Reunited in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 8)

by Cindy Kirk

“I hope we’re not intruding.” David’s hand rested on his wife’s shoulder. “We wanted to stop by and welcome you to the neighborhood.”

  “Come in. Please.” Krew stepped back. “I heard you lived nearby. We didn’t have much of a chance to talk at the wedding.”

  Krew glanced down at Brynn. Nine or ten, she had long blond hair and blue eyes, just like her mother.

  Brynn thrust the box into his hands. “There are lots of different kinds of cookies in here. They’re all superduper good. My mom and I made them. She says everyone likes cookies.”

  Hadley chuckled. “I hope you enjoy them.”

  “Come in and sit down.”

  “Well, just for a minute.” David cast a glance at his wife and received a nod of agreement. “Brynn’s bedtime is coming up, but we have a little time before—”

  The architect’s voice faltered when he noticed Cassie rising slowly from the sofa. “Cassie.”

  David’s gaze shifted to Krew. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

  “Actually, I was just leaving.” Cassie’s smile was bright, but Krew saw the strain around the edges.

  “Please, stay.” Hadley stepped forward. “I haven’t seen much of you in the last few months. I understand you’ve been busy studying for the real estate licensing exam.”

  “At least stay and have a cookie.” Krew held out the box. “I have it on good authority,” he winked at Brynn, “that they’re superduper good.”

  Krew expected Cassie to make up an excuse and rabbit. Instead, she made a great show of peeking in the box. “I suppose I could stay for a cookie.”

  Krew brought out more coffee, and they ate the cookies straight out of the box.

  “Where’s Axl?” Brynn glanced around as if expecting the little boy to pop up from behind the sofa.

  Cassie broke a cookie in half. “My mother is watching him this evening.”

  Hadley’s eyes widened. “Anita is babysitting?”

  “Len is with her.” Cassie laughed. “He loves kids, and he’s amazing with Axl.”

  “It’s unfortunate Len and his first wife weren’t able to have children,” Hadley said. “Lindsay told me he wanted a whole houseful.”

  “We’re going to have a whole houseful,” Brynn declared, lifting her gaze from the box of cookies. “I’m the first, and the baby will be—"

  Brynn clapped a hand over her mouth and glanced at her parents. “I’m sorry. I forgot it was a secret.”

  Krew remembered back to his childhood. Whenever he or Tessa had divulged information his parents hadn’t wanted shared, they’d gotten a hard slap.

  David only smiled and ruffled his daughter’s hair. “It’s okay, sweet pea. Everyone will know tomorrow night.”

  “Your secret is safe with us,” Krew assured the Chapins.

  The us had Hadley and David exchanging a glance.

  Krew pretended not to notice. He’d misspoken and would make things only more awkward if he tried to explain.

  “Congratulations.” Cassie gave Hadley a hug. “I’m happy for you.”

  “We were going to wait, but…” Hadley lifted her hands, let them fall. “God had other ideas.”

  Krew glanced at Brynn. If the couple wanted their children to be close in age, it appeared they’d already waited too long. But it was none of his business. And frankly, the talk of babies made him twitchy.

  While he’d been away at college, studying and being lauded for his prowess on the field, Cassie had given birth to his child. A daughter he was only now getting to know. He’d missed so much…

  “It seems like everyone is having babies this spring.” Cassie raised a hand and counted off. “There’s Lindsay, Ami and Eliza. Now—”

  “Don’t forget my mommy,” Brynn piped up, and everyone smiled.

  Krew glanced at Cassie. He wondered what Dakota had been like at that age. Had she been as talkative as Brynn? Or more on the quiet side, like her mother?

  He could tell at a glance that Brynn was all girl, from her pink high-tops to her hot pink dress covered in flowers and dragonflies. Had Dakota liked to dress up?

  Had there even been money for Dakota to have pretty clothes? He’d been in his fifth year with the NFL when Dakota was Brynn’s age. He’d had a luxury condo, a sports car and more money than he could spend. Dakota had had to share space with two younger brothers.

  He clenched his jaw tight. There had been so much he could have done for her, done for them, if only he’d known.

  Cassie didn’t appear to notice his scrutiny. She was too busy talking with Hadley about her pregnancy.

  David noticed.

  When Krew shifted his focus, he found the architect studying him.

  “We’re having a little party at our house tomorrow at seven.” David smiled at Cassie. “We’d love for both of you to come.”

  “It’s when we’re telling everybody about the baby,” Brynn added.

  “Thank you so much, but—”

  Krew wasn’t sure what got into him, but he closed his hand over Cassie’s, stilling her words. “Sounds like fun. We’ll be there.”

  Cassie waited until the Chapin family left before she exploded. She jerked her hand from Krew’s. Her chest rose and fell as if she’d just finished a long race. “What were you thinking?”

  “You don’t want to attend their party?” His gaze was curious, his easy tone at odds with her agitated one.

  “You made it sound like we’re a couple.” God, she hated it when her voice trembled. She took a deep breath. This time when she spoke, her voice was firm and steady. “We’re not a couple.”

  “I know.”

  Though the agreement was exactly the response she wanted, there was a momentary pinch in the area of her heart. She might have stopped there, perhaps should have stopped there, but Cassie had made great strides in the past few months, and she refused to get pulled off track.

  “I’m going to be straight with you, Krew. From what you already know of my history, none of this should be a surprise. But I want you to hear it from me.” She settled her gaze on his handsome face.

  He gave a nod, his expression turning serious. “Why don’t we sit down?”

  She shot a glance at the cozy living area and shook her head.

  “Then let’s talk in the kitchen while I put this stuff away.” Without waiting for her reply, Krew picked up the now empty carafe of coffee and the cups, then started toward the kitchen.

  Cassie scooped up the bakery box and everything else and followed him. She’d never been around a man who picked up after himself. Her father would have helped, but her mother had insisted on doing everything herself.

  Every man Cassie had lived with had been lazy, insisting that picking up or cleaning was woman’s work. Her sons helped, but only when prodded.

  Krew put the cups and carafe in the dishwasher, then found a container in the cupboard.

  Cassie stood back and watched.

  When he finished, he gave her a puzzled look. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

  “I’m impressed. It appears your mother taught you right.”

  “Our house was a pigsty.” His eyes turned opaque. “I hated living in filth and clutter.”

  Krew gestured to a round table positioned near floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the wooded yard.

  For some reason, Cassie found herself calmed by the beautiful scene with the blanket of white and the thick evergreens. She took a seat and focused on the view.

  He sat across from her, and she felt his assessing gaze on her. But he didn’t rush her or try to take control of the conversation. Instead, he waited.

  “When I was young, my father was my knight in shining armor, my champion. I always had his love and support. Even though he had high standards, I did everything I could to make him proud of me.” Cassie had thought that after so many years, she might quit missing her dad, but the pain remained. “One day, when I was in middle school, he had a massive heart attack. He didn’t survive. I never got
to say good-bye or tell him one last time how much I loved him.”

  “You were lucky.”

  “Lucky?” Her voice rose and cracked.

  “You had a parent you looked up to, one you loved.”

  Krew didn’t elaborate. He didn’t need to say more. She understood.

  “My mother and I have never gotten along. Lindsay says it’s because we’re so much alike.” Cassie pushed back from the table and stood.

  She paced, conscious of Krew’s scrutiny.

  “After my dad died, my mom and I argued constantly. I see now that we were both grieving and feeling very alone. Lindsay tried to bring us together, but between teenage hormones and my mom’s sharp tongue, it didn’t work.”

  Cassie sensed Krew’s confusion. If she didn’t already know the end of this story, she’d be urging herself to get to the point.

  “The night of the bonfire, my mom and I had a huge argument. I’d taken a summer school course, and grades had just come out. I got my first B.” Cassie gave a laugh that sounded harsh even to her own ears. “She was furious. She told me my life was on a downward course. When I went to the beach, her words kept circling in my head.”

  “You had sex with the son of the town drunk to spite her.” Krew’s voice was hard, flat.

  “No.” Cassie felt her cheeks warm. “I was going to make out with a boy I’d liked and fantasized about all year. That is, assuming he would even want to kiss me. I never intended to have sex with you. Heck, I’d never even been kissed before.”

  His eyes widened, but before he could say a word, she continued.

  “I liked you so much and I was over the moon when you noticed me and asked me to take a walk with you. Just holding your hand was a thrill.” She cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze as she continued. “When you kissed me, I was a goner. As the kisses continued, my body felt as if it was on fire. I never knew you could want something as badly as I wanted you.”

  She stopped pacing. “It was beautiful. You made it beautiful. You were a kind lover. I’ve learned since that not every guy is like that.”

  The thought of all the men she’d been with since that night brought on the self-loathing she’d been fighting. She’d made great strides in forgiving herself, but she wasn’t there yet.

  “In the past, I’ve made the men in my life my priority, to the detriment of everything else. No more. My children are my focus, and until I can trust myself to make good choices, my life will remain free of men.”

  Dropping down into the chair, she expelled a breath, feeling proud of herself.

  “I’ll make it clear to David and Hadley that you and I are simply friends. Even joking, I shouldn’t have made it seem otherwise.”

  There was apology in his words, but the look in his eyes had her heart fluttering. His expression looked, well, it looked like respect.

  “Dakota,” Cassie paused, wanting to be completely honest, “has always wanted a father. I, at least, had mine for all those years. While some people say you can’t miss what you never had, I don’t think that’s true. Not for her. She missed you.”

  He flinched as if she’d struck him. Then it was his turn to take a deep breath. “I’m not trying to make Dakota, or you, or your boys, feel like yours was any less of a family because there wasn’t a dad in the house. You were there for your kids, and your kids were there for each other. That’s what family is about.”

  She hadn’t been there for Dakota while Clint was around, but Cassie shoved the thought aside.

  “You were wrong in what you said earlier,” she surprised herself by saying. “I really would like to be your friend.”

  “Same here.”

  She extended her hand to him. “Friends?”

  His large fingers closed around hers, and his smile arrowed straight to her heart. “Friends.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Don’t use the car unless it’s an emergency.” Cassie let the keys dangle from her finger as Braxton’s eyes followed the swinging movement. “Understand?”

  Braxton nodded and reached for the keys.

  She pulled back. “Not so fast. No one comes over tonight. Is that understood?”

  Brax rolled his eyes. “Sheesh. Who would come over? I don’t really like anyone at school, and K.T. only cares about his art.”

  “You don’t have any friends at school?” She handed him the keys, but was realizing she had more to worry about than a party.

  Braxton was a computer whiz, a smart boy who’d always been a little too serious. Part of the problem, she knew, was he spent a lot of time watching over his younger brothers. And there had never been enough money for him to be involved in any extracurricular activities that required cash.

  She’d let him down, just like she’d let down his siblings.

  “Hey, I was just jokin’.” Braxton’s smile teased one from her own lips. “I got friends. Lots of ’em. More than I want. They’re coming out of the woodwork, like roaches.”

  She laughed and would have reached down to ruffle his hair. But he was already taller than she was and no longer a little boy. “I won’t be out late.”

  “Why are you going with him?” Braxton asked.

  K.T. cocked his head.

  “He’s Dakota’s dad.”

  “But Dakota isn’t going to the party.” Braxton aimed those assessing blue eyes at her.

  When put that way, her decision to attend this party with Krew didn’t make sense. She’d told Krew she wanted to be friends, and she meant it. Dakota deserved two parents who could get along.

  But getting along wasn’t the problem. Cassie couldn’t have a man in her life when she was trying to be a better mother.

  The party tonight would be full of couples, not “friends,” and the last thing she needed was to be with Krew in a room full of happily married people.

  Picking up her purse, Cassie pulled out her phone.

  “What are you doing?” K.T. asked, his dark brows pulling together.

  “I’m texting Krew and telling him to go without me.” She expelled a shaky breath. “It isn’t as if any of these people are my friends, anyway.”

  Braxton lifted the phone from her hand, his eyes dark and serious on hers. “You said Aunt Lindsay and Owen would be there.”

  “They’re part of this group. These are their friends, not mine.” What had she been thinking? Hadley had invited her only because she was with Krew at the time.

  Krew was their new neighbor and a sports star.

  “Give me my phone back, Brax. I have to send the text before he comes to pick me up.”

  Her temper flared when Braxton held the phone out of reach, just as she’d done only moments before with the keys.

  “Braxton.” Her voice was a warning growl.

  “You dressed up.” Her eldest son gestured with the hand holding the phone to the cranberry-colored sweater dress she’d picked up at a consignment shop in Sturgeon Bay.

  “You even put on the boots Grandma gave you.” K.T. studied the heeled boots, his artist’s eye in full force. “Black or tan would have been a better choice, but brown works, too.”

  “I-”

  Before she could protest further and insist Braxton give her the phone, a knock sounded at the door.

  Axl, who’d been sitting on the floor building towers out of blocks, only to knock them down and rebuild them, jumped up. “I answer.”

  “I’ll get it, brat,” Braxton told his brother while tossing the phone to Cassie. “I need to make sure it’s not the boogeyman.”

  On his way to the door, Braxton lunged at Axl, making the little boy squeal.

  Since she was watching, Braxton glanced through the peephole before opening the door. He yelled back at her, though Cassie stood only a few feet away, “Your ride is here.”

  Cassie pushed aside her son as a cold wind swept inside the house. “Would you like to come in for a minute?”

  “Sure.” Krew stepped inside, and her breath caught in her throat.

  His coa
t was black cashmere. Though his dark pants and gray sweater weren’t flashy, they screamed wealth.

  He cocked his head as if sensing her unease. “Is something wrong?”

  “Mom is thinking about skipping the party.” K.T. spoke without looking up from his drawing. “She doesn’t think they want her there.”

  The eyes Krew fixed on her were definitely puzzled. “Why would you think that? You look great, by the way.”

  The simple compliment had the blood sliding through her veins like warm honey. But whether she looked acceptable or not didn’t change the fact that she didn’t belong with those people.

  “Why don’t you want to go?” Krew asked when she remained silent.

  “David and Hadley are your neighbors.” Cassie kept her tone light. “I simply happened to be there when they stopped over. They almost had to invite me.”

  “I tried to tell her Aunt Lindsay would be there, but…” Braxton shrugged.

  “These are people you grew up around, people you’ve known your whole life.” Krew displayed a surprising unwillingness to let the subject drop. “If anyone is the outsider, it’s me.”

  “You’re right. Most are people I grew up around.” Cassie wasn’t sure he’d understand the distinction, but there definitely was one. “They haven’t been my friends in years.”

  “Because you were busy raising your kids and trying to survive.” Krew studied her for a long moment, then his voice softened. “Let them get to know you as you are now, the woman who is working and studying hard to make a better life for her family.”

  “I don’t know—” Cassie hesitated.

  “Or we could stay here and all get better acquainted.” The barest hint of a smile tugged at Krew’s lips as he shifted his gaze to Braxton. “Let’s talk more about prom. Who do you think you’ll be taking?”

  Moments later, Krew slid behind the wheel of his expensive sports car. Cassie turned to him. “Did you see the look of terror on Braxton’s face when you mentioned prom?”

  “K.T. was equally worried.” The cheery quality to Krew’s voice had Cassie turning suspicious eyes on him.

  “You didn’t really want to talk to the boys about girls and prom, did you?”