“Sure, if Bonnie sticks to her due date, and this wedding goes off without a hitch.”
Andie’s eyebrows creased as she came to his side and peered up at him. “Are you still worried your mother might mess it up?”
“Not really. We’ve kept this thing mum, and other things on the news are keeping the reporters busy.” He yanked at his tie again. “Face it, my mom took the money and ran. She doesn’t care if we get married or not. Maybe she’ll eventually see Bonnie’s picture on the internet, but it’s not like she’s breaking down our door trying to see Bret.”
“She’s wanted by the law,” Andie reminded him. “I’m sure we’re under FBI surveillance and they’re watching for her to try and come to our wedding. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s asked your sister for updates.”
“My sister doesn’t even keep up with me, other than friending me on social media after her early release from prison.” Cade tugged at his tie, tightening the knot.
“Maybe that was your mom using Joanie’s profile picture,” Andie said.
“Let’s not speculate.” Cade brushed his hair back and smoothed his dress shirt. He knew better than to believe his family cared, other than to ask him for money. “Think I look honorable enough to ask for your hand?”
“You better ask for all of me and not just my hand.” Andie prodded him toward the door. “Now, go. Stop worrying. My father always wanted a son, and now he’s got you and Bret—enough men to go ice fishing with him.”
“Along with you and Bonnie.” Cade pulled both Andie and Bret into a warm embrace.
“Of course, we’re family, all of us.” She kissed him, a slow, drawn-out kiss, while Bret yanked his tie.
As he drew back, he held her fingertips and touched them to his lips. “I love you, all of you, and I’ll ask for nothing less.”
Fifteen minutes later, Cade rang the bell at Andie’s parents’ house. Even though he had a key, this was a date with her father, and he wanted to do everything properly.
Sweat ringed his collar, and his tie was too tight. Face it. He was a nervous wreck. Right now, he’d rather face the entire defensive line of the LA Flash than the man who’d been number one in Andie’s heart since the day she was born.
Red and Gollie barked and whined in welcome. Their two dogs were staying with Andie’s parents this week, since Andie had her hands full with wedding preparations and was over at their house a lot. Andie’s mother answered the door and welcomed him in.
Cade shook her hand, suddenly regretting that he hadn’t had the foresight to bring her flowers or a box of chocolates.
Gollie pounced on Cade’s legs, while Red stayed back, wagging his tail.
“Down, Gollie,” Andie’s mother said. “Don’t ruin Cade’s good slacks.”
Andie’s father thumped the walker toward him. He was wearing a sports coat and slacks, although no tie.
“Hello, Cade, ready for our date? You’re going to have to take my arm, because I’m not using the walker this evening. Gotta practice walking Andie down the aisle.”
“That’s fine by me,” Cade said, holding out his arm.
Cade waved to Andie’s mother and helped James over the threshold and down the driveway. The older man leaned heavily on him while his legs moved in a jerky fashion. There was no way he could walk Andie down the aisle unless Andie held his weight. Maybe Cade should volunteer to walk with them, but then, he might hurt the older man’s pride.
He swallowed his worry for now. Tonight was about getting to know James and assuring him Cade loved his daughter and was committed to making her happy for the rest of her life.
A few minutes later, they arrived at Brody’s, a local brew house and burger joint. Since neither man wanted to drink any of the craft beers, they settled for a pair of root beers.
“So, you brought me here to bribe me with root beer and burgers?” James tapped his bottle to Cade’s as a mock toast.
“Definitely. There’s no comparing the crispy burgers here with anything else.” Cade crunched on the flavorful crust to the juicy center, dripping with cheese, served on a toasted potato roll with slices of pickles and caramelized onions.
“None of those two-hundred dollar burgers you find in Hollywood,” James agreed, no doubt having heard all about them from Andie’s mother.
“I’m glad I left Hollywood behind,” Cade said. “Coming to Itasca last year for my winter getaway was the best thing that happened to me.”
“Yes, our neck of the woods is rather special.” James’s eyes twinkled. “Especially the Olin Library.”
That was the place Cade had met Andie, deep in the stacks in the Ancient History section. Cade swallowed the bite of juicy burger and took another swig of root beer. Now that the conversation was veering closer to Andie, he felt his stomach knotting. How did one broach the subject? Andie, was, after all, James and Pam’s precious daughter, an only child.
Add to that, Cade had knocked her up, and his mother had almost caused Andie to die. Not to mention that embarrassing incident of the indecent picture showing her in a compromising pose. Sheesh. He should have had something harder to drink than root beer. Maybe he’d better get to the point, at least before dessert.
“Itasca’s mighty special with the university, the waterfalls and deep gorges, the lake and the small town charm, but for me, it’s where I met Andie, your daughter.”
“Ah, yes, my daughter.” James set the bottle on the table. “What do you want to know about her?”
“Know? Oh, I guess everything.” Cade rubbed the back of his neck. “Specifically, how to make her happy. Were there things she dreamed about doing as a little girl?”
A smile spread across James’s face, and he leaned back. “She was always a dreamer, although not the most focused. A lot of it was my doing. I’m not sure if she got into archaeology because she truly cared about people long dead and the stuff of legends, or she just wanted to be daddy’s girl and follow me around.”
“You two have a very close relationship.”
“That we do. We kind of fed each other’s imagination by gossiping about the people we were studying and wondering what life was like for the people whose artifacts we dug up and examined. Andie would make up stories, and Pam and I encouraged her.”
“The three of you are very close,” Cade said. His guts tangled inside at the thought of breaking into their ranks. “Was there anything you and Pam dreamed of for her? A career you wanted her to have?”
“We just want her to be happy and to be herself. Andie’s a very exuberant girl, as you’ve noticed. She’s really excited about the wedding enactment.”
“I’m glad she can pull it off,” Cade said. “I feel bad that being with me has caused her to be in the spotlight. I was concerned we wouldn’t have much privacy if we’d booked a hotel or country club. Holding the wedding in a theater during ‘dress rehearsal’ is a stroke of genius.”
“Yep, no one would suspect what’s about to take place.” Andie’s father cracked his knuckles and grinned. “With all the students from the drama department, who’d notice if one group had a few older ones, like me?”
“Since all Israeli men of those days wore beards, they’re going to stick one to my face too, so it’s unlikely anyone would recognize me. Except, Andie says I’m too big and broad-shouldered to be David.”
“Yep, he was a stripling, a thin, wiry guy, which was why Goliath mocked him.” James reached over and patted Cade’s beefy arm. “I want to thank you for going along with this. It makes Andie really happy to do something different for her wedding. She’s over the moon about being Michal, especially since The Love Lives of King David movie was cancelled.”
“I want nothing more than to make her happy for the rest of her life,” Cade said, clearing the pebbles from his throat. Somehow he had to segue into asking for her hand. He swallowed and caught James’s gaze. “Your daughter means more to me than anything in the world. More to me than playing football. I love her with everything I have.”
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To James’s credit, he didn’t choke or spit out his root beer. He simply nodded, as if considering whether Cade was sincere or not. “Tell me what you love about her.”
His heart jackhammering and sweat popping on his forehead, Cade kept his eyes locked onto his future father-in-law, man to man.
“Her love for life and for her family. The way she cares about people and animals. Her kind heart, and most of all, her willingness to trust me—a guy who’d never had a real family growing up.” Cade blinked, hoping his eyes wouldn’t water at the magnitude of trust Andie had in him. He, who had no role model for being a good husband and father. He, who until recently, couldn’t form a close relationship with any woman because he’d resented his mother for giving him to foster homes. Shame gripped Cade at his womanizing and the baby boy who’d resulted from his carelessness—his son, Bret, who’d been born to another woman.
“She has faith in the goodness of people.” Andie’s father gave him a watery gaze. “Don’t ever let her misplace that trust. She believes in fairy tales and happy endings. She’s already made one mistake with that ex-husband of hers.”
“I won’t be a mistake. I promise.” Cade stood his ground, hating to be compared to the actor playboy who’d cheated on Andie. “I will take care of her feelings and her well-being for the rest of her life. I will always respect, honor, and cherish your daughter. I know she’s feeling a little blue about staying home with two babies and possibly missing out on her dreams. She’s talking about starting a business, but also wants to travel with me.”
“Do you foresee a problem with any of this?” Her father turned an appraising eye on him.
“I’m worried she’s overcommitting, but I love her enthusiasm. I know she’ll give first priority to her family and children, but I also want her to do things she’s interested in—whatever dreams she has or project she has a zeal for.”
“Good answer,” James said, leaning forward. “There’s a fine balance between being protective and hemming her in. I should know. Don’t tell her mother, but I knew Andie was thinking of eloping with Declan. She was so enthusiastic about his acting career and hoping to land a part with him.”
Cade stiffened and clenched his fingers under the table. The last thing he wanted to hear was how in love Andie had been with Declan.
Her father appeared oblivious though, and he continued, “Oh, she’d never admit it now, but when Declan got the role of Romeo, I had the distinct impression Andie dreamed of being Juliet. She’d go around reading and memorizing the lines whenever she thought no one was looking.”
Dang. So she had wanted to be an actress, and it wasn’t a passing fancy or something Declan made up after Andie’s memory loss.
“What exactly happened?” Cade’s voice creaked.
“I suppose she told you. The thing is, I knew and her mother didn’t. If her mother did, she would have stopped Andie. I held my peace because I didn’t want to take that dream of Andie’s away, even though it turned into a nightmare.”
“So, what you’re saying is not to protect her from her dreams?”
“That’s a good way of putting it. I was there, as was her mother, to pick up the pieces of the broken dream, and I am so very happy you’ve mended her broken heart so well.”
“Thank you, Dr. Wales. Thank you.” Cade took a deep breath and forged for the end zone. “I’d like to ask for your blessing and not just Andie’s hand, but all of her, in marriage. I love and accept everything about her, and I can’t wait to be family with all of you.”
Her father held out his arms and embraced Cade. “You have mine and her mother’s blessing. Welcome to our family, son.”
Cade blinked back tears and hugged James warmly, not letting go. He’d never experienced the hug of a father or the genuine pat on the back. Thanks to Andie, he was finally going to be part of a real family.
It felt good to be accepted and included. So very, very good.
Chapter 11
The next evening, Cade took Andie for a walk on the property adjacent to the Tall Duck winery. He said little as he invited her on the trip, other than that she needed a getaway from the wedding details.
They’d left Bret with her mother and took Red and Gollie. The two dogs scampered up the path, sniffing the tree trunks and marking their territory. Even though Cade finally had Red “fixed,” the male dog still had his old habits.
Gollie, of course, was a copy-dog, doing whatever Red did, then looking back with her tongue lolling to see if her owner noticed.
“You’re such a funny puppy,” Andie said, as Gollie pretended to lift her leg beside a tree trunk. She strained against her leash, eager to keep up with Red.
“Once we reach the top of the overlook, we can let them off leash,” Cade said. “Give them some space to run around.”
“You’ve been here before?” Andie was slightly out of breath. She’d noticed the ‘For Sale’ signs she’d passed on the road, but if Cade was going to surprise her, she’d keep mum.
“Yes, just wait until you see it.” Cade unclipped both dogs and held Andie’s hand instead. “You okay?”
“Yes, feeling great. Bonnie’s moving around, but everything’s good.” Andie smiled and patted her belly.
Whatever problems Andie had earlier with the pregnancy was probably due to stress. After all, she’d nearly died and Cade’s half-brother was on trial for killing his biological father, while Cade’s mother had disappeared with his other half-brother. Things were a mess, and she’d been asked to testify in court. Being cross-examined by shark-like defense lawyers had only added to her stress level.
“I’m glad, because you’re going to love what you see.” Cade pulled her around a rocky ledge as the trail opened up to a meadow of green grass and wildflowers.
Andie gasped, and her hands fluttered over her chest. The view was out of this world. The sun was setting over the sparkling lake, so blue and deep. Its long rays spread through a veil of fluffy clouds, reflecting the bright orange and reds against a backdrop of darker hues.
“Oh, Cade, I love this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sunset. It’s so peaceful and heavenly.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Cade held her close and rested his chin on the top of her head. “It’s so wonderful, it should be shared.”
“Yes, thanks for sharing it with me.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. The multiple rays streaming through the clouds seemed to sing a symphony of light, calming and yet joyful, over the dancing waters below.
Andie didn’t want to ruin the moment with her commentary, so she leaned against Cade, one ear pressed to his chest, listening to the beating of his precious heart. This moment was so special, she wanted to imprint every second and remember it.
As the sun slowly slipped below the horizon and Andie said a silent goodbye to the last of the long rays, Cade tipped her face toward his and kissed her, lovingly and firmly, as if putting his entire soul into her hands.
Andie opened up her heart and poured all her love into the kiss. No matter what had happened before, she would enter this marriage with Cade a new person. Her past was gone and didn’t matter, and she’d never bring up his.
“You complete me, Andie,” Cade said when they broke the kiss to take a breath. Dusk had settled, purple with an edge of red, and it was time to go down the path before it got completely dark. “I brought you here to show you my plans.”
Andie held her breath. Was he going to buy this property and build their dream home on this spot?
He swept his arm across the vista. “You see this view? It’s a perfect place for a wedding, don’t you think?”
“Uh, yes, it is,” Andie sputtered, still holding her breath.
“It’s a shame no one can enjoy this spot, because it’s private property,” Cade said. “I bet you’ve lived here your entire life and didn’t know about it.”
“No, never been here. Except now that it’s for sale, people are bidding it up. Sylvia says Ronaldo’s going to b
uild a resort here.”
Cade’s lips thinned, and a hard look narrowed his eyes as he stared at the lake below. “Not going to happen if I have anything to say about it. Don’t let him know I’m interested, since the last thing I want is a bidding war.”
“Oh, wow. You’re buying this?”
“We are,” Cade said. “And don’t kill me, but …”
“But what?” Andie couldn’t imagine why she’d kill Cade for buying this beautiful spot of land.
Cade hunched his shoulders and blinked, looking at his feet. “I’m going to build a pavilion for weddings, but donate the top of the hill to be a public park. That way, everyone can enjoy it, and the park service can collect money for the events. When no events are going on, people can come up here and watch the sunset.”
“Just like the overlook in Hollywood above the Hollywood Bowl!” Andie exclaimed, as her heart overflowed with warmth. Cade was so generous and good. He didn’t want to keep the best views to himself. He wanted to share it with the public.
“Better. This place is more private and unspoiled.” He dotted a kiss on her lips. “What do you think?”
“That you’re the guy with the biggest heart in the whole wide world.” Andie caressed his cheek. “I love you so much, Cade Prescott.”
“I’m glad you do, because your father gave his blessing, and pretty soon, you’ll be stuck to me, for better and for worse.”
“It’ll always be for the better.” Andie tipped on her toes and reached for a kiss. “I know my father brought up Declan, and I want you to know that we’re clearing the decks—putting everything behind us. Declan knew a very different Andie, a girl given to unrealistic dreams and fantasy. With you, there will still be the dreams and fantasy, but based on truth and trust.”
“Same here. I felt guilty while speaking to your father, asking his blessing when I’m the one who had all of the troubles—my mom, Roxanne, even bringing a baby from another woman, and of course, knocking you up.”
“No more guilt, Cade. Someday, when we look back, we’re going to think Bret and Bonnie were the best things that came into our lives, besides you and me, of course.”
Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six Page 67