Page 125 of The Obvious Check
Dozens of them.
They’re everywhere… plastered across Cade’s laptop screen, scattered to the point that you can barely see what’s under them.
I step closer and take in the words scribbled across the notes in Cade’s rough, hurried handwriting.
Dress. Flowers. Rings.
My pulse jumps. My fingers tremble slightly as I pick up one of the notes. The ink is slightly smudged, but the words are clear.
To Do:
-Find the perfect dress for Sav (something she’d actually like)
-Talk to the officiant about the earliest date.
-Pick out flowers that remind me of her.
-Get wedding bands (Make sure they’re her style)
-Find a venue
-Ask Adley to be part of it.
-Make this the best day of her life!
My chest tightens. Tears burn hot and sudden behind my eyes because this proves it. This isn’t just about survival to him. It’s not just a chess move in a bigger game.
He’s planning our wedding.
I swallow hard, tracing the edges of the note with shaking fingers. He must’ve done all of this after I fell asleep. While Islept terribly, thinking I was the one carrying all the weight… he was out here, quietly holding it too.
Turns out, he’s been carrying everything.
The love. The fear. The hope.
I press the note to my chest, clutching it like it might fall apart if I let go.
Stanley watches me curiously, his head resting on his paws.
“What do you think, huh?” I ask softly, running a hand through my hair. “Is he really planning all of this for us?”
Stanley doesn’t answer, of course, but his tail thumps once against the floor as if to say,“Yeah, he is.”
I sink into one of the barstools and pick up another note. This one has a small doodle of a bouquet, simple but sweet. I swallow hard, trying to push back the overwhelming mix of emotions. Gratitude, disbelief, and something that feels severely close to hope even though I know I shouldn’t have that.
The sound of a key turning in the lock snaps me back to reality, and Cade steps into the room, carrying a paper bag in one hand and two coffee cups in the other. His eyes land on me instantly, flicking over the shirt I’m wearing, and his gaze lingers, darkening just a little before he clears his throat.
“Well, damn,” he mutters as his eyes drag up to meet mine. “And here I was, thinking breakfast was gonna be the best part of my morning.”
I shift slightly, placing the sticky note on the counter. “You could’ve woken me up,” I say, tilting my head. “I would’ve come with you.”
Cade’s lips twitch as he steps closer and wraps his hand around my waist. “And miss seeing you standing here in nothing butmyshirt? Not a chance.”
Studying me, his hand drops to my waist while the other cups my cheek, and here’s something almost reverent in the way he studies me. It’s like he’s trying to memorize every last detail.
He leans in and kisses me, his grip only tightens when I suck in a shaky breath. Then his fingers flex across my ass, and he squeezes, pulling me flush against him. Every inch of me lights up under his touch and heat rushes to my core as he chases every worry away.
For a second, I forget.
