Page 148 of The Silent Note

“See?” Cadey flails her arms. “You didn’t even flirt with her. You always flirt.”

“You’re making me sound like a douche,” I mumble, recalling Grey’s accusation during the drive to school.

“It’ssoobvious you’re taken, Zane. You’re very much acting like a married man who’s faithful to one wife.”

“So?”

“So you should have seen how people were crying when Dutch confirmed we were married. There was an actual mourning period.”

I laugh. “Maybe I’m not as popular as your husband, Cadey. Ever think about that?”

“Oh-ho. I know forsureyou’re more popular with girls than Dutch.”

Dutch wraps an arm around Cadey’s waist and kisses her temple. “He can win that competition if he wants. I only need one girl.”

“Get a room!” I pretend to hide my eyes.

Dutch gives me a look full of murder. “We tried. And guess who still interrupted us?”

I glance up, pretending there’s something interesting on the cathedral-like ceilings. He isneverforgiving me for that, is he?

“It’s still weird to me though,” Cadey muses, cupping Dutch’s jaw with her palm as he kisses her cheek again. “Jinx isn’t hammering you and Miss Jamieson the way she did with me and Dutch. It’s almost like…”

“Like what?”

Cadey’s eyes lift to my wife. “Like she’s protecting her.”

Her words give me pause. Jinx? Protecting one of us? Impossible. The secrets trader is the type of blood-sucking leech that will toy around with you using your shame and desperation as collateral. From the way she’s always targeted me, Dutch and to a lesser extent, Finn, I get the sense that she has it out for us in particular.

“I doubt it’s that serious,” Dutch says, lifting his head to look at me. “Zane’s reputation precedes him. It’s totally on brand for him to be banging a teacher.”

“Hey, I’m banging mywife. Get it right.”

Dutch flips me off.

Cadey laughs. “You’re probably right. Zane would have to do something more outrageous than usual to keep Jinx interested. Even if he came out and said he was off the market, it wouldn’t change a thing. No one in Redwood believes Zane Cross will ever stick to one girl.”

Normally, I’d get annoyed by an observation like that. But the only woman I want to believe in my intentions is Grey and, from the way she was looking at me this morning, I think I’m doing a great job convincing her where my heart really lies.

“Thank you, so much… uh, for the coffee.” Grey’s strained tone brings my attention back to her. I instantly stiffen when I see the little vein of distress appear on her forehead.

The teachers are still crowding around like vultures.

“What are you doing for lunch? We heard of this cute, little bistro that opened up close by. How about we buy you lunch and we all get to know each other better?”

Cadey snorts. “Miss Jamieson’s been here since first semester andnowthey’re being friendly?”

I take a step forward, determined to rescue Grey from that circle of snakes dressed in sweater vests and granny slippers.

As if she senses my intentions, Grey meets my eyes and subtly shakes her head. It takes everything in me to respect her wishes and remain with Dutch and Cadence.

“Aren’t you going to rescue her?” Cadey asks.

“Not yet.”

“What do you mean not yet?”

“You ever hear of Romeo and Juliet?”