Page 75 of Unofficial

"It gets better," Jess says, and Carrie turns with rapt attention. "She had no intention of calling off the wedding. She was still going to marry Kade while carrying on a full relationship with his best friend. And the man was going to be his best man!"

Thank God she didn't talk about my parents. He can handle this, but his dead mother and killer father might be a bit too much for someone he just met.

"Then Kade goes and beats the shit out of Zach. Got himself arrested, but the charges were dropped to save face for Zach’s father's company."

"You are my favorite people today," Carrie says. "That had to feel good."

Holding out his hand, he shows them a scar on his middle knuckle. "Still have a reminder of that night."

"Wow!"

"You should have heard Jess before you walked up, though. I've never seen this side of her before, either, and it was hot."

Carrie bounces in her seat. "What'd you say?"

"It wasn't that bad," Jess says and laughs. "Sam just said how they should be able to move past everything because they were such good friends all that time ago or whatever. Like time magically fixed everything. Then I called her out by saying she and Zach were much better friends than anyone expected. Which, in my defense, is the God's honest truth. And I threw in a comment about how I’m not as good of a friend as they are, or something."

"Sweet little Jess, just blowing my mind tonight," Carrie says with a wink. "Hope she blows yours, too, if you know what I mean."

Kade looks to Jess, who just laughs and takes another sip of her wine. The look she gives him makes him weak, and he worries he won't have the self-control to stop her from what it looks like she wants to do to him tonight.

"I'm sorry, Kade. That really sucks for you. But I think it worked out in the end. Trust me, divorces are messy and usually cost more money than the bastard had to begin with."

"Carrie's not bitter about her divorce at all," Jess jokes.

"Absolutely not. But that's what I get for marrying a man instead of a woman," she says and stands. "I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner. Dessert will be out soon. Enjoy the rest of your night."

"Is it possible to get dessert to go?" she asks, looking at her watch. "I have an eight o'clock meeting tomorrow."

Carrie nods her head. "Of course."

Kade watches her walk into the kitchen, but he looks to Jess when she takes his hand. "Did I share too much?"

The concern on her face makes him want to kiss her right here in the crowded room. "No, baby, you didn't."

"Did it bother you?"

"Surprisingly, no. I'm glad you left the situation with my parents out, though."

She smiles at him. "That's no one's business. It also has next to no relevance to this situation."

The server walks out with a bag and the bill. Jess grabs it before he can say anything, and she laughs. He watches her take out a fifty-dollar bill and set it in the book.

"There's no way this cost fifty dollars," Kade says when they stand.

"Not even close, but Carrie covered it for us. Said the story and show was payment enough. She's a good person. A little brazen at times, but I loved working with her. She's someone I can talk about cooking with who doesn't think I'm crazy or old-fashioned."

Taking her hand, he walks her out to the pickup and holds the door open for her. He then climbs in, pulls out of the parking lot, and takes her hand in his again. It feels like a sin not to touch her, and everything about tonight feels surprisingly normal yet exciting at the same time. Familiar but new. And he doesn't mind the silence on the ride home.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kade gets out of the pickup and walks Jess to her front door. On the porch, he plans to give her a goodnight kiss to remember, walk back to his pickup, and call it a night.

Jess doesn't give him the option because she unlocks the door and steps inside before he can do or say anything. She leaves the door open, and he follows her, shutting the door behind him. "Jess, don't you have an early morning meeting tomorrow?"

She sets the bag down on the counter and opens it before grabbing the two plastic containers and forks. "I do, but it was to get out before Carrie had another chance to come talk. She would keep us there until closing if she could."

He watches her set the containers on the coffee table. "What are you doing?"

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