She forced a smile. “Right.” Maybe she had more money than she thought, but she didn’t have a way to pay her loan off without Blaine—and no way to tell him to do so without admitting she knew what he’d been doing in her financials.
That wasn’t a conversation she was looking forward to having, but it had to be done or she’d never be free. Maybe she should bring someone with her—not Cade. Obviously.
Shouldshe tell her parents the rest?
Rosalyn rolled in her lip, debating. If she did, this was the moment. It wouldn’t take much…just one more surrender. One more white flag thrown on the table.
She drew a breath and?—
Dad shut the laptop with a snap. “I have to say, it’s pretty impressive Cade figured all this out so quickly.”
She closed her mouth. Cade had actually figured out a lot more than that, and she hadn’t listened. Her throat knotted.
“He’s always been a smart cookie.” Mom nodded her approval, eyes shining. “And now he’s running for mayor.”
They continued chatting about the campaign angles Cade might take as they finished their coffee.
Rosalyn’s window had shut.
She released a sigh, struggling to participate in the political conversation. It was for the better. She needed to focus on her show that evening and didn’t want to see the look on her parents’ faces once they heard the whole story.
The same disappointment Cade had when he looked at her last night.
twenty-four
Cade tossed a peanut in the air, tried to catch it with his mouth. It bounced off his nose, landed on the floor of the risers among discarded popcorn kernels and candy wrappers. From the stands around him, families sat in groups, adults scrolling their phones while kids tossed popcorn at each other and giggled. The second performance of the Cajun Circus was about to start, evident from the jaunty music streaming through the overhead speakers. Hopefully tonight would bring fewer disasters—no more overcrowded porta-potties and pending lawsuits.
Guilt nudged. Maybe this was his fault. After all, he’d wanted to tell Bruno no but went along with it. And look what happened.
Couldn’t tell his fatherno, couldn’t tell a strangerno.
He wasn’t cut out to be a leader.
Rosalyn’s words echoed from that afternoon in New Orleans when he’d looked into Bruno’s hopeful face.You aren’t doing him any favors.She’d been right. Was the same about to happen as a result of this election?
Cade tossed another peanut. Missed. Speaking of Rosalyn, he hadn’t talked to her since last night, and why should he? He hadn’t talked to any of his other contract circus employees since last night.
And with Blaine in town, wasn’t that all she wanted to be?
He’d changed his seat for tonight’s performance, not wanting to risk Rosalyn finding him in the crowd. He’d considered staying home, but—this circus washisbaby. Plus, Trent and his boss were due to show up either tonight or tomorrow night, and he needed do be available. Duty called, even if his heart still ached.
And if Blaine showed up again, well, Cade was mature enough to look the other way. He tipped his head back, tossed another peanut.
“You’re being a jerk.”
He caught this one, straight down his throat. Cade coughed, sputtering as Linc rolled his eyes from the seat next to him. “Give me those.” He snatched the bag from Cade’s hand, poured a few in his mouth.
Cade brushed peanut dust off his hands. “What do you mean? I’m sitting here minding my own business.”
“Last night.” Linc’s gaze landed on him with the force of Thor’s hammer. “To Rosalyn.”
“You don’t understand.” The lights dimmed, then the music shifted as the fan-favorite poodles paraded into the ring. Children scooted to the edge of their seats to watch, mesmerized as the dogs started their tricks. Teens stopped scrolling their phones to snap pics.
Linc remained unimpressed, the flickering lights casting colored orbs across his corded arms. “Enlighten me.”
Cade snorted. “Since when are you an expert in romance? Or any relationship, for that matter?”
Linc’s dark eyes flashed. “Just because I choose to be single doesn’t mean I don’t know when someone is being treated poorly. And you treated Rosalyn poorly.”
