Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

S o, Cady did. She told Willa and Tilly about her crush, the years of friendship, and then what happened at the wedding with the dance. "It was like everything changed with that one dance. Is that strange? But what about Jasmine? What about our history of friends? What about...?"

"Whoa," Tilly said as if slowing down a horse. "Don't spiral. Let's take this one thing at a time. First, I love you and Colton together. Friendship is a great foundation for love. Second, and from personal experience, I can tell you that when a Davies man falls, he falls hard . There's no turning back and there are no other women. Ever."

Willa was nodding her head. "I agree completely. There were plenty of buckle bunnies who wanted our guys. But the second they decided on us, even if we hadn't decided on them, they shut that down fast. Did Colton shut it down with Jasmine?"

Cady thought about how he acted around women now that they had started dating. "Yeah. He's been polite but hasn't shown any interest. And he even told me about his past history with Jasmine and how he's not interested in her. Do you really think he's serious? We all know Colton. He's never been the serious one unless it's to protect someone. Maybe that's all I am. Someone to protect from my ex."

"Except it started before your ex arrived," Tilly pointed out. Then she looked down at her phone. "Why is Parker asking if I'm pregnant?"

Willa picked up her phone. "Porter just asked me the same thing. Do I look pregnant?"

Cady looked at their flat stomachs. "Nope. Neither of you do. Wait, Aniyah's babies made me forget about the pregnancy test. Is that what they're talking about at guys' night?"

The women all laughed. The men apparently gossiped more than they did.

"You would tell me if you were pregnant, right?" Willa asked Tilly.

"Of course. Wait, you'd tell me too, right?"

Cady laughed. "How about this? I'm not pregnant. Are either of you pregnant?"

"I didn't think so," Tilly said, looking down at her phone. "But the amount of question marks Parker is sending me is making me wonder if I am."

Cady snickered and picked up her phone, but no one would be asking if she was pregnant. She just automatically picked up her phone since her friends did. Most of the time she checked her email when her friends texted their spouses, but this time she had her own text waiting for her.

Colton: I freaked the guys out by pointing out the high probability that one of their wives was pregnant. Now, I'm sitting back watching the chaos. However, I know they'll get me back soon. How is girls' night? Don't worry about answering right away. I don't want to interrupt your time with Willa and Tilly.

Cady smiled, and as Willa held up a finger to go call her husband to calm him down and Tilly similarly stepped away when Parker video-called her, demanding to see her stomach. Cady replied back to Colton.

They're calming their husbands down so I have a minute. I hope you don't mind, but I did tell them about us. I know we never discussed it and well, your sister also is trying to set me up, which made it hard to say no because we haven't told anyone.

Colton: MY SISTER DID WHAT?

Cady: I'm supposed to meet Nash's friend, Kori, tonight at the café if I have free time. I didn't know what to say since we've never discussed going public.

The bubbles appeared and then they disappeared. Dammit, she should have done this in person. She shouldn't have pushed Colton. He wasn't texting her back. She'd messed this up. Then her phone rang. Colton was calling her.

She glanced up and saw that Willa and Tilly were still talking to their husbands so she stepped away and answered the phone in a whisper.

"Why the hell did you punch me?" she heard Nash ask in the background.

"You damn well know why," Colton snapped. "Cady, are you there?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed about us."

"Angel, you don't need to be sorry. I should have made sure you knew how much I wanted a future with you so you'd never doubt my feelings. I wasn't trying to hide you or us. I didn't want to share you with my family yet. They can be a bit..."

"Who are you talking to? Why did you punch Nash?" Landon asked in the background and Cady heard Colton sigh and walk farther away from the noise.

"I get it," Cady said, smiling into the phone.

"Let's talk tonight in person. I can't stand you not knowing exactly how I feel and that's an in-person conversation," Colton said.

"Cady," Willa said in a groan. "Sorry, didn't know you were on the phone. Our husbands are driving us crazy about this pregnancy thing. Let's go to the café, order desserts, and drink a pitcher of Rose Sisters Special Tea. That'll shut them up about us being pregnant."

Colton clearly overheard the plan. "I'll meet you at the café as soon as you text me that you're done with your girls' night," Colton whispered as more of his cousins asked him who he was talking to.

"Okay. I'll see you soon." Cady hung up the phone and turned to find Willa and Tilly smiling at her.

"Who were you talking to?" Tilly asked in a sing-song voice.

"Colton. He's going to meet me at the café later tonight. The café where Sophie is having a man wait to meet me because she thinks we'll be perfect for each other."

"Oh crap," Tilly blurted, however, Willa smiled.

"No way Sophie did that randomly. I might not have siblings, but I see how the Davies family is. Sophie made a test for Colton. If he stopped the date, she would know Colton was serious about you. If he didn't, she'd know you're not for him." Willa seemed very sure of herself.

"But it was randomly thought of at breakfast," Cady protested.

"Girl, nothing Sophie does is random. Don't you know who her mother is?" Tilly asked with a laugh.

"Annie was there, too. So was Katelyn."

Willa and Tilly shared a look. "You were ambushed," Willa told her. "What did Colton say?"

"That he wants me to know how he feels and he wants to do that in person," Cady told them. "Oh, and he punched Nash."

"And you were worried he didn't like you. That man is heads over heels for you. Now, let's go show everyone we're not pregnant and get Cady's love to declare his feelings." Willa grabbed her bag and Tilly followed.

"I'll meet you there. I have to lock up." Cady locked the door as they headed to their cars. However, the new arrival of someone had everyone stopping.

The car pulled up and parked. Isaac got out and smiled at everyone. "Great panel, ladies. Cady, can I have a moment?"

Cady looked at Willa and Tilly. "I'll be right behind you."

"We can wait," Tilly offered.

If it had been Bruce or Jordan, she would have had them wait. "No, it's okay. I'll meet you there in a minute." Cady turned back to Isaac. "I am so sorry I haven't gotten to talk to you. How are you doing, Isaac?"

"Good. It's not the same without your father there," Isaac said, taking a seat on one of the Adirondack chairs on the flagstone patio. "That's what I want to talk to you about."

"Sure. How can I help?" Cady took her own seat.

"I understand why you broke up with Jordan. He's a spoiled brat. He's constantly pushing for my job and badmouthing me to Bruce even though he doesn't do a bit of work."

Cady nodded sympathetically. "I hate that for you. I know the amount of pressure already on a master distiller, but for your number two to not have your back? That makes it ten times worse."

Isaac rubbed his hands over his face and then looked up at her. "That's what makes this so hard. I'm here to ask for help."

"Of course. What can I do for you?" Cady knew that her father had liked Isaac, but he was a better second than he was leader. Her father said he didn't have the taste buds a master distiller needed.

"I know your father had so many recipes that he'd never wound up using. Can I buy one of them? I need a win or I'm afraid Jordan will talk Bruce into firing me."

Cady loved her father, but the fact of the matter was, no one was going to use her father's recipes. Not even Cady herself. The only recipes she would ever use were ones she played a part in making. "Isaac, I can't do that. No one will get my father's recipes. But what I can do is help you. Let's pick a day next week and you show me what you got and I'll help you tweak it."

Isaac looked disappointed and as if he would argue, but he stopped himself. "I'll take all the help I can get. Thanks, Cady." Isaac stood and turned to her. "I should warn you. Bruce thinks he has a right to those recipes and Jordan, being the lap dog he is, is constantly agreeing with Bruce. Jordan's big plan is to get you back. Bring the recipe book into Bruce, and take my job."

"That won't happen. But I will help you if you want. Text me some days that work for you and we'll meet."

Isaac held out her hand and she shook it. "Thank you, Cady."

Cady waved as Isaac got into his car and drove off. She double checked the locks, made sure George and Ginny were fed and happy in their cat room, and headed for the café. She had a fake date to quash and two friends to get drunk before being able to focus on her future with Colton.