So I might have enlisted my sons into a covert mission, and my brave little soldiers are more than happy to face the wrath of Quinn in order to complete project match-maker.

They smirked, knowing exactly who I was trying to set Quinn up with.

I know I should just be a good boundary respecting friend, but a good friend would also force proximity on two people that obviously have feelings for each other, even the twins can see that.

She made up her mind about him.

So it's not like I'm overly stepping on her boundaries, just toeing the line of them.

Truthfully, Noah and Quinn have been dancing around their feelings for each other for the last year. It's only recently that something shifted between them, she doesn't run from him anymore.

Her heart is opening up to him, and she's slowly shedding the fear of heartbreak.

I knew how badly her ex-boyfriend had hurt her when he cheated with her best friend. That she felt like three years of her life was wasted with him, and a lifetime of friendship with someone who stabbed her in the back in the end.

She felt betrayed by two people she thought she could count on.

And if Noah wants her heart in return for his, he's going to have to work for it, because she won't give it away easily.

That doesn't mean we can't help him, just a little bit.

So when Quinn went home to shower and change, I talked over tonight's order of operation. The goal is to be subtle, like crowding on either side of them trying to get them closer, make them sit next to each other at the movie theater. So maybe they can have one of those cute but also cliche romantic movie moments.

You know when they both reach in the bucket to grab some popcorn, hands meeting in a brief contact of skin. Their hearts will pound, eyes finding each other. They need small actions to get them to barely touch, they'll think about each other more.

Maybe start to wonder what it would be like to hold hands.

I know Noah likes Quinn, have for a while now, but I don't think he wonders about those small details.

Not yet, anyway.

Later that evening I sent my sons' off on their first mission of project match-maker, with a small nod, being returned with two salutes.

I know I can trust them.

Not too long after they leave, Cage shows up.

I open the door grinning broadly, as I think about my plan currently being put into action.

“What are you smiling about?” Cage asks, stepping inside.

“I've enlisted Knox and Kohl in a covert mission.” I tell him, leading the way to the kitchen.

We decided to have our second date here. It didn't feel right to have such a personal conversation out in the open where anyone with eavesdropping ears can listen in on.

I'm sure the town is already in an uproar knowing that Catch has come back to Rushmore too.

We don't need to hand feed them the gossip.

“Should I be worried about what you roped our sons into doing?” Cage asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

I point for Cage to sit at my small kitchen table, shooting him a look, when he offers to help.

I appreciate his offering, but it isn't much just the salad that has been in the fridge, and the garlic bread. I had already sat plates, forks, and cups at the table.

And moments before he rang the bell, I had placed the spaghetti on the table.

“I solemnly swear that our sons are not in any form of danger in the operation of project match-maker. Details are currently classified and your credentials are too low ranking to be granted access.” I joke, walking to the table, and placing the food down.

Cage grabs my plate, picking up the tongs, dishing out portions of spaghetti, salad and a piece of garlic bread. He sets the plate down in front of me then starts to fix his own plate.

“Ah, is that so? Can I at least know what this project match-maker is?” Cage looks at me patiently waiting for me to fill him in.

“Fine,” I sigh, pouring each of us a glass of red wine. “Project match-maker is Knox, Kohl, and I, trying to help Quinn along on her slow process of opening her heart up to love again. If I didn't think Noah was a good guy, and someone who I knew would never intentionally hurt her, I wouldn't even be going to this extent.”

“So Quinn and Noah? I thought I saw something between those two last night, but I wasn't sure.” Cage takes a sip of his wine.

“Quinn deserves to be happy.”

“So do you Rory, and I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. It was really difficult seeing my brother after all these years, I forgave him a while ago. I—just… I'm still angry with him, you know?” Cage's eyes are a raging sea of emotions, from anger to sadness, and even resentment.

Setting my fork down I reach across the table, my hand going to his wrist, the one clenching his fingers around his utensil.

“Don’t be sorry, emotions were running high last night, it's totally understandable that you just needed a moment to short through your emotions. I will admit I was a little upset you didn't message me back sooner, that's only because I was worried about you driving, with your thoughts all over the place. You can be angry with him for as long as you want to be Cage, he has no control over what you can or can't feel. You feel betrayed by him, especially since you were there because he needed help, and he left you to fix his mess on your own.”

Cage set his fork on his plate, shifting his hand to latch with mine, his thumb brushing across the back.

“I'm angry with him because of everything he dragged me away from when he called begging for my help. Like you, I didn't want to leave you to wake up alone in that hotel room all those years ago. Catch called me, said he needed money, and a lot of it. I left you a note…”

Wait what note?

I never saw a note all those years ago when I woke up the next morning, smiling tentatively expecting to see the guy I just gave myself to in every way last night.

Mind, Body, and Soul.

“What note?” I demand, knowing for a fact I never saw any note.

Cage's lips purse in a frown, confusion flickering to life in his blue orbs, head tilting to the side.

“I wrote you a note before I left in the middle of the night. I set it down on my pillow right in front of you so you could see it first thing in the morning.” Cage answers, understanding starting to flood his gaze. “You didn't see it, and that's why you never called. You thought I was different from what I showed everyone else and it shocked you. You liked who I actually was, and when you woke up the next morning to no note. It hurt you, because you thought I just used you and then left. I'm sorry, Rory, I really did leave a note. I've been pretty much obsessed with you since elementary school.”

When Cage admits that last part, his eyes widen like he didn't mean to, a blush darkens his cheeks crimson.

“I kind of just wanted to forget about you and that night—that was hard to do when I found I was pregnant not too long after—because you're right it did hurt me. I went all through high school not giving guys the time of day, one of them seemed like the right person to date. High school boys really are idiots, it doesn't matter how smart they actually are. So when I took a chance and went with you that night, we had so much fun, so many laughs, and talked about anything and everything.”

“I was hurt, and a note would have made me feel so much better about everything we did. Could you tell me what it said?” I ask, picking at the napkin in my lap.

Cage nods his head, looking thoughtful, thinking back all those years ago to what his young teenage heart wrote.

“It was something like Sugar, something important came up, I'm sorry for leaving, you looked so peaceful otherwise I would have woken you up. I wrote my number and that I really wanted to see you again, emphasis on the really.”

Someone once asked me if I could go back and redo all of my choices would I?

At the time I answered no, no way, because I would never go back and change anything up to the point Cage and I met at that Fourth of July party. I will never regret that night because it gave me my entire world, my perfect mistakes. That's what I told anyone who said Knox and Kohl were mistakes, that I was going to regret my choices one day.

My life has been happier, sure a little more chaotic, but happier nonetheless because they're in it.

I think the only thing I would change about the past is not looking for the note Cage left, I should have looked around, tore the entire room up if I had to.

I had it in my head for so long that he just used me, but that didn't fit the Cage I had gotten to know that night. It didn't make sense that his golden boy mask was the real him, why would he tell me all that stuff about his mother if that was the case?

There was just a split second that I wondered if it was all a lie to pull at some heartstrings.

That split second was gone in a flash, the pain in his eyes was real, the disappointment. Everything he said to me then was real, I was just hoping that he got overwhelmed with his feelings and needed a minute.

Then he would be back.

He didn't come back.

“I didn't see any note so I just assumed there wasn't one. At first I thought you might have left to get breakfast, and that was the real reason your side of the bed was ice cold. It took me two hours to realize you weren't coming back, I sat there in that hotel room waiting for you to show. I was a crying mess by the time housekeeping came by to tell me it was time to check out, when I didn't answer she used her key to let herself in.”

“She hugged me and told me it was okay that someday I'll meet a different boy, who will treat me right. She called my mom to come get me, and waited with me at the curb, despite the fact she was currently on the clock. She was such a nice lady, and made me realize that I will survive my heartbreak.” Our eyes meet in a turquoise wave, reaching for the sky on a stormy day.

Cage gets up, pulling me out of my chair and into his arms, our eyes never leaving each other's gaze.

“If I had never gotten that call, I wouldn't have left. Truthfully, I wouldn't have left you until you had to tell me to get lost. I loved you so much, I love you so much, I always will.” Cage whispers, tentatively but not unsure of the feelings he has for me.

“I love you too, and I don't think I ever really stopped.” I tell him, hand going to his cheek, thumb sweeping the skin in a caress.

His hand slid up my side, over my back and to my nape, spreading delicious tingles across my flesh. With his hold on the back of my neck, he drags me closer, and closer, until our lips are a breath away.

“Tell me again,” he softly demands.

“I love you.” I say, brushing my lips against his.

“I love you,” again.

“I love you,” and again.

Cage is smiling into our kiss now, and his lips press against mine more firmly, and we get lost in each other.

I will never know what the future holds, but I know I want Cage next to me every step of the way.

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