Hard Edge - Tess Oliver Page 0,15
direction’. He’d decided to join the army. I’d hated the idea of him strapping on weapons and marching off to fight in war torn, dangerous corners of the world, but deep down, I knew it was exactly the right thing for him to do. He had always been restless and bored in Mayfair. And while I never really saw it, others, like teachers and his parents, had always said he lacked discipline. They were sure the army would set him right. For Grady, it had been both a source of worry and pride watching Caden go off to become a soldier.
I smiled thinking about how much Grady had admired his brother. I looked over at Caden. His profile was still chiseled perfection, a straight nose with a strong, masculine jaw all topped off with long eyelashes that looked completely out of place with the rest of him. Unlike Grady, Caden had always had a hard edge about him. I was sure it had come from years of being popped from house to house. Caden had had no choice but to toughen up, otherwise, the confusion of it all would have destroyed him.
My fingers moved absently over the plush toy sitting on the seat next to me. “I still remember that day when we watched you get on the plane to fly off for boot camp. Your mom looked so distraught and Grady told her, ‘those damn terrorists better be ready to kiss their sweet asses good-bye once Caden’s boots hit the desert sand’. Grady thought you were made of steel and grit and everything cool. He idolized you.”
A glimmer of a smile curled his mouth, but he didn’t allow more than that. “Too bad I didn’t give him more to deserve it. I left here thinking I was a badass, but when the harsh reality of fighting a war hits you smack in the face, it brings you back down to earth fast.”
“I heard you were pretty damn amazing over there. You don’t ever like to give yourself credit, Cade. There was a reason Grady looked at you as if you were a rock star. You are made of steel and grit and everything cool. You just don’t see it in yourself.”
Caden pulled onto the highway that would eventually curve down toward the coast. “How is the candy making going?” The blatant topic change was enough to convince me to drop the previous subject.
“I think I’ve got two new cavities just from breathing in the air around the kitchen. I love chocolate, but I think this time helping my mom will cure me of that love. At least for a few weeks. I mean—it’s chocolate. They didn’t name it the food of the gods for nothing.”
“Have to agree, chocolate is up there in top ten foods.”
“It’s actually kind of fun just working in the kitchen, wearing shorts and no shoes, chatting with my mom while we get business done.”
“Bet you’ll miss it when you’re working in a law office in those tight, expensive business skirts and high-heeled shoes.”
“Uh, I think you’ve been watching too many law shows on Netflix. And besides, with the debt I’ll be in after law school, I won’t be wearing anything expensive. Trust me.”
“Fine, but I’m still going to imagine you wearing tight skirts and high-heeled shoes with a pencil tucked behind your ear and a sexy little briefcase just because anything else wouldn’t be as fun.”
I reached over and thumped his arm with my fist. “Some things never change.”
“You mean like me thinking women are the best damn thing to daydream about? Guilty. I haven’t changed when it comes to that.”
A bright blue sky stretched out over the highway. It was midsummer, and Poplar’s Beach would have plenty of visitors on a warm, sunny day like today. When we were old enough, but too young to drive, our parents used to let us ride the bus down to Poplar’s Beach. It beat them having to drive us and find parking. Grady and I, and, occasionally, Caden and his friends, would join us. We’d carry our swim fins and our towels onto the bus and spend the day on the sand.
Caden reached over and patted the top of Scooby’s head. “I forgot about your ghost hunting days.”
“That’s because they were short in number . . . and success. We were great at scaring the crap out of each other though. Not the best quality for ghost hunters.” I picked up the stuffed dog and