Bride & Seek (Enchanted Bridal #5) - Samantha Chase Page 0,7

then shook her head. “Sorry. That was a stupid question.”

“Not really. It’s just easier for me to be a little off-the-grid. Most of the time the crew and I are sweaty and dirty and we don’t need to be trekking through the resort lobby like that, so I have the storage buildings and the garage bays back here for the bigger equipment. All in all, it’s a good setup.”

Once inside his office, he walked over to his mini-fridge and pulled out two bottles of water.

“Thanks,” she said, and turned to find a seat. Cade might have a dirty job, but he had a clean office. He watched her look around a bit before sitting, and then he wished they had gone somewhere else or simply grabbed the drinks and kept walking around outside. It just seemed a little…awkward.

“So…” he began.

“So…” she said and then laughed. “I’m usually much better at conversation than this!”

That had him relaxing. “I am too.” He sat at his desk and looked at her. “I know you mentioned the other day how you moved here when you were a sophomore–so that means you graduated around 2006, right?”

She nodded. “And you were in the class of 2004.” Her hand immediately flew over her mouth like she wanted to take that statement back.

“Did we…did we know each other back then?”

Her blush was utterly adorable, and he had a feeling she really hadn’t meant to say what she had.

“I…I knew who you were,” Cammie finally said. “Obviously, I was the new kid, but…everyone knew who you were.”

“I wouldn’t say everyone,” he replied lightly, still trying to comprehend that she remembered him from high school.

“Trust me. It didn’t seem to matter where I went or who I hung out with–your name came up. You were considered the nicest guy in school. Everybody’s friend.”

“Well…clearly not everybody since you and I weren’t friends,” he said reasonably.

She sighed and then let out a small laugh. “Anyway…”

He took the hint. “Anyway, how do you like being back? I’m sure it’s a lot different from living in Raleigh. Or any big city.”

“There’s a lot more stuff going on here now than when I was younger, but I came back to visit my folks often enough that it wasn’t such a shock. Still, it’s good to be back, and I’m thrilled to be working here at the resort. It’s a great place. So beautiful.”

Cade heard everything she said, but it was what she wasn’t saying that stood out more. He stared at her for a long minute until she started to squirm. “Okay, that was the Miss America version of an answer, I believe,” he said finally.

“What do you mean?”

“It means it was all very politically correct. Trust me, the owners don’t have the place bugged and the drill sergeant can’t hear you. You don’t have to give the ‘go team’ speech.”

“That wasn’t what I was going for,” she said, her tone a bit defensive.

He quirked one dark brow at her in disbelief.

“Okay, fine. This wasn’t my first choice of places to live. If I had gotten married, we were going to be living back in Raleigh. Actually, we were living there and already had our house being built for when we got back from our honeymoon. I loved it there. It was close enough where I could still come and visit my parents without having them right in my backyard.”

“Is that really such an issue for you?”

Cammie sighed. “No. Not really. But it was a bit of a blow to my ego to have to move back home after… well… after.”

Now he understood. It wasn’t that she had anything against the Emerald Grove area, just the circumstances that brought her back. “Are you staying with your folks?”

She shook her head. “I did for a week, but it got old fast. I enjoy my independence and my privacy, and so do they. It was better for everyone.”

“So let me ask you something,” he began cautiously. “If you and your ex were going to be living in Raleigh–and essentially already were–why is he here in the mountains looking for a place to get married?”

“That’s the million-dollar question,” she murmured and quickly finished her water. Cade watched as she glanced at the clock on the wall and stood. “I should probably start heading back. Hopefully, they’ll be gone and I can get back to work. Plus, I’m sure you have other things to do rather than sit here and listen to my tale of woe.”

He couldn’t help but