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My mother gasps, and Jed Blake’s face flushes with outrage. But the shocking revelation doesn’t seem to faze my father.

“Well man-up and put a stop to it.”

I take in each person at the table. Ned with his immovable disposition, and Roni with her icy blue-eyed indifference. My dad and his superiority and pig-headed know-it-all nature. My mom is the only one I feel bad for, because she’s too kind-spirited to handle the bullshit Ned and my father put her through.

The shit they’ve put us all through for years.

“I don’t even know why I try anymore,” I say. “Our marriage is crumbling. Monica sure as hell isn’t happy. I’m not either. In fact, I don’t see a single person at this table who looks happy right now.”

As my mother covers her mouth with a trembling hand, my father rises. “If something’s broken, you fix it,” he says, his voice reverberating like a clap of thunder. Slamming his palms onto the table, he stares me down. “Do you hear me?Fixit, Cash.”

“Got it, Dad. Loud and clear.”

“MontBlake can’t afford bad publicity, especially so soon after the merger. So make it right.”

My gut is roiling with fury, but I hold it in. Blowing a gasket in front of my father will accomplish nothing. He’s set in his ways more than ever and refuses to address the real problem.

The only thing that needs fixing is the pathetic state of our family.

17. Hello, Jealousy - Jules

Kaden is quiet on the drive to my apartment. Even if he did feel up to talking, I wouldn’t know what to say. What went down at his family’s place is something I wish I could forget. He takes my hand in his as we climb the stairs to my front door. I’m tempted to pull away, but I don’t. Maybe he needs the comfort of touch right now, just like I needed his brother’s on that airplane.

Thinking about Cash and our time up in the air is bittersweet. For those few hours, we existed in a bubble of our own making. I’d give anything to go back to that time. Memories of every touch, of every glance burn behind my eyes. Horrified at the thought of spilling tears, I blink until I’m sure my eyes won’t betray me.

“I’m so sorry about tonight,” Kaden says as we stop in front of my door.

I untangle our fingers and glance up at him. “It’s okay.”

He’s leaning toward me, one hand braced on the door next to my head, and I don’t like this caged-in feeling.

“It’s not okay. That was a disaster for a first date.”

“It was our only date,” I say, placing a hand on his chest. Inch by inch, he backs off.

“You’re not going to invite me in, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

With a sigh, he puts even more space between us. “I don’t blame you. Not after tonight.”

“It’s not because of what happened. Truth is, I shouldn’t have agreed to go out with you.”

“Ouch.”

“I’m sorry, Kaden. That didn’t come out right. I think we could be friends.”

“I’m not used to being friend-zoned.” He lightens the mood with his easy-going smile. “It’s a humbling experience.”

“I didn’t mean to lead you on. I just came out of a relationship, and I’m not ready to start something new.”

Unless it’s with a man I can’t have. And that is the pathetic state of my love life.

“No, I get it. No need to explain.” Leaning forward, he presses his lips to my cheek. “Have a good night, Jules.”

He walks away, and I escape into my apartment with my heart thumping painfully in my chest. Standing with my back against the door, I let the tears spill down my cheeks, purging everything that’s built up over the last few weeks. Kaden’s goodbye was too similar to the way Cash and I parted ways at the airport.

The night I knew him only as my Sexy Stranger.