Page 2 of Cade

We finally pull off the interstate after a drive that seems way longer than the more than two hours it was. I’m not giving Zane a choice on the way home. I’m fucking driving. Zane makes a turn down a street that could be the definition of Americana, with older Craftsman homes dotting the street and large trees shading it.

“There’s an MC clubhouse nearthisneighborhood? The residents don’t get pissed off?” I ask.

Zane straight-up laughs at me. “Dude. This club ain’t like that.” I glare over at him as he continues. “This ain’t noSons of Anarchy, or a one-percenter club. This club is about family. The guys all have regular jobs and, hell, one of their prospects is a retired cop. The one about to start? He’s just getting out of the military. I’m tellin’ you they’re on the legal side of shit.” I glare over at him because I’m not sure if he’s shooting straight with me or piling on a heaping load of horseshit. Zane makes another turn and glances my way.

He gets a serious look. “I know what you dealt with back in New York with a shitty owner. I’m not gonna lie to you about where we’re going. I ain’t gonna associate myself with something illegal either. I may not have another chance at playing for the national team, but coaching somewhere when I’m done playing would be a fucking excellent career, and I’m not gonna fuck things up. These people are family, and they’re decent people. I grew up with half the guys, and their parents are pretty fucking awesome. You’ll see.”

He’s got me feeling a little better as he makes a final turn into a parking lot. As he parks, I see people outside sitting at tables and a bunch of kids running around. Okay, so it doesn’t look like thattelevision show so far, but what I know about motorcycle clubs all comes from it, so I don’t really have anything else to go on.

We get out of Zane’s SUV, and I follow him toward the crowd of people. A guy looks up and sees us approaching. “Holy shit, they’re multiplying.” A few other people turn our direction, and a man, almost as tall as Zane, stands up and walks to us. “You bringing the team one by one or something, Prospect?”

Zane walks up, shakes his hand, and gives him a one-armed hug. “Somethin’ like that. This is Cade, and he’s a long fucking way from home. I thought some of Ma, Anna, and Romona’s home cooking could do him a heap of good.”

He sticks his hand out and I shake it. “Welcome. Name’s Jon. I’m the president, and I’ve known this fucker for more years than either of us would like to admit. Grab some food and enjoy yourself. Save some room for dessert because my woman, Jane, made a heap of cookies and cupcakes today and she’s gonna insist you have some.”

Another man, nearly as tall, comes up and shakes my hand and gives a chin lift to Zane. “Mom made plenty of her lasagna. Hell, I think she made a tray just for you two since she knew you were coming. Name’s Asher. You better get some before this lot goes in for a second round.”

I follow Zane toward the building. “They set up the food inside unless they’re grilling. Be forewarned, some of the moms are serious huggers.” Sounds like Mom, which reminds me I need to call her soon. I just nod and follow him inside. Once we’re inside, I look around and see not just a couple of women but at least a dozen, some who look like they’re around my parents’ age and some closer to mine. I look at the women sitting around, and a woman walks in from another room. I’m pretty sure the world stops. She’s gorgeous. She’s got a smile on her that lights up the room. I need to know who she is. But my voice seems to have disappeared.

Another woman comes into the room behind her, looking similar but older. Maybe her mom? She looks over and smiles. “Zane! Heard you were coming and bringing someone. Come on over, introduce us, and get you some food. I know you’ve got to be hungry.”

Zane gets a big grin on his face and hurries over to get a hug. Once he hugs her, he looks over to me. “This here is Anna, and she makes the best fucking lasagna ever. I know you’re from the East Coast and lived in New York where there’s a mess of fucking Italians, but this shit beats that any day.”

Anna rolls her eyes at Zane and gives me a smile. “I don’t know about all that. It ain’t traditional, but it will fill you up. I hear it’sbeen a while since you had a home-cooked meal.” I smile and nod.

“Yes, ma’am. I don’t get home to see my folks that often, so it’s been quite a few months since I had some real home-cooked food. Thank you for lettin’ me come partake.” Anna pats my arm.

“Oh, he’s got manners too! Now I know you got a good mom at home. Go on and fill up your plate. What do you two want to drink? I’m guessing since it’s during the season, a beer is probably a no-go.” We both say water, and she nods and ushers us into the kitchen. “I’ll have Hanna grab you each a bottle and meet you outside with them.”

Hanna. Is that the name of the beauty I saw just a minute ago? If it is, I want to hurry and get outside to meet her. I pile my plate up with lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. Everything smells fucking amazing. Zane has two plates, both piled high. The man can fucking eat, but even for him that’s a lot. He shrugs his shoulders. “I’ll work out extra tomorrow, but I’m gonna fucking devour this food. It’s one of the things I missed most about not living near here. I love my mom, but she can’t cook for shit. I grew up on this.” I just nod because I know if I was offered some of my mom’s homemade macaroni and cheese, I wouldn’t be sharing a fucking bite of it and would eat the whole dish myself.

We head outside and stop at a table near the others. The girl—no woman—who stopped the earth moving is standing theretalking to…Asher… that’s his name. She reaches over and does something to his arm that has him howling out. “OOOWWW! Why? Just why do you always gotta pull my arm hair? We’re not kids anymore!” He glares at her, and every cell in my body wants to stand up and get in between them to protect her from him.

He keeps glaring at her. She rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. “Then quit annoying my favorite brother-in-law! What did you do to Logan this time?” Asher looks down at her. “That’s between me and my husband, who, by the way, is your only fucking brother-in-law, dear little sister.” Ooohhh. She’s his little sister. I get that. The things Emma and I used to do to each other, I’m surprised we both survived.

Hanna must be done with whatever conversation she was having with her brother because she turns and smiles in my direction. She hands Zane his water without even looking over at him, but sits down next to me and gently hands me a bottle. “Mom said you just wanted water. No beer?”

I smile at her and nod. “Yeah, sweetheart. Water’s perfect. Thank you.” She rolls her eyes at me and looks at me, as if she’s seeing through me. “My name ain’t sweetheart. It’s also not darlin’ or princess or any of those other names guys use when they can’t remember a woman’s name. I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt since you’re just meetin’ everyone and I have a feeling Zane here ain’t told ya all our names. I’m Hanna.” Sheholds her hand out across the table. I lean forward, and I swear, when we touch to shake hands, electricity shoots through my arm. I watch her face, and she immediately makes eye contact again. That smile comes back.

“Well, Hanna, like you might’ve heard, my name’s Cade. Think you could keep me company while I eat?” She nods and relaxes into her chair.

Hanna

I don’t know what that was, but the second our hands touched, it was like an electrical current went through me. I mean, I’m not blind… well, not yet at least, and can see the man sitting across from me is the epitome of sex on a stick. But I need to know if it’s just surface level or if there’s something more.

I watch as he takes the first few bites of Mom’s lasagna and hear him moan the way almost everyone does when they first try it. He looks over to Zane and glares at him. “You’ve been holding out, motherfucker. I may have lived in New York for a few years, but this is not just the best lasagna I’ve ever had. I think it’s otherworldly.” I can’t help the smile that crosses my face.

“Well, it’s my mom’s recipe, but today’s food was my doing. For almost the first time ever, Mom let me make the lasagnas from start to finish.”

Cade looks at me with surprise. “You made this dish sent down from heaven?” I don’t know how to respond to that, so I just nod in affirmation. He grins and shocks me with what he says next. “I don’t see a ring on your finger, so I’m gonna ask, will you marry me?” I laugh because he’s ridiculous, but his eyes tell me he’s not completely joking. I might be in trouble.

“You don’t have to propose to have me cook for you. I like to, and as long as it’s in a kitchen I can figure out, I’m always happy to cook.” The man is listening because he looks at me and tilts his head as if he’s trying to dissect what I just said.

“What do you mean a kitchen you can figure out? I’m not the best cook, but aren’t they all pretty similar in what they have?” He’s not wrong, but he’s about to learn why so many guys hightail it away from me as fast as they can. “They are for the most part, but as someone who’s losing their vision, they’re things that matter more to me than would to most people.”

He finishes his bite and surprises me by not changing the subject but asking a question. “What are the things that matter to you? I’m guessing it’s not so much if the stove is gas or electric?” I shake my head.

“No, but I do like to cook on gas more, but that has nothing to do with my eyesight. Actually, right now, the biggest thing is bright lighting. My night vision is nonexistent, and my peripheral vision is worsening every year. I have a really strongprescription, but my eyesight has gotten significantly worse in the last couple of years. I can still see, but not great and not super far away. One of these days, I will lose my sight completely.” He hasn’t stopped paying attention once. I don’t know why I spilled that all out to him like that. I never do that. I shake my head. “I didn’t mean to be a Debbie Downer and just spew that all out to you. It’s not something I usually talk about the first time I meet someone. I’m not sure why I shared all that with you.”