When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,7

dark brows are drawn together as if he’s deep in thought. He’s always been that way. A thinker. He’s smarter than a lot of people give him credit for.

We grab our bags and head for the exit. All the while, Cade types furiously on his phone, most likely letting Rae know we’re on our way out.

I nearly jump out of my skin at the feel of Xander’s hand on my arm, stopping me. Cade continues on, oblivious.

I look up at Xander, and his eyes flick from Cade’s retreating figure down to me.

“What?” I prompt when he doesn’t say anything.

He clears his throat. “I want you to know this doesn’t change anything.” I raise a brow, confused as to where he’s going with this. He blows out a heavy breath. “You and me,” he elaborates. “Us being married, it doesn’t change who we are. We’ve always been friends. I don’t want you to think you can’t talk to me.”

I nod and admit, “I don’t want to lose you.”

And I’m terrified that in three months when I tell you I still want the divorce you’ll leave me for good.

He nods. “That’s all I wanted to say.”

Somehow, I doubt that, but I let him off the hook. Cade waits for us by the sliding glass doors.

“Jesus Christ, you guys are slow,” he groans when we finally get there. “Rae’s outside.”

“You could’ve gone on out,” I tell him as we step out into the sunlight. Thankfully, it’s not as hot here as Vegas, but the humidity is a killer.

“Yeah, and then have you guys get lost?” He shakes his head.

I glance at Xander, both of us suppressing a laugh. “Yeah,” Xander chortles, “because we don’t know what your Jeep or girlfriend or you looks like.”

Cade flips us off while we laugh.

When we spot the Jeep with Rae waiting outside of it, my big, burly, bear of a brother grins like a kid on Christmas and flat-out sprints for her. He scoops her up into his arms and spins her around while her giggles carry through the wind to us. It’s nice to hear her laugh. Last August, when we were first assigned as roommates, she was so moody and quiet. She recently filled me in on what happened to her a year before coming to college and I completely understand why she was so closed off and cold. I would be too if I’d gone through something like that.

But now that girl is merely a shadow. The Rae she is now smiles, laughs, and cracks jokes. She’s practically a whole new person, but I know this is the real Rae.

While Cade and Rae are lost in each other, Xander and I sidle up to the car and load our bags into the back. By the time we’re done, they’ve managed to break apart, but they’re both sporting the lusty eyes that make me gag.

“How was your trip?” Rae asks.

“Exciting,” Xander answers.

Cade snorts. “If you call sitting in a room all day listening to a guy drone on and on about blueprints then, yeah, exciting.”

Rae laughs, her hand pressing against his chest as she smiles at him. “But you guys stayed the weekend. Surely that part was fun?”

Cade shrugs. “It would’ve been better if you were there.”

I mock-gag. “Stop,” I whine. “I can’t take it.”

Cade chuckles, his hand sliding to Rae’s waist, and nuzzles her neck. “Let’s go home.”

Those three words are the best thing I’ve heard all day, and I can’t get in the car fast enough. Xander gets in beside me and we’re silent the whole drive home, but Rae and Cade don’t notice since they never shut up. But I notice the silence, and there’s been too much of it between us today, and despite what Xander said about not wanting this marriage to change things between us, I can’t help but feel, and know in my gut, that it’s changed everything.

We get home, and almost immediately, Cade and Rae leave. After a week apart, they want alone time and they can’t really get that with two roommates, which leaves me alone in the house with my husband. How fucking weird is that?

Xander and I part ways in the hallway, but immediately bump into each other considering we share a Jack and Jill bathroom. We each unpack our bags in silence, and I swear I can feel each second ticking off in my head.

I put my toothbrush in the holder, right next to his, and look up at him. He’s so incredibly