24

Britta

Sunday dawns with two startling realizations.

One: Elyse’s party is over. That means my career may be too.

And two: Cash remembers me.

Not only does he remember me, but he dreamt about me and wondered who it was who starred in his late-night imaginations. And he inked his skin with my scent, not even realizing that it originated from our kiss.

The best kiss of his life, he said.

I snuggle deeper into my covers with a silent squeal. Sage paws at the bed, kneading biscuits into the soft down coverlet.

“Good morning, sweet angel,” I say, reaching down to pat the spot beside me. She ambles over and rolls her head onto my palm, letting me scratch her behind the ears.

Her contented purrs take me back to last night and Cash’s gentle coaxing as he kissed me on the back of his bike. Pure elation hums through me at the memory. I run a finger over my still swollen lips, remembering each gentle press of his, every hot, need-fueled second of being in his arms. And the desperate edge to his voice when he begged me not to push him away, pleaded with me to let him love me.

Tears sting my eyes, and I struggle to blink them away. How long have I prayed for someone to love me, to want me, just as I am? How long have I waited for Cash to catch up to me, only to realize that he was there the whole time? How much time have I wasted with Todd when I could’ve been spending it with the man who kissed and claimed me two years ago?

Cash is right, though. I’m his now; he’s mine. There’s no reason to wonder about the what-ifs or to regret the time we lost.

I rub the sleep from my eyes and drag Sage to my chest, digging my fingers into her silky fur. After a few minutes of cuddling my cat baby, I decide to text Todd. If Cash and I are together now, I need to be upfront with him, even we only see each other once every couple of months.

I send him a text that kindly says I’m seeing someone new and wish him the best. We were never exclusive, never even called it dating. But it still feels right to be honest with him. I set my phone aside and stretch across my bed just as the doorbell rings.

Sage flies off the covers as if she just sprouted wings when I shoot up in bed. I have no idea who could be here this early. It’s barely eight a.m. My gaze drops to my phone. Todd couldn’t have shown up that quick in response to my text…right?

I ease out of bed and stick my feet into my fuzzy sandal slippers while tossing my white silk robe over my shoulders. Shuffling toward the door as quietly as I can with my crutches, I nearly startle when there’s a knock at the door.

I slide up to the peep hole and silently take a peek. As soon as the man on the other side of the door comes into view, I bite back the excited squeal that wants to tear from my throat.

Cash is here. With a bag in his hand.

I peek through again to see him shifting on his feet, running a hand over the bun at the back of his head. He glances behind him, like maybe he’s questioning if he should even be here. That jolts me from my peeping, and I swing the door open wide.

“Hi.” I sound breathless for absolutely no other reason than that I’m ecstatic about this surprise visit.

“Hey.” His dark gaze flits over me before he smiles and holds up the white paper bag in his hand. “Hungry?”

“Famished.” I crutch myself backward and make room for him to enter. He hesitates, scratching the side of his beard without making eye contact, and realization sets in.

“Uh.” He clears his throat. “Do you want to get dressed first?”

My eyes lower to the silk nightie and robe combo I’m flaunting right in front of him. The hem barely reaches the top of my thighs, thanks to my ample backside. I tug the robe tighter and continue to back away.

“Yes. Yes, I do. You can still come in and make yourself at home, though.”

Without waiting for him to do so, I limp back to my bedroom with cheeks on fire. A mewl sounds when I burst into my bedroom, and Sage darts out at the last second. “Scaredy cat.”

After securing my boot in place so I can move around more easily, I throw open my drawers and pull out leggings and a T-shirt. Then I spot the sweatshirt he let me wear, the one I’m now claiming as my own, and toss it over my head at the last second. I do a brief hair check in the mirror before slipping inside my bathroom and brushing my teeth so I don’t scare him off with my morning breath.

Once I’m presentable, I amble back into the kitchen where Cash waits, leaning against the counter. Sage sits at his feet, pawing at the ankle of his jeans.

“No, Sage, I’m not picking you up. Momma and—” He pauses and hangs his head before blowing out a haggard sigh. His voice lowers to an almost imperceptible rumble. “Momma and Daddy are about to eat breakfast, and we don’t need your hair in our food.”

I cover my mouth before a laugh slips out and alerts him to my presence.

The smell of coffee greets me like a warm embrace as I continue to watch him try and placate my cat. “I’ll hold you after breakfast, okay?” A long, loud mewl sounds from Sage before her scratching picks up.

“Stop that,” he chides, low and soothing, like he’s willing her into submission with a spell. “Momma won’t like it if you cause a scene.”

“Ahem,” I say loud enough to startle him. “Morning. Daddy .”

His cheeks turn ten different shades of burgundy before he hooks a thumb over his shoulder and pushes away from the counter. “I, uh, made some coffee since I forgot to grab some.”

“Thank you.” I point to my cat, who’s obviously forlorn over being neglected. “Let me just get Sage her breakfast.”

“So that’s why she wanted my attention,” he murmurs with a scoff.

“Nah.” I pull her food out of the refrigerator, then fill her food and water bowls. “I think she just likes you.” Once Sage is content, I stand against the opposite counter, eyeing Cash with nothing short of amusement.

His long fingers tap against the sides of his thighs as he looks around my kitchen, suddenly more awkward than I’ve ever seen him. “Guess I’m still new at this.”

“New at what?”

His eyes find mine. “At surprising my girlfriend with breakfast.”

My heart swells with so much affection for this man that I can’t remain this far away from him for a second longer. I hobble forward, only stopping once my hands are pressed to his chest. I tip my face toward him, letting him see how happy he makes me.

“Thank you,” I say. “This was the sweetest gesture ever.” I raise up onto my tiptoes and place a tender kiss to his lips. But he doesn’t let me pull back when I try to. He presses his hand to my lower back, fisting it in his sweatshirt, and deepens the kiss like he’s desperate for a taste of me.

“Part of me wondered if you’d hate it.” His voice shakes with the honesty of his words.

“I love it. You’re better at this than you think you are.”

He rumbles a low laugh. “You don’t even know what’s in the bag yet.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I weave my arms around his waist. “It’s the thought that counts.”

He pecks my lips again and releases me. I miss him instantly, even when he starts pulling bacon and egg breakfast sandwiches from the paper bag. Hashbrowns and fruit cups follow, along with bagels and vegan cream cheese.

“Wow.” I cross my arms with a laugh. “That’s a lot of food for two people.”

He shrugs one shoulder, crumples the bag, and tosses it in the trash. “I’m hungry. Figured you would be too after we worked up our appetites last night.” A slow, delectable smile teases at the corner of his mouth.

Oh, I’m hungry all right. Hungry for him .

Like he hears my thoughts, he laughs again and takes our food to my kitchen table. “Come on; let’s eat.”

Ten minutes later with a full belly and a wide smile, the evidence of our delicious impromptu breakfast strewn across my table, I lean back in my chair. “This was such a perfect start to my Sunday, Cash. Again, thank you.”

“What does a typical Sunday look like for you?”

I cross my hands over my sated stomach and hum a thoughtful response. “Usually I sleep in a bit, then make something super yummy and super unhealthy.” I chuckle, then amend, “Sunday is sort of my treat yo’self day.”

“Hm. I like that.”

“So does my inner spoiled child.”

This time, Cash laughs. “Is that all you do? Just hang out here and veg?”

“No, not always. I started going with A.J. and Liss to that new church they found outside of town. Other times, I work, head to the farmer’s market, or catch a movie with Viv.”

He nods, eyes fixed on mine, as if he’s absorbing every detail of my boring life. “Would you like to get ready and go to church, then? We could hit up the farmer’s market after?”

My mouth opens. Closes. I try to find appropriate words. “You…want to go to church with me?”

Again, he nods. “Unless you’d rather I didn’t.”

“No, I—” Emotion clogs my throat. “I’ve just never had any guy I’ve dated offer to go to church with me.”

His soft, sincere smile nearly undoes me. “I used to go when I was younger. Aunt Betty never let us miss.” His smile falters a bit. “I’ve been meaning to go back, it’s just…you know. Life happens.”

Boy, do I. Too many times, I’ve let myself get too busy for God and church. I’m working on changing that, but I never thought I’d find a guy who held that in high regard as well. Cash just keeps on surprising me.

“I’d love to have you go with me.”

“Yeah?” His expression radiates hope.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

***

“I’m telling you,” Liss says, “that boot makes you look ten times hotter.” She waggles her eyebrows as we trek toward our table. A.J. insisted on taking everyone out to lunch once Cash and I showed up at church. I’ve never seen someone’s eyes get as round as A.J.’s did when he spotted him.

“Well, you know,” I retort. “Not everyone can make an injury look this good. It takes a sort of skill few of us possess.”

Liss releases an airy laugh even as her gaze clings to Cash’s knuckles resting lightly on my lower back. She knows something is up—likely A.J. does too—but neither one has asked us what’s going on. Yet. After we’re all seated in a corner booth and the waitress has taken our drink order, A.J.’s is the first to speak.

“So,” he says, eyes jumping between the two of us. “What’s new?”

I purse my lips to keep my giddy smile from giving it away too soon in case Cash wants to mess with them.

“Britta and I kissed,” Cash says proudly.

Or not.

I cover my face with my hands when A.J. makes a loud whooping sound and Liss exclaims, “ What?!” in a high-pitched voice that carries throughout the entire restaurant.

“Two years ago,” he amends. “Right before my motorcycle accident.”

Liss and A.J.’s faces wear matching expressions of shock. “How did this—”

“I don’t understand—”

I hold up a hand and laugh. “It’s kind of a long story. But Cash took Elyse to a concert for her birthday, which also happened to be one of my gigs.”

Cash twists toward me, and for the first time, I realize I haven’t even told him the entire story.

“Whoa,” A.J. says with a look of awe. “That’s wild, man.”

“Yeah.” Cash reaches up and scratches his beard. “Except I remember almost nothing about it.”

“Wait.” Liss’s holds up both hands. “Is this why you’ve hated him ever since you guys met? Or—I guess, re -met?”

Cash crosses his arms and sends me an amused grin. “Yeah. Is that why ?”

I roll my eyes and drop my hand to his thigh under the table. I give it a tight squeeze and he lurches forward, earning surprised looks from our friends.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” I start again, undeterred. “Apparently, they had backstage passes, and Jules had left leather jacket behind. Cash came to retrieve it. I mistook him for my boyfriend at the time…”

I trail off to gauge Cash’s reaction to this bit of information. The only change in his expression is the slight lifting of that pierced eyebrow I’ve come to adore.

“And I put my hands over his eyes to try and surprise him.”

“You wanted to surprise Cash?” Liss asks, brows scrunched up tight.

“No. I was trying to surprise Bruce. My…well, anyway.” I flatten my palms against the table. “I realized my mistake when I felt Cash’s beard. But he was such a good sport about the whole thing. He even shared the elevator with me and offered to walk me to my car.”

Liss bats her eyelashes at Cash and pretends to swoon, but he just chuckles. “I actually do have snippets of memory from that.” His gaze meets mine. “I remember seeing you in the elevator.”

“You do?” Hope sparks in my heart. Maybe someday he’ll be able to remember it all. It would be the cutest story ever to be able to tell our grandkids one day. Wait—grandkids?

Sheesh, Britt, slow down.

“Yeah.” The heated look he sends my way has my insides tumbling. “I remember parts of kissing you too.”

“Oh my gosh ,” Liss squeals, slapping A.J.’s arm. “Okay, keep going. I have to know how that came about.” A.J. shakes his head and remains uncharacteristically quiet.

“So, I was supposed to be meeting Bruce after work. He was going to take me out. And instead, I found him kissing one of my co-workers in her car.”

Cash goes rigid beside me. “He did what ?”

I smirk. “Don’t remember that part, huh?”

“It’s probably better I don’t,” he mutters under his breath.

“Ugh, what a low-life.” Liss pretend gags. “I remember you talking about Bruce. I’m surprised because he sounded so genuine.”

“Right?”

Liss’s eyebrows lower as she leans forward. “I’m also shocked that you never told me about this. I mean, I remember you saying it wasn’t going to work out with Bruce, but…why didn’t you tell me what really happened?”

“It was too embarrassing. Especially with what went down after…” Glancing toward Cash, I feel heat rush to my cheeks.

“What happened next?” Cash asks, genuine intrigue and maybe a little worry lining his voice.

“Well.” I clear my throat. “Cash came to my rescue. He had a front-row seat to me witnessing Bruce’s betrayal. I nearly had a panic attack, but Cash calmed me down. Then when Bruce approached, acting like nothing had just happened, Cash stepped in.”

Liss slaps a hand over her heart. “Oh my gosh…this is so good.”

“What’d you do?” A.J. pins Cash with an accusatory look. Cash just holds up his hands in a helpless gesture, waiting for me to supply the rest.

“He put his arm around me and pretended to be my date.”

Liss squeals as A.J. says, “Nice.” Cash leans toward me, repeating the same gesture he made that night. This time, his arm rests casually over my shoulders. Not really possessive, though it’s enough to raise A.J.’s eyebrows.

“But,” I say, picking at my thumbnail under the table. “In my panicked state, I took things a bit far. Cash nuzzled my cheek to really send it home, then I…well, I got carried away. I pulled him down to kiss me.”

“Get it, girl.” Liss snaps her fingers.

“This story is fascinating ,” Cash teases with a wicked grin. One that makes me want to pull him back to my lips again and again. “Let me guess,” he says, as cocky as I’ve ever seen him. “I took over from there.”

“Spectacularly.” My fingers trace my lips as the memory glows fresh in my mind.

“I knew it.” His smile becomes a little too cocky. “Tell me I asked you out after that.”

My heart pulses with a faint ache as I muster up the courage to tell the truth.

“No,” I say with a shake of my head. “You didn’t. Bruce left. You walked me to my car, but…you didn’t. It almost looked like you might there for a second, but—”

“But I was still hung up on Meredith.” He says the words with a sort of sadness that makes my chest feel hollow. “Had to be.” His apologetic brown eyes hold mine. “I never would’ve let you walk away if I wasn’t still nursing a broken heart.”

“Wait—” Liss cuts in. “Are you guys—”

Before she can finish her question, Cash wraps a hand around the back of my neck and draws me closer. He leans in until his lips touch the side of my face, “I’m sorry, Britta.” His whispered words feel like a caress. “I know I said it last night, but I mean it even more now.” Placing a gentle, whisper-soft kiss to my cheek, he adds, “There is no reality where I don’t want you.”

When he pulls back, I’m arrested by his gaze. It’s weighted with meaning and full of regret, but also…hopeful. I smile and press my hands to his chest to reassure him. If only he knew how many chances I’d give him. Probably a million.

“What is going on?!” Liss’s shriek yanks me from my lofty place in the love-drenched clouds of my mind. Her eyes are welling with tears, which isn’t unusual for her lately, but the sight of her this emotional still tugs at my conscience.

“Um,” I hedge, not quite sure how to answer her question.

“We’re together.” Cash’s casual tone is a complete contrast to the romantic hype squad dancing around in my chest.

“You’re what?” Liss presses a hand to her mouth, and I can’t tell if she’s happy for us or horrified.

“Baby,” A.J. croons, gathering her in his arms. “I think they’re saying they’re dating.”

“Since when?” Liss’s big blue eyes bounce between us. “You could barely stand each other yesterday.”

I glance over at Cash. So many emotions whirl to life inside me when I look at him. But none of them are hatred. Or even disdain. “I was holding a pointless grudge,” I say more to myself than anyone. “I had no idea Cash was in an accident that night. I thought…”

“You thought he forgot you?” Liss is full-on bawling now, her hand still pressed firmly to her mouth.

“Um, hi.” A waitress appears beside the booth, waving at us with a nervous smile. “Is this a bad time to take your orders?”