Chapter 12

Cade watched Avery emerge from her car with a questioning glance. Hell, he didn't know why he was here either, other than it felt like he had something to prove. To her, that he wasn't just some playboy who sought fun. To himself, that this thing between them was different and he was capable of trying.

By showing up tonight, he wanted her aware that this wasn't about Hailey, nor work. And that he wanted to be here. Truth was, he thought of little else but Avery when she wasn't around.

"Hi," she said, coming closer. "You get a Friday night free from babysitting and you come, anyway. Don't tell me we accidently domesticated you."

Her grin was teasing, a little nervous, but his gut twisted. She was one of the few people to treat him like he wasn't a joke, like he had more inside him than he allowed to show. Yet her comment sliced, eradicating that.

Or maybe she was just fishing.

She bent to pet Freeman, who ate up the attention.