I ignore the negative voice inside my head and focus on Cade. His eyebrows are so far up they’re practically in his hairline. “Well. You definitely move fast.”
I’m slightly offended by his comment—and the tone of his voice. “It happened fast,” I snap defensively.
“Let me guess.” He rises to his feet and snaps his fingers like he just had a revelation. “You’re getting back together with your ex. Tuttle.”
My mouth drops open but then I clamp it shut. Guess he’s more perceptive than I realized. “We’re, um, kind of seeing each other again. Yeah.”
“Right.” He nods, his expression totally shut off. No more friendly Cade for me. “I should’ve known. You two were acting weird around each other Monday night.”
“It was…awkward. I hadn’t seen him in years.” Were we that obvious?
Probably.
“And it’s only Thursday,” Cade points out. “Obviously he knows how to get to you. Sent you the flowers on Tuesday, took you out, and must’ve convinced you that you two belong together. Again. All in the matter of approximately forty-eight hours. Am I right?”
I blink up at him, shocked by the venomous edge to in his voice. Why is he so angry?
Rising to my feet, I cross my arms almost defensively. “We have—history between us. And it’s something we still want to explore.”
Cade rolls his eyes. “Sure. Whatever you say. So you bring me along to that game and play me like a fool.”
I try to withhold my wince. He’s sort of right. And I feel terrible about it. “We didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
Dropping my arms, I rest my hands on my hips. “Listen, you don’t need to take your aggression out on me.”
A huff of surprise escapes him. “What are you talking about?”
“I turn you down as nicely as I can, and you’re downright—hostile.” My blood is boiling. Like seriously, who does he think he is? “What gives you the right to start yelling at me?”
“I wasn’t yell—”
I cut him off. “You raised your voice at me and you know it. You’re not my boyfriend, Cade, not that the title gives you any right to talk to me like that. We’ve gone on two dates. That’s it.”
“You led me on,” he accuses, and for the tiniest moment, I feel guilty.
Cade’s not too far off the mark. I might’ve used him on Monday so I didn’t have to go to that game and face Tuttle alone. That was wrong of me.
“Two dates isn’t leading someone on.” I lift my chin, trying to ignore how my body is starting to shake. “I apologize if I made you feel that way, though.”
I am the bigger person for apologizing. That’s what I’m telling myself. He really doesn’t deserve my apology. He should say sorry to me.
Cade doesn’t bother acknowledging my saying sorry either. The jerk.
“Jordan Tuttle is rich. And famous. I can’t compete with that, when he’s showering you with attention and money and gifts. But just know this. I’m a regular guy.” He points his thumb at his chest. “I’ll always be here when Tuttle won’t be. Remember that.”
And with those last words, Cade exits the lunchroom without a backward glance.
Shock courses through me as I pick up my phone with shaky fingers. I see that Jordan has sent me two more texts.
It’ll be fun, I promise.
I want you there with me.
Cade’s words ring through my mind as I try to come up with a response for Jordan. I hate how easily it is for me to doubt him after what Cade said. That’s stupid. I barely know Cade.
And I’ve known Jordan forever.