by Natalie Ann
***
He believed in her. Cade just said that he believed in her. She wasn’t sure any man had ever said that to her before. Not even her own father.
She reached her hand over and laid it on his, the urge to just touch him too great to fight. “Thanks, Cade. It means the world to me. The past two years have been full of roads up mountains that have been hard to navigate. I finally feel like Marshall Printing is getting out there, but everything you’ve been doing has helped paved some of the bumps and ditches in the road.”
His eyes changed to a heat that was smoldering just under the surface. One any woman in their right mind would want a man to send her way. She was probably pushing her luck or sending out signals she shouldn’t be, but for the moment she just had to drop her guard with him.
“Bumps and ditches? I think that might be the first time I’ve been referred to like that.”
The little joke cooled his gaze back down and it was for the good.
“I didn’t say you were bumps and ditches, just that you were paving them.”
“Very true. Let’s sit back and watch and listen now. The band is setting up.”
“What are you looking for right now?” she asked, ignoring his attempt to stop talking. Normally she’d gladly comply, but nothing was normal about this evening.
“How efficiently they set up. How quickly. How respectful they are of the stage and property.”
“I didn’t realize that all had to be taken into consideration.” He really did know what he was doing in his job and wasn’t just a pretty face that seemed to be able to talk his way through any situation.
“We don’t need someone coming into Fierce and destroying what we’ve worked so hard for. What my father built from the ground up. I’m sure you can understand that. It doesn’t matter how good a band is, if they’re careless or destructive, they’ll never step foot in Fierce.”
“Accidents can happen,” she said.
“They can and they have. That’s different than members dumping drinks over their heads and ruining the floors or tossing drinks out in the crowds. Standing on tables, bashing guitars into the floor. Things many don’t think of with a band, but it happens. I need to see a show before I’d even consider it. And I only watch them in person after I’ve watched endless videos of them online.”
“You don’t leave much up for chance, do you?”
“Not if I can help it, I don’t.”
At the end of the night, Alex felt like it’d been transformed from a dinner meeting into one of the best dates ever. Too bad no one was thinking of this as a date.
The food had been good. The company excellent. The music awesome. She’d never listened to blues before, but there was a feeling within the bass. A feeling behind the words. A story even. Many in the crowd might have taken it as their own meaning, but for her, it was just peaceful. It was soothing and soul-catching.
How her body wanted to move to the right notes in a song. How she moved when she was younger on stage.
All those things didn’t make it a great date when it wasn’t a date to begin with though. Nope, it was the drive home with the top down.
“Are you okay if I lower the top now?” Cade had asked her.
“Absolutely. That place was packed, and I’m hot.”
He’d taken his jacket off and put it on the back of the chair long before the music even started. They’d both only had two beers in the five hours they were there, then switched over to soda. She felt like she was floating in carbonation right now.
They’d climbed into his car, he’d hit the button and the roof lowered, the night air not so cool for late August, but she knew once they got on the road that would change. Even if it didn’t, it was the atmosphere, and for her that meant more.
It was like he knew if they were on an actual date she would have fallen for him. Or fallen into him. Falling for him was too scary to consider.
Everything just lined right up, so magical and romantic. Something she’d never experienced much in her life and to find she was feeling it with Cade was even more surprising. She would have to think about why that was.
When he pulled his car out of the parking lot and got on the road and the wind hit them both, she was right. It was a tornado and it was fabulous.
“You all right over there?” he asked when she started to laugh.
“Perfect,” she’d yelled back, and she meant it.
They’d gotten back to her place a little after midnight. She should be exhausted since she’d been in the shop since seven and worked until two, but instead she was just full of energy.
When they pulled into her parking lot, he’d shut the car off, but hesitated to get out, she could see. She wasn’t going to invite him in, even if she wanted to, but he might want to talk.
“I had fun tonight. Thanks for thinking of me,” she said, her voice filled with a touch of softness.
“No problem. Anytime.”
He was holding her stare like there was more he wanted to say but was keeping back just the same as her.
“I’ll let you know if I hear from Tessa this week.”
“That’d be great, but I’m sure you will. She’s pretty on the ball and prompt. I’m betting you’ll hear before the end of the next week.”
“That’s not prompt,” she said.
“In the music industry, it is. But trust me when I say, if you get her business, she’ll be last minute ordering things. Venues change and such, so that will be something she will bring up if you talk. When you talk.”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know that.”
“Not a problem. If you have any questions or you want to run anything by me, just call. You’ve got my number.”
“Will do. The next part of your order will be done by the end of the week too. I should be getting Mason’s beer glasses in mid-week.”
“He’ll be thrilled to know.”
This was crazy—the two of them sitting there in the dark, in the parking lot—having a ridiculous conversation about work after the night they’d just shared. One full of tenderness and fun with a touch of adventure. More like risk.
So she took that risk before she could stop herself. Before she changed her mind or lost her nerve, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, made the mistake of inhaling his scent and wished she could grab him in for a proper kiss goodnight. Instead, she slid back over to her side of the car and got out. “Thanks again, Cade. It was a great night.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” he said softly.
Just a Coincidence
Wednesday morning, Cade walked into the conference room to see all his siblings sitting there staring at the door. “What?” he asked.
“You’re late,” Brody said.
He looked at the clock, it was five after. “I’m on time for me.”
Ella rolled her eyes like she always did, sitting there in a buttery yellow silk top and probably some pencil skirt on the bottom with her customary heels. She stood out like a pink and black zebra at Churchill Downs with him and his brothers all in jeans and Fierce T-shirts. Even he had one on today since he had no plans on leaving the building after the meeting.
“Now that we’re all here,” Ella said.
“Aiden can begin,” Cade interrupted her.
“Maybe I don’t want to start,” Aiden said grinning.
“I don’t want to,” Mason said. “Don’t even think about telling me to, Ella.”
Cade laughed, knowing that he was starting in on Ella already. He loved doing this to her, interrupting her agenda and throwing her off. His brothers knew what he was attempting and they were ganging up on her. Some things were just too hard to pass up.
“I’m not falling for it, Cade. I’ll start,” she said.
They sat there while she went around the table and handed out reports that everyone could see, then individual ones for everyone’s division. When she was done, she just stopped talking and left silence in the room.
She was stubborn an
d could sit there all day and wait for one of them to start talking. No one said a word and it started to get on his nerves like she knew it would. “Fine, I’ll go next,” he said.
Everyone laughed, proving who really got ganged up on in the family.
He pulled out a few different sheets of paper and organized them. “First off, Aiden. I’ve got a list of two different manufacturers for the spices.” He slid the sheets to Aiden and Ella. “You two can look everything over and let me know the next step. My report is all there and we can go visit both places when you’ve got time, or just one. Let me know.”
“Thanks,” Aiden said. “I’d like Nic to be involved in this if that’s okay.”
“Of course,” Cade said. “I don’t have a problem with it. Does anyone else?”
“Thanks,” Aiden said when everyone shook their heads. These meetings had always been just for the five of them, but with three of his brothers marrying employees, he was thinking times might be changing. “Nic has been taking some pictures of the blends. Just raw ones in piles on the table and such. Getting ideas. Once we move forward with production, then maybe we can sit down to design labels. She’s got a great eye for that.”
“Sounds good. When we get to that stage, what is your thought about going with Alex Marshall for printing?” Cade asked. “So far everything she’s given us has been great.”
“We’ve gotten one order,” Mason said. “I’m still waiting on my glasses.”
Cade narrowed his eyes. “One big order. The glasses should be ready by Friday, she told me. You were fussy about the vendor you wanted for them and it took more time. We could have rushed it and paid more.”
“No,” Ella said. “I know you’re excited, Mason, but there is no reason to rush something that is new. Not at a higher cost. A week doesn’t make a difference. Then Nic can photograph them and get everything ready for the site.”
“That works,” Mason said.
“Brody,” Cade said. “I checked out a blues band over the weekend with Alex. We got a feel for the atmosphere and the agent is sending over pictures for Alex to print up for fliers once we settle on a date.”
“Thank God you went for blues this time,” Brody said. “That last band almost blew the windows out of the joint.”
Cade laughed. “You used to say ‘the louder the better.’”
“I’m a family man now. I like the blues better. Give me some country next time.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Cade said. “That’s all for me. Who’s next?”
He sat there while Brody, Mason, and Aiden had their turns, then his phone rang. He looked at it and debated getting up.
“Something you need to take?” Ella asked him. “You’re twitching like you need to roll the window down and let go of your breakfast from the back seat of Mom’s car.”
“You used to be my favorite, Ella,” he said in a half snarl.
“I’ll always be your favorite and you know why. But go take your call, we’re all done.”
He got up and left the room to their laughter.
***
“Hold up for a second, guys,” Ella said when her remaining brothers started to stand. She hadn’t intended on saying anything but now felt like it was a good time with them all together. “Aiden, shut the door quick.”
“What’s up?” Aiden said when he returned to his seat.
“Did you notice how Cade said he brought Alex with him to listen to the band over the weekend?”
“Yeah,” Brody said, “why? What’s the big deal? He said it was so she could get a feel for the fliers. Cade has brought his interns with him before too for things like that.”
“He also suggested her for the labels,” Ella said.
“So,” Aiden said. “It’s what she does. So far I like what she’s done.”
“Me too,” Mason said. “Even if I am impatient to see the glasses.”
She sighed, figuring there was no way to ease into this, especially knowing her brothers might not like what she had to say. “I think Mom set him up.”
“What does that mean?” Mason said frowning.
Deep breath. “She set you all up. To find spouses.”
Everyone laughed at her, but she held their stares without making a sound. Without even grinning.
“You’re nuts,” Brody said. “You guys hired Aimee.”
“After Mom gave us her resume. Aimee was the only one we interviewed while you were gone. And she did it while you were gone. She could have done it at any time, but she didn’t, did she? Don’t you ever wonder why?”
“No,” Brody said. “I’ve never had a reason to. It all worked out. Just a coincidence.”
“I thought so too. Until Nic.”
“What about Nic?” Aiden asked. Ella knew that face and knew she better watch how she worded things.
“She gave you Nic’s resume too, right? I had a bunch of them lined up for you and Mom came marching in saying she’d had the best pasta ever and you needed to at least talk to Nic. As a favor for her, wasn’t that how she put it?” Ella said, smiling at Aiden, his expression changing.
Aiden looked at her, she could see him thinking, processing. “I still picked her though. No, you’re off base. I could have chosen one of the others.”
“But you didn’t,” Brody said. “You picked Nic because she was the best and Mom knew that.”
“So you agree with me?” Ella asked Brody.
“No. I’m just pointing out that Mom is good that way. She’s not sneaky though,” Brody argued.
“Ha,” Ella said. Her brothers had blinders on when it came to their mother. “She has you all fooled. And you, Mason. She picked Jessica out.”
“I told her to do it,” Mason argued. “That isn’t setting me up.”
Ella rolled her eyes. “After she badgered you to hire a woman to do tours to begin with. What’s the matter, Mason? Cat got your tongue right now?” His face had just paled.
“I could have hired any of the three Mom sent over, but I hired Jessica. She couldn’t have known that.”
Aiden laughed. “Dude. You told me about the other two that interviewed. They were horrible. Oh my God. Is it possible that Mom did this?” His face was as red as Mason’s was pale.
“So let me get this straight,” Brody said. “You think Mom has hand-selected people that she wants us to marry. And now she picked Alex for Cade. Please. No one could put up with Cade.”
“Cade is a lot like Mom. Who better than her to find someone she thinks would work for him?” Ella said.
“Shit,” Mason said. “She played us. I don’t know what to say.”
“You say thank you,” Ella said. The last thing she wanted was her brothers mad at their mother. That wasn’t what this was about. “Since it seems to be working out so well.”
No one said a word and she was wondering how she was going to convince them that though their mom was sneaky, she did well finding them all soulmates.
“Do we tell Cade?” Aiden asked after a minute.
“Hell no,” Brody said. “He’s so clueless. Let him figure it out. You know damn well he won’t. He didn’t even figure out we all were dating employees right under his nose.”
“I agree. I don’t want to tell Cade,” Ella said.
“You think that’s right though?” Mason asked. He was always the fairest of the group.
“It has nothing to do with right,” Ella argued. “This is Cade. Cade that gets on our nerves more often than not and does it on purpose. No way. We know something he doesn’t. Let’s see how it all plays out.”
Aiden shook his head. “I’m game if you guys are. This is going to be entertaining, to say the least.”
“Fine with me,” Mason said smiling. “I still owe him for plenty over the years.”
“It’s always fine with me to see Cade on the receiving end of something,” Brody said. “But remember, Ella. If what you’re saying about Mom is true, that still leaves you. I can’t wait to see who she thinks she can find
to put up with you.”
Ella laughed. “Not happening. I’m onto her. I figured this out when you guys didn’t. She’ll never pull it over on me. And for now, let’s keep it in this room. No need to let Mom know she was caught.”
Slick Enough
That kiss on the cheek. What did it mean?
Cade couldn’t stop thinking about Alex’s soft lips lightly brushing his cheek and wished they could be on other places of his body. That he could have grabbed her in his car and shown her what he really wanted to do.
But he couldn’t and he didn’t.
Here he was a week later though and wondering if she was trying to take another step or he was imagining it.
It was a huge wake-up call for someone who never had doubts asking someone out. He was wondering what was holding him back now.
It’s not like she worked for him. He was slick enough to balance both. If it didn’t work out, it shouldn’t or wouldn’t affect either of their businesses.
The thing is, he never mixed business and pleasure at all. But he knew enough to keep it up front on the table, to not rock an unsteady boat.
He heard footsteps in his condo and figured it had to be a family member. No one else would be able to get in unless they had the code to get past his security.
“Cade,” he heard his mother yell. “I hope you’re alone and not in bed.”
He rolled his eyes. It was noon. He really wished his family would stop thinking all he did was sleep half the day away. “Working in the office.”
“Are you alone?”
“Of course,” he said back. She always yelled, and out of habit, he yelled back. They all did. Sometimes it was the only way to be heard growing up in the house of seven.
He stared at the doorway waiting for his mother to make an appearance. “Don’t get lippy with me,” she said.
“I’m not getting lippy,” he said, grinning at her.
“Good, because I don’t have time to lecture you in the car.”
“I’m too old to fall for that now, Mom.”