The one attached to him like a monkey, kissed his cheek. “Of course we’ll share our cake. Mine is going to be lemon with vanilla frosting, and Isa is having chocolate with cookie frosting.”
“There’s my favorite boy!” A tall, very thin blonde, clearly their mom, hugged Cage as soon as he set his sister down.
Gorgeous mother.
Beautiful sisters.
And me: scraggly girl hanging out on the porch with hair that looked like it barely survived the long flight and most likely hideous bags sagging under my tired eyes as well.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet Lake Jones.” He held out his hand.
I smiled past my overwhelming fear and stepped in the house, accepting his hand.
“Lake, this is my mom, Brooke Hathaway.” Cage pulled me into his side.
His mom’s eyes moved over our joined bodies and a big smile grew along her face. “Lake, it’s a true pleasure to meet you.” She held out her hand.
“You too, Mrs. Hathaway.” I shook her hand.
“Brooke, only Brooke, dear.”
“Brooke.” I nodded with a smile.
“This is Hayden and Isa.” Brooke rolled her eyes as the girls latched onto Cage again. “Girls, put Dora and Diego on the back porch then go get showered.” Brooke motioned us in and shut the door behind me. “They’re just a little excited to seeyou.”
Cage grinned. “Well, it worked out perfectly. We’re on our way back to Minnesota from Beijing. Lake had a business trip there.”
Brooke wrapped her white hoodie jacket around her as if the door being opened had let in too much cool air. “You’ve been in China?” She gave Cage a wide-eyed look. That confirmed it for me—Cage didn’t fly halfway around the world for just any girl.
“Yes.” He led me toward the kitchen. “Lake tests robotic legs for this cutting-edge company. She was testing swimming and climbing limbs. She’s amazing.”
I wanted to crawl under the kitchen table. Amazing was never the word I used to describe myself. Brooke looked at my legs. They were both covered by my jeans and Nikes. I only wore my pretty leg… well, when I wanted to look and feel pretty which seemed to be quite often since Cage arrived in Beijing.
“Car accident.” I pulled up on the left pant leg of my jeans.
Brooke’s head jutted forward as her eyes squinted a bit. “Wow, that’s a prosthesis?”
“Crazy, right?” Cage grinned. “It has hair-like follicles, veins on the top of the foot; and the heel, and the ball of the foot is slightly pink.”
Yes, in those few days, Cage became an expert on my many legs.
“That’s incredible.”
I shrugged. “It’s basically a regular prosthetic leg underneath a cosmetic silicone leg. I call it my pretty leg. I have several to wear with different high heels as well.”
“You told me they’re your sexy legs.”
With my blushing face, I turned to Cage who was biting into an apple, and leaned up against the granite countertop of the kitchen island. “Yes…” I gritted my teeth behind my tight smile “…but since we’re talking to yourmom,I’m using pretty instead of sexy, but thanks for correcting me.”
“You’re welcome.” He winked.
I shook my head while releasing a nervous laugh.
“Cage inherited his father’s gift of bluntness.” Brooke gave her son a challenging look.
“Mmm, maybe.” He didn’t appear the least bit bothered by that assessment. “Where’s Rob?”
“On call. He had a patient get her tooth knocked out, so he left about an hour ago.”
