Desire (Montana Dreams Book 3) by Cait Jarrod Page A

friend and talking through her problems. Thanks to you, she saw reason. Her and Matt are together today because of what you did for them, not to them.”
    She jerked her arms out of his hands and gave him her backside. “You’re wrong!”
    Damn, thickheaded woman. “What about me? You called and asked me to get the car. I said I would later. If I had come, then neither of you would have been a passenger.”
    “It’s not the same.”
    He lifted his chin. “How is it not?”
    Time stood still as he watched her twist ever so slightly. Moisture covered her reddened face. The corners of her mouth turned downward even further, her pupils darkened to a deeper hue, and her skin paled. The sense the world would crash around him blazed through him like a wild horse stampede. He couldn’t feel, couldn’t move, just blinked as the next second felt like minutes.
    “You didn’t kill our baby boy.”
     
    ****
    The sun lowered in the sky, the bright stream cast over Bradley’s features and prevented Cadence from reading his face. With every passing second, his posture grew more rigid, tossing her insides into a fit of angry bees. Cadence hugged her waist tighter and waited, waited for his wrath. Waited for him to yell, “I hate you. Get out!” The same words Dad had used on Mom when she aborted her baby sister without telling him.
    The barn door creaked open and Matt appeared, followed by Trina and another man she didn’t want to see. Not now, while she and Bradley were in the middle of telling scars.
    “Hey Bradley,” Matt said, oblivious to the smothering tension. “This is Jace. He’ll help break Cadence.”
    “Thor,” Trina clarified, closing the door.
    Her friend’s husband chuckled, but Cadence focused on Bradley, watching his gaze go from Jace to her. Lord, what must have gone through his mind. His hardening features sucked the light from his face and made her physically ache.
    Autumn and Travis bee-bopped inside the barn, almost dancing. Terrific, just one happy family while her insides died. “We’re engaged!” Travis’ new fiancé’s light gray eyes beamed.
    Hopper squealed and jumped sideways, acting just as excited as his owner.
    Fan-fucking-tastic!
    Trina hugged Autumn while Matt fist bumped his brother. “Congratulations,” Cadence managed to say in somewhat of a cheerful voice, trying not to draw awareness to the tension running between her and Bradley. But attention was what she got. Four sets of eyes stared at her while Bradley eyed the barn door as if he planned to escape.
    “What’s wrong?” Autumn surprised her by being the first one to reach out.
    Ever since Bradley arrived, she and Trina hadn’t been on good ground. Who was she kidding? Before he came, her and her best childhood friend didn’t chat much, not as they used to. Trina moved toward her brother, the silent support the siblings gave for one another. She knew, since she used to stand right beside them when they had faced off with their parents. She was on her own. No one to confide in—not about this—and as nice as Autumn was, Cadence wouldn’t pull anyone else into this difficult situation.
    “I’ll wait outside,” Jace said, pointing to the doors.
    “Yeah, you do that,” Bradley barked and received a glare from Matt. The cowboy nodded his head with a hat tip, not offended by his remark, and left.
    All eyes turned back to her. The inspection gave her a cold, familiar, empty sensation. The mirror reflected the same disgusted look each time she checked her makeup or clothes. But this time, the scrutiny stole her air, brought her self-esteem down to a whole new level. “I’ll leave…its best,” she said more to herself then to the group.
    “No!” Autumn rushed forward and touched her arm, stopping her before she fled. “Don’t go.”
    “Good advice from a runner,” Travis said, winking at his fiancé.
    “We’ll leave.” Autumn hugged her, shocking her again. “You two talk.”
    “I agree. They need