Page 19 of The Obvious Check
“Okay,” I find myself saying before I can think.
She squeals, pulling me out of the booth and giving me a hug. “If you want some Covey U memorabilia to wear, I’m sure you can borrow some of my brother’s fiancée’s stuff. Devin bought her like twenty sweatshirts when they first started dating, which would go perfectly in your wardrobe.”
I blow out a breath, looking down at my Rome U sweatshirt. I’ve been so used to wearing it when I’m not at the club that I’ve forgotten what I look like in normal clothes. “What if I don’t want to wear a sweatshirt?” I say, feeling hopeful. I don’t know why, but I do.
“Seriously? Is this your way of telling me you’re going to let me dress you up?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t say no.” She claps her hands together and dances lightly on the spot. “Oh, I’m so excited. I’ll make sure you have the perfect outfit to impress yourfriend.What’s his name again?”
“C-Cade.”
Joe calls for Chloe and she raises her hand with a point. “One second, Joe. Meet me here tomorrow at six and we can get dressed together.” With that, she gives me one final hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I should probably head to work, or I’m going to be late.”
Chloe gives me a look of concern but doesn’t argue. “Be careful, okay? And text me later.”
I say my final goodbyes to everyone and make my way to my car, feeling… lighter, maybe? I don’t know. All I know is that I feel like giggling even though no one else is around.Cade likes me?Chloe seems so sure about the idea, which makes me feel things I probably shouldn’t. He’s just so perfect it hurts to look at him. I almost don’t want to believe it in case she’s wrong. That way when it all comes crashing down, my heart won’t be completely shattered.
I’ve never really been asked on arealdate before. Jeremy, the guy from my group home, made a move once, and yeah, we fooled around in the laundry room a couple of times, but that wasn’t romance. It was two broken kids clinging to each other because it hurt less than being alone.
Besides, he talked endlessly about some girl he had to leave behind anyway. I was just the warm body that listened.
Never did I think someone as put together as Cade would evenseeme, let alone give me tickets to watch him play hockey.Maybe Chloe is right. Maybe it is more serious and as pathetic as it sounds, a tiny, reckless part of me hopes that’s exactly what this is.
The short drive to the club does nothing to clear my head. I feel like I’m already on that stage, living out the fantasy I’ve been thinking about this past year.
Cade smiling at me, loving me. Impossible… but maybe not.
After parking, I hoist my bag over my shoulder and walk through the parking lot. When I open the door and see Luke standing in his usual spot, cleaning glasses, I drop my gaze to the floor.
Another night, another attempt at avoiding him at all costs. I shuffle past him so quickly, I almost think I got away with it.
“You dropped something,” he says, making me stop instantly.
My breath catches as I look up, and all that hope of normalcy flies right out the window when I see what’s between his fingers.
The tickets.
Mytickets.
Amusement flickers behind his eyes. “What are these?”
Swallowing, I say, “They’re tickets.”
“I can see that. Didn’t know you were a Crushers fan. Kind of assumed you didn’t have time for any of that,” he says, his voice dripping with suspicion.
“I’m not. I’m, uh, my friend invited me.” I have no idea what else to say because sometimes when I talk to Luke, I become a shell of myself. It almost feels like he already knows the answer and is just pushing my buttons so he can watch me unravel completely.
“Friend, huh?” He looks at me with a raised brow. “Which friend?”
“Chloe,” I answer on instinct. There’s no way I’m going to say Cade’s name in front of Luke. They know each other and I don’t want Cade to change his mind after finding out I work here.Worse, I don’t want Luke hurting Cade. Luke is possessive over his girls. Whenever one of them gets a boyfriend, all hell breaks loose. Mysterious “accidents” happen, girls quit without notice and the problem disappears along with the men who caused them. “She loves the Crushers and I told her I’d go with her.”
“Mhm, sounds like fun.”
That’s it? Fun? That’s all he has to say to me? It doesn’t feel like the end, though. After a beat of silence, I reach out for the tickets, only for Luke to snatch them away.
