One Funeral (No Weddings #2)(33)

Cade’s lips twitched, but he said nothing.

The night went on with me losing every hand I played. Cade fared better, but he was still losing to the table.

After our money ran out, we left the remaining players at the table and migrated over to the bar. John, Bowie, and Celeste stood in a group there, hovering around the platter of cupcakes. Bowie glanced up at us as we approached, chewing with a full mouth, even as he possessively grabbed another. He wore a long leather duster, and I imagined that if the thing had inside pockets, he’d shove a few more in there too.

Fighting a smile, I crossed my arms. “Enjoying my cupcakes?”

“Fuck, yeah,” Bowie replied. “What the hell did you put in these things?”

I pursed my lips, glancing up at Cade before looking back at Bowie, smiling. “A secret ingredient to get you hooked.”

Bowie laughed. “Well, count me an addict. Damn. You should trademark these.”

“Thanks.” I beamed, turning back around. Leaning closer to Cade, I nodded toward the end of the poker table where Ryan and Daniel still played. They’d laughed and chatted amicably all through the game. “So what do you think?”

Cade sighed. “Yeah, Ryan’s okay. I’d prefer he deal only with Daniel. Obviously they’ve developed a great rapport, but that’s your call.”

I nodded, thinking the same thing. The longer we’d sat at the table, the more harmless Ryan had seemed. He actually fit in great with the group. And he stopped glancing my way after Cade had put his arm around me, as if acknowledging Cade’s claim and deferring to it.

And as soon as Ryan faded away from being a threat, Cade began to chill, which helped me relax. Once the game was over, we talked with Roy about the orders.

Ryan hung back and then walked out with us and Daniel. “Thanks for inviting me here tonight. I appreciate you guys including me.” Then he gave a chin-up toward Daniel. “And thanks, Daniel, for the tip about the minimum two-week notice for cake orders. I’ll work those timelines into our contracts.”

Ryan stopped on the pavement and pointed to a black BMW while we continued walking. “This is me. Give me a call if you want to talk numbers. Your cupcakes were demolished tonight. If I wasn’t convinced before, I’m sold now.”

I nodded, waving. “We will.”

Cade gave me a quick squeeze with the arm wrapped around my shoulder, and we turned toward his bike. “G’night, Daniel.”

“’Night, guys. See you in the morning.”

Cade handed me my helmet with a pensive look on his face, but then turned and climbed on. The drive home was cathartic, calming nerves I hadn’t realized were buzzing until I settled against him, the cold wind whipping unnamed worries into our wake.

Yet even though the ride felt like an enormous sigh, new tension seemed to manifest out of thin air. By the time he pulled into my drive and we’d dismounted and hung our helmets on his bike, it seemed like we needed to talk.

So we stood there in silence while he stared at the ground. After a few seconds, he raised his face, locking his gaze onto mine. Without a word, he pulled me into his arms, tucking me tight against his chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding myself there, letting him know I wanted to be there just as much as he needed me to be.

“Hannah, I…” His voice was gruff, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “I hope tonight was okay. For us. When Ryan showed up at Sweet Dreams yesterday and started flirting with you, I saw red. And I needed to be there to protect you, whether or not it was justified.”

A sudden dam of emotion I’d been holding onto burst, and I tensed in his arms. I pulled out of his hold and took a step back, staring hard at him.

I’d kept my mouth shut, being patient and observing his actions, but no longer. I needed to air my grievances. “What I don’t understand is why now? Why did it take the threat of another man hitting on me for you to show I belong to you in front of others?”

His brows furrowed, and he took a step closer, like he wanted to embrace me.

I shook my head, taking another step back as I held my hand up. “No. We need to talk about this. It’s been bothering me. You are very affectionate with me when we’re alone, in private. But as soon as we’re in front of Ben and Mase or your sisters, you back off and act like we’re just good friends. And when they ask if something’s going on between us, you deny it.” I closed my eyes, swallowing hard, fighting tears. “It makes me think you don’t trust us, don’t believe in what we have enough to share it with others.”

By the time I let it all out, my hands shook. I took a deep breath, slowing my thundering pulse.

“Hannah, I’m sorry. I…I didn’t realize.”

“What didn’t you realize?”

He stared at the driveway for a moment, then met my gaze. “I didn’t consciously realize I’d been acting so differently in front of everyone and that it was hurting you. Tonight, when I saw another guy interested in my girl, something primal came to the surface, and I needed to show him you were mine. A part of me knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t sort through the reasons why.”

“You should want to claim me as yours in front of everyone.”

He spoke in a low, sincere tone. “I do. Believe me, Hannah, I do.”

“Then sort it out, Cade. Talk to Abigail about it in therapy; that’s what she’s there for. If there is some issue you’re facing that’s blocking you from being open about our relationship with your friends and family, you need to deal with it.”