Chapter Fourteen

CAYDEN

I’m leaning against her building, waiting for her to exit. I know she hasn’t yet, because my office called up to hers to see if we could have a meeting tomorrow and she answered, accepting the offer.

So, I’m here, stalking her, like a psycho.

Twenty minutes later, she emerges. I move to her with my iced coffee and she stops. “Cayden? We have a meeting tomorrow. Why are you here?”

I grin as her lips turn into a smile. “I need us to keep the peace. We’ve had a rocky road as of late.”

Hadley sighs. “Yeah, but I was prepared to see you tomorrow. I have to go. I can’t talk today. I’m not ready.” She starts to walk away.

I’m not sure what she’s supposed to be ready for. All I asked for was a meeting. Which was really just a ploy to see her again. I would’ve made some bullshit up, but when the idea of seeing her again tomorrow became possible, I couldn’t wait.

“Dinner.”

“What?”

Here goes my Hail Mary. “Have dinner with me.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to take you out to dinner. You have to eat, don’t you? I think we can manage to share a meal?”

“But…we have a meeting tomorrow.”

“Yes, but I’m hungry and I’d like to just talk.”

Her pause gives me hope. “One meal. No sex.”

Victory is mine.

“I will do my best to keep you from mauling me.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’ll be the issue,” she says with a smile. “So, where are you taking me?”

“Come on, let’s find out.”

We head to the subway and go a few stops toward the theater district. “You’re taking me to a show?”

“I said dinner, but if I was planning a show, it would be Wicked .”

“Oh, because you identify with Elphaba?” she asks.

“I am totally the good witch here.”

Hadley snorts. “Please. Did you know my cousin is on Broadway?”

“What?”

She nods. “Sebastian, Melanie’s brother. He has a pretty big role and, not to sound biased, but he’s amazing and has always had a flare for the dramatics.”

“A family trait considering your uncle is a big Hollywood star. Must be hard growing up in the Arrowood family, with everyone around you always in the spotlight.”

Her whole family is pretty fucking amazing. Her dad was a Navy SEAL, Declan is some mogul in business, Sean just retired from being a major league star who hit a walk off in the World Series, and then Jacob Arrowood is…well, Jacob Arrowood.

Hadley grins before bumping my arm with her shoulder. “It has its challenges. Our family worked really hard to protect us though. We spent a lot of time on the farm to avoid the spotlight. It’s crazy because we’re all pretty grounded. Deep family values with strict parents.”

I laugh at that one. “I know it all too well. My parents weren’t really strict, they just have very high expectations of us. I never wanted to disappoint my mom, she’d been through hell after my dad’s suicide.”

I don’t talk about it a lot. There’s really not much to say, but I want to be open with Hadley. I want her to see this isn’t just some fuckfest, I want more.

“I remember you mentioned it.”

I nod. “I was ten. I remember everything from that day. My mother’s face, the lights outside my house, and then learning he was dead. I didn’t know how he died, just that he was gone. Mom protected us from the truth for a long time.”

“I’m so sorry, Cayden,” Hadley takes my hand in hers and I wrap my fingers around it, not wanting to let go.

She looks at our joined hands as we walk down 44th Street. I talk so she doesn’t try to remove hers. “We all survived. I’m more upset at all the things he missed. He loved watching Logan play ball, and he’ll never see him in front of thousands of Yankee fans screaming his name. He’ll never see us get married or have kids. I was angry for a really long time. Now, I’m more sad than anything.”

“It’s difficult to forgive, I’m sure.”

I nod. “You understand that.”

I know about Hadley’s past as well. During a lecture on protective orders and the issues the legal system needs reformed most, Hadley became very, very angry. She and our professor went toe-to-toe until she finally screamed that unless he’d been a little girl screaming as she ran to get help as her mother was being beaten within an inch of her life, he could keep his opinion to himself.

“I do. Kevin, my mother’s ex-husband who I thought was my father for years, did things that I can’t really ever understand. I’m…lucky though. My mother was brave and my real dad found us. However, Daddy is incredibly protective of his girls. Bethanne and I never discussed boys around him. It was better for everyone.”

“So, I should be worried when we meet?”

Her eyes fill with a million questions. “Are you thinking you’re going to meet my dad?”

“Once you finally admit you’re in love with me, it’s going to happen.”

Hadley laughs. “In love with you? I think you’re a bit ahead of yourself there, buddy.”

Not a denial. “Allow me to rephrase. Are you in love with me?” I ask, standing outside of the restaurant my client owns, where he’s set up a table in a cozy nook where we can finally talk.

Her mouth parts, closes, and then opens again. “I…don’t…we have to talk.”

“I thought so.”

I open the door and wave her inside where we head to our table. We order a bottle of wine, and the waiter lets me know the chef has already prepared our menu. Hadley asks for her wine glass to have soda instead.

She looks around and pulls her lower lip between her teeth. “How in the world did you ever find this place?”

“The owner is a client of mine. He also happens to have the best Italian food in New York.”

“I’m a happy girl. ”

“Good. I’m also going to pretend it’s not because of the food, but because of the company you’re with.”

“Pretend away.” She pulls the glass to her lips, taking a small sip, but I see the smile behind it.

“I know our meeting is tomorrow, but I wanted to discuss it beforehand.”

“So, this isn’t a date?”

“It’s a date,” I clarify.

“With career intentions behind it.”

I shake my head. “No, I never should’ve said it, but…” I reach out, pulling her hand to mine, and laying the other on top. “I’m on shaky ground here, Hadley. I have spent the last two weeks doing everything I can to get you out of my head and instead, you’ve taken up residence. If I’m honest, it’s been like this since college.”

“You terrify me, Cayden.”

“Why?” She tries to pull her hand back, but I don’t want her to do that. “Don’t pull away.”

“If I don’t, you’re going to hate me.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I won’t be able to stop myself from falling so hard, so incredibly hard that I will never be able to get up again.”

I move closer, needing her to hear this, knowing there may never be another chance to tell her how I feel. Hadley has trust issues, I know all too well, and I haven’t exactly given her a reason to trust me. I want that chance though, and I am going to lay it all out now and hope like hell she doesn’t run away. “I’ll lift you up. I’ll carry you if your legs won’t work. I’ll hold you together if you are falling apart. You may be worried about falling, Hadley Arrowood, but I’m already there. I’m on the ground, asking you to sit with me because I think we could be something pretty damn amazing. Give me a chance to show you how much you mean to me already.”

Hadley’s eyes are brimming with tears. “I’m pregnant.”