by Luna, David
Braden gulped in a breath. “Did we put her in danger, coming here today? Of course we did; what the fuck was I thinking? We should go. Let’s just go. I can call her and tell her something came up.”
Cade put a hand on Braden’s chin. “Bray, look at me. Everything is fine. How long has she lived here?”
Braden looked into Cade’s eyes and relaxed when he saw how calm he was. “About four years.”
Cade clasped his hand and squeezed gently. “Didn’t Eric meet her? I thought you said he met both Maya and your grandmother, when I was asking you all those questions about him.”
Braden nodded. “Yes, we came here once, just after I moved in with him, before he started….”
Cade squeezed his hand again. “Right, so he knows about her and where she lives and hasn’t mentioned her. So far, it’s only been about you, and maybe me, because I’m living with you and that is what pisses him off. He’s obsessed with you, Braden, and I think his focus is pretty narrow at this point. Coop was just asking as a precaution. I personally think that we should show security here pictures of him, current and past, and let them know to be on the lookout for him. I also think you should tell your grandmother about him, again, just as a precaution, but that’s up to you. I know you said you don’t want to worry her, but in the end, warning her to be on the lookout might be wise.”
Braden looked like he wanted to argue, but then sighed and his shoulders fell in defeat. “You’re right. If we don’t warn her and something happens, I’d hate myself.”
Braden pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. “Nana, we’re here. Sorry we’re a few minutes late. Where are you right now?”
“The Commons, dear.”
Braden sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Of course you are. Ok, we’ll be there in a few.”
Braden hung up and looked at both Cade and Cooper in resignation. “OK, she’s in The Commons, which is the area where everyone socializes, plays games, and watches movies. Basically she’s having us come into the lion’s den, where all of her friends and boyfriends will get to watch us enter, and she’ll be holding court, waiting to show us off.”
Cade laughed. “Lion’s den?”
Braden shook his head. “You think I’m joking, but you’ll see. She’s the kindest, most selfless woman I’ve ever met, but she’s also exuberant and brash. It’s a strange combination that attracts both males and females like flies to honey. She makes people laugh and she includes everyone, makes everyone feel important, even while making jokes and poking fun. It’s kind of an art form.”
Cooper stood and waited by Braden’s door. Cade leaned over, pulled Braden’s chin towards him and laid a quick kiss on his lips. “Coop will come in with us, but will focus on checking out security, talking to them, and providing pictures.”
Braden shrugged. “OK, let’s head in then, no sense in delaying the inevitable.”
Cade, fingers entwined with Braden’s, laughed and thought to himself it couldn’t be that bad. Then they walked into The Commons, and he realized that Braden had been pretty darn close to spot on. The Commons was a huge room with areas designated for different activities. There had to be at least 30 people, all busy doing different things. A tiny little spitfire of a woman stood and walked toward Braden with arms outstretched. “Braden! My boy! Give me some sugar!”
All eyes turned towards them and several people stopped what they were doing to wander closer, while Braden regretfully pulled his hand from Cade’s and walked forward to greet his grandmother.
Braden, looking strangely tall beside this little bit of a woman, gathered her in a fierce embrace and actually lifted her right off her feet, causing her to giggle like a young girl. Cade heard him murmur, “Nana, you’re looking beautiful, as ever.”
She blushed like a schoolgirl. “Oh, you!”
Braden put her back on her feet, and she cupped his cheeks in her hands and looked at him for long moments, while more of her friends drew ever nearer. She narrowed her eyes at him. “There’s something going on that you don’t want to tell me about. I can see the strain on your face. We’ll discuss it at lunch. In the meantime, introduce me to your handsome new man. My, he’s rather big. Isn’t he?”
Braden shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I can never get anything past you.” He looked behind him at Cade and held out his hand. Cade stepped up next to him, clasped his hand and entwined their fingers. Braden smiled. “Nana, this is Zavier McCade, Zavier, this is my Nana, Clara Cross.”
Cade reached for her left hand before she could raise her right one to shake his. She lifted her left hand in surprise and again the blush appeared as Cade kissed the back of her hand. “Mrs. Cross, it’s an honor to meet you, ma’am.”
“Oh, none of that Mrs. and ma’am stuff. Call me Nana!”
Cade winked. “Yes ma’am, Nana it is.”
Nana smiled. “You’re a cheeky one, aren’t you?”
Cade gave her a devilish grin. “Guilty, ma’am.”
Nana harrumphed. Before she could lead them deeper into The Commons to become fodder for the old gossips, Braden caught her. “Nana, as much as we’d love to stay and chat with all of your friends, I’m getting hungry and need to check my blood and eat fairly soon.”
Nana narrowed her eyes. “Never was one to be the center of attention, more like my Ronald that way. So I guess we can go now; let me just get my bag and my coat.”
She walked off and grabbed both, and brought them back over where Cade helped her into her coat, causing another blush, and then Braden held his left arm out for her to hold onto. Cade walked behind and to the right of Braden, his left hand at Braden’s lower back, and led them both out to the car, where Braden did his best to get her to sit in the front, but she wasn’t having it. Braden opened the back door for her, helped her into her seat and handed her the seatbelt. He shut the door and almost bumped into Cade and realized that Cade was there to do the same for him. Smiling at Cade and receiving a wink in return, Cade helped him into his seat, handed him his seatbelt, shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side. If Braden wasn’t watching for it, he would have missed the look that passed between Cade and Cooper, as Cade passed by Cooper’s door.
Cade got into the car, reached into the compartment between their seats and pulled out Braden’s testing kit. While he started the engine, he asked Braden’s grandmother something about the retirement community and her friends, and they sat in the idling car until Braden had given himself his injection. Then, they were on their way. During the drive Braden’s grandmother continued to regale them with funny stories about her friends. Cade took an immediate liking to her and could see some of her in Braden, which just endeared her more to him.
He pulled Braden’s hand back over to his side of the car, squeezed it, and rested his hand on his lap. It didn’t take long to get to the steakhouse Nana had requested they go to for lunch. As they were getting out of the car to walk into the restaurant, Nana shocked them. “Well, you might as well invite your friend in. The one who’s been following us. That way you can all fill me in on what’s really going on.”
Leaving Cade and Braden behind in a surprised stupor, Nana breezed through the doors as they were opened for her and proceeded to ask for a table for four. Braden finally smiled at Cade’s expression. “Well, she’s a noticer, so she probably saw you share a look with Cooper in the parking lot. She then probably saw him following us as well. My guess is by using her handy dandy little compact, which she uses quite often, but rarely for its intended purpose. She’s a big fan of spy novels as well, so you’ve just piqued her interest, in a major way.”
Cade sighed and gave a slight jerk of his head to Cooper, who followed them in, and they all settled down at the table the maître d' brought them to. After they all placed their orders, Nana gave Cooper a thorough once over. “Are you Cooper, Maya’s brother?”
Cooper raised a brow and smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you look just like her, it’s not that hard to
figure things out, if you pay attention. And, if I remember correctly, you’re ex-military and co-owner of a security business. I’m assuming Cade is the other co-owner?” At their nods, she continued, “Now that that’s out of the way, I think I deserve an explanation for what is going on with my grandson.”
With that, Braden began to explain, and with every word, Nana became more and more distraught. He didn’t want to give her portions of the truth, so he laid out everything about the stalking and the fact that they now knew it was Eric after him. When he was done, they all sat in silence, which was good, because that’s when their food arrived.
Barely glancing at her meal, Nana admitted, “I always hated that nasty piece of work.”
“Nana!”
“Well, I did. He was always trying too hard, with that smarmy charm that was too ingratiating to be believed.”
Braden gaped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I did, after the first time I met him, before you even moved in with him. I told you I didn’t like him, that he was too charming.”
Braden flopped back in his chair in defeat. “I guess you did. At the time, I just thought he was trying to make a good impression and was nervous. I should have listened to you. I’m sorry now that I didn’t.”
They continued to discuss the steps Cade and Cooper were taking to ensure Braden’s safety, and Cooper showed her the same pictures of Eric that he’d shown the security personnel at her retirement community. Throughout all of this, Nana was taking stock of Cade, listening to him talk, along with Cooper and Braden. She took in the way his long arm draped over Braden’s chair, the way he curved himself protectively around Braden, without actually touching him, and the way Braden seemed to lean towards Cade, seeking out that protection.
She saw Braden’s hair move, and realized she’d been wrong, that Cade was touching him; he was playing with Braden’s hair. She felt concerned for Braden all of a sudden, for more reasons than the Eric situation. When she thought she was just meeting Braden’s new boyfriend, back at the retirement home, she’d been so happy Braden had found someone, but now, with all of this other information, she felt uneasy.
She narrowed her eyes at Cade. “Can I ask what your interest is in my grandson? I don’t want him being taken advantage of during a time when he needs someone to protect him, not prey on him. Don’t get me wrong, I know damn good and well that my grandson is a catch. He’s gorgeous and you’d be hard pressed to find a gay man out there that wouldn’t find him attractive, not to mention, all of the straight women that hit on him constantly. On top of that, he’s one of the most caring people I know. He has an enormous heart and has a lot to give, but I don’t know that this is the best time for a new relationship. Are you intending for him to feel indebted to you? And exactly how old are you? You look a little old for Braden.”
At that, Braden finally jumped in. “Jesus, Nana, what’s with the inquisition? Zavier and I are in a relationship and will remain in one even after Eric has been caught. You don’t know him and shouldn’t be judging him like this. Don’t be rude.”
Nana looked like she was going to respond, but Cade reached over and grabbed Braden’s hand with his free hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed it, then leaned down to Braden and spoke softly, though not so quietly that Nana couldn’t hear him. “She’s not being rude, Bray, she’s being protective, and I have to say, I’d think much less of her if she wasn’t asking some of these questions. Let her ask me what she feels she needs to ask me, so I can reassure her and set her mind at ease.”
Nana apparently took that as a challenge. “Are you after my grandson’s money?”
Cooper had been drinking some water and nearly spit it out when she asked that question. Braden stiffened and admonished her. “Nana, that’s enough!”
Nana merely glanced his way, and then continued to calmly regard Cade. Cade grinned, not insulted in the least. “Ma’am, to answer one of your first questions, I’m 38, so ten years older than Braden. To be quite honest, I wasn’t aware that he even had any money, until he told me himself today.”
Nana raised an elegant eyebrow and continued to wait. Cade smiled again. “I assure you, ma’am, I am not after your grandson’s money. His money is actually the furthest thing from my mind. Foremost on my mind is keeping him safe.”
“Why should I believe you?”
Cooper finally couldn’t keep his mouth closed any longer, exasperated that his friend wasn’t defending himself. “Tell them, Cade.”
“Cooper, stay out of this.”
Cooper leaned closer to Braden. “Can you hand me your watch?”
Cade gave him a warning stare. “Cooper.”
Braden, completely confused, and feeling the beginnings of a headache, handed his watch over. Cooper took it and removed his own, handing them both over to Braden’s grandmother, who took them but didn’t look at them. “Ma’am, I know you’re being protective, and when it comes to Braden, it’s hard not to be, myself included, and my sister as well. You raised a really good man, really good, but what you need to understand is that Cade is an equally good man. He was my commanding officer in our unit, and he’s saved my life more times than I can count. He’ll save your grandson’s as well, should it be necessary. Though, we all hope it won’t be.”
Cooper leaned back, ignoring Cade’s glare, and focusing his attention on Nana. “I know for a fact that Cade is not after your grandson’s money because he has a ridiculous amount of his own. My watch is the one that is all metal, Braden’s has a leather band that he must have had made to fit that watch. Turn mine over, please, ma’am.”
Braden was beginning to understand what was going on and glanced over at Cade, his mouth agape. “Are you serious?”
Cade let out a gentle huff of air, his frustration with Cooper quite obvious. “It’s not really something that comes up in everyday conversation.”
Cade dug into one of his cargo pockets and pulled out a tiny metal rectangle case that he opened up and removed something from. He took Braden’s hand and dropped a couple of Ibuprofen into it, leaned forward for Braden’s water and handed that over as well.
Braden shook his head while swallowing the pills and laughed at both the situation with the watches and the fact that Cade knew he had a headache brewing. His grandmother, after watching them for a moment, looked at the back of Cooper’s watch, where the McCade family seal was stamped.
Cooper explained about the seal. “Cade’s great grandfather and grandfather were watchmakers, his father as well. They did OK for themselves, but it wasn’t a household name. Cade’s father was in the military and took over the watch business when he retired. Cade was military and two of his brothers as well and they, along with the rest of their family, found themselves talking years ago about the fact that there wasn’t a watch that could do everything they needed it to do. To make a long story short, they created McCade Military Watches. They began by only providing timepieces for the military, but pretty soon civilians wanted them as well. So, in other words, Cade’s need to work for a living ended in his late 20s. If he never wanted to work another day in his life he’d still have enough money for their children and probably their children’s children to live on.”
Cade shook his head in exasperation. “Are you done?”
Braden’s eyes popped wide. “Our children?”
Cade’s focus went from Cooper to Braden and saw the shocked look in his eyes. Cade’s face softened, looking at his man, who had been overwhelmed by everything since they’d walked into the restaurant. He leaned over and tipped Braden’s chin up. He smiled gently and teased. “What? You don’t want to have children with me?”
Braden’s mouth dropped open and then he closed it with a click of his teeth, shook his head, then his eyes shot open wide, and he nodded his head and sputtered, “I… What?”
Cade laughed, leaned in and kissed Braden’s temple. “I’m teasing you, Braden. That’s getting a little ahead of ourselves, even for me. Cooper was just t
rying to make his point, against my wishes, I might add.” That last bit he said much louder, and Cooper just shrugged.
Cade took a deep breath and was about to address Nana’s questions. He looked up and saw her watching them. Her demeanor had softened and he realized something must have clicked with her. “Did Cooper’s disclosure set your mind at ease?”
She glanced up at him and smiled a tentatively. She handed Cooper and Braden their watches and met Cade’s eyes again when she answered. “All that helped to do was verify that you’re not out to get Braden’s money. I’m sorry if I offended you with my questions and accusations. I’m scared for him. He’s the only thing I have left on this earth and he means everything to me. I don’t want anyone taking advantage of him or hurting him.”
Cade smiled. “I completely understand, Mrs. Cross. Let me assure you that I would never, ever, hurt Braden. I’m curious to know what it was that changed your mind.”
“You did.”
Cade raised a brow, his voice laced with confusion. “I haven’t done anything, ma’am.”
“Actually, in the last 30 minutes, you’ve done quite a bit. Many gay men would be scared to touch their partner in public, and yet, there hasn’t been a second that you haven’t been touching Braden in some small way, since we got out of the car. While we’ve been here, you’ve paid attention to everything that’s been said, and yet you’ve constantly been watching the room around us, searching for any threats to him. When one of the waiters leaned a little too closely to Braden, you noticed immediately that he got uncomfortable when he edged closer to you. You automatically pulled him in and warned the waiter off with a look. When you’re not looking around for any sign of a threat, you’re having a hard time keeping your eyes off of him. And you noticed Braden had a headache and you just so happened to have some pills for him.”
Cade rubbed his thumb between Braden’s eyebrows. “He’s overwhelmed and stressed out, having to tell you everything. When a headache is starting he gets these tension lines between his brows.”