Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Cadence
Igroaned as the light from the window blinded me with its morning cheeriness. I squinted one eye open and tried to figure out what time it was, only to retreat into the darkness underneath the pillow.
My head played a drum solo, the heavy beats echoed inside my brain. It wasn’t the best tune to hear after a night of too many glasses of champagne.
I moved my hand around in my bed, searching for my phone and pulled it under the pillow with me.
I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the bright light, surprised by the number of messages.
Blake
I’m so hungover this morning. Why did you make me drink so much? Or was it me who made you drink so much? Either way. When you wake up, call me asap. I need to know things.
Elijah
Call me when you get up.
I rolled my eyes. Short and to the point. His new normal.
As I read Damien’s name, those now familiar flutters found their way into my stomach. I was beaming before I even read his message.
Damien
Jesus! You’re absolutely stunning. What a shame I didn’t have a show there this weekend. I would have loved to help take that off you.
Obviously, just to be helpful and not for any other reason.
You are the only adult I know that gets all dressed up, but damn, you wear those dresses well.
I had sent him a picture from last night and my cheeks warmed from his words. There was an unmistakable difference in how Elijah and Damien texted me. Like total night and day. Elijah had barely acknowledged the dress when I’d sent the same photo to him. He only cared that I behaved appropriately.
I set my phone down, messaging no one back, and emerged from under the pillow. The drum line had quieted just a bit simply by waking up, but I needed coffee. Thank God my mom shared my caffeine addiction. I knew a fresh pot awaited me downstairs.
Crawling out from under the warm covers, I shivered, kicking myself for not remembering to bring my robe. I hated being cold.
The black hoodie thrown onto my dresser caught my attention. I bit my lip as I grabbed it and pulled it over my head. It hung on my small frame, the hem falling just past my pajama shorts, and I had to yank the sleeves up so I could use my hands.
I’d brought it with me to return it to Damien. I hadn’t worn it at home. It seemed too personal. But his hoodie wrapped me in a new wave of warmth, like he was here, holding me.
“Morning, Sunshine,” Mom called from the living room as I passed to the kitchen.
“How did you let me drink so much, Mom?”
“You’re not my responsibility anymore. You’re a grown woman. Plus, you were with your friends having a wonderful time. No mothering was needed. I only made sure you got home.”
I pressed my palms into my eyes. “I regret everything.”
She came up behind me, pulled a mug down from the cupboard, and fixed me a cup of coffee exactly how I liked it. It was easy for her, considering I took my coffee just as she took hers. Two peas in a pod.
After my mom and dad divorced, she and I grew close.
We were more like best friends than mother and daughter.
She trusted me and was tough when needed, but most of the time, we always had each other’s backs.
When I’d had my first sip of alcohol, she’d been the one to make sure I was okay.
When I went through my first heartbreak, Mom got me out of bed in the morning.
“Want me to whip up some breakfast?” she asked, holding back the smirk that was so close to gracing her lips.
I grimaced, my stomach turning with the thought. “Naw. I’m good.”
We entered the living room, and after I made myself comfortable on the couch, I picked up my phone again and found another text.
Elijah
I’m going into the office. Don’t call now. I’ll talk to you later.
Why couldn’t he just be nice? There were more amicable ways to say something like that. Like tell me he was busy when I called. But no, he had to go and get all aggressive.
I shook my head and pulled up my message thread with Blake.
I’m up now. How much did we drink?
She responded almost immediately.
Blake
I wondered the same thing. I’m glad you’re up, though, because I’m on my way to you equipped with the nectar of the Gods.
“Hey, Mom,” I said with a laugh. “Blake’s coming over.”
“Okay, sweetie.”
Anxiously awaiting your arrival.
Good, because I’m here.
I jumped off the couch and greeted her as soon as she stepped onto the porch, throwing my arms around her.
“Can you at least let me walk into the house and set down our goodies before throwing yourself at me?”
“I prefer to keep you on your toes.” I grabbed one of the coffees in her hand and the Starbucks bag. “What else did you get?”
“Oh, the usual assortment of stuff. A cinnamon roll, blueberry muffin, strawberry cheesecake muffin, and a slice of marble loaf.”
“I see. Trying to butter me up so I spill all my secrets.”
Blake grinned. “Exactly.”
“It’s good to see you again, Blake. I sure do miss having you girls around the house.” My mom pulled her into a hug.
“I agree, Ms. Copeland. Let’s kidnap Cadence and never let her go back to Charleston.”
“Let’s talk about me like I’m not even here.” I crossed my arms over my chest, dramatically.
“I’m totally game for that plan. Oh, and honey, congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you, Ms. Copeland.” Blake’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
“I’m so glad you two found each other again. But now I’m off to run errands.” Mom gave me a wink before leaving Blake and me alone.
“She’s such a dork,” I said as I sat back down and tucked my feet underneath me, pulling my hands into the sleeves of the hoodie. Being as short as I was, sitting any other way was uncomfortable. No one liked their legs dangling in the air like that.
Besides, a monster could’ve reached out from under the couch and yanked me under. Ya never knew.
“I love your mom. She is seriously the coolest.” Blakely had been in this house enough to make herself right at home on the couch next to me.
“So, how are you? I’m sorry I’ve been so out of touch lately.”
“Oh no, you don’t. This is not about me. This is about you.” She pointed her finger at me, and I tried to hide a smile. “You already know everything about me. You helped me when I needed you, and now I’m going to do the same. Who knows if I would have talked to Jamie without your pep talk.”
“You and I both know that you giving Jamie a second chance had nothing to do with me, or anyone else for that matter. You love that man. Bottom line.”
She rolled her eyes. “Still. I was so lost when I called you. I can’t believe that was only two weeks ago.”
“And that’s what friends are for.”
“Which is exactly what I am doing now. So, spill!”
I huffed loudly. Blake wasn’t going to let it go. “Fine, let’s talk about me, then.”
She handed me the blueberry muffin, which she knew was my favorite, before saying, “Finally.”
“Okay. So. I’ve alluded to the fact that Elijah and I are a bit on the rocks. Things have been weird between us for a while now, and I’m not sure when it happened. But the more I notice things, the more I can’t unsee.”
“What exactly are you seeing?”
“He’s become extremely controlling and tries to dictate what I do and when.
He also treats me like I’m beneath him and his family.
He doesn’t seem to be happy anymore and is always upset about something and wants to work all the time.
” I paused. “Actually, he was the reason I didn’t come for Noah’s funeral. ”
Blake’s eyes bulged. “Seriously?”
“He didn’t support me driving up for it. Said I was letting him and the company down and that I’d probably be fired for missing the inspection.”
“And he wouldn’t do anything to help you?”
“No. He said he wasn’t responsible for my job.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have done anything to help you be here.”
I looked down at my feet. “It’s hard to explain, but I recognized deep down that Elijah was being completely unreasonable, and I didn’t deserve to be treated like that. I couldn’t find a way to open up about it without blaming myself for allowing him to do that to me.”
And it was in those moments when I’d felt at my worst.
“Geez. How long has it been this bad?”
“That’s the problem. It’s like he slowly cut away pieces of me to make me fit in a beautiful elegant box.
I wanted to make him happy and I went along with it for his sake.
I never realized that Elijah was gradually shutting the lid on my box.
But now… now I feel as if I’ve broken out of it, and he is trying to shove me back in.
I don’t want to go back in. I just want to be myself. To be happy.”
Blake sipped her coffee before speaking again. “I had no idea things were like that.”
“Of course, you didn’t. I didn’t want you or anyone else to know.
I thought our problems were our business.
Which is true, but once I was stuck in that mentality, I upheld the picture of a perfect relationship.
Even though I knew his behavior was wrong, I couldn’t stand the idea of someone judging Elijah or me for being imperfect.
All relationships have their ups and downs, and how do I know I’m not the one being unreasonable here? ”
“Hmph.” Blake gave me a leveled look that told me exactly who she thought was being unreasonable. “It’s hard when outsiders can look at you and pretend they know what you are going through, when in reality they don’t have any clue.”
I took a bite of my muffin, the crumb topping breathing life into my body. “Yeah… it is.”
“Oh my God. Wait. Tell me about the someone!”
“The someone?”
“Yeah! The ‘someone’ that you met!”
“Oh. That someone.”
“Yes, girl. Don’t leave me hanging twice!”
How could I even begin to describe Damien? He was beyond ordinary words. Someone should put a warning label on him that said, ‘will cause your panties to melt off unexpectedly’.
“His name is Damien Walker. He is the lead singer of the band, Rebel Rebellion.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”