“I was surprised when you said you didn’t want to go to that Italian restaurant on the island. I thought it was your favorite,” Cade says shortly after our meals arrive.
“It is, but I think it will be better if these practice dates don’t take place on Four Points. Gossip spreads so fast on the island, and my nosy sister is tapped into all of it.”
“Oh, is that why I wasn’t allowed to pick you up at your house like a proper date?”
I shake my head, smiling at his mention of a proper date. “I have no privacy there. And since the plan is for me to go out with your brothers, too, it will be best to avoid all of the questions my parents would ask.”
“Makes sense. Have you ever thought about getting your own place?”
“I would love to have my own place. I hate that I’m 24 and still living with my parents.”
Cade puts on a hurt expression, even as his eyes are still smiling. “I’m 24, and I still live with my dad.”
“That’s different. Your house is a mansion. You could probably go a week without even running into him in the hallway.”
He laughs. “That’s not true. It’s not that big. But you’re right that we really don’t see a lot of him. Not lately, anyway. He’s dating a woman who lives on the other side of the country and he’s been spending a lot of time out there.”
The waitress arrives with our meals. Both of us ordered burgers, mine with mushrooms and Swiss, and Cade’s with bacon and cheddar.
“I’d love to get my own apartment,” I say after the server leaves. “I’m saving up, but it’s going to be a while.”
Cade looks self-conscious as he dips a fry in ketchup. Thanks to his family’s golf courses – in addition to the one they live next to, they have two others in the vicinity – he has money for whatever he needs. The guys never let me pay for anything when I’m with them.
“You don’t make enough at the store to afford rent?”
“No, and I know my parents would pay me more if they could, but the store has been struggling for the past few years. They added the clothing boutique a while ago to keep business up during the off season, but they’re still paying off that investment. Things are tight for them.”
Cade looks thoughtful as he chews a bite of his burger. “I wonder if there are ways you could bring in more business? If you help the store make more money you could ask your parents for a raise.”
The waitress stops back by to check in with us and I inwardly debate whether or not I should share an idea with Cade. After a sip of my water, I say, “I’ve thought about opening an online store for the clothing boutique.”
Cade’s brows lift with interest. “That’s a great idea. You could get a few fashion bloggers to feature your clothes and you’d be all set.”
“Fashion bloggers?” I smile and arch a brow. “What do you know about fashion bloggers?”
He shrugs and grins his charming grin. “My last girlfriend was always talking about one of her favorites. I heard a lot about fashion bloggers while I was dating her.”
I stare at him, amused, and he cracks up.
“Seriously though, your online idea has a lot of potential. Do you think your parents would be open to it? Whenever my brothers and I want to make changes in our business, my dad turns stubborn as a mule.”
“I think my parents would be open to it. As long as they weren’t the ones who had to do any of it. My mom is still trying to figure out the difference between Twitter and Pinterest. They’re not the most tech savvy.”
Cade laughs and I’m momentarily distracted by his beautiful, dark eyes.
We finish our meals, talking all the while, with no uncomfortable silences. He tells me how his day was, and I share a few boring details about mine. We speculate about where things might be headed on Sherlock, though there are considerable gaps in my memory of the show, distracted as I was by all of yesterday’s events, and we discuss what series we should all watch next.
When we’re finished, I’m prepared to say goodnight at the restaurant’s door, but Cade insists on walking me to my car. At first, it seems like a protective, brotherly gesture, or part of his plan to do this date properly, but when we get to my car, he seems hesitant, and my own nerves feed on his nervous energy like candy.
“I had a good time,” he says, looking at the ground as much as he’s looking at me.
“I always have a good time with you,” I say, giving him a smile, but having trouble meeting his eyes for very long.