After his surprising—and unwelcome—kiss, she’d excused herself from Amber and Gabby. “I can’t believe you did that.” She led Blaine to a spot away from the crowd.
“Come on, you’re still my wife a bit longer.” Blaine grinned, not realizing what he’d done. And probably wouldn’t care if he did. “Just having fun.”
“We’re not married. Or at least we won’t be for long, no thanks to you.” She told him of the clause and the filed paperwork, watched the storm gather in his eyes. But she didn’t care—she felt a bit like a tornado herself. “Go back to your hotel. I’ve got to sort a few things out.”
“But we need to talk about your loan payments?—”
“Tomorrow, Blaine. You’ve done enough tonight.” Then she’d stalked away, her heart threatening to burst from her chest, half in disbelief she’d actually had the nerve to do that.
But Blaine hadn’t protested or tried to come after her. Also somewhat unbelievable. Maybe, like a quintessential bully, he’d just needed someone to stand up to him. Maybe she should’ve tried a long time ago.
Add that to her growing list of bad judgment calls.
Through the window of the shop door, the whole gang was gathered around two black iron tables—Linc, Zoey, Noah, and Elisa. No Cade.
Her hope that Cade wasn’t avoiding her plummeted, and she pulled open the door, trying to find a smile.
“There’s our star!” Zoey gestured Rosalyn inside. Strings of fairy lights glowed above the counter and the display case, empty of beignets tonight. The sage-colored walls were as welcoming as Zoey’s smile. “Come sit. We’ve got festival leftovers I’ll have to throw away if they don’t get eaten.”
“Pretty sure Linc won’t let that happen.” Sitting with one arm draped around Elisa’s shoulders, Noah saluted Linc with his coffee cup and a grin.
Across the table, Linc scowled as he brushed powdered sugar off his black T-shirt. “I burn more calories in a day than you do in a week.”
“But who’s counting?” Zoey popped a bite of pastry in her mouth as she reclaimed the chair next to Linc. “I’m sure not.”
“Sit by me, Rosalyn.” Elisa pulled out one of the chairs near her, close to the platter of beignets. “Cade should be here soon. There was an emergency after the festival.”
“There was? Oh that’sgreat.” Rosalyn’s hopes shot high again, like the bell on the strongman game outside the tent, and she scooted her chair up to the table.
Just in time to look up and find everyone staring at her, heads cocked.
“I mean,notgreat about the emergency.” More like great that Cade wasn’t ignoring her. She reached for a beignet. If she’d ever deserved one…“I mean, what happened?”
“Apparently the frog legs vendor gave a bunch of people food poisoning.” Zoey winced. “Last I saw, Cade was asking Bruno to pack up and go home. But Bruno was upset about his contract being broken—I heard the wordlawsuitthrown around.”
Oh no. Cade would be taking that one personally. Rosalyn winced. “Hopefully they’ll get it sorted.”
The bell on the door chimed, and they turned as Cade strode inside. “Hey.” His normally gelled hair was mussed, his eyes tired. He nodded at the guys, then took a chair across from Elisa and diagonally from Rosalyn.
Oh.
She waited, but he didn’t look at her.
“How’d it go?” Noah asked. “Was the frog guy reasonable?”
Cade rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’ve got to talk to August Bowman tomorrow, so, let’s leave it at that.”
Uh-oh. The town’s oldest, and best, lawyer. That couldn’t be a good sign. Neither was the stiffness in Cade’s back as he reached for a beignet, still avoiding Rosalyn’s eyes.
She swallowed.
“Oh, Rosalyn—I never got to tell you that you didamazingtonight.” Elisa flashed a bright smile. “Don’t you think so, Cade?”
Rosalyn wasn’t positive, but she was fairly sure Elisa kicked him under the table.
“Absolutely.” Cade finally looked up, met her gaze, broad smile in place. “Great job. Now do it two more times for me, and that’s a wrap.”
Um, what?
