Anna kept back a comment at Cade's remark. The man had been a little grumpy for a bit, and part of her wanted to tell him to calm down a bit, but she thought about it. Cade hadn't had a good time for a while. His wife and child were dead, and then he found out he had a long lost brother. Anna could forgive a snippy attitude. He had every right to be.
Anna's main concern was still Elyse, and Anna perked up as she stood, went to the bar to get a drink and joined them at their table. Elyse didn't give Anna her promised answers yet, but Anna was kept from forcing the issue when Elyse admitted she wasn't okay. Elyse would talk to her when she was ready.
What really surprised Anna was Cade's complete change at her return. Seeing the woman hurting had changed something in him. All traces of former grumpiness were gone, replaced by a desire to help. He even gave her a flower from the table, and Anna wasn't sure if it was the light, but the flower almost seemed to respond to his touch. Elyse accepted the flower with a smile, putting it in her hair.
Anna felt conflicting emotions. She had flirted with Cade in the beginning, and in some ways it had been genuine. Cade was a cutie, and at times, showed himself to be a caring individual. She was fine with his refusal, but would have easily accepted a date if he offered - or a night of fun should he so choose. But this gift with the comment he had said earlier made Anna wonder if Elyse had caught his eye. It could be nothing, or it could be something. A brief look of uncertainty played on her face as she felt guilty for feeling a slight twinge of jealousy. Elyse was her friend, and she wouldn't let this come between them.
On the other hand, the action endeared Cade to her more, and as she gave a brief look in his direction, the corner of her mouth turned slightly in a smile that he had been so thoughtful. That his own pain became secondary to someone else's. Underneath the pain and the snark, there was a truly good man.
"I've not been in the shop itself, but I've heard about it," Anna said, in regards to Elyse's flower shop recommendation. "Only good things."
Anna's main concern was still Elyse, and Anna perked up as she stood, went to the bar to get a drink and joined them at their table. Elyse didn't give Anna her promised answers yet, but Anna was kept from forcing the issue when Elyse admitted she wasn't okay. Elyse would talk to her when she was ready.
What really surprised Anna was Cade's complete change at her return. Seeing the woman hurting had changed something in him. All traces of former grumpiness were gone, replaced by a desire to help. He even gave her a flower from the table, and Anna wasn't sure if it was the light, but the flower almost seemed to respond to his touch. Elyse accepted the flower with a smile, putting it in her hair.
Anna felt conflicting emotions. She had flirted with Cade in the beginning, and in some ways it had been genuine. Cade was a cutie, and at times, showed himself to be a caring individual. She was fine with his refusal, but would have easily accepted a date if he offered - or a night of fun should he so choose. But this gift with the comment he had said earlier made Anna wonder if Elyse had caught his eye. It could be nothing, or it could be something. A brief look of uncertainty played on her face as she felt guilty for feeling a slight twinge of jealousy. Elyse was her friend, and she wouldn't let this come between them.
On the other hand, the action endeared Cade to her more, and as she gave a brief look in his direction, the corner of her mouth turned slightly in a smile that he had been so thoughtful. That his own pain became secondary to someone else's. Underneath the pain and the snark, there was a truly good man.
"I've not been in the shop itself, but I've heard about it," Anna said, in regards to Elyse's flower shop recommendation. "Only good things."