Broken(41)

With a heavy sigh, a realization hit him. For all of her petulance, Misty deserved better than this. He should have been more upfront with her when they first began dating. They’d had some good times, but beyond that there was nothing there, at least not what she was looking for or deserved. He walked around to the side of the truck and switched off the ignition before pocketing the keys. “Let me walk you to your door. We need to talk.”

She clenched her jaw stubbornly and for a moment he thought she might ignore his request, but instead she relented, sliding off the passenger seat though she continued to ignore his offered hand.

Once they were at her front door, she whirled on him, her eyes blazing with ill-disguised rage. “I know perfectly well what it means when a man says he has to talk. You’re breaking up with me because of her.”

Cade rolled his eyes. “First of all, Misty, we were never exclusive so there’s nothing to break off. And second, this has nothing to do with Jocelyn. You don’t know anything about it. You didn’t even live in this town when she was here.”

She shrugged as if what he said didn’t matter. “I hear talk. And word is, she dumped you to pursue a life of fame and fortune. Now that she’s back…”

He refused to rise to the bait. It was pointless getting into an argument with her when the end result would be the same. “Believe what you want, but I don’t think we should see each other anymore. You want more than I can give. I’m sorry I can’t be the man you want.”

His apology didn’t seem to appease her in the least. “Oh, screw you, Cade Devlin. You led me on and you damn well know it.” Before he saw it coming, her hand connected with his cheek in a resounding smack, turning his head to the side.

He didn’t have time to react before she turned, unlocked her door and went inside. She slammed the door behind her with a force that made the wood moan. The side of Cade’s face burned like a motherf*cker, but he welcomed the pain. He probably deserved it.

Standing on Misty’s porch for a moment, he allowed the events of the night to sink in before heading back to his truck. Could he have gotten through the night with Jocelyn sitting across from him if their song hadn’t come on? Their song dammit! He’d smashed many a radio in the first year she’d left when that song was played. After a while he’d just turn to another station, but he couldn’t very well do that at the Drunken Lizard. Coupled with seeing Jocelyn there and wanting to take her in his arm and hold her against him and go back to happier times was too much to deal with.

It had been seven years. Would he ever get over her?



Jocelyn tried desperately to concentrate on the road as they drove home. She and Kyla had only stayed fifteen minutes after Cade and his date had left. It had eaten her up inside to see him leave with that clingy blonde and she could no longer pretend she was having a good time. Besides, more than a few people were sending questioning looks Kyla’s way, making her friend uncomfortable. It wouldn’t have been long before someone recognized her.

The two of them left to the protest of the three remaining Devlin brothers. Now that she was away from the noise and smoke of the crowded bar, Jocelyn was still on edge.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kyla asked gently.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“No? Then I imagined it when your face lost all color the minute Cade walked over to the table? Tell me what really happened.”

Jocelyn swallowed. There was really no point in keeping it in because Kyla had a way of getting things out of her. “They were playing our song. Cade’s and mine.”