by Natalie Ann
Andrea looked at him, then at Alex, just smiled and politely brought him to a booth. At least it didn’t look like she was going to make a production of it. Maybe he could just brush this off.
“You’re Mr. Popularity today. Does this happen often?” she asked.
“I spend a lot of time in restaurants and venues. I’m bound to always run into people who know me. Remember, we’re pretty well known in Charlotte too.”
“Have you ever been confused with one of your brothers? I mean you don’t look exactly alike and you do dress a little bit differently too.”
He laughed. “I’ve been called Brody before. Once Aiden, but never Mason. Mason just carries himself differently.”
“I noticed that. That you and Brody walk the same for the most part.”
“What way is that?”
“Cocky,” she said. “Very cocky.”
He laughed. “We are. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She leaned in and whispered, “After last night, I’d say you’ve got reason to be that way.”
He actually felt heat fill his face. “Thanks, I think.”
She grinned, then shook her head. “But in this case, Andrea is someone you dated, huh?”
So much for thinking he could get away with it. “How did you figure it out?”
“It was the way she looked you over, then me. She hesitated too long before she decided to not mention it. I appreciate it though.”
He sighed. “We saw each other on and off.”
“Friends with benefits,” she said. “Just like us?”
“Not like us. That isn’t what we’ve got,” he said. “We talked about that.”
“But you had it with her?”
He could lie, but decided not to. “Yes. Trust me. It’s not the same.”
“I want to ask why, but then you might have to give me details of that relationship and I really don’t want them.”
“Good, because I don’t want to give them.”
She nodded her head, they ordered their food, ate, and he brought her home.
She didn’t ask him in. She didn’t do much more than kiss his cheek and say, “See you around,” leading him to believe it might be a while before that actually happened.
Guilty of It
It’d been two weeks since she and Cade spent a wonderful twenty-four hours together. Since that time, they’d only talked a few minutes, texted a few more and hadn’t seen each other for anything other than work-related issues.
Alex was busy and she was thinking he was too. At least that was her excuse. Since they hadn’t talked all that much she wasn’t sure what his excuse was, if he even had one.
She’d told herself it was supposed to be a friends with benefits type of deal so that she didn’t get too attached, knowing that possibility could happen. That if there was one guy to pull her into wanting more, it’d be Cade Fierce. Hence the reason she was keeping her distance these past two weeks.
It didn’t matter. That old saying of “out of sight out of mind” wasn’t working in this instance at all.
But tonight they were going to spend a little bit of time together in front of his family. That was going to make it trickier.
Last time she and Cade were around his family, they were just working together, friends, really. This time they were more. Still friends. Still working together. But now lovers. If having sex multiple times in one night made them lovers.
She was thinking a lot of women Cade had been with in the past thought that. She didn’t want to be one of those women but knew she was guilty of it now.
“Hey, Mom,” she said when her mother walked into her office a little before closing. “What are you doing here this late?”
“I just wanted to come and see how you were doing.”
Alex frowned. “I’m fine. Where is that coming from?” Her mother didn’t make a habit of stopping by the shop to see her.
“Just that you don’t seem to be spending much time away from work lately. You’re so young. I would have sold the business if I knew you were going to turn it into something that you spent more time doing than not. You need a social life too.”
Her mother had been lecturing her about having a social life for years. Normally she ignored her, but today she just didn’t want to hear about it, so she said something she had no intention of saying prior to this visit. “I’m going out tonight. I’ve got a social life.”
Her mother’s face just lit up like the finale of the fireworks show on the Fourth of July. “You are? Where are you going? Who are you going with?”
“I’m going to listen to some music at Fierce tonight. Remember I told you how I got a big contract with Tessa? This is one of her bands. I did the fliers for Cade for this night and I thought it’d be nice to go show my support.”
Her mother didn’t need to know that Cade had texted her a few days ago and put a bug in her ear about showing up. She’d planned on it herself anyway; she didn’t need Cade to tell her it’d be a good idea to go.
“Is Cade going to be there?” her mother asked. Just like her mother seemed to bring up Cade’s name the most when talking about anything related to Fierce...or any new business for that matter.
“Of course. I’m sure most of the family will be there. From my understanding, they all make an appearance during events in the pub.”
“That family has such a great support system. I wish I could have given you something like that growing up.”
Alex stood up and walked over to her mother to put her hand on her shoulder. There were days that the grief still hovered around her mother like thunderclouds waiting to drop the rain. There wasn’t much Alex felt she could do other than try to talk about it.
“Are you okay, Mom? You and Dad always supported me in everything growing up. You were great parents; I hope you don’t think otherwise. Or that I’ve ever given you a reason to think that.”
“I don’t think that,” her mother insisted. “It’s just I look at families like the Fierce’s and wonder how I could have given you something like that growing up.”
Alex laughed. “Trust me when I say I wouldn’t want that growing up. The stories I’ve heard from Cade and about Cade...no, thank you. Too noisy, for one.”
“I didn’t realize you and Cade had gotten that close,” her mother said, her eyes rising a bit.
Damn it. It had been a ploy now; she could see it. “I haven’t seen much of him in weeks. We’ve only talked about business if you want to call that close.”
“Oh,” her mother said, her face drooping. “I thought maybe something was going on with you two.”
“We’re friends,” she said, trying to convince herself of that too.
“What’s wrong with being more than friends with him? Doesn’t he think you’re good enough for him?” her mother asked, crossing her arms.
“I have no idea what he thinks,” she said, knowing that statement was the truth at least. “And if there isn’t anything else you need, I have to finish up and go home to shower and change. The band starts at seven, but I wanted to get there earlier and grab a bite to eat.”
“Okay, I’ll get out of your hair. Have fun tonight.”
An hour later, Alex was driving around trying to find a parking spot and cursing under her breath. She wanted to blame her mother for running late, but the ten-minute conversation with her mother didn’t cause this.
Nope, it was her looking in her closet for twenty minutes again, trying to figure out what to wear. In the end, she put on a pair of skinny jeans, a tan and green shirt and the heels she’d had on the other night when she’d been with Cade. He liked them enough and she thought, why not give him something to look at tonight also?
But here she was at five after six, trying to make it to the parking lot in the back and praying she could find a spot that maybe an employee left open; otherwise she’d be walking a few blocks in those heels. Heels that were definitely meant for show and not strutting more than ten feet at a time.
&nbs
p; It ended up being a good thought when she saw someone pulling out and she swerved in fast, then walked around to the front of the building to get in.
She was guessing everyone else had the same idea as her and the place was packed already. “How many?” the hostess asked her, looking around at the people in the waiting area with drinks in their hands.
“She’s with me, Brittany,” Cade said, moving through everyone. “Come on, Alex.”
“How did you know I was here?” Alex asked.
“I saw you on the monitor pulling in the back.”
“What?” she asked, not sure what to think of that comment.
“I was in Ella’s office going over something and I recognized your car pull into the parking lot. There are cameras all over the property. I knew how packed it was in here and ran down to get you. Hope that was okay?”
“Of course.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were on the way?” he asked, ushering her to the bar by the back. “Aimee held these two seats for us.”
“I told you I planned on being here at six. I didn’t know I needed to text you that I was on the way too,” she said grinning at him.
“Ignore, Cade,” Brody said, walking down toward them at the end of the bar. “He gets a little possessive at times.”
“Really?” Alex asked, eying Brody, then Cade.
***
“I had Aimee save me these seats at her end of the bar, Brody,” Cade said. “Get lost and go back to the other end.”
What the hell? He didn’t need Brody making things worse right now. It was bad enough Alex seemed to be putting some distance between them and he felt he almost had to twist her arm to come tonight.
Brody laughed and then winked at Alex. “Give me a holler if you want to know any of Cade’s secrets.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“If I was really possessive,” he said in Alex’s ear, “I’d pull you in and kiss you like I did a few weeks ago, in front of everyone right now.”
He laughed when her eyes went wide. “You might be starting problems doing that.”
“What kind of problems?” he asked Alex. “Thanks, Aimee. We’ll order in a few minutes. I’ll get our drinks if you don’t mind.”
“Help yourself, Cade,” Aimee said, moving back to another customer.
“Kissing me in public is how rumors get started,” Alex said.
“Would it really be a rumor?” he asked, hoping he was able to keep the hurt from his voice.
She looked into his eyes, held his stare, but didn’t answer his question. “What’s good on tap?”
“Everything. What are you in the mood for?” he asked, walking behind the bar and grabbing two glasses.
“Give me what you’re having.”
“I can do that,” he said. “Do you know what you want to eat?” She was looking at the menu now while he was filling her glass. “I can just put the orders in too.”
“I think I just want a big messy burger. What’s the messiest one on the menu?”
“You are my kind of girl. The bourbon barbeque jack burger. It’s to die for.”
“Then that’s what I’ll have and let’s hope I live long enough to enjoy the music tonight,” she said.
He put the order in, then slid the beers in front of their two seats and walked back over, purposely brushing close to her, then putting his hand on her waist to give her a squeeze. When she sucked her breath in and flushed, it was good enough for him for the moment.
Such a Sucker
“What’s going on with you and Alex?” Brody asked two hours later. Alex had gotten up to go to the bathroom.
“Why?” Cade asked. He didn’t like the look in Brody’s eyes. It was bad enough that Brody had made that crack about him being possessive. That was all Alex needed to hear when he was trying his damnedest to spend time with her while it seemed she was doing everything imaginable to avoid him.
“Just curious. You seemed a little touchy-feely there with her for a minute. Not to mention the look in your eye.”
“What look is that?” he asked.
Brody leaned into the bar closer and lowered his voice. “Possessive. Like when Aiden made red velvet cupcakes and you stuck your finger in your mouth then swiped frosting off of half of them because you knew we wouldn’t eat them after you did that.”
He laughed. “It worked.”
“It won’t work with Alex if you lick your finger and run it down her cheek. And trust me, I know you’re dying to.”
Nothing got by his family. “She just wants to be friends.”
“And you?” Brody asked.
“More.”
“So? What is holding you back? Ask her out. Or better yet, ask her to bed because she’s out with you right now.”
He narrowed his eyes at his older brother of barely twenty minutes. “Let me deal with this on my own.”
“You slept with her, didn’t you?” Brody asked, squinting his eyes.
“What the hell, Brody?” Cade looked around and was glad to know no one could hear them with the music playing.
“Come on, Cade. I shared a room with you growing up. We always knew when the other got a piece of ass. Not to mention you’ve had your arm around her or leaning into her for hours. She isn’t pushing you away, but she isn’t grabbing you either. It’s more like comfort with an edge of wanting more on your end. What’s the matter, did you pull the trigger too fast on her? You always had to be the first one to get everywhere.”
“Asshole,” Cade said. “And for your information, I’m gentlemanly when it comes to that.”
“You’re such a sucker. I had no clue if you guys slept together, but sometimes you just don’t think before you speak. Now I know. So tell me, what’s going on?” he asked again.
Cade let out a sigh, then moved behind the bar quick to refill his and Alex’s drinks. He was switching over to soda now; she’d said she wanted another beer when she got up. “She just wants to be friends.”
“With benefits?” Brody asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“I’m not twenty anymore,” he said, scowling back. “Why can’t it be more?”
“I don’t know, why can’t it?” Brody asked.
Cade was trying to hold his anger in check but it wasn’t working. “I have to figure it out. I’m trying not to push right now. Sometimes when you push too hard, you push away. I did learn that much as a kid with you guys.”
“Glad to know something stuck. Here she comes.”
He grabbed their drinks and walked back around to the other end of the bar. “Sorry I was gone so long,” Alex said. “I saw Tessa in the hall and we were talking for a minute.”
“Not a problem. Here’s your beer.”
She picked it up, sipped it slowly, looked over the rim and gave him a wink. “You sure do seem to know what I like, don’t you?”
“We all have to be good at something.”
She laughed, then leaned into him a bit, reminding him what Brody said about her not doing that, proving Brody wasn’t always right. So he turned and looked over his shoulder to see Brody watching them closely. It might be a comfort lean, but there was a suggestion behind it and he was listening.
***
Alex was having the time of her life right now. The third time she’d been to a bar listening to music with Cade.
He was just so much fun to be around. People had been coming up to him all night long, but no one was flirting with him like before. It was more like patrons who knew he was an owner and just wanted to chat.
Then Tessa had come over and sung Cade’s praises while she thanked him for introducing the two of them, creating a good business relationship.
“I’ve got an idea,” Alex said to Cade.
“What’s that?”
“How about coasters with the Fierce logo on it, or change the logo slightly? Just lightweight ones that you could throw out if they get ruined, but they would last longer than a night for sure. Just to use them here at the bar.”
“I like that idea. See, it was good to have you come here and see what we’ve got going on. I’ll run it by Brody at the next meeting.”
“Thanks. I can try to get a few samples for you first if you want?”
She liked that he listened to her ideas. That he didn’t just place orders. Not all the customers wanted her input, but she was trying to be different.
“Just find a few examples from your vendors. We know you do good work. While you’re at it, a few glass ones might be nice to sell here at the shop.”
She’d noticed that there was a shop here at the pub with a few items but on a much smaller scale than the brewery shop.
“I can do that,” she said.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “Tessa is waving me over for something.”
“I’ll be sitting right here waiting for you to come back to me.”
When he turned and stared at her, she realized that maybe she shouldn’t have said those words. Or said them with a husky voice, only she couldn’t help it. It was like Cade knew every button to push with her tonight. From what to say, where to touch, how to smile. Everything about him and his actions gave off something much more than friends and she was thinking many noticed.
“Hey, Alex. Having a good time?”
She looked over to see Brody standing there grinning at her. No, he was smirking the same way that Cade did at times.
“Yes. This is great. Of course this is the second time I’ve heard this band with Cade, but it’s much better here.”
“We aim to please. Cade treating you well?” he asked, filling an order that a waitress just brought over. She noticed that he and Aimee had switched ends of the bar for the moment.
“Of course. Why?”
“Just asking. He seems a bit smitten with you.”
She choked on the beer she was sipping. “Smitten. Nah, you’re seeing something that isn’t there.”
“Am I?” Brody asked. “I could say the same look is in your eyes tonight too when you look at him.”
This time she started to cough. “No. Really? You can see that?”
