The Heiress CEO

Chapter Seven

Caden sighed as he sat up and stretched. He had been worried he wouldn’t be able to sleep in a new bed, but after a long flight and family dinner he was completely exhausted. Glancing at his phone, he saw he had plenty of time before Jude showed up.

He stood and retreated to the bathroom to relieve himself and take a quick shower. Though the shower had been made with luxury in mind, the real luxury was being able to shower in peace. For the first time ever, he didn’t have to worry about his siblings barging in and asking to borrow things or wanting to talk. As much as he loved his brother and sisters, he also liked some peace and quiet.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, he returned to the bedroom and unpacked his duffle. He hadn’t had the energy to do so the night before, but he couldn’t live out of his bag. From the bottom he pulled out a small, velvet-lined box he hid from unwanted eyes. Caden frowned, turning it over in his hands before taking it along with his passport to the safe tucked away in his closet. He stored them away after resetting the combination.

Once it was out of sight, he breathed easier. It may have been an impulse to purchase it, but he hoped it wouldn’t be for nothing. Yet, even thinking about it brought a smile to his face. People thought his sister was the impulsive one. How little they knew.

He dressed simply: long-sleeved tee-shirt and jeans. Many people probably thought it odd that the son of such an important family would dress so casually, but he always prized comfort over fashion. Stowing the now empty duffle away, he looked at his closet with a frown. He barely had enough clothes to last him a week. If his things were delayed, he would find himself at an inconvenience.

He understood why his aunt was concerned. Even doing laundry would only delay the inevitable, not to mention hasten the deterioration of his limited wardrobe. It was also true he hadn’t packed anything for formal occasions. Still, there wasn’t any reason to panic. After all, he had a closet at his parent’s Soho home full of clothes. Retrieving them could be one of his errands for the day and would save them some time.

Caden headed downstairs to the kitchen only to remember he didn’t have anything. However, his cupboards weren’t completely bare. In particular, he had a cupboard with several choices of tea as a welcome home gift, no doubt from his mother. With a small smile, Caden selected one before filling the kettle with water. There were many things he inherited from his mother, including his preference for tea over coffee.

Waiting for the water to boil, he checked his messages to see several missed texts from his family. When he landed, he sent them a message to assure them he arrived safely and later added he would be having dinner at the estate so he wouldn't be alone his first night. As it was almost dinner time for them, he hadn’t expected immediate answers. After dinner, he was too tired to check his phone.

Dad: Good to hear you landed safely. Be sure to thank your aunt for getting everything ready.

Mom: I miss you so much, sweetie! Give your aunt and cousins big hugs. And take lots of pictures!

Coda: Dinner with the fam, huh? Hate to say this but you sound old.

Lyra: I’m so jealous you get to see Toby! He’s such a cutie!

Aria: Remember your promise, Caden. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it.

Caden frowned, rereading Aria’s message. He was worried about his twin. As his aunt said, she had always been a free-spirit, but her behavior was changing. She was more subdued and silent, which scared him the most. He knew the fallout over Christmas had been devastating, but this went beyond a broken heart. Something else was going on and he couldn’t help but think it had something to do with her new boyfriend. He asked her to come to New York with him, but she insisted she was fine and that he needed to focus on his own life for a change.

She wasn’t wrong. Most of his time was spent minding his siblings and helping them, including assisting Lyra with her art projects and tutoring Coda with math homework. In truth, he had wanted to audition for the Philharmonic years ago, but delayed so he could continue to help his siblings. That had always been his way, but it didn’t leave him with a lot of time for himself. His younger siblings certainly knew how to take advantage of him, always making new demands.

Caden looked around his apartment. He thought this last night, but it really was too quiet, too empty. The kettle whistled, drawing his attention. He poured water into a mug and steeped his tea, still lost in thought.

It was kind of funny. Back home with his siblings, he always struggled to find time for himself. Now, here in New York, he had all his time to himself and he wanted company. Was there a way to have both?

* * *

“So what kind of car are you looking for?” Jude asked as he navigated New York traffic.

They had sat in companionable silence since the cousins headed out. Jude was reluctant to speak as his cousin seemed pensive. It was clear Caden had something on his mind, though for now he kept it to himself.

“I’m not sure,” Caden said. “Something sensible, good fuel mileage.”

“Really? You don’t want something cool?”

Caden shrugged, “I’m not really a car guy.”

Jude laughed. He wasn’t much of one either when it came down to it. Aloud, he said, “All right. I know a good place.”

In fact, he had called ahead to ensure the salesman he wanted would be working and made an appointment. Jude had a feeling his cousin wouldn’t really be interested in listening to lengthy sales pitches. Pulling into Mid-City Automotive, they headed inside where Zachariah waited for them.

“Hello, Mister DaLair. I was rather surprised to get your call,” the older man greeted. “Looking for another family vehicle?”

“Actually, my cousin here is looking for something,” Jude shook his hand. “Caden, Zachariah. Nicholas recommended him. He knows his stuff.”

Caden shook the offered hand without hesitation. If this man was recommended by Jamie’s father then he knew he was trustworthy. Surprisingly, Zachariah didn’t seem at all fazed meeting with two DaLair men, but if he was used to dealing with the Worthingstons and Averys, then that was to be expected.

“So, what are you looking for, Mister DaLair?” Zachariah asked.

“Caden, and I don’t need much. Just something to get around. I don’t need something as large as a SUV or truck. An economical sedan would be fine.”

Zachariah smiled. If there was one thing he was sure about, it was that prominent families never ceased to surprise him. He would call them eccentric if it wasn’t disingenuous. None of them ever made outrageous demands of him and preferred understated vehicles with safety in mind. The only luxury they really seemed interested in was features to entertain their kids. But in this case, he didn’t notice a wedding ring, so Caden was still single. Even so, he had no interest in a flashy vehicle.

“Right this way, Caden. Let me show you what we have for sedans.”

* * *

“So, why green?” Jude asked. After an hour at the dealership, Caden went with Zachariah’s recommendation for a sensible mid-size sedan. His only request was that it was green, so had to wait a week for the vehicle to be ready. There was nothing flashy about the color, but Jude was surprised by Caden’s insistence.

“I like green,” Caden shrugged.

Jude glanced at his cousin, wanting a more detailed answer, but knew he wouldn’t get one. There were some things Caden just never opened up about, except maybe with his siblings and, even then, probably only with Aria. While all the DaLair kids shared close filial ties the connection between the twins was something special.

“Here I thought you were trying to impress a woman,” Jude joked, glancing at Cade to see a slight blush to his cheeks. “Wait, is it a woman?”

“No,” Caden said, but his blush deepened.

“But there is someone you are interested in,” Jude pressed.

“…Yes,” Caden surprised him with an honest answer.

“What? Really?!” Jude exclaimed. “Who? Do I know her?”

“You’ve met,” Caden admitted.

“Who?”

Caden looked out the window with a frown. As much as he wanted his cousin’s insight, he also didn’t want interference from his family.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No. It’s just, we’re not…We’re not together. We’re not even technically seeing each other. Kind of a long-distance thing.”

“Long distance. Caden, did you move to New York because of a woman?”

Caden hesitated, “It’s not the only reason.”

“Wow,” Jude shook his head. “That has to be one of the most romantic displays I’ve ever heard of. You and your dad really are cut from the same cloth, aren’t you?”

Caden shrugged, not sure how to answer that.

“Do yourself a favor though, under no circumstances tell my mom, Jess or grandpa,” Jude shook his head. “They will hound you night and day for her name if you do.”

Caden grimaced. His cousin had a fair point and it was a timely warning. With his sons finally happily settled, Augustus’s new obsession was seeing all of his grandchildren settled down.