First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

maze was sweet freedom. They all cheered. Leah was surprised when the children did not run off toward the concession stand. Instead, they stood back and waited. Leah wasn’t sure what for.

“Picture time!” Cade announced. Leah quickly concluded this was another part of their tradition. He pulled Leah over to the kids and stretched his arm out to take a selfie. She smiled and looked at their image. Cade looked as handsome as ever. Sky had picked Liam up so his head would be higher in the photo. His round face was smiling ear-to-ear, his cheeks pink from the sun. Sky also smiled but Leah thought it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Say, corn maze!” Cade took a picture. “Say, donut!” He snapped another one, then a third that caught them all laughing.

“Let me see your phone.” Leah took the phone from Cade. “One more.” She took a full shot of Cade with his kids. They were smiling and happy. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the corn stalks created a wholesome backdrop. “Perfect!” she smiled at her handy work.

“Did someone say donuts?” Cade asked and both kids took off at a run. He took his phone back and scanned the photo. “Thanks, hun.” He gave her a peck on the cheek and they followed more slowly. Leah breathed in, enjoying the moment.

A dozen donuts and many ounces of cider later, they were all tucked back into Cade’s extended cab truck. The interior was warm from the sun and between the warmth and sugar buzz crash, both Liam and Sky quickly fell asleep in the back.

Leah and Cade talked in hushed tones. He inquired again about her fall.

“She didn’t push you, right? You wouldn’t lie for her?”

“Oh Cade, no! It really was an accident. I lost my balance.”

“Okay, just checking. She may not look like me but I’m worried she got some of the worst of me,” he shook his head.

“Well then, she’s really lucky to have you, isn’t she? To help steer her through and learn how to deal with it. And being like you is not all bad either. You are kind, fierce, and loyal.”

“Thank you. I never thought of it like that.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “You’re great with them, and me. I wish . . .” His voice trailed off.

“What do you wish, Cade?” she squeezed his hand back encouragingly, “Please tell me.”

“I wish you were really ours.” His voice was barely even a whisper.

Leah opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. A buzzing started in her head and she suddenly felt dizzy. She gripped his hand as tightly as she could. Trying to hold on.

“Leah.Leah?” Cade’s voice seemed both alarmed and too far away.

“I . . . stay forever if . . . could . . .” She barely got the words out before everything started to fade. Leah hoped her words got through. She thought they must have because she felt one last squeeze to her hand before everything went black.

Chapter 15

“No!” Leah did not even need to open her eyes to know she was back in her own bed. She wanted to cry, “five more minutes!” like she did as a child. She squeezed her eyes tight, trying to will herself back. She wanted to finish the conversation.

Instead, she heard noises coming from the other side of the apartment. She opened her eyes and listened as footsteps grew closer and there was a knock at the door.

“Leah?” Eric popped his head in without waiting for an answer. “Oh, I thought I heard you. Sorry. I figured you’d be up already.”

Leah thought the last part sounded a bit judgemental but she did not want to pick a fight. She offered a simple, “I overslept. Sorry.”

She instantly regretted her words. Why should she apologize for sleeping? He was the one who didn’t reply to her text. He was the one who never even said what time he would be home. Yet she was the one apologizing. Old habits were hard to break.

“Did you still wanna do brunch?”

Leah thought he sounded hopeful. She checked the time, “Just give me twenty minutes.”

He did not look happy. Eric hated waiting.

Leah was already up and moving. She saw Eric watch her for a moment as she grabbed clothes. She turned, wondering if he was going to watch her dress, something he hadn’t done in ages.

The door clicked shut behind her and she hurriedly stripped out of her pajamas and put on clean underwear and a bra. Next came a lightweight floral sweater with lace down both sleeves. She threw on jeans and socks before heading to the bathroom.

Leah finger-combed her hair and pulled it into a messy bun. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth. After applying a little make-up, she figured she was good to go.

When she presented herself in the living room, Eric looked surprised to see her. He glanced at his Apple watch but did not comment on how quickly she was ready. He got up to grab her jacket. He did not help her into it, just handed it off to her. She sighed.

“What?”

“Oh, um . . . just deciding on my shoes,” she covered with the first thing that popped into her head. “The boots are cuter but these flats are better for walking.” Would it have killed him to help her into her jacket? She didn’t mean to compare him to Cade, it just came unbidden to her mind.

“Do whatever you want.” Eric mumbled, heading out the door without her.

She sighed again, stepping into the flats and pulling on her jacket. If only I could, she thought as she followed Eric out the door.

They walked side-by-side. They did not hold hands and they did not talk. Leah wondered where he had been and what he’d been doing. She also wanted to know why he had come back in time for brunch if he didn’t actually want to go. Instead of