Page 75 of Shadows of You

Cady straightened. “You’re not ugly. You’re handsome. Like a real-life prince.”

He chuckled, the sound skating over my skin in a pleasant shiver. “Well, that’s what I would tell myself they really said. I just replace the words in my head. Then you smile at them real big and say, ‘Thank you so much.’ It confuses them.”

Cady giggled. “I bet.” The laughter died away. “Doesn’t it hurt your feelings when people say mean things?”

“Every now and then when I’m already having a hard day. But most of the time, I realize they don’t really know me. I only care about what my family thinks about me. What the peopleIcare about think.”

She straightened on his lap. “We’re your family now, too, and we love you a whole lot, Mr. Grizz.”

Cady threw her arms around Roan in a tight hug. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Love you, too, Tiny Dancer.”

My eyes burned, and my nose stung.I will not cry. I will not cry.I said the words over and over in my mind.

Cady released Roan and hopped off his lap. “I gots to get out of my leotard, and then can we have double chocolate peanut butter cup muffins, Mama?”

I swallowed the fire in my throat. “I saved a few just for you.”

“Yes!” She booty-shook out of the living room and down the hallway toward her bedroom.

A smile tipped my lips. That was a little kid for you. It was the end of the world one minute, and as though nothing happened at all the next.

I turned back toward Roan to thank him for all he’d done and was met by a wall of fury. He’d kept it carefully restrained while comforting Cady, but now it was out in full force.

His breaths were more labored, his fists clenched. “I am two seconds away from driving over to that brat’s house and showing her mean.”

23

ROAN

Aspen’s eyeswidened in shock as she gaped at me. Then she burst out laughing. I’d heard her laugh before, but not like this. It was full-out, completely uninhibited, and wrapped around me like a warm embrace.

Tears filled her eyes as she struggled for control. “Let’s try to hold off on the child terrorizing, okay?”

My lips thinned at the reminder of Cady sobbing in my arms. “Someone needs to teach her a lesson.”

Aspen’s expression softened. “I don’t disagree, but I’m not sure that person is you.”

It would be if that girl didn’t leave Cady alone.

“This been going on long?” I asked.

Aspen toyed with the fringe on one of her throw pillows. “Heather has never been especially fond of Cady, but it got worse when they all started ballet.”

A muscle in my jaw ticked. “Have you talked to her parents?”

“It’s just her mom in the picture, Katelyn Beasley.”

I winced. That woman was a piece of work. She was always trying to snag one of my brothers. As they’d paired off, she’d set her sights on Lawson, who had no interest whatsoever. “You try talking to her?”

Aspen went quiet, her fingers tangling in the pillow’s fringe.

“Aspen?” I pressed.

Her gaze lifted to mine. “She’s not my biggest fan.”

My back teeth ground together. “What. Do. You. Mean?”

“Nothing. It’s not a big deal.”

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