The back door slammed.Obviously confused, Loopy cocked her head and whimpered.“It’s okay, girl,” he soothed.Lied.
The muted sound of a car engine reached him.He went to a window and stared.Because it was dark, he could see her lights for miles.She exited the main gate, handled the bump gate like a pro then continued driving.What was he hoping?That she’d stop?Turn around?Come back?Be satisfied with the scraps of affection and the lack of emotion that he was offering?
Sofia was right.She deserved better.
Once her tail lights disappeared, he went to his study.That, too, was ironic in its predictability.
Loopy walked past, to the kitchen, maybe to the back door?
He poured himself a double of Julien’s finest and sat in the chair, feet propped on the windowsill.
There was a temptation, burning and urgent, to down the whiskey in a single gulp.But striving for a semblance of humanity, he took only a small sip.At first, anyway.
Sofia had said she was sorry she’d reopened the wound.But she needn’t have apologized for that.It had never been closed in the first place.And now he had another to go on top of it.
Until he’d met Sofia, he’d never made the mistake of falling in love with a woman.He’d constructed his life carefully to avoid spending extended time with anyone, but with her determination, her sexiness, the way she’d tried to create a home in the short time she’d been at the Running Wind—from the flowers on the table to the sun tea he still hadn’t dumped—she’d worked her way inside his heart.
He’d be taking bets on which one of them had been stupider.
Civility failed him, and he downed the rest of the drink.
Loopy was still sleeping near the back door when Cade went into the kitchen right before dawn.
* * * *
Someone kicking the bottom of his booted foot jolted him awake.
“Rise and shine,” Nathan said.
“What in the actual fuck?”Cade struggled to sit up and adjusted his hat, squinting against the glare of the late-June sun.
“If Connor were here, I’d let him take the first swing,” Nathan continued, adding an annoying cheerful smile.
“That’s brotherly love for you.”
“I take it you forgot I was coming?”
“What?”Cade shook his head and instantly regretted it.“What day is it?”
“Saturday.You missed the family meeting, didn’t respond to calls.Told your foreman, Ed, that you were taking some time off.So I thought I’d still come down and keep you company.Maybe play some horseshoes.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face, feeling stubble.“Horseshoes.”He had no recollection of falling asleep outside.Probably hadn’t been sleep, he realized.More like a stupor, if the empty bottle of very expensive whiskey was anything to judge by.
“Shower,” Nathan said.“I’ll make breakfast.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Actually, no you won’t.You’ll rejoin the land of the living.Coffee is the reward.”
Since the scrawny Nathan probably could take him right now, Cade opted for a shower.That would at least put him on equal footing for the upcoming discussion.“How long are you staying?”
“Couple weeks.”
He accepted Nathan’s generous hand up.“Weeks.”
“Depends.”He shrugged.“Maybe longer.Audit the books.Inventory the house.”
“The fuck?”
