Defy Fate (Fated Duet 1)

Cade’s gaze was burning a path on the side of my face, but I couldn’t look up at him. I was afraid of what he’d see. Afraid he’d realize how damaged I was. Afraid he’d find out I was unfixable.

“What ride do you want to go on first?” Cade asked, and they both shouted something different. He spun around and pushed through the crowd, and I followed after them, my stomach sinking at the thought of losing them here.

Everything was too much for me, but I tried my hardest to smile and encourage a different feeling than the one I currently had. I watched Cade put them both on one of the kiddie rides, and stood off to the side, not taking my eyes off them.

“Aria,” Cade said as he halted next to me. There were other kids getting on the ride, but I kept my attention on Belle and Asher who sat up front. “Baby, look at me.”

“I can’t,” I croaked out. “I hate this.”

His hand grasped mine and pulled it toward him, hiding it between his waist and the fence. No one would be able to see we were holding hands if they saw us.

“What happened?” I could hear the hitch in his voice. I could sense the concern.

“I was seven the last time I came to the fair.” I kept my gaze locked on Belle and Asher as the ride started. “Dad brought me. He promised me we’d have fun.” I stuttered a breath. “But then he…he…he forgot I was with him.” My free hand clutched against my chest and rested above my racing heart. “He left me alone for five hours on a fairground just like this one.” A tear streamed down my face, and I finally plucked up the nerve to look over at Cade. “I know he was sick, but I…”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t resent him for it,” Cade finished for me, and I nodded.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me it was going to be okay. I didn’t need Cade to fill me with promises of what would happen from now on, and he never did that. He didn’t make out like everything was unicorns and rainbows. He was just there…always there.

“I think you need to create new fair memories,” Cade declared as the ride came to a stop. He brought my hand up to his mouth, placed a kiss on my knuckles, and then let go. “First stop is corn dogs and winning prizes.” He waited until I nodded then stepped forward to help get the kids off the ride.

The small smile on my face started to get bigger, and by the time Cade turned back around and grinned over at me, it was a real smile. I kept to myself in fear of being judged, but Cade never judged the way I was feeling, and he never talked it to death. He simply found a solution and got right on with it.

“I’m h

ungry,” Belle said as her hand slipped into mine.

I groaned and put my hand to my stomach. “Me too.” I flicked my gaze behind us. Cade was putting Asher back on his shoulders, and I decided right then and there I was going to throw caution to the wind. I was going to enjoy the next few hours and forget about my past. “Race you! Loser buys the corn dogs!”

Belle squealed as I pulled her with me, but in only a couple of paces, she realized what I was doing and helped weave us through the crowd. I turned my head as my feet pounded the ground, spotting Cade only a few paces behind us. He winked, causing butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

And I knew there and then.

I knew, in that very moment, I was in love with Cade Easton.

* * *

ARIA

“I feel like I don’t see you anymore,” Hope whined as I stood from our position under the bleachers. “We never get girl time.”

I collected my trash and raised a brow at her. “That’s because you’re always taking off with your sister. You’ve had more days off school than you’ve been here.”

Hope puffed out a breath and let her head drop back. “I know. I’m so behind in my classes, and I swear, I’m failing like half of them.”

I bit my bottom lip as I stared over at the wall of windows I knew was Cade’s office. I couldn’t see inside because he had the blinds closed, but I knew he was in there. I hadn’t spoken to him properly since he dropped us off after we went to the fair a few days ago. We’d texted a couple of times, but it wasn’t the same as hearing his voice.

There were only thirty minutes left of lunch, and I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Cade. We had track practice later today, but Mom was picking me up right after because she wasn’t working, which meant I wouldn’t see Cade again until this weekend at Brody and Lola’s cookout.

“You need to talk to Lisha. She can’t keep taking you out of school like this.”

“I know.” Hope stood, her lips pulled down. “I need to go see the counselor too. If you’re going to talk to Mr. Easton, I may as well head in and see her now.”

I nodded, afraid she’d ask why I was going to see Cade. I could cover easily and say it was because of track, but Hope could sniff out a lie like she was a cadaver dog. She had a sixth sense for these things.

We both walked into the school, and I gripped her arm. “I’m serious, Hope. You need to talk to her. Otherwise, you’re not going to graduate.”

Hope’s eyes flashed at me, the bags under them letting me know something else was going on. I’d been so inside my head lately that I’d forgotten all about her. She was my best friend, but I wasn’t treating her like it.