Chapter Sixteen
MEREDITH
Cade kept his word and didn’t ask me for more naked pics. Not that I had the opportunity to send any. I spent Thursday at my parents’ house. We all gathered to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. It was a lot of work for Mom and Everly, and I liked to help.
Mom proudly informed us that the whole dinner was prepped using recipes that were safe for diabetics. She’d then pulled me to one side, telling me that I’d benefit from the low-carb recipes book as well.
There was no stopping Mom and her incessant campaign that I lose weight. I knew she meant well, but it made me weary of holiday dinners. Still, the evening turned out amazing. We’d ended it by giving my sister and Derek unsolicited advice on baby names.
Friday was just as grueling as the first days of the week. Cade had wanted to send Cal to chauffeur me, but I told him it really wasn't necessary. I wanted to walk home, and I even took a detour to stretch my legs a bit. They’d grown stiff at the office, and I loved Boston at this time of the year.
So many people complained that Christmas had become a commercial holiday, and that was true, but that meant the city was full of lights a long time before Christmas.
I had time to bask in it. The gorgeous streets were lit up in various colors, and I loved all of them.
As much as I liked to match outfits and make sure everything went together impeccably, when it came to Christmas, the more color, the better.
Cade: Tell me when you're home.
I licked my lips. Is he still trying to get nude pics? He was wearing me down, which was probably his plan all along.
Meredith: In about ten minutes.
I arrived only eight minutes later, taking off my coat and boots once I stepped inside. God, it was cold today.
I barely made it to the kitchen when my doorbell rang. I exhaled sharply, turning around. Oh my God, Cade's here. I was sure of it. That was why he asked me when I would be home. He didn't have some perverted plan to get sexy pics after all. He was here in person.
I ran to the door, opening it wide without even thinking.
It wasn't Cade. Instead, a young woman carrying flowers and a box stood in the doorway.
"Hi," I said.
"Miss Meredith, yes?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"I have this delivery for you." She handed them to me with shaky hands.
"Have you been waiting for me this whole time?" I asked, feeling like shit for making her wait.
"Yes. My understanding was that you’d be home half an hour ago."
Oh crap. Me and my Christmas strolls. "I'm truly sorry. Do you want tea, or coffee, or something stronger? I have alcohol."
"Um, no, thank you."
Even her voice was shaking. I tipped her, taking the flowers and the treats, and put them in the foyer. "Are you sure? I feel so guilty."
"Don't worry. It's just part of the job. But you're very nice. Have a great evening. Enjoy your flowers."
"I will. Thank you."
I closed the door, turning around. Just like that, joy replaced the guilt. Well, didn't really replace it, because I was still thinking about the poor girl freezing her ass off outside my door, but it totally overpowered it.
Flowers! Cade Whitley sent me flowers.
I looked at the box, opening it immediately.
Holy shit. He found my Portuguese pastéis de nata. How is this possible? I breathed in the smell. My stomach rumbled.
I took my phone, snapping a picture and sending it to Cade.
Meredith: Thank you. I'm speechless.
He immediately called me. I sighed, putting in earbuds and setting the phone on the entrance console before answering. "I’d planned to bring them myself tonight, but just because I'm stuck here doesn't mean you don't get to enjoy them."
"You really wanted to come to my door with flowers and my favorite goodies in the world?"
"Yes."
God, this felt a lot like we were in a relationship. Why would he go to all this trouble otherwise? I narrowed my eyes, looking in the mirror in my foyer. I had an idea why.
"Are you still on your quest to get a naked picture of me?"
He laughed into the phone, but it sounded tired. "Maybe. Though I started looking for the sweets before I got the idea."
"Oh yeah, you say that to save face. Thank you so much.
How was your day?" I asked in a softer voice.
I put the box with the sweets on the console and arranged the flowers in a vase, placing them on the coffee table in the living room.
Then I put two sweets on a plate and walked to the couch.
Sitting down, I curled my legs next to me.
"Exhausting. Can't wait to be back in Boston and see you."
" I can't wait either," I admitted. “Tell me where you got the treats.”
“Nah, I’m keeping that secret firmly up my sleeve.”
“Cade!”
“I mean it. I’ve got to go now. I still have a call with overseas partners.”
“Good luck. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
We had an unspoken rule: we never asked for too many work details. It was easier to keep things completely separate.
As soon as the call disconnected, I savored my sweet treats. And despite my very best intentions of keeping the rest for my morning coffee tomorrow—I ended up eating all of them.
The next afternoon, I arrived at Jeannie and Abe’s house at six o’clock on the dot.
Cade was coming directly from the airport and offered to send Cal to pick me up.
I declined once again. I appreciated being chauffeured around, but that wasn't who I was, and I felt a bit guilty to have someone who worked for Jake fuss over me.
I arrived at the same time as Cade, who stepped out of a cab.
"I was sure you'd come with Cal," I said as I walked up to him.
"No, he works for Jake."
"So you only make him work overtime for me?"
"Everything for my lady.”
I was waiting for him to add a wink, but no, the man completely meant every word. Guess who was going to get all the naked pics he wanted later? Yep, I'd decided he deserved the reward.
“Is that a dress shirt? You said casual.” He also wore a suit jacket and Oxford shoes. I had my UGG boots on and my thick winter jacket.
“I had a meeting this morning. Besides, jeans are casual.”
“Is the packaging line functional again?”
“No. But we found a subcontractor willing to take us on. We’ll have a delay of two weeks, but we should be able to deliver most of the merchandise to stores.”
“I’m glad.”
“What’s that?" he asked, pointing to my bag.
"Isn't it obvious?" The word Christmas was written in classic gold lettering on the bag. "I brought a gift. I remember your grandmother liked to decorate the house when we were kids."
"She still does. I'm going to have to convince her to call a decoration company. Last year, she gave us a scare. She almost fell from the ladder she'd used to put garland over a bookshelf."
"I can totally help her.” I bit my lip. Oh man, Christmas is a month away. Why am I inviting myself to his grandmother's home?
"You truly love Christmas, don't you?"
"Heck yes," I said.
I realized he’d avoided answering my question in a very elegant way. My stomach lurched. Don't be silly, Meredith. Who knows what might happen by then?
We both went to the front door. I hadn’t been here too often—mostly we’d studied at my home, or the one where Cade grew up. But this place looked like I remembered it. The gorgeous porch and green siding were intact, and the gray slate roof looked idyllic.
"You think your brothers are here already?" I asked.
"A couple of them are. I saw their cars along the street."
We rang the doorbell, and the door opened almost immediately, as if someone was waiting behind it.
Jeannie Whitley had changed tremendously since Cade and I were in high school.
I had been too embarrassed in Cade’s office to pay too much attention to her, but now I saw her up close.
Her hair was now completely white. It used to be pitch-black, though I always thought she colored it.
The lines on her cheeks and neck were deeper than they were twelve years ago.
She was a beautiful woman at ninety, regardless.
"I'm so glad to see you again, Jeannie," I said.
"And you, too, Meredith." Her eyes were a bit glassy.
I looked at Cade and back at her, then stepped inside, hugging her. I hoped I wasn't overstepping, but I was a very huggy person. Jeannie returned it wholeheartedly.
Stepping back, I noticed Abe was behind her. I didn't have too many memories of him from when I was a kid. "Welcome, Meredith," he greeted me.
"Thank you so much for asking me to dinner. I'm honored, and I brought you a little keepsake for Christmas. You can put it on your tree or anywhere in the house, really."
Jeannie helped lift the bag for me, opening the box. "My God! This is beautiful. Is it from that pop-up store near Copley Square?"
"Yes!" I answered, stunned she was aware of the shop.
"You know, it's one of my favorite places. I do need to drop by this year and see what they've added from last year."
"Are you sure, darling? Don't you have quite enough?" Abe asked, sounding much like my dad.
"There are never enough Christmas decorations," she answered briskly.
Oh, I loved Jeannie Whitley, a woman after my own heart.
"Anyone happy to see me?" Cade asked from behind me.
Jeannie sighed. "Of course we are, darling boy. How was your trip?" She kissed his cheek.
"Grueling. But today's all about Meredith.”
“Exactly. Besides, I don't like business talk at the table either. All it does is make people antsy.”
“We don't really talk business anyway," I explained.
"Oh, true, since you're competitors." For some reason that seemed to highly amuse Jeannie. She squinted her eyes.
I peeked at Cade and saw he was looking at his grandmother with a strange expression. I couldn't decipher it.
"Shall we go inside?" I asked.
"Of course!" He put a hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the house.
"By the way, I didn't bring my brothers up-to-date about us," he whispered in my ear.
A strange pressure formed in my chest as I glanced up at him. What exactly did that mean? He hadn’t told them that we weren’t pretending? Did he want to keep us a secret? Was he ashamed?
Way to ruin this day, Meredith. Give the man some credit. He had a horrendous week.
But still, a small weight settled in my chest, and I couldn't seem to wish it away.
I nodded. "We'll improvise."