“Yeah,” Zack said, eyeing Cade askance, “that’s what your brother said, too.”
Cade braced himself for the next obvious question, but thankfully, it never came. Instead, Zack glanced down at the woman Cade held close to his side.
“Well, I can see what’s been distracting you,” Zack said with his too-charming, white-toothed smile and an appreciative sparkle in his amber-brown eyes. “Howdy, ma’am.”
Cade nearly growled at his old friend to back off, but he bit it back just in time.
“Hi,” Addie replied, taking Zack’s offered hand and glancing at Cade. “It’s nice to meet one of Cade’s friends.”
Cade made the introduction. “Zack’s a family friend from way back.”
“Yeah,” Zack said, holding Addie’s hand longer than Cade liked. “This guy, his brother, and I used to cause trouble and break hearts back home in Montana, and not all that long ago, either.” He glanced at Cade and his grin widened. “Well, not that long ago for me, anyway.”
“I’m sure Addie doesn’t want to hear about our glory days,” Cade said dismissively. He certainly didn’t want to relive them.
“Actually, I’d love to hear more about Cade,” Addie said with a smile.
Cade wanted to groan. Don’t encourage him, Addie.
Predictably, Zack’s brown eyes twinkled and he tossed a loaded look at Cade before he stepped to her other side. “Well, I could tell you a couple of wild tales about good ol’ Cade.” He chuckled and winked at Cade as he led her toward their table with his hand resting on the small of her back. “One of them might even make you blush.”
He’d forgotten what a flirt Zack was and how much the man loved to tease his friends. It appeared he hadn’t changed much in the long years since Cade had last seen him.
“I’m going to run to the restroom,” he said to Addie. “If you don’t mind hanging out with Zack for a few?”
She was smiling when she looked back at him, but when their eyes met, she frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He tried to smile. “Call of nature, you know.”
“Sure.” She smiled again, but her eyes held a question she didn’t ask. “See you in a few.”
“While I have you alone,” Zack said, as he placed a guiding hand against her back, drawing her toward the tables.
Cade didn’t hear the rest of Zack’s comment, but it was probably for the best. He didn’t like seeing another man touch her, any other man, but for some reason, Zack was worse. He stifled the sudden urge to go after them and tear his friend away from Addie. He had no right to be possessive. He’d made no promises and neither had she. Still, Zack’s too familiar behavior toward her stirred up feelings he would’ve rather left dormant.
He turned and headed for the door. Damn him, Cade thought but without malice. Zack was a good-looking guy, but he’d never been one to stab a friend in the back. But then, I’d never thought Cord would, either. That thought stopped him in his tracks. He glanced back and saw Addie in her seat at their table, introducing Zack—who had taken Cade’s seat beside her—to her friends.
Addie is not Jenny, he told himself as he continued out the side door and toward the portable toilets around back. He wanted to believe that, but he wasn’t sure if he actually did.
Chapter 19
Addie laughed with her friends at another one of Zack’s wild stories about him and the Brody brothers. Cade’s brother actually sounded like a great guy…just like Cade. If it weren’t for the terrible things he’d done and said to Cade, she’d be thrilled to meet Cord Brody. As close as Cade had said they were—and as Zack’s stories had indicated—it didn’t seem right for them to be at odds. For Cade’s sake, she hoped the brothers could somehow find their way back to each other, but considering what had happened between them, she wasn’t sure that was possible.
The band was playing another polka tune and several other festivalgoers were dancing, while Zack kept their table laughing.
“Did Cade and his brother ever get you back for that?” Lana asked after Zack finished another funny tale. Her wide eyes were so focused on Zack, it was obvious she was taken with their new tablemate.
“Oh, yeah,” Zack said as he brushed his fingers along the closely trimmed beard covering his jaw. “And I learned my lesson, too.”
Lana frowned. “You mean that was the end of the practical jokes?” She sounded disappointed.
Zack’s charming grin split his face and he chuckled. “Nah, I just learned not to prank them both at the same time. They were quite a pair and stuck together, always. Having them both after me was nerve-wracking.”
“How long have you known Cade and his family?” Helga asked after exchanging a glance with Veta. Addie recognized Veta’s protective sister look. It didn’t take a lot of thought to understand they were looking out for her.
“Oh,” Zack said in reply to Helga’s question, “I’ve known them my whole life. We’re neighbors, and our families worked together, helped each other out. We were inseparable for most of our lives. I remember this one time…”
He launched into another story, but Addie only partially listened. She glanced over her shoulder toward the side door where Cade had exited. He’d been gone for some time—longer than seemed normal—and she wondered if something was wrong. The look on his face when he’d left troubled her, but she hadn’t wanted to ask about it in front of Zack.
She turned back to the table as Zack rounded out another story of teen pranksters and more laughing broke out.
The band had announced a short break about five minutes before, and the chatter around the table was much easier to follow.
“Sounds like a bunch of hooligans,” Pete, the older man across from Addie, said.
Pete O’Brien was quite spry for being in his seventies and had been the owner of her farm before she bought it. He was
