Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)(75)

My lips roll together as I regard him. “You can. But you haven’t spoken a word to me since we got out of your truck. You look like you’re trying to disintegrate the leather in your hands, and your mouth keeps popping open like you’re about to say something, but then you shake your head and slam it back shut so hard your teeth clank. And I can hear you grinding said teeth until your mouth pops back open again.”

He turns and gives me his annoyed scowl. “What are you? A shrink?”

I hit him back with my best cheesy grin. “Nah. Just the daughter of one.”

He huffs out a soft laugh and shakes his head, staring out over the flat expanse of land that looks like it shoots straight up into the Rockies. It’s beautiful—gold-green grass, gray rock, up to a blue-bird sky.

“It’s Luke’s birthday next week. The little party we’re hosting is the following weekend. It’s casual. Just family.”

I say nothing because I know where he’s going. He mentioned it once, and I never asked more questions because it wasn’t my business.

“His mom always shows up for it.”

“As she should,” I reply because it’s true. “Cade, this is really none of my business. If Luke is happy, I’m happy.”

He sort of wobbles his head. “I’m not so sure that she makes Luke happy, to be honest. Nine out of ten times, it’s awkward. He doesn’t know how to act around her, and she sure as shit doesn’t know how to act around him. It’s not getting any better with age.”

“Okay.” It’s all I can think to say. I don’t really know why he’s telling me all this.

“I have a sinking suspicion it’s going to be more awkward with you there.”

Stiffness permeates my neck as I shift to sit taller. “Are you saying you don’t want me there?”

“No.” His response is quick and firm. I let out the breath I’d been holding back, ready to keep it together if he’d said yes. “Not at all. If you want to talk about something that would upset Luke—that would be it.”

I nod, dropping my eyes to my fingers wrapped around the reins in my hands.

“I want you there too,” Cade adds, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on my skin. “She might not like it, though, so I just want to prepare you for that.”

My face scrunches as I turn to look at the man beside me. “Why would she not like me there? I’ll be there as his nanny.”

His jaw works, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob when he swallows. “She’s . . . I don’t know.” He chuckles now, scrubbing a hand over his beard. “You know, I try so hard not to say bad things about her, because she’s half Luke and I love everything about that kid. But Willa, his mom is a fucking nightmare. I don’t know how my biggest mistake brought about my most cherished gift. But here I am.”

“You’re so mature,” I quip. Because really, he is.

He groans and stares up at the sky now. “Talia is oddly competitive. I was a trophy to her. But once she won me, she realized maybe it wasn’t the trophy she wanted. I can keep you and me under wraps because that will help keep her claws from coming out. But I can’t keep the way Luke loves you under wraps. And that’s going to bother her.”

I sigh. Feeling way out of my depth with this sort of family dynamic.

“Harvey is hyper-aware of it too. He’s not the biggest Talia fan. But he is a huge fan of you.”

“Yeah, you did a great job of keeping us under wraps earlier,” I joke, thinking back on the way he carried me away like a caveman who just won the hunt.

“Wasn’t trying to, Red. Don’t want to if I’m being honest.”

I snort. “This is weird.”

I see his lips tip up when he glances over at me. “Totally weird.”

“But I’m not mad at it.”

Cade tags on, “I might even be happy about it.”

I squint my eyes at him—fuck, but he’s hot. It’s really just stupid. “Is that your happy scowl?”

He shakes his head and snickers. “Can I tell Harvey that I’ve adequately prepared you for the party?”

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t deal with a bunch of drunken idiots and catfights for years without learning a thing or two about handling shit like that. I’ll be fine. Let’s just keep it about Luke. Okay?”

He nods, eyeing me like he’s checking me for any signs I’m stressed. And truthfully, I’m not. I’m not a drama seeker. In fact, I avoid it like the plague. If I have to smile and nod and fade into the background, then that’s what I’ll do.

“Okay,” he agrees with a firm nod.

“Okay. Good.” We stare at each other for a beat until a smile tugs up my cheeks as an idea to kill the tension pops into my head. “Last one to the mountains is a rotten egg!” bursts from my lips before I can stop it, and then I’m urging Rocket up into a canter, glancing over my shoulder at Cade, who’s grinning at me like I’m a psycho.

“Git up!” he calls to Blueberry, and her hooves pound behind me.

I lean forward in the tack, coming off Rocket’s back to give him some space to gallop, pushing my hands up his neck and giving him slack in the reins. He stretches out, and when I glance back again, Cade isn’t gaining on me like I thought he would.