Page 2 of Cade

“No. You play fair like everyone else did,” Evan insisted.

“That’s hardly fair. I don’t want to do it if I’m just going to go on an awful date with some chick that only wants to sleep with a guy with money.” Each of them had more money than they could spend in this lifetime, all of them billionaires. Women were almost always after their money.

“I resent that,” Luke said. “Besides, maybe I’m turning over a new leaf.”

Cade snorted. “That’ll be the day.”

“Enough,” Owen jumped into the conversation.

“You aren’t part of this,” Cade reminded him.

“Damn, dude.” Owen pushed away from the table and stood. “Anyone want another?”

Cade didn’t look around to see who asked for another beer. He tried to focus on the fact that he needed to rein himself in. Mentally, he scolded himself for snapping at Owen.

“We can set you up with that girl from the coffee shop,” Evan teased.

“Her name is Paisley. And, no.” He had already tried asking her out before everything went sideways in his life. She’d turned him down flat and he had to find a new place to get coffee.

“She’s nice,” Luke said quietly.

It was such an odd statement from him that everyone stopped and turned. He didn’t think women we nice and comment on it. Luke was strictly a one-nighter kind of person and everyone had seen Paisley, knowing she wasn’t that at all.

“What?” Luke asked when he noticed everyone looking at him. “She is.”

Cade nodded. “She is.”

“We’re just surprised that you noticed,” Ryker pointed out what they were all thinking. “You rarely notice or comment on the ones that aren’t willing to bed you right then and there.”

Luke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking every bit the petulant teen despite being 26. “I notice things. This is why I don’t say shit.”

“No one said anything. We are just surprised.” Jake took a sip of his beer, his eyes staying on Luke.

Cade kept his mouth closed as they went back and forth. Taking the attention away from him hadn’t been planned, but he’d be grateful and not look this gift horse in the mouth.

“I have feelings, you know,” Luke huffed.

Evan bit back a chuckle that turned into a bull blown laugh before he could stifle it. “No one said you didn’t.”

“You all act like I’m so shallow all the time,” Luke complained.

Cade took in the other man’s stance and realized something had changed in their dynamic. Luke was no longer relaxed and while his tone was still slightly relaxed, his body was rigid. He stood, flexing his fists as he looked back at his friends.

“Is something going on?” Cade asked.

“No,” Luke bit out, too fast.

Cade shrugged. It would come out in time, whatever it was, and Luke would clue them all in when he was ready.

“You can talk to us. Seriously,” Owen’s laughter had dried up and his tone was more somber.

Luke’s eyes cut to Ryker, who gave a small shrug. Then he faced Owen again and shook his head.

“We’re here when you’re ready.” Cade stood and squeezed Luke’s shoulder. “We are always here, no matter what it is.”

And that was the truth. This group of friends had each other’s backs, no questions. Something they all knew about each other, but Cade wasn’t ready to put his problems out there yet, either.

Chapter Two