The likes were climbing.
The comments were worse.
Protective king.
He gets it.
This is redemption.
The way he looks at her.
They are actually so good together.
I handed the phone back as if it had burned me.
The public was not watching us.
It was inventing us.
Across the table, Cade looked at his water glass.
I could not tell whether he was satisfied or ashamed.
A short while later, the speeches began. Preston Hale stood beneath the stage lights and spoke about athletic resilience, community responsibility and the importance of giving fallen men room to rise again. Everyone applauded at the right times. Cade stared at the table as if each sentence had been designed to sit on his shoulders.
I found myself watching his hands.
Large hands. Scarred knuckles. Still tonight.
I rem
