Page 3 of Broken Love (Love 2)
Tory glances behind me and grins.
I turn to see what she's looking at, expecting to see a hot guy, but instead finding Cade's mother approaching us. I look for a way to escape, but I can't find one.
"Palmer, it's so good to see you," she says, giving me a warm embrace.
"Thank you, Mrs. Crawford."
"It's been too long since we've seen both you and that handsome brother of yours. We've had to resort to watching your movies and seeing Pike play baseball on TV. It's just not the same."
"I've just been--" I glance at Cade, whose eyes I can feel from across the room. "Um--"
"Busy?" she asks.
"Yes, work has kept me busy." I shove cake in my mouth, hoping she won't say anything else.
"Just because you fired Cade as your agent, doesn't mean you can't still be friends. Our families were friends for years. I'm glad you're here, dear. Who did you bring with you? Are you dating anyone?"
"Uh, no," I fumble over my words. Mostly because Cade just winked at me. It's an old habit--something he did even before we dated--when I was starting out in the movie industry. When people thought I was just an airhead model. It used to give me confidence. Now, it simply unravels me. "I brought my, uh, my friend--"
"I'm Tory," Tory finally says, extending her hand. "Palmer's assistant. Delighted to meet you."
"Very nice to meet you, too, Tory. Oh, look. They're getting ready to do the garter and bouquet toss." She pushes both Tory and I out onto the dance floor. "Go on. It's a silly tradition, but everyone can use a little luck in the dating scene these days--what with Tinder and all those hooking up apps. It's no wonder a man doesn't want to marry."
Tory and I end up in a group of single women.
"Guess we're both going out to catch the bouquet," Tory quips.
Cash leads Ashlyn out to the center of the dance floor where she sits in a chair. Cash drops to his knees and starts digging through the fluffy layers of Ashlyn's ball gown. When he finds the garter, he gives her a naughty smirk--one that looks exactly like Cade's--leans down and sexily pulls it off with his teeth.
The frat boys all go nuts, cheering and whistling.
Cash shoots the garter up into the air, and I watch as it literally drops into Cade's hands. Like, he didn't even try to catch it.
"Shit. Now I have to catch the bouquet," I mutter.
"If catching it means I get that ridiculously handsome man for myself," Tory says, "I'll fight you for it. I'd cut a bitch for a piece of that."
"You can't go against me, Tory! Besides, look at all the women eyeing him now. And that one--" I point, "--she's giving him flirty eyes. She needs to stop that!"
Tory pushes me into the center of the dance floor as Ashlyn takes her place, turns her back toward us, and tosses the bouquet high into the air.
I'm tall, and my brother used to make me play catch with him in the backyard. Screw Miss Bedroom Eyes, he's mine.
I jump up, stretching my body out like I'm going up for a pop fly to center field.
A flower hits my hand, I grasp it with all my might, and come down with it.
"Woot!" Tory yells, cheering me on. The rest of the girls let out a collective sigh, scowl at me, and then disperse.
The wedding photographer grabs me by the arm. "We need a photo of you with the guy who caught the garter." She drags me over toward Cade, telling him the same and pushing us together.
"That was quite the leap," Cade says to me.
"You didn't even try. The garter pretty much fell into your hands."
"You know what this means, right?" the photographer asks. "You two will be the next to get married."
I look into Cade's beautiful blue eyes. Eyes that haunt my soul. Eyes that invade my dreams. Eyes I thought would be my future.
"I wouldn't bet on that, Delilah," Cade replies to the photographer. And I swear, he's flirting with her. Is he hitting on her in front of me? After he just cock blocked me? What the fuck?
"Cade is a perennial bachelor," I say, wanting to wipe that smile off her face. "No woman will ever tie him down."
Cade puts his hand across the small of my back and leans in toward me, his touch causing me to jump.
"One woman did, once," he whispers, going a step further and pulling me completely into his arms.
Goosebumps instantly form, even though I feel quite flush.
"Are you cold?" he asks, sliding his hands up and down my arms to warm me.
"Yeah, ocean breeze, I guess." A stupid thing to say since we are inside a ballroom.
"Okay," the photographer says. "Smile and say, I'm getting married soon!"
Cade reaches out and brushes his finger down my cheek. "You just have a little frosting--"
I gulp when he touches me.
Neither of us is paying any attention to the photographer. We're just gazing at each other, our eyes locked, conveying words we don't dare to speak. I haven't been in his arms in years, but it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Like our breakup never happened. He glances at my lips, causing me to lick them and tilt my head upward in anticipation of his kiss.
"I need you to look at me," the photographer growls, snatching away our brief but beautiful moment.
Cade and I turn toward the camera and smile.
She clicks and leaves.
"You winked at me--from across the room," I stutter.
"Old habit, sorry," he states. "Nice to see you, Palmer, and good luck with the bouquet."
October 16th Pike
"Hey, Peaches," I say, using the nickname I've called my little sister since she was a kid.
"Hey, Pike! Are you on your way to Texas? Can I come to the game?"
"You came to the playoffs two years ago, and we didn't make it to the big game. I want you to wait and come when I pitch in the first game of the World Series. It's my year. I can feel it."
"I'm so happy for you, Pike. It was hard on all of us when L.A. traded you to Tampa."
"To have them practically blame me for losing the playoffs after playing there for most of my career was a blow. But Tampa took a shot on me even knowing I needed shoulder surgery. We have a great team. Seriously, sis, I feel good about our chances. So put Tuesday, October the twenty-eighth on your calendar."
"Is your shoulder really holding up?"
"It is. I know I'm getting old for a pitc
her, but at thirty-four, I'm in the best shape of my life. And for the first time in years I'm not in pain with every pitch."
"And how are things with Britney?"
"It's Bethany. And she's pushing to get married."
"And you're resisting as usual?"
"I'm not convinced I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Speaking of that, do you ever see Cameron?"
"She was in Milan for Fashion Week. We had lunch."
"How is she?"
"Maybe you should call her and ask her that yourself."
"Did she ask about me?"
"Pike, you dated her off and on for almost a decade. Every time she stops dating someone, the tabloids wonder if the two of you will get back together. Of course she asked about you."
"And?"
"We just talked about life and love, fashion, and the movie industry. She's close to wrapping up the movie she's working on and then she's taking a few months off--going to her place in Hawaii to just surf and chill."
"Is she seeing anyone?"
"If that's what you really wanted to know, why didn't you just ask me that in the first place?"
"Just answer the question," I say.
"No, she's not. Not seriously, anyway. She says lately she's had a string of bad dates, and she's given up. But she said it in that way she does. She's so animated and funny. We laughed all through lunch."
"She always made me laugh, too."
"Maybe you should call her and catch up."
"I gotta get through this season, first. Then, maybe. But I have to be honest. I like living in Florida. It's quiet and people respect my privacy--as opposed to when I was in L.A. where the tours buses drove by my house. Maybe I'll settle down and buy a place on the Gulf."
"Settle down--like retire?"
"Not for a few more years."
"You and Cade always joked that when you made the big leagues you were going to share a house like the Playboy Mansion." She laughs. My sister has a beautiful laugh. One that always makes me feel happy. But hearing Cade's name immediately pisses me off.
"Asshole," I say.
"I saw him a few days ago. Ashlyn Roberts married his brother, Cash. I went to the wedding."
"Carter told me about that. I see him quite a bit. He's the agent for a kid on my team. I actually called him for advice on my last contract. I felt like Jimmy had been my agent for so long that he was just phoning it in."
"I danced with Carter at the wedding."
"How is their family?
"They're doing well."
