When the Heart Falls(31)

The mood shifts, and our bodies part with reluctance as we focus on our bread and drinks.

On our table, Cade's phone vibrates. He checks it, pauses, and then ignores the call, sending it straight to voicemail.

"Who was it?" I ask.

He shoves the phone into his pocket. "My mom."

"You should call her back. It's the 4th of July. I already talked to my family earlier today." It's easy to forget American holidays over here, surrounded by a different life and different culture. I was surprised to find that it doesn't take long to acclimate to a new life. Within a few weeks of being here, it had already started to feel like home. The daily routine of going to school, stopping for a baguette on the way there at the local bakery, and now meeting after class every day to study—even passing Notre Dame every day has become routine, though we still marvel at its awesomeness, both of us excited about the scheduled visit mid-August, just before the class ends. I have it circled in red on my calendar.

"I'll call her later." His response is curt, and he avoids eye contact with me.

I lean away from our books spread out over the table. "I don't mind. I can wait."

Cade pulls the phone out of his pocket and stares at the screen, finger hovering over the call button, but he puts it away without dialing. "I'll just call her later."

Right. Like that's not the most obvious copout ever. "So what's the family drama?" I sip my coffee and wait.

"No drama," my sexy cowboy says. "I just want to study right now, is all."

"Please, I grew up with five sisters, a cousin, and parents who thought I'd be successful in the escort business. I know drama when I see it."

"The escort business?"

Oops. Didn't mean to say that part out loud. I wave his question away with my hand. "Long story. The point is, I can smell family drama like some animals can smell fear. I'm like a rodent, or something else that smells really well."

He narrows his eyes at me, his lips puckered. "You're making that up."

"Oh yeah?" I wrinkle my nose and expose my teeth in my best rat impersonation and start sniffing the air. By the incredulous look on Cade's face, I can tell he thinks I've lost my mind. One more sniff, for good measure. "You're having an argument with your dad."

Cade shakes his head, his face shifting from incredulity to disbelief and shock. "No way."

"I'm right, aren't I? Now just wait, I'm not finished yet." I sniff the air again. "He… he…" I cross my eyes, like a rat in thought. "He doesn't like that you're on this trip."

Cade stares at me. "You're just guessing."

He's been reluctant to talk about his family, but it doesn't take a genius to read between the lines. "No, I'm not, because it's obvious. You used to live with your dad, and no matter how bad things got, you still spoke to each other. Because the alternative was hell. Now, you're finally away from him, so you can ignore him."

Cade waves his phone at me, as if gloating. "It's my mom that called."

"Exactly!" My turn to gloat. "Which is how I know it's your dad you're arguing with."

"You're crazy," he says, but not with conviction. I'm getting to him.

I sniff the air again. "He's angry at you. Angry for leaving. And you… " A few more sniffs. I can tell Cade is trying not to laugh at my antics, but he's also shocked that I'm right. "You feel guilty. What do you feel guilty about?"

All the humor leaves his face and it turns to stone. "Let's just study."

I should stop. I know he doesn't want to talk about this, but we're real friends now and he needs to stop hiding, so I drop the rat act and look him in the eyes, face serious and, I hope, empathetic. "You have a younger sibling. A brother, probably. He looks up to you. You feel guilty for leaving him."

"How do you know that?"

I shrug. I can't tell him the full truth, that his moods have become a part of me, that I'd never act this way with anyone else, but I feel safe with him, like I know him. That I can see into his soul, see his pain, and I would give anything to heal him. "You're very protective. You helped me on the plane, and later when Rodney stepped on my hand. You've always been looking out for someone."

His lips twitch up into a flirty smile. "Maybe I just think you're pretty?"

Heat rushes to my face with his unexpected compliment. Instead of acknowledging his words, I deflect. "Don't try to psychoanalyze the situation, please. Leave that to the professionals."

At least the tension between us is broken as he shifts subjects. "Well, now that you know everything about my family, what about you? How's your family doing?"

"Great. My sister might actually visit me here. I can't wait for you to meet her. She's an archaeologist."

We're staring at each other, and I'm so lost in his eyes that I have to physically stop myself from leaning forward and kissing him.

His hand grazes mine, sliding down my fingers. "How do you do it?" he asks. "Get along with so many people? I see you with Jenifer, how badly she's hurt you and still you're her friend."

We're not talking about my friends and family, but I give him the answer I think he needs. "You forgive them, and you give them a chance to change."