Page 11

Chapter Eleven

FRANKIE

H as my mom lost her damn mind? What is with everyone lately? I can’t keep up anymore. Everyone is being unpredictable, and it’s throwing me off.

My mom wanders around Kaden’s home, assessing everything.

She doesn’t seem to like him or this place very much.

I know she’s just acting in my best interest, but it’s still unnerving.

I hadn’t planned for them to even meet. This is all supposed to be fake, but with each day—no, scratch that—every second, it feels all the more real.

Why has her tone changed so much from the other day when she was asking me if I was dating Kaden? Usually, she is all about dating and falling in love. Now she’s giving Kaden the third degree as though he is enemy number one.

It’s almost laughable to see how nervous Kaden is. I can tell I’m not the only one my mom is throwing off. I could sense his panic in the texts he sent earlier alerting me that my mom was at his place.

“What are you doing here?” I whisper to my mom when Kaden goes to answer the door.

“What did you expect? You tell me you’re not dating the football player?—”

“Kaden.”

“Kaden.” Mom rolls her eyes. The hell? “Then you show up with a ring on your finger.”

Yeah, I’m still wearing it. I can’t help myself. It’s so delicate and pretty. So not me in any sense of the word. I want to be stronger and in charge. Right? Of course I don't, but with Kaden. I shake the thoughts from my head.

“It’s only a ring, Mom.” It's a stupid thing to say to her, and I know it the second it's out of my mouth. My mom is in love with love. She has never been married, and I know she wants it, but Mom is shit when it comes to picking men.

“Is that why you stare and play with it all the time?” Mom challenges. “Because it’s just a ring that doesn’t mean anything to you.” She raises one eyebrow at me, knowing I’m full of shit.

“I do not.” I use my other hand to cover the ring protectively on reflex. She continues to stare at me."That still doesn't tell me why you're here." Mom's face softens, and she turns fully toward me, her hand cupping my cheek.

"To make sure you're not following in my footsteps when it comes to picking men." She gives me a smile.

"Food’s here," Kaden says before I get a chance to respond to my mom.

He takes it over to the dining room table next to the kitchen.

Kaden's home has an open floor plan. It’s nice, really nice, but it feels almost staged.

The furniture is simple, and there are no personal touches.

It is also spotless with everything in its place.

My bedroom looks like a bomb went off in it.

"Everything in here feels staged." Mom pulls out a chair. She plucked the thought right from my head. "Have you never used the table?"

"Not really." He shrugs. Where is she going with this?

"No family then." She takes a seat.

"Mom." I shoot her a glare that does nothing. Kaden pulls out a seat for me, and I take it. "We use our dining room table as my office."

"I have family back home, but my parents aren't big on city life. I go to visit them as often as my schedule allows."

“Frankie loves the city. Don’t you?”

“It’s all I really know.” I haven’t ever given it much thought. I was born and raised in the city and don’t really know anything else.

“I’ll grab plates.” Kaden heads to the kitchen. I follow him. The open floor plan doesn't provide us with much privacy.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him in a hushed tone. He grabs my hand and leads me into the pantry. It’s mostly bare except for the containers of protein powder.

“Nothing to be sorry for. The meeting with the parents was inevitable.”

“This is fake. You shouldn’t have to be subjected to future in-laws,” I remind him.

“If you say so.”

“Hey.” I poke him in the chest. “It’s. Fake.” Kaden grabs my hand to lift it. He kisses the tip of my finger I still have pointed.

“If you say so, Kitten.”

“Seriously, Kaden?”

“Then why didn’t you tell her it’s fake?

” Kaden stares down at me. I dropped everything and practically ran over here when he told me my mom was here.

I’m in jeans and sneakers. I have no heels on, making Kaden tower over me more than usual.

It should irk me, but it oddly lights a fire deep inside me, warming places I don’t want it to.

“I don’t know, okay!” I finally blurt out, frustrated. Why does it feel like there is a pressure pushing in every direction? I can't come up with answers for my actions or nonactions at this point.

"Hey." Kaden's hand comes up to cup my cheeks. “I got you, Kitten.” A rush of emotions fills me. He’s got me. I stare into his eyes, and I can see how serious he is.

“Why?” I whisper the question.

“I don’t think you’re ready for all that yet.”

“I’m ready for anything,” I counter, making him smirk. Why does that smile have to be not only charming but also playful? Kaden has a way of making light of things. It’s lessened the pressure that seems to always be pushing in around me.

“I know you are, but maybe I enjoy making things easier for you.” My eyes drop to his mouth. “You want a kiss?”

“Why do you think that?” I pull my eyes away from his lips, knowing I was busted.

“You want me to just take it? I’ll do that for you, Kitten.” Yes, my mind screams. His thumb strokes my bottom lip.

“I’m done with all these questions,” I huff, making that smirk of his turn into a full-blown smile. “You always do what you want anyway.”

“Baiting me?” He lifts a brow playfully.

“No, I’m—” His mouth comes down onto mine in a hard, claiming kiss, letting me know he’s not playing at all.