
“Okay, fine!” I concede. “I already knew her before we met at the farmer’s market.”
“You sly bastard! I fucking knew it!”
“It’s a bit of a complicated story, given the circumstances surrounding how we met.”
“Kaden, you should know me by now. I’m used to complicated. Try me. I got time.”
I draw in a breath, then release it in a long, sharp exhale. “Remember that guy Lucia had an affair with? Her colleague, the one who was married with a kid?”
“Yeah, what about him?”
I exchange a look with him—wordless, but revealing enough to spark a good guess.
He reads my expression, then within seconds, his brows lift in surprise, so high they nearly disappear into his hairline.
“No way!”
I nod, slowly. “Yeah.”
“No fucking way.”
I nod again.
“Holy shit. You’re telling me that woman is what’s-his-face’s wife, and that kid is his son?”
“Yep. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Alright, now you have to start from the beginning. How the hell did you two end up meeting? Or better yet—who reached out to whom first?”
“I contacted her first. At the time, I was just so angry—at myself, at Lucia… and then at Adrian. Mostly, I was furious with him for abandoning Arianna without even bothering to meet her. He walked away from his baby, yet went home every single day, lying and deceiving his family, acting as though nothing happened. I don’t know why, but it all really got under my skin. ”
Thoughts of Adrian returning home to his family—welcomed, praised, doted on like some kind of champion while he continued to betray them, haunted me for weeks.
It gnawed at me, especially at night, as I lay awake, knowing his wife and son had no idea who the man was behind the door they welcomed him through each day.
That they were being deceived, reduced to unwitting fools in a life built on his lies.
I didn’t know them back then, but I knew with absolute certainty, they did not deserve what Adrian was putting them through.
“About thirteen months ago, I was stalking his Facebook, because I was curious. I didn’t find much, but I did come across his wife—Hope’s profile.
I hadn’t planned to look her up, but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t curious about her too.
I didn’t message her that night; I left it alone.
That was until I saw her and her son, Zac, at your restaurant a few weeks later.
I watched as she walked out and embraced Adrian, who had been waiting for them outside.
And something about that image—Adrian grinning at Hope, like he was this loyal, devoted husband that finally made me snap. ”
Jason slides onto one of the bar stools, his bottle of water set before him on the island, as he listens quietly while I explain.
“That night, I messaged Hope for the first time, telling her I had important information about her husband that she deserved to know, and asking if she wanted to meet in person so I could show her what I had. She didn’t respond immediately; in fact, it wasn’t until a few days later that I finally got a reply.
At first, she was short with me, but she eventually agreed to meet.
I drove two hours to see her, met her at a food court, and told her everything, even showing her the file Bryan had put together for me. ”
“Fuck. That would’ve completely shattered her,” Jason murmurs, shaking his head empathetically.
“Yeah. She tried not to show it, but I could see right through it.”
“So, you’ve been speaking to her for over a year?” Jason asks.
“No. I didn’t hear from her again after that day.
I had no idea what had happened between her and Adrian—if they were still married, or if they’d separated.
When I didn’t hear back from her, I took it as a sign that she didn’t want to speak to me anymore, so I left it at that.
Then, last Saturday, while I was at the farmer’s market shopping for plants, we bumped into each other.
That’s when I discovered not only had she moved back to Sydney, but that she was now divorced. ”
“And that’s when you guys reconnected and began this… unusual friendship?”
“You could say that. I mean I’m not suggesting we’ll become best of friends, but I do want to get to know her better. Beneath all that fire, she’s actually quite funny, and very intelligent.”
“Are you attracted to her?”
Heat rises up my neck and jaw at his question, and I clear my throat. “Yeah, she’s gorgeous. It’s hard not to be attracted to her.”
The look Jason gives me isn’t what I expected. It’s one coated with concern.
“What?” I ask nervously.
“Just be careful, Kaden. That woman just had her heart torn to shreds by her cheating husband, and I don’t know if getting too close right now would be wise.”
“I know, Jase. It’s not like I planned to reconnect with her, it just happened. I didn’t even think we’d see each other again. But now that we have, I don’t see anything wrong with wanting to be friends.”
“Does she know about your past?”
My eyes drift to the floor, unable to meet his gaze, and I hear him let out a heavy sigh.
“So, that’s a no then.”
“I will tell her...eventually.” I promise.
“Hmm… well, if you’re serious about wanting a friendship with her, you need to be honest and upfront from the start. You don’t want to get too involved and then have it all blow up in your face. I like her, she seems genuinely sweet. I’d hate for her to go through another betrayal.”
Jason’s parting words echo in my mind long after he’s gone, the truth in them tightening my chest. Everything he said is true.
If I want to be the man I so desperately aspire to be, there can be no more lies, no more secrecy.
I have to be completely honest with Hope if there’s any chance of us being friends.
She’s endured enough already, and the last thing I want is to add to her pain. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything resembling happiness or excitement, and somehow, around her, it seems to come easily.
I can only hope that telling her the truth about me won’t destroy the friendship we’re only just beginning to form.