As Cade pulled them out into traffic, she marveled at how comfortable she was with him, at how right this felt - him driving them somewhere, them spending time together.
“So,” Cade smiled, “I know berries are on the list. Anything else?”
“I like to see what they have, but I was thinking apricots, salad greens, and some herbs.” Lucy gazed out the window, taking in the town. “This place is really cute, quaint.”
Most of the small towns she’d visited or driven through before had seemed run down and relatively uninhabited, but Pine Haven Falls had a vibrancy to it. Sure, there were a few buildings whose paint jobs were a bit faded, but they were in good repair and bustling with activity. It was clear people did more than shop here.
“Quaint.” Cade chuckled. “Not the word I’d choose for Pine Haven.”
“Why not?” Lucy glanced at Cade, appreciating his strong profile. “I think the mishmash of architectural styles is charming.”
Cade laughed at that, and Lucy felt her heart stutter at the sight of his unguarded joy. Just when she’d thought he couldn’t get any more handsome.
Man, he really was something else.
Lucy saw a huge house with enormous garage doors along one side.
“Is that the fire department?”
“Yes.” Cade nodded. “And the library isn’t far from here. Have you been there yet?” He took another turn and Lucy recognized the area. They were getting close to the farmer’s market.
“You guys have a library?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” He glanced at her with a smile. “We may be small, but Pine Haven’s a fully functioning town.”
“Sorry,” she chuckled. “Most of my experiences with small towns have been driving through on road trips where all you see is a tiny part of it - the town square, shops, and stuff like that. It’s hard to imagine people actually living there.”
“Well, we definitely live here.”
“I can see that.” She grinned. “And I’m glad you do. I’m glad we met, Cade.”
Had that really just been this morning? Man, as he pulled into the parking lot, it felt like they’d done this a million times, like they’d been together for ages.
Lucy glanced at Cade again as he parked the car. There was just something about him… something for her. And she was going to go with the flow and find out what it was.
Cade left the car running after he put it in park. “Lucy, before we mingle with the other locals, there’s something you need to know.”
She sat up at his serious tone, uncrossing her ankles and putting her feet flat on the floorboards as dread crept into the pit of her belly.
“Don’t tell me you’re married.”
That would be her luck. She finally meets the perfect guy, and he turns out to be just like the assholes she’d dated in California.
“No.” Cade held up his hands. “Nothing like that. Not yet, anyway.”
Lucy frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, which spurred him on.
“I mean, one day I’d like to get married. But I don’t have a wife, not yet.”
At least he was telling the truth. The earnestness in his voice and eyes was a dead giveaway. Something tugged at Lucy’s heart as Cade ran his hand through his dark hair and down his neck.
God, she was being rude, wasn’t she?
“Sorry. I’m being sensitive.” She admitted, thinking of her dating history. “I just don’t like being a side gig.”
Especially not with him.
Not that that made any sense either, but something about Cade felt different from every other guy she’d known. Better. Important. Perfect.
