Echo: A Linear Tactical Romantic Suspense Standalone Page 6

  “Is Nashville that bad?” Baby clasped him on the shoulder before sitting down on top of the picnic table next to him. “You vaguely resemble a soldier on the lookout for the enemy.”

  That was part of the problem, wasn’t it? Cade wasn’t sure exactly what Peyton was in this situation. Friend? Enemy? She was an unknown entity.

  He forced himself to relax and give an easy smile to his best friend since childhood. “Occupational hazard, I guess. You get used to people always trying to use you for stuff. Although, I know I don’t have to worry about that here.”

  Baby chuckled. “You got that straight. Most of the people here are more likely to remember the time we toilet papered Mr. and Mrs. Mazille’s house than remember whatever your best-selling album was.”

  And that’s why this was home. Because no one here was going to ask him for his autograph, but they damn sure might ask him to help move a couch or take the trash out to the dumpster. Cade relaxed a little bit more.

  Hell, most of the people here were much more concerned and excited about Dorian and Ray’s presence than they were Cade’s.

  It was good for him. Reminded him who he really was. Living in the limelight made it too easy to get caught up in all that. To start believing his own press. Home grounded you.

  But he still needed answers.

  He chatted with Baby and a couple of the other Linear guys for a few minutes, forcing himself not to make any inquiries about Peyton, until he saw Riley walking in from the parking lot. He quickly moved in her direction.

  He wasn’t sure how or why Peyton and Riley had ended up living together after Peyton moved out of her parents’ house.

  He was finding out there wasn’t much of anything he knew about Peyton.

  He quickened his steps to get over to Riley before she got too far from the driveway. He’d prefer to have this conversation where no one else could hear.

  He knew the exact second Riley saw and recognized him. Her look actually stopped him in his tracks.

  Celebrity status was part of his job. Cade had never sought it out, and a lot of times it was a pain in the ass. But he was pretty used to it now and tried to take it in stride.

  People reacted to him in a myriad of ways. Some were giddy with excitement. Some seemed to have a crush without even knowing him. Some, usually men, felt threatened, like they had something to prove.

  But no one had ever looked at him with downright hatred in their eyes like Riley Wilde was looking at him now.

  He racked his brain for something he might have said or done to her to justify any feelings that intense toward him. He couldn’t remember talking to her at all. He’d never slept with her. Despite what the tabloids sometimes wanted to report, Cade had been selective about who he spent his time with romantically. Honestly, he just hadn’t had much interest.

  With a breath, he forced himself to start walking forward again. He was imagining things. Riley had no reason to dislike him.

  But her scowl grew darker as he got closer. He put on his best smile, the one he normally reserved for talk show appearances, as he reached her side.

  “Hi, Riley.” She didn’t look like there was a snowball’s chance in hell that she would shake his hand if he extended it, so he left both hands at his side. “I’m Cade—”

  “Oh, I know exactly who you are.”

  Oookay.

  “Well, I was hoping I could ask you a couple of questions.”

  “Oh yeah? About what, exactly? If you need medical advice, you should ask Annie Griffin. She’s an MD.”

  “No, I don’t have medical questions.” He wouldn’t ask her even if he did. She seemed more likely to kill him than heal him.

  “That’s probably wise,” she muttered.

  “I actually have a question about Peyton Ward. I understand you guys were roommates?”

  He watched as the anger slid completely from Riley’s face, a blank mask replacing it.

  “Yes. We were a few years ago.”

  Her tone was as emotionless as her face. The fact that she’d been so heated a couple moments before made it conspicuous.

  And weird.

  Jesus, what the heck was going on today?

  Cade drew on every ounce of patience he had left. “Look, I don’t mean her any harm. I’m just trying to figure out why she didn’t go to the London Film Centre five years ago like she was supposed to.”

  Riley’s neutral mask slipped. “Are you kidding me right now? Is this some sort of test?”

  “A test?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “To see what I know? What I’d say to you? After all this time?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. Lance was always on him to do that more. Said it gave him a sexy, tousled look. But right now, it was the look of a man who was about to completely lose his shit.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. All I’m trying to find out is why Peyton never went to film school. Why she was cleaning my aunt’s house yesterday. Why she evidently also works part-time for Linear Tactical instead of somewhere else like Hollywood.”

  Riley’s slap across his face caught him completely by surprise. By the look on her face she hadn’t been expecting it either.

  They both stood there staring at each other until she finally stepped back from him, her hands clasped into fists at her sides.

  Cade forced himself not to move a muscle. He was never going to raise a hand to a woman, and especially not to one he’d grown up with. He might not know Riley well, but she didn’t have a reputation as being violent or hot-headed.

  So he waited for her to explain what the hell was going on.

  She took a deep breath. “Why is Peyton cleaning for a living? Well, let me see. Not all of us are independently wealthy. So when Plan A doesn’t work out, we have to make the best we can out of Plan B. That’s what Peyton did.”

  Cade had no problem with that, even respected it. “Fine. But why didn’t Plan A workout for her?”

  Riley’s eyes narrowed as she tossed her red braid over her shoulder. “This is a new level of assholery even for you, O’Conner. Are you wearing a wire?” She shook her head in disgust. “To officially answer your question: I don’t know why Peyton chose not to attend film school.”

  Her words said one thing, but her face said the exact opposite. What wasn’t she telling him?

  “Damn it, Riley, I’m just trying to understand what happened. Why are you stonewalling me?”

  She looked like she was going to slap him again. “Wow. The fact that you can say that with a straight face means you’re more of a performer than anyone gives you credit for.”

  “Just tell me.”

  “Tell you what?” Her eyes got deliberately wider. “I promise, Mr. O’Conner, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  This was a nightmare. Obviously, there was something he didn’t know. Something important. He scrubbed his hand across his face. “I don’t understand. Please, I’m begging you.”

  She shook her head. “You really are convincing. I have to give you that. Okay, I’ll bite. Peyton almost died, O’Conner. That’s public record, so can’t possibly be used against her.”

  “What? When?” And why would he use it against her?

  “You really didn’t know about that? What the hell is your end game? Five years ago, that bastard of a stepfather used her as a punching bag the wrong way. She fell down some stairs, and was unconscious for more than twenty-four hours. Nearly lost. . .” Her eyes narrowed again. “Is this a trick?”

  He was about to pull his goddamn hair out “A trick? What are you talking about? She nearly lost what?”

  Riley blew out a breath. “Her life. She nearly lost her life. She was in intensive care for a week. Everything changed for her, and she didn’t make it to London. Okay? Are you happy with those answers? Do they meet the details of the fine print?”

  He didn’t know what the hell Riley was talking about. He was too busy trying to wrap his head around the fact that Peyton had nearly died, and he’d had no idea.

  No fucking idea at all.

  “Haven’t you taken enough from her?” Riley whispered. “Just leave her alone. She doesn’t deserve whatever it is you’re bringing her way.”

  Cade nodded, only half processing whatever it was Riley had said.

  Peyton had almost died.

  “Is that why Dennis Redman is in prison? Because of what he did to Peyton?”

  “Drunken bastard deserves a lot more than however many years they gave him. But at least he’s out of her life.” She tilted her head to the side, studying him. “You really didn’t know about this, did you?”

  He never would’ve stayed away if he had. No wonder Peyton hated him if she thought he’d known about all this and had just ignored her.

  This was why she hadn’t ever returned any of his emails. She hadn’t been stonewalling him in London; she hadn’t been there at all.

  “I swear, Riley, on everything I hold holy, I didn’t know.”

  He would’ve been there to support her. In the hospital, during the trial, to comfort her when the London Film Centre wouldn’t hold her spot while she recovered. He could’ve helped fight for her. Maybe it wouldn’t have made any difference.

  But at the very least, she would’ve known she had someone by her side.

  Riley shook her head. “Well, it doesn’t make everything else okay, but I do believe you when you say you didn’t know about this.”

  “I would’ve been there.”

  Riley’s eyebrows rose so high, he thought she might actually hurt her face. “You’re such an oxymoron, O’Conner. And a regular moron. I met Peyton because I was a nursing student at the hospital when she was there. I can’t believe I didn’t know her before then. She’s an amazing person.”

  Cade had known that from day one.

  He ran his hand through his hair once more. All day he’d wanted to know what was going on. Now that he knew, it satisfied nothing in him.

  He had to see Peyton. Right damn now. He itched with the need like an addict craving a fix.

  “Thank you for telling me what happened.”

  “You leave her alone, O’Conner. You’ve done enough damage.”

  Cade nodded as Riley walked away, but it was in agreement with her second statement, not the first. Yes, he’d done damage. Not on purpose, but unintended wounds could still cut just as deep.

  He wanted to make this right if he could.

  And leaving Peyton alone? That was not in the cards.

  Chapter 9

  “Okay, Mom, play nice with the other kids.”

  Peyton rolled her eyes at her daughter’s clever mouth. That kid.

  They walked from the car to the main area where the Linear cookout was being held. Jess was about to take off. Ethan’s dog, Skywalker, was already pulling her arm on his leash.

  “You know the rules, squirt.”

  “Nothing sweet unless I ask, stay where the adults can see me, and most of all, no running off after any of the stupid dogs.” Jess grinned at her over her shoulder. “Shouldn’t say stupid, Mom.”

  Peyton shook her head. “Get out of here before I decide I’d rather go live the wild, single life out in Hawaii.”

  “As if you’re not taking me to Hawaii with you.” Jess laughed and ran off.

  This was a safe place. There wasn’t anything anyone here wouldn’t do for Jess.

  But still, just knowing Cade was in Wyoming made Peyton want to grab her daughter and run as far away as possible.

  She hadn’t been sure she was even going to come today, but Cade had never shown up at any of the Linear activities, so she figured she was safe. Plus, she’d promised Jess.

  They really had to work on that kid’s FOMO—fear of missing out—levels. Her little social butterfly couldn’t stand the thought there might be fun to have that she wasn’t part of.

  Just had an interesting talk with What-a-Dick O’Conner.

  Peyton stared at the text from Riley, not sure whether to laugh or flee the state.

  Where are you? she shot back

  I’m here.

  Peyton looked up and found Riley rushing toward her. A feeling of anxiety pooled in her belly and got intensified when she saw her friend’s face.

  “Oh my gosh, he’s here, isn’t he?”

  Riley pulled her in for a hug. “Don’t panic. We knew this was going to happen sometime. Oak Creek is too small for you to never run into each other again. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

  Except for lie about terminating her pregnancy and not tell him he had a child.

  “Right. I won’t bring it up, and surely he won’t ask.”

  Riley nodded. “Of course not. Although. . .never mind.”

  “What?”

  Riley shrugged with a grimace. “I don’t think he knew about the Dennis incident. The hospitalization. That’s what I actually meant when I said I had a weird conversation with him. He wanted to know why you hadn’t gone to film school.”

  “He asked about London?”

  “Yeah. I thought it was a test to see if you had broken the terms of your NDA, so I was careful not to say anything about the pregnancy. But honestly, I don’t think he knew anything about what happened with Dennis.”

  Peyton wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel about that news. In the greater scheme of things, did it really matter if he did or didn’t know Dennis had put her in the hospital? Cade had refused to talk to her when he found out she was pregnant. Why would he have helped her in the hospital?

  Peyton spent the next couple of hours trying to enjoy the picnic while avoiding Cade. Between all the Linear employees and their significant others, the gathering was like a large family reunion. Boisterous and fun, but easy to avoid someone if you were careful to keep a lookout and move in a different direction. Besides, everyone was damn near giddy about seeing Dorian and Ray again. Peyton wasn’t sure of the exact details about why the couple had needed to move away from Oak Creek; all she knew was that she missed the big, quiet Dorian and owed both of them a debt she could never repay for rescuing Jess and Ethan a few months ago.

  Nobody could miss the tension that permeated the entire property when a stranger showed up mid-afternoon. Gavin and Heath both obviously knew the man, and the way Ray slipped her giant headphones over her ears and began backing toward the woods at the edge of the property, Peyton guessed the couple knew him also.

  Trouble was brewing.

  Sometimes, the Linear guys seemed to draw trouble like a magnet. Fortunately, they had the skills and aptitude to deal with it.

  Peyton didn’t have the same skills and strengths as Zac or Finn or any of the Linear guys, but she had a heightened sense of survival. She’d managed to survive for ten years with Dennis around because she’d kept her head down and knew when to get the hell out of Dodge.

  She headed into the office to get more tea out of the fridge, but that might have to wait. It might be time to grab Jess and get out now.

  “You look like you’re about to bolt.”

  Peyton froze completely at the sound of Cade’s voice. She’d been so busy watching the situation with the stranger unfold she’d forgotten that there was a much bigger danger to her present.

  She drew in a breath and forced herself to be calm. It’s all water under the bridge now.

  She turned to face him. “Cade. Sorry I wasn’t able to talk to you yesterday. Hope you’ve been well. I’ve got to go—”

  He dragged her into a nearly suffocating hug, cutting off her words.

  But suffocating in all of the best, most impossibly wonderful ways.

  Cade.

  All she could smell was him. The scent of his soap—the same one he’d used in high school—crisp and clean and strong.

  All she could feel was the strength of his arms wrapped around her, holding her so tightly, they were almost doubled. His hard chest pressed up against her face. His hand as it smoothed down her hair over and over.

  All she could hear was the rumble of his deep voice as he began to speak. “I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know.”

  Peyton knew she should pull away. If she had a single ounce of pride, she would stomp on his toes, bite him through the thin material of his T-shirt, then step back and swing at him with the best right hook she had.

  But for one brief moment, she wanted to believe this. Believe all of it. His words, his body, the sound of his heart as it thundered under her ear.

  Something had died in her the day she’d received that registered letter. In five years, she’d never gotten close to another man. Mostly because she’d been too busy simply surviving, but also because her heart had been broken in every possible way a heart could be broken. So just for one fracking moment, she wanted to believe this beautiful lie.

  She didn’t touch him herself, didn’t wrap her arms around him, but she didn’t pull away either. She closed her eyes and let everything flow over her.

  “I could’ve lost you. Dennis… I’m so sorry.”

  With those words, the bubble burst. He could’ve lost her?

  What exactly did he think he’d done when he completely cut her out of his life? Made her sign a paper so that she could never ever speak about their relationship, even to her closest friends, without fear of legal ramifications? What had he thought he’d done when he paid her thousands of dollars to abort his child and calmly told her that if she tried to contact him, he’d pursue a restraining order?

  And he was concerned that he could have lost her when Dennis threw her down the stairs?

  Now she stepped back, ruthlessly tamping down the part of her that grieved over the loss of contact with him.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  She kept her eyes focused on his chest as his arms slowly dropped from around her.

  “Peyton. . .”

  She took another step back and forced herself to look up into his eyes. God, those eyes.

  She pointed out the window. “It looks like there might be some trouble brewing with that stranger who just showed up. I think I’m going to take. . .” Peyton wanted to swallow her tongue. Was she really about to say that she was going to take Jess and go home? “It’s probably time for me to get going.”