by Mary Malcolm
He flashed a smile as he passed Handley back over to her mom. “What a great idea, Cassie. I can’t believe you surprised me like this in the middle of the day.” Leaning over, he pursed his lips waiting for a kiss.
With all those eyewitnesses, Cassie had no choice but to meet him. She pressed her lips to his and waited for an embarrassing display of affection.
It didn’t come.
For the second time in the day, she felt a pang of disappointment as he pulled away. “I thought you’d be pleased.” She’d thought he’d be livid.
Still, she flashed a smile as she took a bite from her pb&j. The peanut butter stuck to the roof of her mouth and she worked her tongue up to free it. Stephen cracked a smile and leaned toward her. “Having trouble there, wife of mine?”
“Nfing I tank candle.” She took a gulp of juice, hoping it would free the sticky substance, but it didn’t. Stephen, she noted, had opted for a cheese sandwich instead. Lucky jerk. She smiled again, but felt oozy jelly at the edges of her lips.
The children excitedly ate and chatted while the mothers took their time enjoying the day of luxury. Sure, breaking away from the church basement to spend a day in a millionaire’s home didn’t scream luxury, but as Cassie looked around, she noted the relaxed look on their faces. The women actually seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Huh, how did that happen?
Her phone rang. “Sthuse me.” She stepped away from the table.
Once out of sight, she popped her index finger deep into her mouth and wiped the peanut butter into a napkin. “Hello?” she answered finally.
“Mrs. Sands, how lovely to hear your voice. How are you today?”
Who...? Then, she realized. “Mr. Giles, how are you? Were you able to file the claim? Will your car be taken care of?”
His deep voice sounded sexy and smooth as chocolate as he replied, “My car will be fine. How are you? Any pain, are you feeling well?”
“I’m fine.” She glanced into the dining room to see Stephen engaged with several of the mommies. Taking her chance, she walked into the somewhat quieter hallway and sat on a leather wing-backed chair. “I wanted to apologize again, I feel so embarrassed about yesterday. I hate having run into you like that at my husband’s business.”
“No. Truly, it was my fault. In fact, I would like to make it up to you. See, I own this flower shop and I wanted to send you flowers. Would that be okay?”
Cassie couldn’t remember the last time she’d received flowers. Sure, these were apology flowers, but it still made her heartbeat speed at the thought.
“Jordan, please, call me Jordan. I’m working with your husband on some things, so we should be on a first name basis. Don’t you think?”
She felt heat move up her cheeks. Why couldn’t she have met this man a couple of days ago, before her life got so complicated? “Thank you, Jordan. The flowers would be lovely. Do you know my address?”
“Of course, I’ll have them sent this afternoon. Have a great day.”
She hung up and smiled as she leaned back in the chair. Flowers. From a handsome man with a chocolate silk voice. Looking down the gleam from Stephen’s grandmother’s ring caught her eye.
And she was married. “Shoot.” She stood and walked back toward the dining room.
Abigail met her in the hallway.
“Thank you again for helping arrange all of this,” Cassie said.
The woman didn’t look pleased. “I am sorry, Mrs. Sands. I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation, but I did.”
Cassie shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Do not hurt Mr. Sands. He is a good man. If he chose you as his wife he deserves to be treated well. I have been with his family a long time and he does not deserve to be treated badly.”
She frowned. What had she done? “Really, Abigail, I don’t understand.” She moved to step past the woman.
Abigail moved into her path. “I hear a lot of things. And I keep a lot of things to myself. But to have another man send you flowers at your house is not something I can keep to myself.”
Cassie’s frown deepened. “Is that what you think I’m doing, Abigail? Having an affair on Stephen?”
The woman didn’t say as much, but the set of her jaw told Cassie she believed just that.
And Cassie, as much as she believed in treating people equally, didn’t feel she deserved to be judged by a phone conversation from a woman she’d met only a day before. “Abigail, look. I appreciate your concern for my husband, but truly, this is none of your business. And I’d like you to treat it as such. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to my guests.”
Abigail stepped out of her way and Cassie felt a distinct unease as she moved past.
God Cassie felt like such a hypocrite. She’d gone out of her way to tell Stephen not to treat Abigail like help and in one moment talked to her as just that. It wasn’t that she thought of her as that, it was more she didn’t know how to defend herself against people. She’d always been such a private person. This whole situation, everything with Stephen, put her on the defensive. Cassie sat and rubbed her thighs. She’d never felt so utterly alone before in her life. She wanted to reach out to Abigail, but the woman had been working for Stephen for so long Cassie had no idea how to even begin to approach the woman. She shook her head and stepped back into the dining room.
Lunch had all but wrapped up and Stephen wiped his face as he pushed away from the table. “Ladies, it’s been fun but I must head back to work.”
The women thanked him as he stepped away from the table. “Cassie, is everything okay?”
“Fine, so you’re heading back?”
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I have meetings all afternoon, and you’re supposed to meet with the attorney at three.”
She gave a brief smile before turning away. “Have fun with your meetings.”
He leaned in close. “Listen, this was fun but don’t think I missed what you were trying to do.”
Cassie’s cheeks heated at the implication. So he knew. She crossed arms over her chest and took a step away. His hands landed on her shoulders as he leaned in once more. “We’re going to the dinner tonight then coming back here together. I expect you to be on your best behavior. Your niece hasn’t started at Magnolia Bransford yet.”
The subtle threat sent a shiver through Cassie’s bones. And reminded her of her place. In Stephen’s mind, she was no more his equal than Abigail. Cassie was someone set in place to serve him, to serve a purpose then move on with her life.
And her family hung in the balance.
He stepped around her and moved toward the front door. “Ladies, it has been an honor but I have to cut it short.”
Cassie couldn’t miss some of the hungry glances the women gave him as they said their goodbyes. Nor that some of them lingered a bit long in their hugs.
Handley let go of her mom’s hand and ran to Stephen. He grinned as he lifted the girl in the air then drew her into a deep hug. The mother, a woman dressed in a simple sundress with sunny hair that matched her daughters, stepped in to take the child from him. “Thank you, Mr. Sands. We had a lovely time. The invitation was unexpected and very welcome.”
“You are welcome, Sandra. I couldn’t think of people who deserved a day away more than you moms. I hope we can do this again soon. Please enjoy the spa packages, I’ll make sure they arrive by Friday.”
The women filtered out behind him and Cassie seethed. The nerve! He even took credit for her idea then bribed the ladies with a day of luxury. Sure, she’d only wanted to hurt him, but for him to make the ladies think it was his idea to begin with.
She stomped her foot and turned away from watching the ladies on the front lawn ogle her husband. No, Stephen. She couldn’t, wouldn’t start thinking of him as anything more than what he was. A dirty, no good, lying—
“What are you doing here?”
A sudden ruckus in the yard drew her back. She turned to see no one other
than Jordan Giles himself carrying a bouquet of beautiful red roses, whites and silky soft calla lilies. He wore a striped white and blue shirt tucked into the hem of his very well fitted jeans.
“Your wife is expecting me,” he said.
She stepped out of the house. Oh, this was good! And the ladies hadn’t missed the smell of men vying for territory, either. Every one of them stopped what they were doing to observe the drama as it unfolded.
“Get off my property,” Stephen growled.
A cocky grin splashed across his face. “I’m not here for you.” The man turned in Cassie’s direction. “Ahh, the beautiful Mrs. Sands. Cassie, how are you today?”
The look on Stephen’s face made her day. He was a mixture of anger and pure, raw, masculinity. He felt his territory threatened and Cassie felt she had suddenly been given an unexpected power.
“Mr. Giles—Jordan—so nice to see you again.” She didn’t know what the deal was between Stephen and Jordan, but the look on Stephen’s face let her know it wasn’t so innocent as them working together. “Are those for me?”
The man stepped forward and placed the bouquet in her arms. “They are. You look lovely.” His gaze stroked up and then down her body.
Stephen took a step toward them. Looking around, he thought better than to cause a major scene. Instead he said, “Mr. Giles, thank you for stopping by. Cassie and I were about to step out, so if you’ll excuse us.”
Cassie’s eyebrows flew up. “We were?”
The women, sensing a scene had been avoided, filed toddlers into their prospective minivans and SUVs.
“Yes.” Stephen grasped her hand, painfully, though not so harshly that she had to pull away. “I had some second thoughts about your bakery and think you should take some time to see how business is going. Plus, I’d like to meet Liz. Wouldn’t you like me to meet your family?”
Oh, this was getting complicated. Cassie still hadn’t told Liz about Stephen, nor about their arrangement. If he dropped her off, Liz would have questions. Still, if Cassie was to meet with the attorney at three, then have dinner together that night, she wasn’t certain when else she’d see her. Perhaps she could talk to him on the way, let him know not to say anything to her.
“That’s right. I’m sorry, Mr. Giles. I have to be going. Thank you for the beautiful bouquet.” For show, she bent her head to take in a heady whiff of the flowers. “Beautiful.”
He nodded and stepped away. Seeming to sense Stephen had won this round, the man walked back to his car and opened the door. “Mrs. Sands,” he said.
She turned to him. “Yes?”
“Please, call any time. For anything.”
A deep bloom of color heated her cheeks as he got in and drove away.
Stephen’s hand tightened as he leaned in and with a low growl said, “You will not see nor talk to that man again.”
****
The trip to Liz Eden’s was driven in near silence. Stephen felt feral in his awareness of Cassie. Her musky scent, the heat from her profile, the soft curve of her breast under that crisp white blouse. Every turn of the wheel set her shoulder against him in the tight space of the car. Every breath made her breasts strain the buttons.
Damn Cassie for coming back into his life! He didn’t have time for this. Gritting teeth, he turned down Preston Avenue and parked in front of the old house.
“Stephen, I—”
He held up his hand to stop her. “We’re not talking. Not right now.”
How in the hell had she become entangled with Jordan Giles? That man held the key to one of the biggest deals Stephen had faced so far in his career, and his wife knew him? More so, he was bringing her flowers?
He would not stand for this. No, if Giles wanted to play hardball, wanted to involve Cassie, Stephen would find a way to make the man pay. Letting loose his grip of the steering wheel, he removed his seatbelt and stepped out of the car.
Cassie remained in place.
Storming around the front, he opened her door and took her elbow to lead her out. “We will stay for an hour. Damn it, Cassie. People talk! If you pull a stunt like that again, I will end this.”
Her lip quivered. “Like what? The mothers, or Jordan?”
He’d never in his life wanted to punish a person the way he wanted to punish Cassie. Grasping her arms, he pulled her close and bruised his lips against hers. His hands tangled in her hair, then moved down further. He squeezed hard, his tongue roving her lips. No mercy.
She melted into his embrace and he pushed her away. “Never again, Cassie.”
She looked stunned and slightly hurt. Confused beyond understanding as she stumbled away from him. A glisten of tears spread across her lashes and Stephen wondered if he’d grabbed her too tight. She swiped it away.
“You do not own me, Stephen Sands. I am not Abigail. I am not Gayle nor am I any other woman in your life whom you think you own. I. Am. Not. For. Sale.”
Though he admired her proclamation, it was the fiery look in her eye that made his groin ache. But as his mind went back to Giles, his blood boiled and he felt humiliated all over again. “Never again,” he repeated.
Taking her elbow, he pulled her toward the front door. She yanked away. “Get your hands off me, Stephen. This is my sister’s house. You will treat me respectfully here. You will not make her suspect anything is wrong. You will not make her feel as if there is anything more between us than a working relationship. As far as Liz knows, you were on your way to Just Desserts to check out the facilities and that’s the only reason you are here. Nothing more, and really, there is no reason for you to come in.” She took a deep breath. “Eventually Liz is going to know. I can’t hide this forever, especially with your sudden desire to share me with the world.” Unlike a month ago. “But for today, you will keep our dealings to yourself or so help me God, I will hurt you.”
“Cassie, you have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
She stepped closer to him, her chin tilted in stubborn defiance, her eyes fierce and unblinking. He could read her like a book and this look meant she was deadly serious. “Stephen, you are the one who has no idea what you are up against. I came to you for help. It was wrong for me to blackmail you, but my family means more to me than anything in this world. If anything happens to make her even remotely uncomfortable, or because you think you have some threat over me, I will hurt you. I will make you so miserable you will not have another happy day in this lifetime. Do you understand me?”
Just as he was about to remind her of her place, the door opened. Liz stood at the door looking frazzled, her brown hair a messy frame for the havoc playing across her face. “Cassie, I’m so glad to see you, it’s Annie. I’ve been trying to call.”
Immediately Cassie’s face paled. “Liz, is she...?”
Liz spared him the briefest of glances before ignoring his presence completely. “She got out this morning. I couldn’t find her, I was so scared. I had to call the police, CPS came by.” As she said the last part, her voice hitched in her throat. Her cheeks flushed and it looked as if a slight wind might blow her to the ground.
Every instinct told him to take over, be a man, take charge. One look at Cassie told him it wasn’t his place and he needed to stand by and support his wife. He touched her back lightly, not sure if she even felt it. He’d never met her niece, but in that instance she was his family, too and he thought of Matthew, his nephew and how devastated he would be if anything happened to him.
“Liz, she’s home now?”
“Yes.” With that, the woman broke down and leaned back against the wall. Her body shook with silent sobs. Cassie wrapped her arms around her and led them into the tiny living room. With the two women on the couch, Stephen stepped away to try to give them some space.
This wasn’t what he’d expected. All of the anger he’d harbored only minutes before disappeared as a puff of smoke. Living like this was hell and no one deserved to go through what they were experiencing. Especially with no help. He’d been around
plenty of autistic children and their families, but he’d never cared as much as he did for Cassie. He could see now how things got to the point they got. How hopelessness could lead a person to make bad decisions. He’d never been financially desolate, but had certainly had his share of hopeless situations. No mother, and a father who worked all the time…and was even more absent during the rare moments he was around. Being told time and time again how women only wanted Sands men for their money. How they couldn’t be trusted.
How love wasn’t real and marriage only a financial arrangement.
Stephen had been a romantic, had wanted to believe he could live differently than his father, that not all marriages were about signing on the dotted line. He knew now how wrong that was.
A noise drew his attention to a closed door toward the back of the house. He knocked gently, then pushed it open. Inside, a young girl with curly brown hair—Annie he presumed—sat on the floor stacking blocks in color order: red, orange, yellow. All the same colors together. The tower toppled and she hit her head against a dresser before going again.
“Hello.”
Annie didn’t acknowledge him as she continued stacking. Her brow furrowed in concentration and she tapped the fingers of her left hand against her thigh as she stacked. Block, tap, block, tap. The room was small but clean, no clutter. No posters of kittens on the walls, no messy doll clothes strewn about. Everything was in an exact place.
The tower grew to over thirty blocks before it toppled again. And again, she slammed her head into the dresser.
“I’m going to read a book, but you don’t have to listen, okay?”
She continued building as Stephen pulled one of the books from her shelf. The back cover was torn and the spine broken, but it looked to have all the pages. He settled onto the floor across from her, legs crossed and started reading aloud.
Slowly, he noticed her acceptance of his presence. The tower fell again, but this time instead of hitting her head, she kicked the floor and let out a mewling whine. Next time, she merely threw one of the blocks against the wall.
Stephen was more than halfway through the book when he noticed she’d stopped building entirely and was listening to him. Pangs of sympathy went out for that little girl. He could see Cassie in her vulnerable green eyes.
