The Best Is Yet to Come (56)

“I’m fine,” he finally managed.

He’d opened up a little with his coworkers, Jason and Boyd, over the last few weeks, eating lunch with them and shooting the breeze. Since his split with Hope, he’d taken to eating in his truck or making an excuse to drive off to collect his meal from McDonald’s. He wasn’t in the mood to be friendly, and rather than alienate Jason and Boyd, he’d avoided them.

The fire truck arrived, forcing them all to move back toward the building so the firemen could work. The bell rang, dismissing classes. The students poured out of the building. Most stood around and stared at the scene, talking among themselves.

With the fire truck there, the entire area around the school was in chaos. Smoke and fire billowed upward, clouding the sky, and the scent of burning leather lingered in the air. The firemen quickly put out the flames; all that remained was the thick water hose snaking from the truck and the smoking cavernous vehicle with the blackened interior. The fire chief broke away to speak to one of the school officials.

More sirens blared in the distance as law enforcement rushed to the scene. Several students had their phones out, filming the event: no doubt to post on social media.

They’d had a lucky escape. Cade had so much he wanted to say to Hope. She stood by the two students and he reached for her, pressing her against his dirty coveralls and his hurting heart. Pinned against his chest, she lifted her face to his, her eyes full of questions.

Rooted in the spot, Cade couldn’t have let her go had it meant life or death. He was starving for the sight of her. His need was so great, he remained frozen in place. Silently he pleaded, begging her to look away, to release him. In the same breath, he prayed she’d never let him go.

With her gaze holding his captive, she gave him a gentle smile.

“Hey,” she said, her voice husky as she broke contact and stepped back.

Her actions shook him.

For more than ten days he’d been fighting, angry with life, the world, and mostly himself. He’d been in a battle he knew he was destined to lose. His pride was all that had kept them apart. But pride was lonely and unrelenting in its demands, never comforting.

The instant he’d held Hope again, peace flooded through him like a spring swollen creek. He’d been wrong, so wrong. Once he was willing to own up to what he’d done, he realized he didn’t care what it cost, he needed Hope in his life.

“You’re not hurt?” he asked again, needing her to say the words to reassure him.

“I’m fine,” she said, keeping her arms crossed, shutting him out.

“It was reckless of you to run to a burning car.”

“I had to do something,” she said. The distance between them was killing him.

“I know.” Although he wanted to reprimand her, he couldn’t. He would have reacted the same way. In fact, he had, racing toward the burning vehicle for fear she would be burned. Seeing that she wasn’t exactly falling into his arms, he asked, “Can we talk later?”

She hesitated before answering, and it felt like an eternity. His pulse pounded loud enough to echo in his ears.

“I think we should,” she finally said.

Before another minute passed, he needed to tell her of his regret. “I’m so sorry, Hope.”

A simple nod was her only acknowledgment.

Although he didn’t want to leave her, he had no choice. She was needed at the school, and he had a job to finish.

“I’ll stop by the cottage after work,” he said.

“Okay.”

Because he felt the need to say more, he added, “I’ve missed you.”

How foolish he’d been, unwilling to listen, unwilling to accept that she had been innocent. He’d wanted to hurt her the way she’d hurt him, only to discover the only one he’d punished had been himself.

“Me, too,” she said. Hope turned away and headed toward the school. Cade’s heart sunk and he prayed with everything in him that he could repair the damage he’d done to their relationship.



* * *



—

As soon as Cade was back, his boss hit him with questions.

“Your girl okay? How’s the school? What happened?” Cliff asked, exiting his office and leaning against the doorframe.

“Looks like a car fire.”

Cliff frowned, and Cade noticed the other two mechanics exchanging glances.

“A car fire,” Cliff commented, shaking his head as if to say nothing shocked him any longer when it came to the happenings around the high school. “It’s a good thing the fire department got there when they did, otherwise the vehicle could have exploded.”

Although his thoughts remained on Hope and their upcoming conversation, Cade worked the rest of the afternoon. As soon as he finished, he rushed to his apartment, showered, changed clothes, and then headed to the cottage by the sea. He was headed to see Hope.

Hope.

She’d been accurately named. He’d been penalizing himself by staying away. His pride made for miserable company. He chose to be alone, telling himself he was an island and needed no one. More fool he. The car fire had sent that theory flying out the window.

When he feared Hope might have been in danger or hurt, his pride had died a sudden death. He didn’t care if Hope had collaborated against him with his mother. Cade needed her for the light she brought into his life. Whatever had passed between her and his mother they would sort out together.