Page 8 of Caden
“I think so. He’s tall, built. Red hair, beard, green eyes.” She wondered what else she could tell them about him, without giving away the parts she wanted to surprise them with.
“Sounds like you’ve got a hot one! I can’t wait to meet him,” Elizabeth said, fanning herself with one hand.
“Elizabeth, you’re married!” Lainey sounded appalled.
“Honey, you’re going to figure out that married doesn’t mean you can’t look. It just means hands off. Or that you take what looking makes you feel back to your partner.” Elizabeth gave her sisters a look that told them she felt like she was imparting an important bit of wisdom.
Olivia could see how this would work. It was like seeing an actor she loved and wouldn’t mind getting to know a bit better, then taking that desire to a partner where she knew she could get what she needed. It made sense and made her wish she had someone she could do that with these days. It had been weeks, actually months now that she thought about it, since she’d had any kind of closeness with anyone but her family, much less any kind of deep relationship, any kind of connection, with a partner. And she had to admit, if only to herself, she missed sex. She liked sex and while there had been a bit with Scott before they’d parted ways, it hadn’t been less than satisfactory and while she missed sex, she didn’t really miss sex with Scott.
“There you are,” the stylist said, pulling Olivia out of her thoughts and back to the present. “What do you think?”
“What do you think, Lainey?” Olivia turned to her sister. It was her big day and Olivia wanted to make sure her sister was pleased with how she looked.
“You look great.” Lainey checked the clock. “What time is your guy picking you up?”
Olivia glanced at the clock. “I’ve got plenty of time, but if I’m all done, I’ll head home and get changed.”
“You never did tell us this mystery guy’s name,” Elizabeth piped up.
Olivia scrunched her nose as she pretended to consider that. “I haven’t, have I?” She shot her sisters a grin. “I think I’ll keep that to myself for a while. You’ll meet him in a few hours.”
She waited while the stylist finished getting her ready to go, removing the smock and one last fluff of her hair, then she stood and looked around for where she’d left her purse. She said her goodbyes and headed home. She couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach at the thought of seeing Caden in only a couple more hours.
7
Caden pulled up in front of the address Olivia gave him and forced himself to take a deep breath and let it out slowly before he got out of the truck. He couldn’t help tugging at his suit jacket as he approached the door, making sure it hung straight before he knocked.
He didn’t have to wait long before the door swung open. He stood there stunned for several seconds before he was able to speak. She looked nothing like he remembered. He wasn’t sure he would even have recognized her if he wasn’t sure this was the right place, and she wasn’t dressed in a lacey confection of a gown that ended just above her knees.
Caden opened his mouth to tell Olivia how amazing she looked, but no words came out. He coughed and tried again.
“Wow. You are stunning.” He thought women complained that bridesmaids’ dresses were never flattering, but Olivia looked like maybe she was the one getting married, well, maybe if the dress wasn’t a bright red instead of white.
She smiled and posed a couple times before stepping forward. “You look pretty good yourself.” She stepped out, then turned and locked the door. “I hope you don’t mind leaving right away. My sister is a little anxious and has been texting me for the last twenty minutes asking when I’ll be there.” She shook her head and turned back to face him, that stunning smile still on her face.
“No, not at all. You didn’t tell me where we’re going.” He walked her back to the pickup, opened the passenger door for her and helped her into the seat before closing the door. As he headed back around the truck to his door, he couldn’t help but be grateful his parents had made sure he knew basic etiquette, even if it hadn’t meant much to him before now.
She gave him the address while he climbed into the seat, buckled up and started the pickup. It wasn’t far away. Not that anything in Dickenson was far, but they would be there soon.
“Any last-minute warnings you want to give me? Someone I want to steer clear of or anything not to do around your family? Anything you’ve told them about your fake boyfriend I need to know about?” He glanced her way before turning his attention back to the road.
“No. I have been careful not to say too much. Before this week I’d not said anything more than I was seeing someone new.”
“What did you say this week?”
“It was more this morning than this week.” She turned and looked out the far window before continuing, “My sisters were pestering me to find out more about you. I told them a little, about the real you, not some made up boyfriend. I thought that would be easier for us both.” She turned back and gave him a hopeful look. “I hope that was okay.”
“That’s fine. I just wanted to know if I needed to be from somewhere specific or I had a different name I needed to answer to.”
Olivia shook her head. “I haven’t given anyone a name. This morning they were bugging me, asking if they knew you. I told them you weren’t from here, so probably not. Then I told them you moved a lot. You don’t really consider anywhere home. I hope that was okay.”
“It’s fine.” He gave her a smile to settle her obvious nerves. He glanced at her again and found she sat, her hands folded in her hands, but gripped so tight her fingers had turned white. He didn’t bother to resist the urge to reach over and cover her hands with his. After a moment she released her own hand and took his, weaving her fingers among his.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I need to give you this to hold for me,” she handed him some folded bills. “I’m not taking my purse in, and I want to have cash for the dollar dance.”
Caden felt his eyes go wide. He hadn’t thought about something like that, and he didn’t normally carry much cash.
Olivia giggled, drawing his attention back to her. “I can see the panic in your eyes. You don’t have to dance with my sister, but I brought enough for you too if you want to.”