and water.
Mindy smiled at me before flashing her pearly white teeth at Caden. “There’s something that just looks right about this.” Her hand swept in an arc between us. “You two seem right for each other. I’m going to miss our—” She stopped midsentence after a quelling look from Caden. But it was too late. I knew where she had been heading with it. “I’m happy for you, Stratton. Really.”
“Thanks, Min.”
Mindy chewed and swallowed her first bite of food as if she was eating the best food on earth. “Oh my gosh, heaven in my mouth. Well done you,” she said with a wink. “On everything.” She tilted her head toward Caden.
Caden didn’t seem to notice. “Hey, I didn’t tell you, I met Tanner out at the speedway yesterday and took a new Yamaha out for a spin.”
Apparently, Mindy knew Tanner, which meant she’d been around during Caden’s racing days. Somehow knowing they had a rich, fun history together was harder to swallow than the notion that they’d been having sex.
“By taking it for a spin, you mean flying around a track at the speed of light,” Mindy quipped. She looked at me for agreement.
I nodded. “He was basically a blur once he got on the thing. And it took him several hours to stop wearing a toothy grin.”
“Yep, I’ve seen that smile.” Mindy looked at Caden. “You’re not actually thinking about racing again?” She turned to me. “I was there the day of the accident. What a fucking nightmare that was.”
“Shit, Mindy. Sorry I brought it up. And yeah, I might start racing again. Let’s change the subject. Where are you off to next?”
Mindy had only finished half a pancake, but she leaned back as if she was done. It was a ploy. She pretended to eat like a normal person, but it was a front. It actually made me feel better knowing she at least had to suffer some to keep her figure. “I was thinking I was going to hang out here for a week, but you’re busy. I’ve got a shoot in Florida next week. I might head there early.”
Caden took another pancake from the stack. “We’re leaving today. I’ve got the place for ten more days so someone might as well use it. Just don’t throw any fucking parties. I want my deposit back.”
Mindy pulled out her phone as it rang. “You’re a doll. I’ll take you up on that.” She walked outside to take the phone call.
I swirled my fork around the pool of maple syrup on my empty plate.
Caden tapped my foot with his. “Are you all right?”
I shrugged. “I guess. So she’ll be staying here?”
“I’m not going to come back here. I’m staying in Mayfair with you until you decide to go to New York. If you want, I’ll take back the invitation.”
“No, shit no, don’t do that. I’m fine with it. She’s very likable.” I stared at her hardly touched plate. “Who takes two pancakes and only eats a half? That kind of self-control is not normal.”
Caden smiled and leaned over to kiss me. “Hmm, maple and butter. Those flavors taste good on you.” He took hold of my chin and kissed me again. “Did I happen to mention that I’m nuts about you?”
“Not recently, but after eating breakfast with a beautiful blast from your past I could hear it again.”
He gazed at me and my heart melted like the butter on my plate. “Kenna Ridley, I’m completely fucking nuts about you.”
Chapter 24
Caden
Kenna and I had been back in Mayfair for two days. She’d been busy helping her mom with the candy. On the ride home from the beach, we’d discussed a lot of things, my relationship with Mindy, the possibility of me heading back into racing, her finishing school and how we might figure out a way to make this work. There didn’t seem to be an easy answer without one of us giving up a significant part of our lives. The only thing I knew for certain was that I wanted Kenna in my life. I just wasn’t sure how strongly she felt about me being a part of hers.
I’d spent the morning mowing the lawn and trimming hedges for my dad. He stepped out onto the porch to survey my progress. He looked as if he’d aged ten years in the past few weeks. He’d lost a good five pounds, and he’d let his beard grow thick and long.
I reached up to my own beard. “Dad,