Free First Kiss by Bernadette Marie Page B

He’d only accused his father of pushing her away. However, his father never argued that either.
    “What about Gage’s dad? Did you love him?”
    She looked down at her hands which were folded in her lap. “I thought so. He’d always been there when I needed someone.”
    The subject caused her an enormous amount of pain and wasn’t very comfortable for him either. If he pursued the conversation, he just might find out that little boy he’d fallen in love with was his brother. He wasn’t ready for that. He wanted Olivia to himself.
    “Conner was in the Army?” he asked, breaking the awkward silence that had developed.
    “Marines.”
    Cade nodded. “I found his duffle bag in the garage with the rest of his things.” He looked across the back yard at the burned out foundation of the house Conner had lived in. He took a breath and asked, “When did Conner die?”
    Olivia lifted her head and looked at the house, too. “A few months after your accident.”
    “He came to see me, didn’t he?”
    She nodded. “You said you didn’t know him. You had security escort him from the hospital.”
    At the very mention of the accident, his neck hurt, his head throbbed, and even more his heart ached. “I was on so many pain medications I didn’t know who I was. But, somewhere, I’ve always known he was there. I wish I could tell him I was sorry.”
    Olivia only nodded her head and then turned her attention back to Gage. “Your dad was there, too.”
    He reached his hand to her arm, and she turned back to him. “My dad? No one ever told me he was there.”
    “He asked them not to. Someone named Ashley got him into your room so he could spend some time with you while you were sedated. He asked them not to tell you. He figured it would just upset you and set you back.”
    Cade ran his hand over his head and let it sink in. Were there two more stubborn men in the world than him and his father?
    He stood from his seat and headed into the house, without another word, to start dinner and get a grip on his emotions.
     
    Olivia cried when he walked inside. There was so much Cade needed to know about his father. The man loved him. He just was a man and couldn’t show it. The only time he’d ever loved someone they’d left him so, of course, he was going to be afraid to show love, even to his son. But the truth was he was proud of Cade, and Cade needed to know that.
    She watched Gage climb from the car and push it around. He was safe and content in Austin’s driveway for a moment. She stood and walked into the house.
    Cade was at the sink mixing a salad. Steaks sat on a plate next to him, seasoned and ready for the grill.
    She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    He clasped his hands over hers. “This whole journey has been upsetting. I miss him, and I realize I didn’t even know him.”
    He turned and gathered her in his arms. “Tell me, were you in love with him?”
    “Cade…” She tried to pull away, but he held her close.
    “No. I need to know.”
    Olivia pushed away and paced the kitchen while he watched. “Once, maybe. One of those foolish girl things.” She shook her head. “He wasn’t one for scandal.” She wanted to laugh, but, in her heart, she couldn’t. She took a breath to explain her silly, childhood crush when they heard Gage scream, and they both ran out the back door and to the driveway.
    Gage stood near the end of the driveway behind the truck, which had done some off roading and gotten stuck in the rocks. He pulled and he pushed and he screamed again.
    Once Olivia’s heart stopped pounding, and she could catch her breath, she could laugh.
    Cade walked over to the car and pulled it from the rocks. “It really isn’t four wheel drive, buddy.”
    Gage gave him a knowing nod and climbed back in and pedaled off.
    Cade looked up at her. It was going to break her heart into a million pieces when he went back to his life. But standing there in the