CHAPTER TWO #2
I asked Cade what we were doing, but he wouldn’t tell me, though he did say to dress comfortably and casual.
Given that was all he would tell me, I decided on a pair of jeans with a cute top.
Chucks on my feet, because when your sight isn’t completely dependable, things like wedges or flip-flops aren’t worth the likelihood of tripping and falling.
I grab a sweater to bring with me and pull my hair half up with a clip on the side.
I never put on a lot of makeup, just some powder, mascara, and lipstick.
I know I should probably do more, but it’s never been who I am, so I don’t see the need to change that.
Cade will either like me for me or he won’t.
A lot of makeup won’t change that if he’s the kind of person I think he is.
I head out of my bedroom toward the living room to wait for Cade to arrive, but I hear voices in the kitchen that I wasn’t expecting.
I set my stuff by the door and head into the kitchen.
Mom, Pops, and Dad are all in the kitchen, unpacking bags of groceries.
Mom looks up at me. “You look beautiful. Is today your date?”
I swear as soon as that sentence comes out of Mom’s mouth, both Pops’ and Dad’s heads pop up and get the same look on their faces. Dad finds his voice first. “What’s this about you having a date today?”
Pops crosses his arms and looks between me and Mom. “Why are we just hearing about this?”
The sigh and eye roll happen simultaneously, but Mom answers before I can.
“Because your daughter is a grown woman. She’s lived on her own before and is only living here till her place is ready in a couple of weeks.
That means she doesn’t have to tell us everything.
Especially because you two tend to overreact when it comes to her dating life.
I trust her to let us know if and when it’s serious enough for us to really meet the young man. ”
I nod in agreement, and because I am my mother’s daughter, I add in my two cents.
“You met him on family day. Let me go out with him and see if there’s something between us before you start on the twenty questions.
” I watch as both Pops and Dad start to say something, so I hold up my hand.
“Zane knows this guy and wouldn’t bring just any teammate to meet our family.
You trust Zane enough to potentially become a brother.
That should say something. I’m also not stupid and would like to think I’m a pretty good judge of character. ”
I swear Pops pouts. “It’s not fair when you make logical sense. That takes the fun out of things.” I shrug my shoulders but hear a knock at the door.
I start to walk toward the front door, though being who I am, I drop a couple of nuggets for them to chew on. “I’m off, but just so you know, Asher’s in the doghouse for something. He slept on the couch last night, and I hear Mayson might have an actual date this weekend. Love you!”
I hurry over to the door, excited to see Cade in person again. I really hope I haven’t built things up in my head. I also hope he’s not disappointed with me in person. I open the door and see Cade standing on the porch, smiling. I smile back at him. “Hi! I’m glad you made it without any problems.”
Cade nods. “Between GPS and a couple of instructions from Zane, it wasn’t difficult. You look beautiful. You ready to go?” I nod and grab my purse from the hook on the wall next to the door.
“I’m ready.”
Cade reaches out and takes my hand. I always thought the books I read, that talk about feeling electricity when a girl first takes a guy’s hand, were total fiction and never really happened.
I don’t think it was electricity, but it was definitely something.
It happened when he took my hand the night we met, and I thought I was reading into things…
but feeling it again this time has me thinking there’s something to it.
He walks with me down the steps. As we walk toward his truck, I’m reminded why both of my brothers drive trucks. “Let me guess, you don’t fit in those sports cars that you see some famous players driving.” Cade nods.
“I tried to get in one once to test drive, and the sunroof had to be open so my head stuck out. Not exactly the best way to drive a vehicle. This truck fits me, and honestly, I’ve never been into those flashy cars.
They don’t do anything for me. My dad rides, and someday I’d like to get a Harley or something, but it hasn’t happened yet. ”
We stop at the passenger door, and I go to reach for the door handle when Cade reaches up and takes my other hand, making me turn and look at him.
“First thing is you don’t open the door while I’m around.
That’s my job to do for you. Not because you’re not capable, but because it’s the gentlemanly thing to do.
Always. Whether we’re getting in or out of a vehicle or in or out of a place, okay?
” I can only nod, because holy hell, to me, that’s the kind of romantic gesture that I’ve seen some of the guys, including both Pops and Dad, do, but that I thought might be a dying thing.
Cade pulls me closer to him and looks down at me.
I’m not short for a woman. I’m close to five-eight, but next to a man who’s got to be six-four or taller, I almost look petite.
He gets this small, but sexy-as-sin smile on his face.
“I’ve been waiting since the last time I saw you to do this, and I’m not waiting any longer. ”
He leans down and gives me the gentlest kiss I’ve ever felt.
He barely touched my lips, but it felt more intense than any other first kiss I’ve experienced.
My arms move up and around his neck. I want to kiss him more.
Cade deepens the kiss and demands entrance, which I’m all too willing to give.
Holy hell, the man can kiss! His arms pull me closer to him just as he breaks the kiss.
His forehead tilts and touches mine as we both catch our breaths. “That was…”
Cade lets out a chuckle and continues, “That was some fucking kiss. I’m gonna need to do that again and soon.
Just next time, maybe not in front of your house with your dads glaring at me through the front window.
” I turn and look at the house and see Pops and Dad in the window.
I also see what they don’t, and that’s Mom walking up behind them with a glare on her face that tells me she’s about to lay into them.
I look back to Cade, thankful the sun is out today and shining bright.
“Mom’s got it handled, but I agree. We should do that again as soon as possible, but without the audience. ”
Cade nods and helps me into his truck. He closes my door and makes his way around to the driver’s side, making quick work of getting in and starting the truck.
I look over at him as he pulls out of the driveway, his GPS on his phone giving him directions.
“So where are we going? You told me to dress comfortably but didn’t give me any clues.
You probably should know I don’t thrive on knowing there’s something I don’t know. ”
Cade smiles and glances over quickly before his eyes are back on the road. “So you don’t mind surprises, you just don’t like knowing there is one and waiting to find out? You like to just stay blissfully unaware completely?” I let out a huff.
“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds dumb. I’m not good at the whole anticipation-with-no-information thing.
I never have been. Maybe because with my sight and everything, I feel like so much of my life is out of my hands as it is.
I’ll never be able to drive. I don’t know when, but one day I’ll lose my sight completely.
I mean, I’m not waiting in anticipation for that to happen, but more like a lifelong dread mixed with acceptance of eventual reality.
As much as I like to be independent now, I already have to rely on others more than most people.
So, no, I’m not really big on it.” I didn’t mean to spew all that out, but it was all true.
I glance back at Cade again, and he’s lost the grin he had on his face a moment ago.
“I get that. I mean your entire future with your sight is an unknown amount of time to wait in anticipation and dread. I promise going forward to either tell you it all or just surprise you and not tease you with it. Today, since I don’t really know this area, I got most of my ideas from Zane and some internet searching.
I’m not the best cook, but I can put together a mean sandwich, so I bought some things and made us sandwiches and thought we could go on a picnic.
“I figured with it being nice and sunny out, that would be fun. Plus, it would give us more time to talk and spend time together. I thought after that we could go for coffee or ice cream. I know it’s not a big fancy romantic dinner with candlelight and everything, but I want you to be able to see, and frankly, to be honest, I’m not a fancy guy.
I can pretend when I need to and wear a suit if I have to, but I’m more of a picnic or bonfire kind of guy.
I prefer home cooking, like that lasagna you made, over some five-star fancy place in Portland that serves you a scallop with onion foam or some shit.
” He doesn’t get that I’m not fancy either.