The Best Is Yet to Come (29)

And yet…

Their conversation from the day before had been a turning point for him. It’d felt monumental to sit at her side, share Wee Willie’s hot dogs, and enjoy the late afternoon as if he hadn’t a care in the world. It’d been years since he’d experienced any moment as freeing until…until she’d mentioned the dance.

With this new understanding between them, Cade had shared a sensitive part of himself that only Luke and Jeremy had heard. Harry hadn’t dug much into his family background, and Cade hadn’t mentioned his parents in the group sessions, either. For some unexplained reason, he’d felt compelled to tell Hope.

“Did you agree to chaperone with her?” Harry asked.

This was the problem. “I…I didn’t say anything one way or the other. It was as if she assumed I’d agreed because she went on talking, giving me details about the night. At some point, she must have realized I hadn’t said I’d go and went silent. Harry, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” He wanted to bury his face in his hands. He was right back where he started when he’d refused her dinner invitation. Even though he was strongly attracted to her, he had declined the very thing he wanted most. And here he was doing it again.

His time on the beach with Hope had been perfect until she’d mentioned the dance. He’d planned on kissing her, but as soon as she brought up him chaperoning with her, he’d frozen. No question, he needed counseling. He needed help to figure out why he kept turning his back on Hope when he hungered to have her in his life.

“She was willing to let you get away with not answering?”

“She said she’d accept whatever decision I made.”

“And have you decided?”

Cade had mulled it over from the moment they parted. “I’ve thought about it every minute. I was grateful our session was today so you could help me sort all this out; tell me what would be best.”

Harry chuckled. “You don’t honestly think I’m going to advise you one way or the other, do you? This is on you, Cade.”

On him. Harry was right. He was the one who had to find peace about this. Part of him was eager to be with Hope, no matter when or what the occasion. From the moment he’d met her, the reality of his physical limitations had caused him to keep his distance.

His leg, at times, had a mind of its own. One wrong move and he would writhe with pain so severe it took every ounce of strength he possessed not to cry out. Although he had to admit the physical therapy was working, he wasn’t to the point where he could twirl Hope around a dance floor.

“How long are you going to wait before you give her an answer?”

Time was quickly evaporating. Every tick of the clock was a reminder that he had to decide one way or the other. They’d parted with the understanding that he’d let her know sometime before Saturday evening when the dance was scheduled.

Although Cade was a relative newcomer to Oceanside himself, he’d been around long enough to know the high school football games were huge events. The stands were crammed during each home game with students, parents, and local supporters from the community. Friday-night football was big entertainment in a small town, and Oceanside was no exception. The players were treated like royalty. Businesses waved flags bearing the Oceanside Eagle logo, hyping up each game.

As a compromise, Cade decided to attend the game with Hope, even if it meant he would need to climb the bleachers. Stairs could be a painful challenge. Putting all his weight on his injured leg often caused debilitating pain. To alleviate that, he often took one step at a time, attracting unwanted attention. To face those pitying looks while half the town’s population stared at him sent a chill up his spine.

Silence filled the room as Cade was lost in his thoughts.

Harry interrupted Cade’s musings. “Didn’t you recently mention that Hope had some kind of run-in with the team’s quarterback?”

At the memory, Cade’s entire body stiffened. In that instant he had his answer. Hope alone at the dance, unescorted, could possibly make her a target. Cade hadn’t gotten all the details of what had happened or exactly why, but he knew enough. He’d even done a bit of homework himself. He’d asked to view the security camera of the grocery’s parking lot. The equipment was old and outdated, and the picture too fuzzy for him to make any clear identification, although it clearly showed that the tire had been vandalized.

Cade had his suspicions. Whoever was responsible looked young, likely a teenager.

“I have to go to that dance,” he said, with newfound determination.

“You aren’t obligated, Cade. This isn’t your concern.”

“Hope is my concern.”

Harry crossed his legs. “What if, at the end of the evening, she wants to dance with you?”

Leave it to Harry to force him to face the most uncomfortable aspect of this. All he could do was be honest. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

Harry was all smiles.

“That pleases you?”

“It does,” Harry said. “You aren’t focusing your attention on yourself or your limitations. Your concern for Hope has overridden your fears, and that’s a step in the right direction.”

“If you say so,” Cade grumbled.



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