by Alexa Aston
Cassie’s words hung in the air. She blushed. “I mean . . . I didn’t—”
“Don’t worry,” Carreen assured her. “Everyone walks on eggshells around me. I’m fine even if I don’t look it. The doctor says things are progressing well and they caught the cancer in time. I don’t think I’ll be calling at the pearly gates anytime soon.”
Carreen reached for her water and sipped through the straw. “I was eager to meet you. Rhett talks about you like you walk on water. He said you’ve gotten a cook and housekeeping services to replace Consuelo and Maria and that you’ve come up with a terrific idea for a charity event.”
“The first two were pretty easy. We met with the cancer society rep this afternoon and made some great headway regarding the event.”
“He also told me that you had Breck and the poker pals wrapped around your little finger.”
She laughed. “Feed Breck and the man’s your friend for life. Same thing with those poker buddies. Stuff them with sandwiches and dip and tell a few stories and they’ll treat you like one of the boys.”
“Especially Zak Mercury?”
Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You’re exactly Zak’s type. Pretty, smart, quick on your feet. If he hasn’t asked you out already, he will.”
She grinned. “He did after the first poker night. Walked me to the car and was ready to add me to his little black book.”
Carreen eyed her with interest. “You turned him down?”
“Of course. He’s very mercurial and I didn’t feel comfortable going out with a friend of my boss. That didn’t seem right. I needed this job too badly to mess things up like that on the first day.”
“Good for you. Most women would leap at a chance with Zak. He’s bright, he’s cute, and he’s going places.”
Carreen studied her a moment. Cassie wondered if the conversation up to this point had been the warm-up.
“What were you doing before you became Rhett’s assistant and moved into the gatehouse? Seems like everything happened pretty fast,” Carreen said pointedly.
Cassie didn’t mind Carreen’s blunt tone. In fact, she expected it since Rhett’s family was so close. It would be painful for her but Cassie knew she would need to open up and tell Carreen how her career plans fell apart. She had to be honest for Carreen to understand that she’d gone to work for Rhett for all the right reasons.
“I came to Hollywood with big dreams. I’d always been a reader and a writer, and I tore up the stage in Waco, Texas. Acted in every play I could—school, community theater. I was going to become someone.”
Cassie sat back, her eyes growing moist. “Hollywood isn’t really looking for good actresses. They want stars, women they can parade around that all look alike, sporting the same cutting-edge fashions that have double-sided tape which reveals the absolute right amount of boobs. Look at me, Carreen. I have a nice smile but I didn’t have thousands to get my teeth capped. I’m a decent height and weight but casting directors let me know I’d need to lose twenty-five pounds and get a boob job to have a glimmer of a chance.”
She leaned forward. “I know I’m not model gorgeous but they all wanted to reinvent me to be the same as the next clone. I wanted to act and I wasn’t willing to compromise who I was to do so.”
Her laugh sounded bitter to her ears. “Consequently, I didn’t land any parts. I finally decided with my knowledge of the business and organizational skills, I could be an agent. Unfortunately, it’s the same as many professions. You need experience before anyone’ll hire you. Doesn’t matter how great your ideas are. All they want to know is what your track record is.”
Carreen nodded, taking in Cassie’s words. “What did you wind up doing?”
She ran her fingers through her hair. “I found a third-rate agent who was down on his luck and became his go-to girl. I found auditions for his clients to go on, little ones at first, but then the offers gradually got better for most of them. That’s when Manny, the agent, went back to his former bad habit of snorting coke around the clock. The money was coming in again and he didn’t have to do anything to get it.”
Carreen shuddered. “Did you walk out?”
“I couldn’t. Too many people depended upon me and I needed the money. I ran everything after that. Manny let me do all the work while he raked in the cash and put it up his nose. If I could’ve pushed him out the door and changed the locks, I would have. I’d decided to make a clean break and try to land a job as Irv Stromberg’s assistant. I’d heard the position was open and Merriman Smith was taking off like a shooting star. I really wanted to be a part of something successful.”
Cassie shook her head. “That’s when I swerved to avoid hitting a frou-frou pooch and slammed into Rhett’s car. By the time he pulled the dazed and confused me out of my vehicle, I was as bedraggled as a person gets and still determined to make it to my interview, missing pump and all.
“I think maybe that’s why Rhett wanted to give me a chance. He saw I was determined to go through with the interview, despite the awful circumstances.”
“What about moving onto his estate?”
“I didn’t weasel my way into the gatehouse. Please don’t think that. Rhett gave me the Range Rover you’d driven to do errands after he saw my beat-up ride. I told him not to do it. I knew my neighborhood was not the type to leave that kind of car sitting unattended. I was right. Someone stole it that first night.”
“Was Rhett mad?”
Cassie thought. “Not really. But he saw the dive I lived in and offered the gatehouse to my roommate and me since it was empty. It was a very gracious offer. Since we would be working closely together, it made sense, so I took him up on it. I can assure you that I’m saving money for a place of my own, and Jolene and I are also paying Rhett rent. I’ll be long gone before you come back to work, Carreen.”
Carreen sipped at her water again. “I hear Breck’s taken with you and your roommate.”
“Breck’s just a bad boy with a good heart. I like spending time with him. Jolene is totally gone over him. Breck’s probably never dated someone like Jolene. She’s a smart-ass with a mouth on her but she’s good as gold. They seem an unlikely couple but then again, how many are like that in real life?”
Cassie paused. “I know as Rhett’s older sister, you want to protect him, Carreen. I also realize I’d be awfully skeptical if someone as off the wall as I sound instantly inserted herself into my brother’s life so fast. In all honesty, all I want to do is the best job I can while you’re recovering. I need the work. I need the experience. I’ve got to have something better than Manny on my resume and having worked for Rhett will hopefully open up job opportunities for me.”
Cassie’s lip trembled. “I can’t go home to Texas. There’s nothing for me there. I may not have realized the dream I once had but no one said I couldn’t change my dreams. I may never act in a Hollywood film but I can have a part in putting someone in one. Hey, if behind every successful man there’s the little woman who helped get him there, then I’m going to hold to the twist on that. For every successful actor, there’s an agent or assistant who made his life right so he could give it his all up there on the screen.”
Cassie sniffed. “If that means I’m going to book Rhett’s hair appointments and clothes fittings and take Shep to the vet and read scripts and get him to appointments on time, then I will be the best damned assistant out there.”
Carreen’s eyes held a satisfaction lacking before now. Cassie’s heart sang, knowing she had won Carreen’s approval.
She heard the front door open again. “Hello? Carreen? It’s Scarlett.”
In walked a girl in her mid-twenties with a knockout figure and Rhett’s eyes and mouth. She had legs that probably went up to Cassie’s shoulder. Cassie estimated she was easily six feet tall.
She plopped next to Carreen’s chair and took her sister’s hand. “Hey, sweetie. How are you today?” Without waiting for an answer, she looked over and sized up Cass
ie. “I’m Scarlett. Carreen’s giant baby sister. I have everyone at UCLA Law School terrified of me but Carreen still thinks I’m about twelve and shouldn’t even be dating.”
Cassie laughed, warming immediately to Scarlett. Her own best friend in high school had that Amazon height and Rocki had been just as blunt and in your face. “I’m Cassie Carroll. Rhett’s new assistant.”
Scarlett frowned. She immediately looked at Carreen, her eyes flashing with anger. “He replaced you?” she exploded. “What kind of asshole brother would do that?” Scarlett glared at Cassie.
“The kind who has a career going strong and can’t afford to wait around for me to get well,” Carreen threw out. “I’ve begged Rhett to hire someone, Scarlett. Cassie is sweet and efficient and did not deserve what you just said. Apologize—or you can leave right now.”
Scarlett flushed a dull red. “I’m sorry,” she told Cassie. “Nothing personal. Just closing ranks, I guess. We’re not used to outsiders involved in Rhett’s business.”
“I understand,” Cassie assured the youngest Corrigan. “I’m only around until Carreen comes back to work.”
“I’m not coming back.”
Her jaw dropped. “But . . . you have to,” Cassie sputtered. “Rhett expects you to. I came into this job knowing that it was temporary.”
Carreen swallowed, looking pale and fragile. “I’ve taken care of Rhett his whole life. Changed his diapers. Taught him to ride a bike. Really cranked it up when I showed him how to throw a spiral and a spitball, much less the finer workings of how to ask a girl on a date. I even taught him how to drive. Since he’s been acting, I’ve taken care of everything for him. I’m tired of it.
“I’m ready to do something for me. If cancer has taught me anything, it’s to live in the moment and be happy with what I’m doing. Well, I’ve always wanted to be an interior designer. When I’m well, I’m going back to school and earn the certification. I can schedule clients around the kids’ hours at school. It’ll allow me to be creative. Best of all, I’ll work for myself.”
Carreen sighed. “I love Rhett to pieces, but I’ve been a second mom to him all these years. I’m ready to cut the apron strings and follow my own dreams.”
“That’s why you wanted to meet me,” Cassie said. “You needed to see firsthand if I could handle Rhett and his affairs.”
Carreen nodded. “I thought you could from the moment he first mentioned you. Then when Breck came to visit and started talking about The General, I got more scoop from him. Even at that, I needed to check you out in person.”
She took Cassie’s hand. “Now that I’ve seen you and Rhett interact, I know you’ll handle anything he throws your way. Because of that, I’ll tell him when he gets back.”
“Tell me what?”
CHAPTER 15
Cassie awoke to TJ standing next to her face, his large eyes inches from hers. She scratched his head as he kneaded the pillow, wondering why she ever bothered setting an alarm. The orange tabby had only let her down once—the morning of her almost-interview at Merriman Smith. Cassie figured if she hadn’t run late, she would never have met Rhett.
She padded into the kitchen and warmed TJ’s breakfast in the microwave. The furball had her trained better than she ever would him. Cassie returned to her bedroom and threw on running clothes. She slipped out the door and did some stretches. An old hamstring injury nagged her at times so she was always careful to warm up.
Rhett joined her as she began her run.
“Morning.”
She’d discovered Rhett ran three mornings a week and he’d fallen into a pattern of accompanying her on those days. Since it was five-thirty, they had the neighborhood to themselves.
Cassie enjoyed the rhythm of their relationship. Running. Business. Usually eating lunch together to go over various items. She’d also taken part in the weekly poker party again. Instead of feeling awkward about being the token female, she let go and enjoyed it. Her life was shaping up, with Rhett accepting she would be his assistant for the foreseeable future.
He’d been angry and upset when he’d overheard Carreen’s words about leaving because of the love he had for his sister. After he calmed down and Carreen explained things to him, he was all for the move. He promised Carreen that he would line up plenty of clients for her and even promised that she could re-do his entire house if she wanted.
They jogged up a steep incline, both of them putting a little extra muscle into it. As usual, Rhett let a mile or so pass before he started up a conversation.
“You talk to the people at the ACS again yesterday?”
“Yes. They liked the ideas from last week’s meeting and they’re ready for us to go full steam ahead. Both Becky and I are meeting with them a couple of days after Christmas.”
“That soon? I thought you’d probably take a week or two off so you could go see your family.”
She shook her head. “Rhett, I haven’t been on your payroll for long. I haven’t accrued that kind of time off. Besides, airfare is expensive this time of year. I hadn’t made plans to go home.”
He stopped in his tracks. “Not go home? Cassie, that’s foolish. Nothing here’s so pressing that I couldn’t give you some time off. I can give you a salary advance if—”
“No.” Cassie kept running so Rhett caught up with her. “I don’t want to go home. I don’t have the kind of family life you do, Rhett. I haven’t been home since I came to California almost ten years ago. Things are . . . difficult.”
She left it at that. She wasn’t about to get into her family dynamics. Losing her dad at a young age. Never seeing her mom because she worked three and four jobs to make the rent and put food on the table. Never feeling as if she pleased her mom, despite bringing home outstanding grades and staying away from the troubles many teenagers fell into. Cassie sent money home to Texas every month but she rarely heard anything back. In the Carroll household, Christmas was just another day, not a time to celebrate togetherness.
“Well, that means you need to have dinner with my family.”
“Thanks, Rhett, but no.”
“Come on, Cassie. Mom would have my hide if she knew you were down at the gatehouse, eating Cheetos with TJ on your lap, watching It’s a Wonderful Life and bawling your eyes out.”
“I never eat Cheetos because they turn your fingers all orangey. I’m a Lay’s potato chip girl at heart. Plus, I would be curled up with a good book instead of watching TV.”
“Seriously, I want you to come. Mom likes you. Even Scarlett likes you and she hardly ever likes anyone. You haven’t met Suellen and Mister Eurotrash yet. How could you pass up an opportunity like that? Besides, Breck told me that he was going up to Sacramento to meet Jolene’s family. You’ll be all alone.”
His offer tempted her. Cassie wouldn’t mind having the gatehouse to herself for a few days while Jo was gone but it would be nice to be around a loving family. For once.
Rhett grinned. “I can tell you’ve already made up your mind. It’s settled. You’ll have to come over Christmas Eve, too. You can go to church with us and we have this huge buffet spread with all kinds of dips and chips and things that are totally bad for you. Leo would have a heart attack if he saw it all. I read the kids “The Night Before Christmas” and then we watch the Peanuts special where Linus tells the Christmas story. Then everyone comes back to Mom’s around noon the next day. We’ll have a big dinner and open presents. The works.”
Their feet pounded the pavement as Rhett added, “We drew names back at Thanksgiving but that’s when Breck thought he was going to be here. You can check with him to see whose name he got. I know Breck. No way has he already shopped for a present. I’ll make sure someone has your name, too, instead of his. This’ll be great!”
Cassie laughed. Rhett sounded like a kid himself. She guessed Christmas did that to some people.
“What do I need to contribute, food-wise?”
“On Christmas Eve, you better bring that queso with the sausage in it that you
made for the last poker game. I could make a meal on that. For Christmas dinner, we eat at two. Mom always buys and heats a ham but she’s not much on cooking. I always have to pick up sides somewhere. If Carreen feels up to it, she’ll do apple pie, her specialty. Everything else is pretty hodgepodge. Why don’t we sit down when we get back and come up with a menu?”
“Sounds like a plan. I like to cook, though. You shouldn’t have to pick anything up. I think this might be fun.”
Then it hit her. Rhett had a girlfriend. Randi would present at these Christmas events unless she happened to be visiting with her own family. Cassie wondered how to extricate herself from the plans they’d already made because there was no way she would willingly spend any day—much less a holiday—with Randal James at her throat.
They looped around the circle they were on and started back to Rhett’s estate. They jogged in silence for a few minutes before he spoke.
“Since you’re going to be in town, would you like to go with me to Ken’s premiere? It’s on the twenty-first. I know he’d love to have you come.”
Cassie felt like she was negotiating a minefield. “Won’t Randi be back by then?”
Rhett frowned. “Not until the twenty-fourth. Why?”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. Besides having nothing to wear to a Hollywood premiere, I don’t want Randi upset with me. Your girlfriend isn’t too fond of me as it is. No sense rocking the boat.”
“Who cares what Randi thinks?”
Cassie glanced over at Rhett. His jaw was set in stone and his gray eyes flashed with smoldering anger.
“The press already knows you’re an item,” she pointed out. “If you show up at the premiere with me, even though I’m a nobody, it’ll simply add fuel to the gossip pyre.”
