Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

No one had ever asked me that before. I pondered over his words. “No, I wouldn’t want that.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard to admit now was it?” He smiled and butterflies assaulted my stomach. I used to think that Brett’s smile left me breathless. But Cade’s? It twisted my world around so that I wasn’t sure which way was right side up. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Rae,” his eyes flicked to my lips and back up, “I know that was hard for you.”

It had been. In fact, I was sort of still in a daze that I’d actually told him—that he knew, and…and he wasn’t looking at me differently.

“It was,” I confirmed, my pulse jumping in my throat.

“And Rae?” He lowered his head so his lips grazed my ear. My breath faltered and he chuckled. “This changes nothing.”

seventeen

It wasn’t until the next evening when we sat down for dinner that I finally met Cade’s father.

He’d stayed mysteriously hidden.

Sitting at the head of the table he glowered at all of us.

I kept my head ducked to avoid his searing gaze. His eyes were blue like Cade’s, but lighter like they were leached of color. Of happiness. Something about him reminded me of the creep who’d cornered me at the club. I knew, without this man saying a word, that I didn’t like him.

One word kept echoing through my skull whenever I spared a glance in the man’s direction.

Danger.

Malcolm Montgomery was not a nice man. That much was obvious.

I wondered now if the siblings had truly wanted me to spend Thanksgiving with them because they didn’t want me to be alone, or if they’d invited me along as a buffer.

As things were now it was tense.

Food was passed around, but no one spoke.

This was nothing like the warm and happy home I’d grown up in.

The silence continued as we ate. I was the one to break it, unable to stand it for a moment longer.

“Lauren, the meal is delicious.” I smiled pleasantly.

“Thank you,” she replied.

Forks clanked against the glass plates.

“Have you been to one of Cade’s games?” I asked her.

“No,” she wiped her mouth daintily with the fabric napkin. “I’m very busy.”

I wanted to ask what she was so busy doing, but I didn’t want to sound rude so I kept my mouth shut.

“Cade’s been playing very poorly this year,” Malcolm piped in. “So you haven’t missed anything.”

Cade sighed and his head lowered. He used his fork to shuffle his food around the plate, not eating.

I didn’t want to look at Malcolm, but I forced my gaze in his direction. “Really? I thought he’d been playing very well. Granted, I’ve only been to a few games.”

“Believe me,” Malcolm smiled and there was nothing friendly about the expression, “he’s been a shitty player this year.”

Cade stiffened at my side, his hands balling into fists.

I don’t know what made me do it, but I reached over and placed my hand on top of his. Instantly his body relaxed, as if my touch soothed him.