Part One
Chapter One
Cade Martinmade it a rule to keep his head down, figuratively and literally. It was how he’d survived up to that point, and he figured it would keep working at least a little longer.
So when he heard the laughter and the surge of noise as a group of new arrivals joined the cafeteria line, he didn’t really pay any attention. He was working the sandwich bar, slapping vegetables and cold cuts onto whatever bread the customer requested, following their instructions about condiments and seasonings. It was actually Cade’s least favorite job, the one that required the most interaction with the customers, but most of the other staff were older and not too quick, so he was assigned to sandwiches whenever the line got long.
Which it currently was. “White, wheat, multigrain, or cheese?” he asked without looking up.
There was a longer pause than there should have been, and Cade cast his eyes briefly toward the customer. Oh. The golden boy. The one who always wanted to smile and chat, as if there was something interesting to say about sandwich toppings, and as if there wasn’t a long line of students behind him. “What kind of bread?” Cade prompted.
“What do you recommend?”
Cade didn’t have time for this. He grabbed two slices of cheese bread and slapped them on the cutting board. The golden boy usually wanted cheese bread. “What would you like on it?”
The guy frowned for just a moment, then said, “What’s good today?”
“It’s mass-produced. It’s the same every day.” And in case that sounded like he was a less than enthusiastic promoter of his employer’s fine products, he added, “It’s all good. Every day.”
“That’s pretty reassuring, isn’t it? A little consistency in a world that sometimes seems to change every time you blink?”
“There’s a line behind you, sir. What would you like on your sandwich?”
“I can’t decide how I feel about being called ‘sir’,” the guy tried. “Is it a sign of respect and your focus on providing good customer service, or is it actually kind of distancing, a way to emphasize a lack of friendliness?”
“Maybe both,” Cade said. “You’re heading for ham and cheese. If that’s what you want, keep talking. If you want something else, let me know.”
The guy sighed. “Turkey,” he said, as if having to speak his order was a symbol of everything that was wrong with the world. “And bacon. Havarti, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise. Salt and pepper. Pickle on the side, one of those big dills. Please.”
Cade got to work. He kept his head down, his eyes focused on the sandwich bar, but his ears were harder to direct.
“You’re back working here this year, huh?” the golden boy asked. “Well, obviously you are. Stupid question. I meant I remember you from last year. But we never really talked much. Never got to know each other.”
Cade lifted his gaze for a quick, daring moment. “Did you get to know therestof the cafeteria staff?” he asked scornfully.
But the golden boy smiled and nodded. “Most of them. Daria’s a bit like you—she’s pretty quiet. I know she’s got a grandson who plays guitar. That’s about it. But Mary and Louisa and Ron?” He grinned at the people behind the counter, and Cade knew without looking that they’d be smiling back. “I know them. But you? If you weren’t wearing that tag, I wouldn’t even know your name.”
“Look good?” Cade asked pointedly.
The guy seemed a little surprised, but then he grinned and nodded. “Yeah, you look good. I mean, the apron’s not exactly flattering—”
“Thesandwich. Does the sandwich look good?”
The guy glanced down at it. “Oh. Yeah, sure. I’m sure it’ll be delicious.”
“Okay. Have a nice day.”
The guy looked like he was maybe going to say a little more, but instead he turned to the girl behind him in line, shrugged philosophically, and slid his cafeteria tray further along the line. “See you later, Cade,” he said as he went.
The girl was tall and thin and blonde, with a cheerful smile that showed perfect white teeth. “Hi! I’m Andrea.”
“What kind of bread would you like?”
“Multigrain, please. And then a veggie sandwich. Every veggie. No cheese, no condiments.” Cade could tell she was smiling by the sound of her voice, but he wasn’t looking at her as he began assembling her sandwich.
“Sorry if Aiden was a bit annoying. He’s pathological, I swear. He needs to be friends witheverybody.”
“No problem.”
