“The Lyons roadster?” Cade’s smile quirked and reappeared.
“That’s it,” she said. “It’s really gorgeous.” And it was. A dainty little sports car, the Lyons out front had a hot pink exterior and purple interior that made Kylie adore it despite its impracticality. She had no need for a car due to her job, but if she got one, it’d be something like that flashy little beauty out front. “Makes me wonder about who drives such a thing.”
“Well, I do for the next few hours,” Cade told her, sipping his coffee. At her look of surprise, he added, “Then it’s going into the care of an old friend of mine.”
An old friend? Judging by the utter femininity of the car, she could guess what kind of friend it was. Figured. The good ones were always taken, weren’t they? Of course Cade had a romantic interest. He was gorgeous, funny, charming, dressed well, and judging from the looks of things, had a fair amount of money if he was buying a Lyons for a lady friend. “Well, your friend is quite lucky to have you in her life.”
The smile he gave her was sad and troubled. He looked back at the car thoughtfully, but was silent.
And that made Kylie’s heart ache. Because whoever this handsome man wanted, it was clear he was miserable over her. He didn’t look like a happy man in love. He looked . . . desperate. As if he were running out of options.
Poor guy. She hated to see that.
Kylie moved in and leaned closer to him, clutching her coffee close. “Whoever your friend is,” she murmured, “if she doesn’t take one look at that car and drag you off to bed for the next week, she’s crazy.”
At that, his smile broadened, and his attention fixed on Kylie once more. “I wish my friend were more like you, then.”
I wish your friend was me, she thought, but only gave him a friendly wink. Then her coffee order was up, and it was time to leave. She gave Cade a small wave as she left, and he returned her gesture with a nod.
As Kylie headed back down the streets toward the music hall, she was filled with longing. Why couldn’t she find a great guy like Cade? Someone that cared enough about her to surprise her with a ridiculous present . . . or heck, just enough to get sad-eyed when he missed her? Why couldn’t she find a guy like that to be with? Why were they always taken?
There was no denying that there’d been a connection between them. It was obvious to her; some people you just clicked with instantly, and she and Cade had clicked. She’d briefly thought about asking him for his number, but she wasn’t a masochist. Work had to come first for now, because she needed the money. Nursing home care was ungodly expensive.
But one thing was clear to Kyliewhoever held Cade’s heart? She didn’t know what she had. And if she did, she wasn’t being very careful with it. Someone like Cade only came around once in a girl’s lifetime.
And someone as plain and dumpy as Kylie didn’t stand a chance of stealing him away.
FOUR
Music blasted through the walls of the greenroom in the concert hall, and even though the interior walls were protected by layers and layers of padding and drywall, it still thumped loud enough to make Cade’s head hurt. He drummed his fingers on his knee, holding his bourbon in his other hand, and watched another pair of strangers in schoolgirl costumes pass by, giggling as they did. He didn’t know if they were Daphne’s fans or part of her entourage; they all seemed to dress weird.
For the tenth time in the last hour, he wondered why the hell he was here.
Cade was backstage in Daphne’s private lounge area. Except it wasn’t so private. It was filled with people in varying shades of drinking and getting high, press people, and Daphne’s crew. In short, what he assumed would be a private meeting with Daphne wasn’t going to be private at all.
He didn’t know what to make of that. But he’d suggested that he and Daphne get together and talk about things, and she’d offered for him to meet her after her first concert on the new tour. She’d promised him alone time.
And because he could never resist Daphne, he’d agreed.
Except now, looking around, he wasn’t exactly sure what he’d agreed to. Another song wailed through the walls, and his drink shook from the vibrations of the speakers. The posters on the walls of the crowded room were various promotional photos of Daphne in her cutesy costumes, winking at the camera. In each one, she looked healthy and beautiful, and it made him hope that when he saw her, she’d be just as gorgeous as she was in the photos. That it wasn’t just photoshop.
If happy, healthy Daphne was blowing him off, he could live with that, really. He’d just tuck his heart back into its hiding place and go about his life as he always had.