by Natalie Ann
“It seems you guys are going to keep grilling me if I don’t answer, correct?”
“You know we are,” Mia said. “All you had to do was say it was a flop and then we’d move on. But you haven’t. You’re avoiding it or changing the subject which means it’s more.”
“And you’re all nosy,” he said back.
“Concerned,” his father said back.
“You too, huh?”
“I had to drive here with the three of them like hens pecking for grain. They wouldn’t shut up about it. I’m shocked they lasted this long,” his father said.
Which told him he better give them something. “Her name is Sarah Walker.”
“How did you meet?” Mia asked. “You know we are just going to keep asking you questions.”
He was fine with that. This way he wouldn’t say more than he had to and really hated talking about his personal life. He’d answer what he chose to. “She’s the OR nurse at the doctor’s where I got my stitches.”
“Caden,” Morgan said. “You were hitting on the nurse.”
“Flirting,” he said. “And she was doing it right back, but professionally. We didn’t talk or see each other, not even exchange numbers until my final appointment. It was more like testing the waters.”
“So she knows what you do for a living?” his mother asked. “She had to have seen where you live and where you work. Are you sure she isn’t like one of those other women in your past just looking for more than you want?”
He wanted to scowl but didn’t. They only had his best interests at heart. If he told them more, maybe they’d back off. “First off, she didn’t look at that information and didn’t know those things until our first date. She wanted to be surprised. She knew where I lived because her brother doesn’t live far from here and a few days after I got my stitches she was walking her niece and recognized me.”
“Sounds a little bit like fate,” Morgan said. Morgan always was the more romantic of his sisters.
“Again, she knew you bought this house,” his mother said.
“Which isn’t nearly as big as half the houses in this development. But the only reason she really noticed me is she has a connection to the Butlers who built the development. She knew this was Ryan Butler’s house. Her brother, Harris, is married to Kaelyn Butler. Kaelyn’s father and brothers run the business now along with their uncle and cousins. Ryan’s one of the cousins.”
“Makes more sense,” his father said. “Harris Walker?”
He should have figured his father would catch on that. “Yes.”
“The retired Mets pitcher?” his father asked.
“Yes. So as you can tell, it’s not like she isn’t used to being surrounded by wealth. So put that all out of your minds.”
“Or put it back in our minds,” Morgan said. “She’s a nurse. That’s a far cry from what her brother or his wife and wife’s family has.”
“Enough,” he said. “I’m not going to have you guys judge her. She didn’t even want to tell me who her brother was because she’s had enough people in her life just want to be with her to get to him. I get it to a point, but I’m not like that and she knows it. She’s a great person. She went with me to pick out Jet and I like her. She’s not after my money.”
His sisters looked at his parents and he knew what was going on in their minds. He’d never had much of a temper or an outburst like that.
“Then it’s more than a few dates?” Mia asked.
“Yes. It’s only been a few weeks, but it’s not like the women in Manhattan and that is what you asked.”
That should shut them all up. But it didn’t. “Does she know why you moved here?” his mother asked.
“She knows I moved here for a promotion. It’s not a secret.”
“Come on, Caden,” Morgan said. “We all know you would have gotten that there. What we want to know is if she knows what caused you to get out of the city. Your health?”
“My health is fine,” he said back. “You all see it. I take my blood pressure daily and it’s stable and normal. My stomach is good. No meds, not even antacids.”
“And we are proud of you. You look wonderful,” his mother said. “You look very healthy. You’ve gained some weight back and you’re eating much better than the rest of us.”
“Exactly. So there is no reason for her to know about it.”
“Yes and no,” his father said. “I understand what you’re saying, but that was a major event that caused this change. It might not apply to you personally now, but it was the cause or the effect. However you want to look at it, it was there. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
He was though, and there was no reason to even argue that he wasn’t. “It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past. I’m not that person. I don’t live and breathe my job like I did before.”
“Since you haven’t been on your phone or your laptop much at all since we’ve been here, we have to believe that,” his mother said.
“Unless he’s doing work in bed at night so we don’t see him,” Morgan said.
“Thanks for that, but the answer is no. I’ve got a good balance. I work more than a forty hour workweek and I always will, but my job and career aren’t consuming my every waking moment.”
“Has it been hard to balance?” his mother asked. She’d know the most. They were close and though he didn’t think he was a Mama’s boy like Sarah picked on him about, they’d spent a lot of time together when he was modeling and she was there with him.
Not only that, she’d always been the one to pull him aside and tell him to take a breather. That he was pushing himself too hard. That he didn’t always have to be the best.
But he wanted to be the best.
The best was what got him here now though. It consumed too much of his life.
He should be happy where he was and he finally thought he was getting there.
If only everyone would just believe him.
And three hours later, he was pretty sure he’d gotten through to his family. That he’d convinced them he was doing well and would keep in touch.
He told them to drive safe and shut the door on them, went to sit on the couch and put his feet up, then remembered he had to wash the sheets and towels from their stay and got back up to take care of that.
He didn’t think he was OCD, but if he didn’t do it now he was afraid he’d forget.
Once the laundry was going and Jet was lying down for a nap, he picked up his phone and sent Sarah a text that his house was empty and quiet and wondered how her Easter Sunday was going.
It didn’t take her long to reply back that it was fine once she got the attention off of her and the ninety questions about her new beau.
He laughed and wondered how that came up and figured they could talk about it. He texted, If you’re still at Harris’s and wanted to stop here when you’re done, I’d love to see you.
He hit send before he could stop to think if that was overkill.
When he read she’d be there in an hour, he decided it wasn’t at all.
16
Worth It
Sarah had been shocked to get the text from Caden, but thrilled at the same time.
She was hoping she’d get to see him today but didn’t want to ask either.
Her phone had been in her back pocket so that she wouldn’t miss a text from him and she wondered if that might have shown her cards when she reached for it fast, read the text and grinned.
“Message from your beau?” Christian asked, having caught her.
She used to like Christian better than Evan, but today they were both on her shit list. “Don’t be jealous you’re still single.”
“Burn,” Kaelyn said to her older brother. “But answer us anyway, Sarah. You’re grinning at your phone.”
“Fine,” she said. “Yes. His family just left and he asked if I was still here and wanted to stop over when I left.”
“Or you could ask him to come here,” her mother said.
&nbs
p; “No,” she said. “I wouldn’t do that to him.”
“Another time,” Harris said. “Because I want to meet the guy.”
“We’ve been dating for a few weeks. Get a grip. We didn’t meet Kaelyn that fast.”
“Your sister is right,” Kaelyn said.
“I think everyone needs to give Sarah some space,” Judy said. “And I’m sorry for my sons’ horrible manners. Their time will come and then you can give them crap.”
“We will,” Kaelyn said.
“Definitely,” Sarah said back, then texted Caden she’d be there in an hour.
And when she was walking in the front door, he all but grabbed her and had her in his arms, his mouth on hers telling her that though it might have only been a few weeks, their bodies were saying it felt like a lot longer.
Her arms went around his neck, her mouth yielding to his. When he lifted his head, she said, “Now that was one hell of a welcome.”
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve been thinking of this.”
“That bad of a visit with your family?” she asked.
“Actually it was a great visit. They love the house. They love the area. Morgan wouldn’t let go of Jet.”
Jet was now running around the house and stopped to come jump on her legs. She bent down to pick the puppy up. “I can see why when he’s such a cutie. I don’t want to let go of him either.”
“Kind of like me,” he said and then she saw he might not have wanted to let those words slip out and it just reminded her that all the defending she’d done of him was worth it.
“That’s very sweet,” she said. “I might feel the same way.”
“Come on in and sit. So you were getting questioned about me? How did they find out? Did you say good or bad things about me?”
She laughed and sat next to him on the couch, his arm around her. She cuddled under his shoulder and laid her head on his chest, the dog now on his lap while they both pet him. “Kaelyn saw my car here and mentioned something to Harris, who drove by to make sure it was my car. It just snowballed from there.”
“I should get used to stuff like that. I’m used to living in an area with so many people that almost never happens.”
“It happens a lot here. Especially in the development even though it’s huge. Almost everyone at dinner today lives here.”
“Which is who?” he asked.
“Kaelyn’s parents, Harris, obviously, Kaelyn’s brother Evan. Not sure where her brother Christian lives as he flips houses and then lives in them. Harris’s parents don’t live here though but they live in North Colonie.”
They were in the South end right now. “So everyone there knows?” he asked.
“Yes. It started with my family, but then later on Christian was just talking to his parents about the development and mentioned the new guy who bought Ryan’s house called the other day.”
He laughed. “That is news at a holiday dinner?”
“I think they were just chatting. But my sister-in-law asked why you called him. She used your name and of course that is what started the conversation all over again when Evan wanted to know how she knew your name.”
“So, what did you tell them about me?”
She tilted her head up to see what his expression might be. “Just curious or more?”
“Definitely curious. Not sure how much until you tell me what was said.”
“Are you worried you might have people knocking on your door to meet you?” she asked.
“Not really. I’m not easily intimidated by people.”
She believed that. Many were in awe of her brother, but she didn’t think Caden was. “Not even Harris?”
He frowned. “Sure, your brother is a big guy and he is your older brother. But if you think I’m intimidated by his wealth or status, sorry to break it to you, I’m not that kind of guy. I’ve got clients that could buy and sell your brother back many times over. I’ve done deals with other professional athletes that were bigger names and had more clout than Harris.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised to hear that, but it was just so much out of her realm of reality. She didn’t believe Caden had her brother’s kind of wealth, but the truth was, she had no clue and he was easily worth millions, she’d bet. That was a given with his career and current position.
“I get it. I’m just not used to this. Harris is kind of a big deal around here. Sure, there are plenty with his wealth or more, but he was just more well known.”
“Well, if you’re worried that I’m worried, rest assured it never crossed my mind.”
“Okay,” she said. She wasn’t sure how to take that. It could go a lot of ways. Maybe he wasn’t as vested as she was starting to feel. Maybe Evan was right and Caden was set in his ways and it wasn’t going to change.
She wondered if he was detached at times, but then there were moments that she realized she was the crazy one.
Moments where she could see it in his eyes that he was feeling more than something surface.
“And now you aren’t sure what to think,” he said sighing. “What did you tell them about us? Then I’ll let you know what I went through with my family and us.”
“I didn’t know your family knew about me,” she said, nervous now. It should be a good thing they knew, or that he’d told them, but the way he said it made her think it didn’t go so well.
“You talk first,” he said.
“Fine. There isn’t much to say. They wanted to know how we met. I told them. It was pointed out that Kaelyn and Harris met the same way. She was his physical therapist. So they cut me some slack on that.”
“Slack for what? Did they think it was unprofessional? We didn’t date until I wasn’t your patient anymore.”
“Which I told them. It was fine. Anyway...” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to bring up the fact they mentioned he was older and probably set in his ways and figured why not. She was wondering it herself too. “There were a few comments about you being older and still single and why. Evan might have joked you were married to your job and I said you might have been before, but didn’t seem to be now.”
He laughed. “Did you tell them I was an overachiever for them to say that?”
“No,” she said. “It might have drilled the point home more. But since Evan is just two years younger than you and still single. He’s the one who said men don’t change at this age and that for whatever reason you’re single would still be the case, I’d have to get used to it. It was thrown in his face he’d be single forever then.”
“Sounds like an interesting day indeed. Did you defend me?”
“I did. I said you didn’t seem to be too married to your job that I could see, but I couldn’t speak of your time prior. It’s only been a few weeks and for them to all get off my back.”
Get off her back? He was thinking there was more that she wasn’t saying, but she’d said enough and he wondered what she was thinking about it all.
He was standing behind what he’d said to his family. There was no reason for Sarah to know what had tipped the scales for him to make lifestyle changes. It was in his past. This was his present.
“You know I came here for a promotion and a change. From where I was living to here shows I’m capable of changing,” he pointed out.
“Which I said too. And it’s none of their business. Anyway. It’s all good. They wanted you to come and meet them but I said no. That’s nuts.”
He wasn’t sure what to think of that statement either. But it had only been a few weeks, and though he knew Sarah was nothing like the other women he dated, he wasn’t one to just dive into things fast either.
Though this was faster than he’d ever moved before.
“So what do you think?”
“About what?” she asked. “I know you and there isn’t anything that I can see that makes me think you’re so stuck in your ways that it pushes women away. I do know your flaws and have pointed them out. I’m sure I’ve got plenty of them and you’ll have no problem
pointing them out to me too.”
“I haven’t seen too many of them yet,” he said.
“Which is nice and sweet, but we all have them. I have huge trust factors with men. Even women. I told you that. Or hinted to it.”
“Because people tended to get close to you to get to Harris. I told my family that. I told them about your brother.”
She looked up and frowned at him. “Why would you tell them about Harris?”
And now he had to wonder what he should say to her but figured if she was honest enough to tell him about her day and what sounded like her defense of him, he had to do the same. “You asked how they knew about us. The night of our first date Morgan had called me. I think I told you that. She was on my case about being alone here and I confessed I was going on a date, then hung up on her when she asked me more questions.”
Sarah laughed. “You didn’t tell me that part.”
“My sisters can be nosy, but they mean well. They hadn’t brought it up again until this weekend. They alluded to it and I kept changing the subject. Then earlier today my mother cornered me and when I changed the subject again, they said it had to be more than one date because otherwise I’d say it flopped.”
“Makes sense. We didn’t flop though.”
He kissed her on the top of her head. “No, we didn’t. But they wanted to know how we met and so on.”
“And little by little they started to think I was with you for your money? Like other women in your past?” she asked.
“Kind of. That’s why I brought up Harris. I said you have been around wealth. It’s not like you’re someone stepping up in life or looking to.”
She moved out from under his arm. “Great. That’s a wonderful thing for your family to think of me. At least my family wasn’t that insulting.”
Shit. This wasn’t going well at all. He’d never had to worry about this before because he didn’t talk about his personal life with his family in the past. There had been no reason to.
Now all of a sudden everyone was in his face about his life and because he knew he’d scared them he was trying to relieve their minds and was doing a shitty job of it with Sarah.
