It suddenly hadn’t been a laughing matter anymore.
She’d gotten up and went outside, admiring the view that the cabin offered. They were perched in the trees and atop a hill, but behind the cabin she saw a dirt path leading to a small dock and a crystal clear lake surrounded by trees. This was by far the prettiest vacation spot she’d ever been to, and she supposed that money could buy just about anything after all.
Someone came up behind her as she gazed down at the lake. “So,” Reese said, leaning on the wood railing of the balcony. “You avoiding me or are you planning a secret skinny-dipping rendezvous later?”
She took it back. Money couldn’t buy a personality for Reese Durham. Audrey cast him a scathing look. “Don’t you have a rock you could crawl back under?”
He chuckled, amused by her irritation. “Hey, if you didn’t want me here, you shouldn’t have ran my date off.”
She ignored him. It seemed to be the best policy at the moment. Instead, she focused her attention on the lake and the lovely weather. It was brisk but clear, and there was no snow (for which she was thankful for).
Inside the cabin, a male voice called out, “Hello?”
Cade was here!
Audrey’s heart pounded in her chest and she jerked upright. Automatically, her hands went to her hair and she smoothed a few stray locks down, then bit her lips to plump them. She glanced over at Reese and noticed he was watching her with great interest, one eyebrow raised.
She ignored his inquiring look and headed into the house, her heart pounding with excitement. Cade was finally here.
Standing in the doorway, looking just as gorgeous as the last time she’d seen him, was the man she was in love with.
Cade Archer.
Audrey gave a small little sigh of pleasure at the sight of him, noticing the fine cut of his gray suit and the matching tie. Cade wasn’t as tall as Reese or Logan, but he was well built and oh-so handsome. Dark blond hair clung to his elegant skull and his blue eyes brightened at the sight of her.
He held his arms out in greeting. “Audrey! Look at you. You look terrific.”
She rushed into his arms, feeling the blush heat her cheeks and didn’t care. She clung to him, enjoying the warmth of his arms around her, smelling the fresh dry cleaning scent of his clothing.
Her Cade.
He pulled her away and smiled down at her upturned face. “I’m so glad you and Daphne decided to come to the cabin.”
“Well, you know Daphne,” she said, delighted at his obvious pleasure. “Once she gets an idea in her head, she won’t let go of it.”
“She’s not the only twin like that,” Cade said easily, then glanced around the room. “Speaking of twin, where is yours?”
“Sleeping,” Audrey said with a small grimace. “She wasn’t feeling so well.”
His sparkling gaze turned somber. “Is she . . . all right?”
Audrey nodded. “For now. She says this time she’s going to change. She promised.” She didn’t add that Daphne had promised that many times before, and then just as quickly broke her promises. This time, Audrey vowed, it’d be different.
Cade nodded. He rubbed Audrey’s arm as if to reassure her. “Well, it’s going to be good to have all three of us together again. Just like old times, eh?”
“Just like,” she said, and was horrified to hear a girlish giggle escape her throat. God, was that pathetic sound coming from her?
Cade didn’t seem to notice it, though. He continued to smile at her. “How have you been? It feels like forever since we’ve seen each other.”
“We saw each other last month at Gretchen’s party,” she told him, then grimaced. “Briefly.”
“Mmm.” His face fell a little and his smile faded a bit as they both recalled Daphne’s actions at that party. Once again, Daphne hadn’t listened to a thing that Audrey had said, and Cade had come to the rescue, scooping Daphne into his arms and removing her and Audrey from the party.
A throat cleared.
Cade looked up and he tilted his head and stared over his shoulder, as if not quite believing his eyes. “Reese!” His gaze went back to Audrey, and then a sly, almost disbelieving look crossed his face as he pointed at her, then Reese. “Don’t tell me. The two of you—”
“No!” Audrey’s horrified response blurted from her and she raised her hands. “Not in a million years!”
Reese chuckled, approaching Cade and gave him a man-hug that involved a half handshake and a slap on the back. “Good to see you, bro. I was here for the weekend with a . . . friend when these two showed up and my friend retreated, along with my ride back to civilization.”
“And he was just about to call a cab,” Audrey interjected.
“No, I wasn’t,” Reese said easily. “I’m staying for the weekend, if you don’t have a problem with that.”
Please, please have a problem with that, Audrey thought quietly.
But Cade, ever the gentleman, looked thrilled that Reese was there. “You know I don’t have a problem with it. I told you that any time you wanted, the cabin was yours to use. And we’ll be glad for the company. Isn’t that right, Audrey?” Cade looked over at her.
“I thought so,” Reese said, giving her an I-told-you-so look from Cade’s side.
She was trapped. Hell. Audrey forced her tight, professional smile on her face. “As long as you’re okay with someone taking up one of the rooms, I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Not to worry,” Reese said, elbowing Cade as if they were frat brothers. “Audrey told me she wouldn’t mind cuddling with me if things got too tight in Daphne’s room.”
Audrey gave a shocked gasp. “I did not!”
Cade laughed and slapped Reese on the back. “Count on you to romance all the women within minutes of making an entrance.”
“He’s not romancing me,” Audrey pointed out, trying to keep smiling. “And he’s joking. About all of it.”
Cade just chuckled, and then rubbed his face. He gestured outside. “I parked behind you, if that’s all right.”
“That’s perfect,” Audrey said, then blushed at how infatuated she sounded. “Perfectly fine,” she amended in a brisk voice.
He grinned. “I’ll just go get my bags, then.”