you’re not as cocky, or as big of a player, as you appear, but I have to know if your intentions are pure with my wonderful friend.” Cat and her dad were the only ones who knew he wasn’t cocky at all. How could he be with the way his mom had demeaned him for the first eighteen years of his life?
“My intentions are pure,” he insisted. “As pure as yours and Stetson’s kisses.”
Stetson chortled at that, and their dad’s face reddened.
“Okay, so I recognize you have some deeper motives,” Cat said, “but please, please treat her right. She won’t admit it, but I believe she loves you and always has.”
That made Cruz’s heart thump happily. “I hope you’re right, sis. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck.” Stetson gave him a thumbs up.
“Thanks man. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” he told Cat. “We’ll go on a swim.”
“Tomorrow morning?” Cat exploded.
“What are you doing, son?” His dad’s brow furrowed.
His family was strictly religious and especially straight regarding moral issues. Since Stetson’s dad and Cat and Cruz’s mom had cheated together and run off, his dad and Cat had been even more strongly opinionated about staying pure before marriage and committed wholly to your spouse after. He’d stayed strong and clean while traveling the world, even though it wasn’t popular. He wanted to tease them, but it would probably go over like a lead balloon.
“Meredith has heard somebody outside her bedroom window a few times at night, so I’m going to camp out and catch the jerk.” He walked to Cat and hugged her. “I promise I’ll behave like a saint. Well, mostly.”
Cat hugged him back. “Why didn’t she tell me? I’m supposed to be one of her best friends.”
Cruz chuckled. “She’s not an open book like you, but I’m sure you’re her very favorite friend.”
Cat smiled. “Of course, I am. Well, be careful. Do you need camping gear?”
He shook his head. “I have everything in my bags. Sometimes we actually rough it to film in the right locations.”
“Ooh. Such a hard life you lead,” Cat teased.
Cruz chuckled, said his goodbyes, and hurried to his truck. Cat might be able to relate as well as anyone about the emotional abuse their mom heaped on them, but she’d still be her funny, sassy self and tease him. He was so impressed with how she’d risen above their mom’s belittlements. It gave him hope he could truly do the same. He had to dig deep and believe in himself because Meredith was worth it.
Meredith’s house was around the south side of the lake, a couple miles from his dad’s cabin. He pulled into her gravel driveway. He liked her cabin and wooded lot. As was common in Mystical Lake, the backyard bordered the lake. There were some cabins up in the trees away from the lake, but most took advantage of the beauty of the blue, glistening lake.
He hurried out of his truck and up the steps of the open porch, wishing he’d thought to bring flowers or something for dinner, but it had been a long day, and his brain wasn’t working properly as he was consumed with all things Meredith.
He rapped on the door, and Meredith swung it wide. She gifted him with her sweet smile, and Cruz had to lean against the door frame. She was wearing a simple white tank top and floral shorts with a pink plaid apron over top. Her long, dark hair was swept back into a ponytail, revealing the smooth skin of her neck. Her large, dark eyes and appealing, full lips were on fine display. “Ah, Mer … It isn’t really fair for you to be so beautiful.”
Instead of melting into his arms like most women would, if he’d ever said something like that to one of them, which he hadn’t, her lips pressed into a thin line, and she backed away. “I thought you said you were coming as a friend. Friends don’t give each other empty compliments.”
His eyebrows rose. “It’s not empty,” he insisted.
She simply shook her head and backed away. The delicious scent of homemade rolls and some kind of grilled meat floated to him. He followed her toward the kitchen area, focusing on the cabin and not her shapely backside.
Meredith’s cabin was probably half the size of his dad’s but fixed up very nicely. There was a decent-sized open area containing the kitchen, dining, and living rooms. It looked like a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms behind that, and an open loft was