Witness

45. Chelsea

Getting my mum to let Kade leave the house this morning has been the true struggle.

She's been nothing but grins and smirks and inappropriate comments. Obsessed with true love, I expect nothing less of her, at this point. She used to bring men home for Cecilia and I from the most random of places; the bus, book club, a gym she wasn't even signed up to. I swear she went into that last one just to find someone for one of us.

It's like a fun (though it's not fun at all) little quirk she developed when dad died.

On top of that, she thinks asking Kade about children and previous girlfriends and whether he 'sleeps around' is just casual breakfast conversation. I'll be lucky if he ever stays the night again.

But even then, as I practically pull him out of the front door and away from my mother's open arms, I know he's not bothered by any of it. He's the epitome of easy-going, with the same casual, polite smile on his face that he always wears in front of people I know.

He actually laughs as she leans out of the front door and yells that he can stay tonight.

"Mum!" I scold, looking back to point as her while Kaiden turns the corner of the drive past a bush, and is finally out of view. She just winks at me. "See you later." 

"See you both later."

"Jesus," I mutter, following in Kade's footsteps. I stop in my tracks. "What's that?" 

He opens the passenger side door of a very rusty, very old looking Honda. 

"If you traded in the McLaren for that then I might need to have a word with your garage," I tell him, sliding past his body to get into seat, pressing just enough against him that it warms me from the inside out. He leans in and pulls my seat belt in front of me. "Did he convince you this was the deal of a lifetime, Kade? Were you taken advantage of?" 

"Shut up, would you?" he laughs. 

"You shut up, speed racer. I'm just jealous of this new sports car you've bagged for yourself. I've had my eye on one of these for years." 

"You're talking a big talk for a girl with a car that may as well be a bicycle." 

I look back at my little Toyota, falling apart, and pout. He clicks my seat belt into place, smirking to himself as he does, before giving me a quick peck on the lips and walking over to the drivers side. 

"What can this bad boy do then?" I ask as he sits down, rubbing the gear stick. "Nought to sixty in about four minutes?"

He laughs. "Three and a half if I put my foot down, actually." 

"Wow," I shake my head. "Sick." 

"Sick," he repeats, snorting. 

Then, to my utter delight, he stalls the car as he tries to pull it away from the curb. As if sensing that I'd find this hilarious, he drops his head back and groans before I can even get the first 'hah' out of my mouth. 

"This morning was nice," I smile, tilting my head towards him as we finally set off. It's my morning to get the coffees for everyone, and I'm in dire need of my usual espresso. "Waking up with you in that tiny bed." 

"Yeah," Kaiden murmurs. "Remind me to buy you a bigger bed." 

"Hilarious." 

We merge onto the motorway. 

"The wedding is pretty soon now, right?" 

"Yep. In three weeks. Couldn't you sense the pressure last night? I'd be surprised if Cece's head doesn't explode before she walks down the aisle."