Chapter 9 ~ Closer

University Campus: Wyatt's Rental, dawn
Soft light began to filter through the wall of glass behind Wyatt as he lay warm and content with Cadence behind him. Her slow, rhythmic breathing lulled him back to sleep when the hum of the lift drew him back. Wyatt threw his eyes open and stared at the door as his heart pounded vigorously against his chest. He knew how he would react if he found someone in bed with his sister...it wouldn't be pretty.

Slipping out of bed he wrapped a towel around his waist and quietly walked out onto the deck and listened. Two male voices and then Kestral's soft laugh, a car door closing and the sound of the engine as it faded down the road. Relief washed over Wyatt; he would need to get Cadence up and out before they came back. And there was the matter of her car.
As he re-entered the bedroom Cadence was awake and sitting up looking at him curiously. Wyatt thought it would be hard to look at her in the morning but he found himself more drawn to her than ever. She was on the verge of becoming a woman. She had certainly proved that more than once during the course of the evening. He felt uncomfortable about what had transpired; they would need to talk about it and soon.
"This is awkward…and a little weird," Cadie slipped off the bed and hastily threw on the clothes that lay discarded next to the bed. She could feel Wyatt's eyes on her and felt flush as she recalled what she, what they, had done last night. Lifting her eyes as she reached for her other shoe which had slipped further under the bed than she thought, she saw the condom wrappers littered on the bed. At least they had the good sense to be careful, she thought. Damn, what had she done?
"What are you doing?" Wyatt watched as Cadence moved her fingers efficiently over the keypad of her cell.

"Damage control...I'm texting Kelsey. She's got to cover for me when my mother wants to know where I was." Cadence skimmed the response, satisfied, dropped the phone back in her bag and turned her attention to Wyatt once more.

"Cade, about last night..."

She looked directly at Wyatt, smiled as she shook her head and interrupted him, "You don't need to say anything Wyatt. I'm not sorry it happened and it isn't going to change anything between you and me." Cadence grew quiet once more as she tried to sort her muddled feelings. She had told him she loved him last night and he had responded in kind. Maybe it was the liquor but Cadence believed she could really be in love with him. Cadence turned and slipped on her shoes.
"It changes everything Cade." Wyatt approached her and slipped his arms around her protectively. "I don't know how this is going to work. No way will your mom or dad let me date you, at least not right now." She could feel his warm breath against her neck as he pulled her closer; his voice was quiet. "I won't ask you to wait Cadie, it wouldn't be fair. And your brothers..."
Cadence spun around, a look of defiance flashed in her eyes. "I'm almost 18 and I’ll be going to school here in the fall. In a few months it won't matter what they think. My brothers would want me to be with someone who won't hurt me. They could hardly complain if it was you." Wyatt shook his head and laughed softly. He seriously doubted whether or not Jason and Jett would be all right with him dating their sister. Folding her arms across her chest Cadence asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing really, you just reminded me of when you were a kid, that's all."
"I'm not a kid anymore." Her eyes were alight with mischief as she kissed him. Cadence slipped her arms around Wyatt's waist and sighed. "You better take me to my car before my brothers get back. I'm not ready to deal with them yet."

They found her car parked a few blocks away from the Garage Club. Cadence breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was unlocked the keys having fallen under the brake pedal. It was a stroke of luck that no one had bothered to check. As Wyatt drove back to the house, Cadence sped off in the opposite direction along the coast highway smiling as she watched his taillights grow smaller until they disappeared. There was no traffic at this hour and she would make good time. If her luck held up her mother would be at the art studio and oblivious to the fact that she had not come home.

South Beach: Mitchell Residence

Cadence maneuvered the Beetle into the driveway and killed the engine. Drawing a deep breath she quietly made her way up the walkway and let herself in. The house was quiet; maybe she would be granted a reprieve from her mother's wrath. Cadie was certain that her mother knew she hadn't come home last night. Peri made a habit of checking in on her ever since the night her father left. She had barely made it to the stairs when her mother's soft voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Where have you been Cadence?" Peri held a mug of steaming coffee as her green eyes pinned her daughter where she stood.

"Just leave me alone Mom." Cadence was in no mood to fight with her mother. She wanted to curl up in her bed after a hot bath, and some eggs. She wanted to imagine Wyatt lying beside her, holding her close and keeping her safe.

"I asked you where you were! You will give me an answer right now!"

"I spent the night at Kelsey's; you can call her if you want."

Peri set down her cup and stiffly walked toward Cadence. She looked more tired than usual and Cade felt some remorse knowing that her mother probably stayed up most of the night angry and worried. "I don't remember you asking my permission to do that let alone go out in the middle of the night. I know Kelsey's parents are abroad and she would cover for you in a heartbeat so I am going to ask you again young lady, where have you been all night?"

Cadence glared at her mother, her eyes narrowed, "That's what you do isn't it mother? I bet you accused Daddy of lying to you all the time too didn't you? You probably think I'm just like him! You know what? Maybe I am! Maybe I went to a bar and got stupid drunk and slept with some strange boy!"

"Cadence, stop it! I was worried sick when you weren't in bed! You are not to leave this house without my permission or I will take that car away from you!"

"You're being melodramatic."

"Am I? Give me the keys."

Cadence sucked in a breath, "You're not serious! Are you?"

Peri stood there hand outstretched and waited never taking her eyes off her daughter. "Serious as a heart attack. Consider your wings clipped."

Cadence dropped the keys in her mother's hand and wheeled around running up the stairs as tears began to sting her eyes. Peri sighed, frustrated and struggling with exhaustion. Reaching for the phone she considered her options and with a resigned expression began to dial Heydon's number.

Coast Road

Halfway home, Wyatt abruptly pulled off to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes. He sat there absently drumming his fingers against the steering wheel, sand billowing around the car, as his mind raced. Being with Cadence had felt right last night and he cared for her more deeply than he realized but Wyatt had no idea how to handle the situation from this point on. His feelings blindsided him and in the light of day he was more conflicted than he realized.

He needed someone to talk to, someone who might understand and help him think it through. He needed to talk to his father. Glancing over his shoulder quickly Wyatt maneuvered the car back on the beach road and headed back to South Beach.


South Beach: Stanfield Residence
Easing the car in front of the massive house, Wyatt stepped out of the car and gingerly took the steps and rang the bell. Wyatt shifted his weight as he patiently waited for someone to answer the door. It hadn't occurred to him that no one would be home; he should have called first. As he turned to leave he saw his sister open the door to the foyer, smiling warmly as she let him in.
Wyatt embraced her warmly. "Hey Rainie I'm surprised to see you at home! Is Dad here?"

"He's at the studio. Mom had some things she needed to take care of so I'm watching the twins. Why didn't you just let yourself in?"
Wyatt followed Rayne to the pool and watched as she eased onto a beach towel setting the monitor next to her so she could hear the twins in the house. Looking up at him she repeated, "So why did you ring?"
"No key remember?" He plopped down next to her and tossed a pebble across the pool absently.

"That's stupid Wy, this is your house too. I know where the spare keys are if you want them. Dad changed the security code after Ryan left but I can give it to you."
"That probably wouldn't be a good idea Rainie but thanks." A mild breeze puffed through the palm fronds and danced across the water. Wyatt watched the ripples undulate back and forth slapping against the pool's edge. They sat in silence until Wyatt pulled off his shirt and kicked off his shoes relishing the heat of the sun on his skin.

"Sera Godfrey says you have a Kramer tattooed on your right hip, says she's seen it up close and personal." Rayne rolled over and propped herself up as she followed Wyatt's gaze toward the water's edge.
Wyatt laughed. "As if I would ever let the teen queen get that close to me," he threw a look toward Rayne and added, "and I don't have a tattoo at all in case you were wondering."
"Right...where'd you get it?" Rayne threw a sideways glance at her brother as she pulled her legs up and hugged her knees. "Anyway if people are meant to be together age shouldn't matter."
Cocking his head Wyatt studied her; the statement taking him by surprise. Rayne held his gaze, her expression giving nothing away. He tried to choose his words carefully; his feelings were a double edged sword and Wyatt had felt both sides of that blade. "I think," he began, "that it depends."

"It depends on what? What if you were in love with someone that other people thought you shouldn't be in love with? What would you do?" She watched him, expectant, golden brown eyes intensely burning into him.
Rayne's question troubled him deeply; it cut too close and it was what he came here to find out in the first place. Wyatt shifted his gaze away from her and fixed them on the rippling pool once more. "The truth is I don't know what I would do Rainie; I don't have any answers. I wish...I wish I did." He hung his head before lifting his eyes back toward her.
"Whatever. Why do you want to see Dad?"

Wyatt gave her a plaintive smile, "It's nothing. Look I'm going to take off; I shouldn't have come in the first place. Tell Dad and Beth I stopped by all right?"
They both rose and turned toward the house as Cooper strode toward them. "Wyatt this is a surprise. Is everything all right?"
Wyatt kicked the toe of his shoe into the concrete and avoided looking at his father. "Everything's fine. I just..." Exhaling heavily he leveled his gaze on Coop. "I need to talk to you; I need some advice...about a girl."

"Let's talk inside." Wyatt followed Cooper and watched as his father deftly tossed him a pool cue and then began systematically running the table on him. Cooper exhaled sharply while lining up his next shot. His son needed advice about a girl...several scenarios raced through his imagination and none were good. "What's on your mind?"
Wyatt didn't know where to begin and he definitely was not sure how his father would react. "I met this girl last night. She was in a bunch of my classes and we hit it off pretty well. I like her a lot and she definitely liked me; she's different and fun. I haven't been with a girl like that in a long time and I was going to take her back to my place when something happened."
Pausing, he watched Cooper's last shot miss the pocket by millimeters. Wyatt's heart was racing; he knew Coop wasn't going to like what he had to say. He might as well just get it over with. It wasn't as if he hadn't disappointed his father before; Wyatt doubted this would be any different.
Bending over, Wyatt lined up his shot and continued. "Cadence Mitchell was at the same club. Some guy was coming onto her hard and I intervened. She was drunk and scared so I took her back to my place." Wyatt followed the ball as his shot went wide of the pocket and settled against the edge of the table. His voice was barely audible. "I slept with her Dad."
Cooper paused pulling in a sharp breath and gripping the stick hard until his knuckles turned white. His first instinct was to shout at Wyatt about restraint and responsibility however it would not only be counter-productive but hypocritical as well. Cadence Mitchell was barely out of high school and not yet 18. She was underage and the daughter of one of his oldest friends and band mate. This was going to go south fast and Cooper didn't want either of the kids caught in the maelstrom.
Cooper set down his stick and poured himself a drink with Wyatt following suit. "Are you going to stand there and say nothing or are you going to tell me what to do about this? You know what, never mind; I should have known better than to come to you for help."
Cooper set his glass down hard and turned to face Wyatt. "My gut reaction is to smack you in the head and ask what the hell you were thinking. Cadence Mitchell is for all intents and purposes still a child! She's a dreamer who just had her fantasy world shattered by her parents; what do you think this is going to do to her? And I'm not even going to broach the topic of her family's reaction!"
"Cadie has always been there for me. She doesn't judge me; she understands who I am and what I've been through better than anyone else. She has kept me sane through a whole lot of bullshit. Cade is a lot more mature than you give her credit. I've always cared about her; I really do think I love her Dad. But I also really wanted to get to know Lenore. I can't do that to Cadie. So I need to know, what would you do?"
Cooper's face softened into a slight smile as he considered his answer."I would have gone for it which is exactly why I am telling you to step back. Cadence is young, you're young, and you both have a lot of life in front of you. I don't want either of you to resent a commitment made at such a young age. I'm thinking about both of you here. As much as I believe Cade would be a good choice, the timing is wrong for both of you. Think about that Wyatt."
Wyatt nodded and turned to leave. "I will."

"You know what you have to do Wyatt."

"Thanks Dad. I guess I need to talk to Cade and her family. I have no idea how Jason and Jett are going to take this."

Coop watched his son push through the door. "However this goes, I'll stand by you, Wyatt."