by Syndi Powell
Dressed and caffeinated, Cassie drove them to the Belvedere Foundation’s offices. When they walked inside the boardroom, she was surprised to see the other teams already there. “Guess we’re not the only ones he called.”
“Guess not.”
She chose a chair and John took the one next to it. A number of the other contestants asked how he was, and Nick from the house next door approached him. “That was awful what happened to you yesterday.”
John nodded. “I never saw who it was, unfortunately. Got hit from behind.”
Nick shook his head. “Cowards. They need to do something before someone really gets hurt.”
Like John hadn’t been? She was about to say so to Nick when Mr. Belvedere began speaking. “If we could all take our seats, we can start this meeting.” He waited until the din in the room faded away. “As you all have heard by now, John Robison was attacked in his contest house yesterday afternoon.”
Eyes turned to look at John, and Cassie put a hand on his arm.
“Because of this incident and the sabotage that also happened, we are instituting new security measures.”
“Because of the ongoing inspections, we are maintaining the open-door policy during the workday. However, we have hired a security firm to monitor the houses 24/7 starting today. They have lists of the contestants and approved workers, and anyone on the premises will be required to show ID when asked.” Mr. Belvedere paused to look at everyone in the room. “There was talk about scrapping the contest altogether, but we have five families depending on all of you to finish what you have started. If anyone wants to quit, please do so now and you will be replaced immediately.”
Cassie held her breath, waiting to see if anyone dropped out. Leave the contest now? No way. She’d see this through to the end, no matter what.
John said, “I’m still in. Cassie?”
“Me, too.”
All the other teams also agreed to remain in the contest. Nick said, “They can’t scare me away.”
Mr. Belvedere smiled. “Good. I’ll look forward to your next updates in a couple of weeks. There’s not much time left until the judging.” He paused before adding, “Mr. Robison and Ms. Lowman, if you two could stay behind for a few minutes.”
John glanced at her with his eyebrows raised. Cassie shrugged. It felt like getting called out by the teacher to remain after class. Mr. Belvedere waited until the rest of the group had left before coming over to where they sat. He looked down at John. “I’m glad that the attack on you wasn’t any more serious.”
“Me, too.”
Mr. Belvedere pulled out the chair next to John and took a seat. “The police were here earlier, asking about the two of you. I assured them that we had vetted you both completely before admitting you into the contest. Their concern, obviously, is that the sabotage has escalated into violence.”
“The attacker didn’t expect me to be there or to investigate the noise he was making.”
“And you really didn’t see who it was?”
“No, sir. I wish I had.”
Mr. Belvedere put a hand on John’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, this business is painting the good we’re trying to do in a negative light. I’m counting on the new security measures to stop these attacks.”
“My dog is better than any alarm system, so protective. I like having her on site.”
Mr. Belvedere smirked at this. “Yes, I heard the plumbing inspector met her up close and personal.”
“If he had listened to me before opening the door, he would have been fine.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, just to clarify, are we out of the contest?”
Mr. Belvedere frowned. “No. We expect great work out of the both of you despite what’s happened. Although the police won’t release the work site back to you until next week.”
Cassie calculated that this would put them behind even more, and the timeline was already tight. But then, she’d worked to more stringent deadlines with her father and had brought the project in on time and on budget. She could do it again.
Mr. Belvedere thanked them for their determination and loyalty to the project. “I hope to meet with you later under better circumstances, but I know that the two of you are both tough competitors. This won’t keep you down for long.”
He left them then, saying he had to get to another meeting. Cassie turned to John. “Guess we get to play hooky from work.”
He closed his eyes. “Good. I’m ready for a nap.”
CHAPTER NINE
EVENTUALLY, WORK CONTINUED at the house without any further incidents. Cassie’s next big job on her list was to install the shower pipe so that the Buttucci brothers could finish putting up the walls in the bathroom, then tile the shower and tub area. She’d debated on the best fixture and settled on a handheld shower so that could it be used at a lower level for washing the boys at bath time. John had agreed and found a deal on a nickel-plated set that had been a staple in homes during the 1950s.
Because of the six-foot height of the pipe for the showerhead, she couldn’t reach where she needed to. She’d brought in a ladder, but with the sloped sides on the tub, it wouldn’t fit where she needed it to be. Sometimes she hated her height.
She found John in the backyard, playing fetch with Evie. She hated to interrupt his playtime, but she needed a taller person’s help. Spotting her at the back door, Evie bounded over with the ball in her mouth. Cassie grasped the ball and threw it to the far corner of the backyard. Evie raced after it as Cassie joined John. “Could you help me with something?”
“Sure.”
He followed her inside to the bathroom. She held up the shower pipe. “I can’t reach.”
“Oh, right.” He held the pipe in place and she got ready for the next step.
“Here, you’ll need these,” she said, and snapped a pair of goggles on him. “I’ve installed the pipes for the waterlines, but now I need to have this pipe that will come out of the wall and attach to the showerhead.”
She put on goggles and then checked the connections. “We’re going to attach the shower pipe, then sweat it and check for any leaks.”
“Sweat?”
“Solder. It involves a propane torch to weld together the connections.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I have to admit that using the torch is my favorite part of the process.”
He laughed and she noticed him shift his stance to get a stronger grip on the pipe. It brought her into even closer contact with him. “Sorry it’s so tight in here,” she said.
“I’m not complaining.”
The joke warmed her, but the look in his eyes told her he was serious. She clamped a flame guard screen around the wood wall frame and then started the torch. With John standing so close to her, she carefully soldered the fittings to prevent any leaks. She couldn’t quite reach the topmost section, so she handed the torch to John.
“You want to solder the joints together at the ell.”
He followed her instructions and then asked, “Like this?”
“Yes, a little more.” She handed him a rag and took the torch from him. “Now wipe off the excess solder.” She nodded. “Good. Want to test it now?”
“You’re the expert. Do you think it’s safe?”
“It better be or my Daddy taught me wrong.”
She left him to turn the water back on. When she returned, John had stepped out of the tub. With Cassie’s approval, he then turned on the cold-water valve. A clunk and a hiss, and water poured out of the shower pipe. Cassie clapped her hands as John looked both surprised and pleased.
She turned off the valve and tested the one for hot water. They held their breath as water came out of the spout and flowed into the tub.
John held up his hand, and she gave him a high five. “Nice plumbing job, Mr. Robison.”
“I only did what you told me to, Miss Lowman.”
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br /> John kept a hold of her hand and she let him. She grinned and used her other hand to shut off the valve. “I’ll call to let the inspector know the bath fittings are ready to be inspected, and then we can finish putting up the drywall and start the tiling in here.”
“The house is really coming together.”
“I love when it gets to this point. Seeing the frame and trying to imagine what the finished product will look like is hard. But this—This is fun. Thank you for your assistance.”
John took a step closer to her and wiped her cheek with his free palm. “My pleasure.”
She swallowed hard at his touch and kept her eyes on his. She remembered the kiss they’d shared before and wondered if it would be as good as the first time. Reaching up on tiptoe, she put her lips to his. He brought an arm around her back and nudged her closer so that they were pressed together. The kiss continued until someone else cleared their throat.
Cassie jerked back from John to find Biggie watching them from the doorway. He shook his finger, but smiled at them before he let Tiny inside. “I thought you were installing the shower.”
“We were. It’s finished,” she told them.
Tiny’s eyebrows were raised as if he wasn’t convinced. He huffed, “And now we kiss each other to reward a job well done? Things have definitely changed without your father being around.”
“Leave them be, Tiny,” Biggie said, a warning lilt to his voice. He disappeared, pulling his brother along with him.
Cassie groaned and leaned her head on John’s chest. “Why did they have to catch us kissing? Of all things.”
John stroked his hand on her cheek before kissing her again. “I like the idea of kissing you every time you do a good job.”
Cassie started to say something, but she was interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing. She answered, “Lowman Construction.”
“Cass.”
Her father. She walked out into the hall, dropping the volume of her voice. “Where are you?”
“You’re not alone.”
“No.”
She heard three tiny beeps and checked her phone to see that her father had hung up. Unsure if she was upset by that or by the fact that he’d reached out to her at all, she blew a loud puff and tucked the phone into her jeans pocket. Back in the bathroom, John seemed to be watching only her. She pasted a smile on her face. “Sorry about that. Where were we?”
He colored and put his hands in his pockets. “It’s late, and I should get going if you don’t need me any longer.”
The truth was they hadn’t needed him to help with the reno since he was the ideas man. But Cassie appreciated the fact that he wasn’t worried about getting his hands dirty. “Right. Have a good night.”
He moved past her, and she looked away. The moment had obviously been missed.
But then abruptly he turned back and put a hand on her cheek. He leaned in and she let her eyes close to revel in the kiss. “Now it’s a good night,” he whispered.
* * *
CASSIE PULLED UP in front of her mother’s house and frowned at the sight of an unfamiliar car in the driveway. Maybe Andie had bought a new car? Or her mother had turned in hers for a smaller and cheaper model? She grabbed the bag from Lucille’s off the passenger seat beside her and walked up to the front door, letting herself inside. The living room was empty. “Mother?”
No answer. She checked her watch—she was right on time for Sunday’s family dinner. In the kitchen, she took the antipasto salad from the bag and laid it on the counter next to the stove, where a Bolognese sauce simmered. Her mother had to be in the house, since she wouldn’t leave without turning off the burner.
Cassie strained to hear voices, but only silence filled the house. She folded the paper bag from Lucille’s and stashed it with others under the kitchen sink. It was Sunday, right? She hadn’t lost track of time again, had she? “Mother?”
The French doors that led to the backyard opened, and her mother entered, trailed by a woman in a pastel blue linen suit. “As you can see, I put a lot of time into my garden.” Her mother spotted her standing there. “Oh, Cassandra, you’re early.” She turned back to the stranger. “This is my daughter, Cassandra. You might have heard she’s in the Belvedere Foundation’s contest.”
The woman beamed. “Congratulations on the contest. I’m Selena, your mother’s Realtor.”
Realtor? The room seemed to sway for a moment, and Cassie put a hand on the counter to steady herself. “Nice to meet you.”
Her mother gave the sauce a stir, then placed the wooden spoon on the spoon rest. “Selena, let me show you the bedrooms so you can get those measurements.”
The two women left the kitchen while Cassie tried to quell the tremors in her chest. Her mother talking about selling the house was very different from having an actual Realtor taking measurements. She collapsed on a stool. She’d never thought that the family home would be sold before she was married and had kids. She’d always imagined bringing her own family here for the holidays. Taking her children trick-or-treating in the neighborhood that she’d grown up in. Standing around the dining room table with hands clasped while they shared what they were thankful for. Sitting on the floor in the family room while unwrapping gifts by the Christmas tree. Egg hunts in the backyard while a ham baked in the oven.
“Didn’t you get my message that dinner had to be pushed back an hour tonight?” Her mother’s voice broke her reverie.
“No. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t paid much attention to my phone.”
“Except when your father calls.” Her mother brushed past her and checked the sauce once more before turning to her. “Selena thinks the house will sell pretty quickly, depending on what we price it at. I could be moving by the end of the summer.”
“I can’t believe this. It’s happening too fast.”
“I’ve talked about this for months.”
Her mother had, but Cassie had clung to the hope that nothing would have to change. That it would go away without having to go to such extremes. “Where will you go?”
“I haven’t decided yet, but your aunt has offered to let me stay with her for a while.”
Cassie glanced around the kitchen. “We’re losing it all, aren’t we? The house. The business.”
Her mother put a hand on her shoulder. “But we’ll still have each other. Our memories. That’s more important than anything.”
It wouldn’t bring her father back, though. Cassie rubbed at her eyes. “I know. It’s just...”
Selena entered the kitchen and held up her tablet. “I have all the figures I require. I’ll start putting this into the system and have the listing contract ready for you to sign first thing tomorrow morning. Should I come back around nine?”
“That would be fine. I’ll walk you to your car.”
Her mom and the real estate agent left the kitchen as Andie entered and looked behind her. “Who was that with Mother?”
“Her Realtor.”
Andie groaned and took a seat on the stool next to Cassie. “Isn’t she jumping the gun a little?”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Cassie stood and walked to the stove to stir the sauce. “I didn’t think this would ever happen.”
“Because you’ve always been in denial about Daddy.”
Cassie bristled at the accusation. “Because I defend him and want to believe the best about him?”
“Because you don’t want to face the truth that your hero betrayed not only his clients and his family, but that he left you. His precious baby girl. That’s what hurts you the most. That you’re not so special to him after all.”
“You’ve always been jealous of my relationship with Daddy.”
“Well, you can have him. He’s a thief. And a liar.”
Cassie slammed the wooden spoon onto the counter, splattering red tomato sauce
. Prickling with anger, she told her sister, “Take. That. Back.”
Andie crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s true. He stole from everybody, including us. The house is one more thing we have to lose because of his behavior. And the one who is suffering the most is Mother.”
“Daddy wouldn’t let that happen.”
“He already has. I wish you’d wake up and realize the fact that he’s not the man you thought he was.”
Their mother arrived and chastised them both. “Girls, enough!”
Cassie retreated to the dining room and gripped the back of a chair for support, wishing for strength. She could hear her mother consoling Andie but didn’t care. Let them talk. Let them figure it all out.
They couldn’t talk away the hot anger that burned in Cassie’s chest. Anger at her sister for saying such horrible things about their father. Anger at her mother for selling the house. But mostly, fury at her father. How could he do this to them? To her? He’d promised to be a good father and husband, but he’d left them to deal with this mess on their own.
Betrayed and abandoned by her father. She clutched the spindles until her knuckles turned white.
“Cassandra?” Her mother entered the dining room and stood behind her.
Cassie couldn’t face her. Afraid that if she saw her mother’s kind expression she’d crumple into tears. And she couldn’t. Wouldn’t. “Leave me alone.”
“You need to apologize to your sister.”
Cassie chuckled at the suggestion. “I’m not nine years old anymore where you can tell me what to do. You didn’t hear what she said.”
“You two were yelling loud enough for the neighbors to hear, so yes I did.”
Cassie felt her mother put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. “Please, don’t touch me.”
“Let’s talk about this.”
“What’s there to talk about? You and Andromeda think Daddy’s guilty, but I believe in him. I love him. And I can’t stay here any longer and listen to the two of you.”
