“Would you rather go forward ten years or back ten years so you could change things?” he asked.
“Oh, definitely forward.”
Cash glanced her direction. “Really? I wouldn’t think you’d want to be older.”
Her hand flung out and smacked his abs. He had to admit, he didn’t mind how she put her hands on him. Now how pathetic was that admission?
“I don’t care about age,” she stated. “But I wouldn’t want to change anything. All my experiences have led me to where I am today.”
“Stranded in a field?”
Her shoulder brushed against his as a warm chuckle escaped her again. He hadn’t seen this playful side of Jade and, circumstances aside, he was rather enjoying himself.
“Not exactly here, but in Haven,” she amended. “It’s giving me the time I need to think about the next step.”
The next step. Did that mean she had no intention of staying in Haven? She’d hightailed it out of there years ago, and someone like Jade was too big for a small town. She had ambitions and she may have joked about teaching yoga, but that wasn’t where she’d stay. He didn’t see her happy with that decision at all, considering how she was raised and what all she’d left behind in Atlanta. Even if her job had left her jaded, she was still accustomed to seven figures and city life.
Over the past several months Jade had been a huge help in getting the ball rolling on the new airport renovations. She’d written up the draft to help them get grants and she’d worked on the budget side of things as well.
She was an extremely smart businesswoman and he hoped like hell the firm she’d left in Atlanta felt the sting of her departure. From what he’d heard, she’d been put in a position no woman should ever be put in and her boss hadn’t believed her. But in the end, the truth came out, and Jade had not only come out on top, they’d begged her to come back. She basically had told them to go to hell.
Jade was a strong, independent woman and it would take a special town, a special man, to keep her.
The idea of someone treating Jade like less than she deserved made him furious, and that had nothing to do with his attraction. Women deserved respect.
Cash may throw snark her way as a hobby, but that didn’t mean he didn’t respect her. Besides, she usually dished it right back at him, which was what made her so damn fun.
“You really don’t have to do this, you know.”
Jade’s matter-of-fact tone pulled him back to the moment.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“The wedding. It’s kind of silly for you to go with me.”
“Too embarrassed to have me on your arm?” he asked, not the slightest bit joking.
“I’m not a snob,” she defended as she held up her phone in another vain attempt to check for service. “I know what people thought of me when I lived here growing up. Obviously you still think I believe I’m better than others. I’m not embarrassed to have you there, Cash. I just don’t want to put you in an awkward position and my mother . . . no, most of my family, is rather difficult.”
Ah, well. Maybe she wasn’t embarrassed because of him; perhaps she was embarrassed because of her own family. How bad could they be? Everybody had family members they’d rather keep hidden.
“I think I can handle it,” he assured her. “If you want to go alone, that’s up to you, but I’m offering you an out.”
She kept walking, her eyes focused straight ahead as she continued on without answering. He honestly couldn’t understand why she was even going to this damn wedding. She was an adult and could make her own decisions. Couldn’t she have just told them no?
Cash had a feeling something, or someone, kept a hold over Jade, made her loyal to this crazy clan.
“I’ll be fine on my own,” she told him. “But thanks for the offer.”
Fine. He wasn’t going to beg. He’d never begged a woman for anything, ever. He sure as hell wasn’t going to start now.
A hum in the distance had him halting and straining to hear.
“What—”
Cash held up his hand to silence her. Yes, that hum was steady and slow and absolutely music to his ears.
“Do you hear that?” he asked, smiling at her.