Rae of Sunshine (Light in the Dark 1)

With a sigh, he turned his face towards the sky. “There’s still time.”

***

After we ate, their mom, who’s name was Lauren, led me to the guest room. It was across from Thea’s room and down the hall from Cade’s. I was thankful that they were near.

The room was decorated in soft blues and purples. It was peaceful and nicer than most hotels. It even had a bathroom attached.

I sat my duffel bag on the chair in the corner and looked around.

I was startled when there was a knock on the door.

I went and opened it and found Cade standing there. He pushed his way inside and sat on the bed. I closed the door once more, wondering why he was here, since I’d literally just been with him.

“Is everything okay?” I asked quizzically and sat down beside him.

He sighed and lay back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. “Nothing is okay when I’m here.”

“What do you mean?” I lay beside him.

He turned his head away from the ceiling to face me. “You’ll see soon enough,” he muttered. “I hated the thought of you staying on campus by yourself,” he added, “but now that you’re here…I’m sorry. I’m going to try to make this weekend good for you, but…” He trailed off.

I wondered what had happened to the Cade who had joked about a Harry Potter marathon. He clearly didn’t want to be here.

“Don’t worry about me,” I assured him. “This weekend will be fine.”

“I hope so,” he sighed. “My dad called me before we left campus—” I figured that was where this sudden mood of his had come from. “—and he was being an asshole. I almost told you to stay behind so that you wouldn’t have to deal with this shit.” He reached up and swiped his fingers over my cheek and into my hair. “But then, because I’m a selfish prick, I decided that I could get through the next four days so much easier if you were by my side.”

“Cade,” I sat up and my long hair fell forward, tickling his chest, “I’m glad I’m here. Especially if I can make things easier for you.”

“You’re too good for me.” His voice was soft and his fingers brushed over my lips. That familiar hum invaded my body.

I laughed self-deprecatingly. “Cade, I think it’s you that’s too good for me.” It was the truth too. He was…he was real. Genuine. He was one of the few guys in the world that wasn’t afraid to express who he was. There were no false pretenses with Cade. It was surprising really, considering his ‘type’. I’d stereotyped him at first, Thea too, so shame on me. They were two of the most kind and giving people I’d ever met.

He sat up, leaning over me. The movement caused his long-sleeved black t-shirt to pull taut over his chest. “I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.” His head lowered and my heart stopped.

He was going to kiss me.

This time it was really going to happen.

I closed my eyes, startling when I felt the lightest of touches and my heart thumped madly, but when I opened my eyes it was his fingers I’d felt.

Without a word he eased off the bed and slipped out the door, leaving me alone to sort out my now muddled thoughts.

***

Hours later I was seated in the family room of the house with Thea and Cade. I had yet to meet their dad and their mom was in the kitchen making dinner—as well as getting a head start on making dishes for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving dinner.

I’d offered to help, but she’d insisted that the three of us relax. I felt bad watching her bustle around her kitchen alone, muttering under her breath about this and that.

Cade turned the TV on and flipped through the channels. He didn’t appear to be paying attention and I had the feeling he wanted to fill the silent space with noise as well as occupy his restless fingers.

I kept eyeing the large framed photo of the family hanging above the mantle of the fireplace.

Mom. Dad. Three children.

Three.

But I only knew of two.