Cade smiled at the kid’s surprised tone. “Imagine that.”

“So I’m reading some poem by Louise . . . something, I forget her last name, but it’s about Hades and the underworld, and I don’t even notice that Paige has come up to my table until she says, ‘Doesn’t everyone want love?’ And I’m thinking, wow, that’s a pretty deep question, but then again Paige is really smart, and this is my chance to finally show her that I’m not just a dumb jock. So I say, ‘I heard this theory once that love means your subconscious is attracted to someone else’s subconscious.’”

“Very deep,” Cade said.

“Exactly. And I’m feeling proud of myself for that one, until she points to the book and says, ‘Oh, that wasn’t a question. I was just quoting a line from the poem.’”

Cade covered his mouth to hide his smile. “Well, that’s . . . awkward.”

“You think? I’m mortified at that point, and thinking that I’m never, ever listening to your advice on getting a girl again . . . but then she asks me what I think our football team’s chances are of beating our rival, McKinley Tech, this year.”

“She likes football? Sounds like this girl’s a keeper.”

Zach shook his head. “That’s the thing—we started talking and, dude, she doesn’t know anything about football. But I think she wanted me to think she did.”

Cade thought about this. “Let me get this straight—you secretly pretend to like poetry to impress the smart girl in your English class, while she’s secretly pretending to like football to impress you.” He paused. “That’s gotta be the cutest f**king thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I guess her subconscious finds my subconscious pretty irresistible,” Zach said, all teenage confidence right then.

“You were lucky to pull that line off once, Garrity. I wouldn’t push it.”

Zach laughed, and then the two of them segued into a conversation about football, and what the chances were, in fact, that his team would beat their rival. They finished their lunch, and Cade checked his watch and realized he should get back to the office.

Zach cleared his throat. “Oh, hey, before you head out I wanted to mention that I’ve been thinking more about telling my dad that you and I have been hanging out.”

Cade tried not to let the mention of Noah dampen his good mood. “That’s your choice, Zach. I’m not telling you to lie to your father.”

“Our father,” Zach said pointedly. His expression turned more serious. “You can at least acknowledge him.”

Cade could hear the frustration in his brother’s voice. He’d suspected, for a while, that Zach secretly was angling for some heartwarming father-son reunion. But it had taken Cade a long time to get past the anger and resentment he’d felt over Noah’s abandonment, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to reopen the door to those emotions.

But before he could answer Zach, someone called his name.

“Cade—hey! I thought that was you.”

Cade looked past Zach and saw a lanky guy in khakis and a short-sleeved polo shirt crossing the crowded plaza toward them. It took him a second to realize it was Brooke’s friend, Charlie, whom he’d met at the Cubs game.

“Great minds think alike, huh?” Charlie said, holding up a carryout bag and gesturing to the blues band.

“Good to see you again, Charlie.” Cade quickly made the introductions. “This is my brother, Zach Garrity.”

When Zach looked over, Cade half-smiled because the significance of the moment had struck him, too. It was the first time he’d introduced Zach as his brother.

“Another Rose Bowl champ in the making, I hope?” Charlie said, shaking Zach’s hand.

“Zach’s a wide receiver. He also likes to wax poetic about love and has a thing for girls way out of his league.”

“Story of my life,” Charlie said, with an easy grin.

The three of them chatted for a few moments until Cade mentioned that he needed to get back to the office for a conference call.

“Bummer. I think I’ll play hooky awhile longer,” Charlie said, gesturing to the sun-drenched plaza.

“I didn’t realize they let bands play here,” Zach said.

“You can’t beat this city in the summer.” Charlie shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know what Brooke is thinking with this Charlotte deal. It’s sounds like a great job opportunity, but she can’t be seriously considering moving to a city where she’ll have to root for the Panthers.” He shuddered, then looked at Cade. “You need to work your magic, Morgan, and convince her to stay.”

Cade stood there, completely caught off guard as Charlie’s words sunk in.

Brooke was thinking about moving, but she hadn’t said one word to him about it.

A wave of disappointment rose up inside him, a sharp jab in the chest, but he immediately, fiercely crushed it.

That was . . . just fine.

Good for her. Really. If this job, whatever it was, was that great of an opportunity, she should take it. He’d seen her in action; she was an incredible lawyer—she deserved an opportunity like this.

Sure, obviously, this development came as a bit of a surprise to him, especially since he and Brooke seemed to be getting close lately. But it also served as a quick reminder that perhaps they’d been getting a little too close.

And he didn’t do too close.