Julio nodded, a twinkle of humor in his gaze. “I understand.” He chuckled. “You will always be like your mother. So independent.”
She loved hearing others say she reminded them of her mom. Her mother had been such a strong woman. One Cassie would have loved to remember. “Thank you. How’s things been down here?”
Julio shifted his gaze away from her face to the house. “Things are interesting.”
Uh. Oh. She had a feeling something was going on. “Tell me now if I have to figure out some hotel accommodations for the night.” Not that her father would let her go. Hell, with Ivan and Ivy at the house, there was a snowball’s chance in hell she’d get a chance to go anywhere.
Julio shook his head, the silver in his hair catching in the sunlight. He was just as old as her dad in his early sixties and had been working for her family most of his life. Unlike her dad, Julio had been with his wife Estrella for over forty years.
Since Cassie’s mother, Lucy, had passed, her father had dated and been single for a long time until a few years ago when he met and married Victoria. A woman younger than Cassie’s thirty-seven years by nearly a decade.
Victoria was incredibly high maintenance and her father did something with his new wife he’d never done with Cassie, he indulged her in anything and everything. From never lifting a finger to carry her own handbag, to ensuring her shopping trips were funded no matter the cost.
It was weird to see him that way with Victoria when he’d been the opposite with Cassie. He’d taught Cassie to be independent. To never need or ask anyone for anything, which is why when her asshole of an ex took off with her money, she had to figure it out on her own.
She wasn’t going to tell her dad, and she wasn’t asking him for money. He’d always warned her against having anyone but a professional touch her money. She allowed the belief that there was shared trust between her and her ex lead her to make stupid mistakes.
“Come on,” Julio said and opened the front door for her. “I can have Estrella make you a drink if you’d like?”
She shook her head. She’d already had vodka and cranberry on the flight down. Inside what most would call a mansion, but Cassie considered one of her family homes, the holiday decorations had been taken down and replaced with fresh colorful flowers. The décor and multiple vases with family photos gave the big house a homey feel.
“Cassandra!” Victoria called from the top of the spiral stair landing.
Cassie glanced up and watched Victoria glide a few steps down the stairs in a perfectly pressed yellow linen dress and matching yellow gold jewelry. Though the bangles, earrings and necklace were not gaudy by any means, they were worth more than Cassie’s car. She shook her head at the fact she’d never figure out why people paid exorbitant amounts of money to wear someone else’s name or initials on their body. Shouldn’t they be the ones getting paid to promote the designer?
“Hi, Victoria.”
“Querida, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Vicki? I feel so old when you call me by my full name when no one else does.”
Old? Cassie gritted her teeth. Was she serious? Victoria’s perfect, long, highlighted hair and big gray eyes made her look exotic. Her darker skin, like Cassie’s showed of her Latin heritage. Unlike Cassie, who had big curves and a large body, Victoria had multiple trainers and personal chefs that kept her little body looking tighter than a straining rubber band.
Cassie had tried the trainers and restricted eating since childhood. Nothing worked. She guessed Victoria’s body wasn’t set into being too curvy to handle. Victoria’s combination of expensive and well maintained beauty made Cassie feel old, tired, and wrinkled.
Cassie glanced down at her stretchy pajama pants and her favorite tank top that read “Don’t Let Monday In.” Since she traveled alone on her dad’s jet, she never worried about dressing up. Aw hell, she never really worried about dressing up unless there was a reason for it.
“How are you?” Cassie asked, taking the first few steps up the marble staircase and gliding her hand over the hand carved wood of the railing. She loved the stairs. It was one of the showcase items that made this home not just grand, but memorable. She continued up towards Victoria, watching the other woman.
Victoria made a dramatic display of sighing and leaning into the railing at the top of the stairs. “Exhausted. The past few weeks have been draining.”
Cassie frowned. Though Victoria might be dramatic 24/7, she never complained of exhaustion. “The holidays too much for you?”
Victoria’s gray eyes went wide and a slow smile curled over her pouty, red lips. “It was lovely, but we missed you. Why didn’t you come down?”
Cassie hadn’t been up to it. She loved the holidays but she hadn’t been in the mood to explain to her father why she hadn’t gotten anyone gifts and plaster a fake smile on her face for the sake of his and Victoria’s friends. “I wasn’t feeling too good.”
Victoria took steps back up to the landing. “Are you okay? Is it contagious?”
Cassie cleared her throat and pushed laughter bubbling up back down. “Not that kind. I was just not feeling very festive and didn’t want to mess up your parties and gatherings.” She continued up the stairs until she reached the landing and took a few steps to the left wing where her rooms were located. “I’m going to go shower and change for dinner.”
“Good idea,” Victoria glanced her up and down. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you that one of my trainers will be going up your way to teach a new class at a brand new high tech facility for people looking to get fit. I wasn’t sure if you were interested since Ricardo told me that you used to work out a little when you were younger.”
A little? Figured her father would dismiss her exercise routine because the results hadn’t been what he’d expected. Cassie still worked out. She was in pretty good shape and could probably outrun a ton of people if it came down to it, but you couldn’t tell from her size.
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” She turned away from Victoria and headed down the pastel purple hallway to her rooms.
Gerri’s words came back to haunt her. Visit another planet. She snorted as she opened her bedroom door and tossed her bag on one of the antique purple and gold sofas in her room. The room had been decorated multiple times through Cassie’s life.
When she’d been a kid, there had been a princess theme complete with a throne chair to play queen with Ivan and Ivy. In her teen years, the room had transformed into one of the least favorites for her dad. Gothic and dark, the walls had been painted black and white with sugar skulls covering every surface. He’d gotten angry when she’d wanted to get a sugar skull tattoo and made her promise not to.
Once she’d moved out, the room had been professionally decorated in her favorite colors, gold and purple and turned into a room fit for royalty. With a giant crystal chandelier glimmering soft light into the room, it made the space so inviting. An antique Persian carpet had been placed underneath her bed. She still shook her head at the price tag on it and most of it sat unseen.
Strategic sitting areas had been set around the room and went into her second room where her closet and bathroom were located. Large vases filled with purple roses welcomed her into her room. Estrella always went above and beyond to make Cassie feel welcomed.
She stripped out of her clothes and turned the radio on in her bathroom. She’d shower and change and hopefully spend some time with her cousins, without wanting to kill Victoria for once.
FOUR
Cassie finished putting her long hair into a ponytail and adding a clip to make it a bit more formal. She’d gone ahead and worn a dress because she’d been told there was another person joining them for dinner and she didn’t want to be the only one in her pajamas.
A knock sounded on her door while she put on lip gloss. This was as made up as she got.
“Come in.”
“Cassie?” Ivy called out from the other room. Moments later, her cousin waltzed in wearing a pair of skintight j
eans and an off the shoulder glittery top with heels that made Cassie wince.
“Wow, look at you. You look gorgeous,” she said to a stunning Ivy. Now she wanted to change, but it was too late.
Ivy threw her arms around Cassie and hugged her tightly. The sweet scent of her cousin’s perfume drifted to her nose and made her smile. Ivy loved her sexy fragrances. “I haven’t seen you in weeks. Sucks that you didn’t come down for the holiday parties. Victoria actually made this place look amazing.”
Cassie knew. She’d seen the photos in the holiday edition of House and Garden magazine. The theme for this year had been ice blue and silver. The entire house looked like it was made of ice. On one hand it had been stunning, but on the other it didn’t look homey. Cassie missed when she was a kid and her dad let her decorate the tree with Estrella, Ivy, and Ivan.
“I want to change,” Cassie threw out suddenly, looking through her closet for something else to wear.
“No!” Ivy screeched, stopping her on her tracks. “You look great in that dress. I’m just not feeling up to wearing a dress or I’d be in one too.”
That part was true. Ivy never gave up the chance to dress up. “You sure it’s not too much?”
Ivy raised a dark brow over her perfectly made up brown eyes that reminded Cassie of her own. “Are you crazy? Have you forgotten where we are? Victoria will probably be wearing something from the Paris Fashion Week.”
Cassie giggled and nodded. “You’re right. Like I could ever be overdressed next to her.”
“Come on, there’s someone Ivan wants you to meet,” Ivy said, tugging her toward the door.
“Really, Ivy. Did you not listen the last time we spoke about what happened with my ex?”
Ivy stopped, turned to face her and sighed. “I know and I’m sorry. He was a douche. But you deserve so much better.”
“I need to figure out my finances before I go trying to find a man.”
Ivy made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “Just ask your dad for your trust fund.”
She shook her head. “Hell no. That money will be for my kids one day.” She scrunched up her nose as she walked arm in arm with Ivy. “If I ever have any. Or for my retirement. One or the other.”
“But you need it now.”
“No. I am still young. I can work and take care of myself. I don’t need someone to take care of me,” she said with authority. “I certainly don’t need my dad’s money when I can work and make my own.”
Ivy’s bold red lips curved into a smile. “This is why I love you. You never take the easy way out.”
She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Yeah, okay. I don’t know how commendable that is, considering I let myself get taken for a sucker by a man.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Ivy said. She led her into the parlor next to the formal dining room where dinner would be served. “Now come on, Ivan brought a friend he’d like you to meet.”
They entered the parlor where Ivan stood talking to another man. A really big guy. Tall, broad-shouldered and smiling at her like he’d known her all his life, the man instantly made her comfortable.
“Cassie, get over here,” Ivan prompted with a wave of his hand. “This is Massimo,” he said, introducing man. “He’s a good friend of mine and happens to be in town for a few meetings so I thought we could all hang out this weekend.”
Cassie smiled at Massimo. “Hi, nice to meet you.”
He took her offered hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss there. It was new, a man doing that to her. The blue in his eyes turned bright. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cassandra.”
She stared openly at his eyes. They reminded her of Gerri’s which meant he had to be a shifter. What kind though? With his size and that smile, she would believe him to be a feline for sure.
“Oh, good,” she heard Victoria say from the door. “You’re all here.”
Cassie turned to face Victoria and her father and frowned. Her dad watched her intensely while at the same time curling an arm protectively around Victoria.
“We have some news to share,” Victoria gushed and glanced up at Cassie’s dad, Ricardo.
“We’re going to have a baby.” He said the words with pride and bent down to give Victoria a kiss.
“Can I get you a drink?” Massimo offered.
“Scotch for Cassie, Massismo,” Ivy said. “She loves her dad’s super expensive scotch.”
Cassie nodded, her throat dry and her head spinning. Victoria had always made it clear she didn’t want children. Hell, even her father had been adamant about no more children due to his older age and inability to keep up with toddlers. Now they were changing things.
The look of triumph Victoria gave her made Cassie want to leave then and there. She wouldn’t though. Her father was a grown man and if he wanted to have kids with someone one third his age, that wasn’t Cassie’s business. It still would make for an awkward weekend. “Make it a double.”
FIVE
Cassie glanced at Gerri and said the words she’d been thinking all weekend. “I’m going to take a big leap here and say I’ll come with you.”
Whether it was a pretend trip or not, she needed something to take her mind of her bank account. She’d spent time with Massimo, Ivy, and Ivan and found out Massimo was a bear shifter who loved to flirt. He had gone out of his way to ask her out and proposition her.
Though he was handsome, with his bright blue eyes and wavy blond hair, she hadn’t felt that chemistry she’d hoped for so she declined his offers. They chose to stay in touch and see about being friends. He was nice and they’d had fun over the weekend.
The time spent with Massimo made her realize she might be able to find a shifter she could have chemistry with. Plus, what if this shifter planet really existed? She needed to know the truth.
“Wonderful,” Gerri said as if realizing she had no real comebacks. “We leave in the morning. Pack only a few items of clothing. The weather where Bella lives is very breezy and summery. Besides, we’ll get you one of the amazing dress fabrics you will fall madly in love with.”
“Say this is true, how long would we be gone?”
“Two or three days at most.” Gerri pursed her lips. “I really do have a lot of work to catch up on still.”
“Suppose I believe you and this is all real.” She shook her head at her own words. Real? Aliens? Right. “What exactly can I expect?”
“Well, there will be a big party to welcome the new babies to the royal family. You should expect to see a lot of shifters.”
Oh, yeah. The shifters. That’s really why she wanted to go now that she’d had more experience with a male shifter. Massimo was hot in his own clean cut sort of way. Still, Gerri had said so much stuff that Cassie had totally ignored because she truly believed the old lady was nuts. Now she wished she could remember.
“Are they friendly?”
She’d yet to meet others aside from Gerri and now Massimo, on Earth. It was pretty clear shifters were at the top of the food chain. Humans co-mingled with them on Earth, but mainly because the number of shifters superseded humans in most places. So people were used them. Not to mention the shifter males were hot. Like make your panties catch fire hot.
“Generally,” Gerri replied. “You have your bad apples like any other place, but Aurora isn’t like Earth. Women with curves are highly prized and wanted by male shifters for mates.”
She snorted in laughter. “Yeah, okay. Now I really know you’ve lost your mind and made this place up. I have yet to meet a single guy who won’t tell me I’m still young enough to lose weight and look good.”
“That’s because human males are idiots, darling.”
This was true. Still. “Come on, Gerri,” she started. “You can’t really expect me to believe that. A planet where fat girls are not made fun of? That we aren’t pushed to the side for sexier, thinner chicks and more importantly, aren’t made to feel like crap because we are bigger? Just saying it sounds fake.”
Gerri
sighed with a shake of her head. “Oh, wow. This place has done a number on you.”
Maybe. Possibly. Okay, yes. It had. She’d lived all her life listening to the daughters of the women her dad dated calling her Miss Piggy. And the sons of her dad’s employees telling her they wouldn’t date her even if her dad paid them. The worst was probably when her own father had seen her work hard at losing weight and being healthy and instead of encouraging her to keep going, he’d ask her if she was cheating at night or get angry at her lack of visible progress.
The memories of the pain she’d suffered from strangers, classmates, and her own father had never erased from her mind. It had never truly gone away. Not that it ever would. She’d used that pain to learn to become emotionally stronger. To not let others hurt her over her size or shape.
She’d never gotten skinny. She’d grown bigger. Diet. Exercise and healthy eating hadn’t don’t squat to reduce her size. She’d gone to dieticians and even had multiple medical exams to see if maybe she had medical issues. Nope. Her body just liked being big. Real big.
But she adjusted. She learned to like herself and not let her size keep her from doing things slimmer women did like running, hiking, and when the occasion dictated, dancing.
“When was the last time you went out with a nice guy who treated you right?” Gerri asked. She might have thought the question a joke if there wasn’t real interest in Gerri’s eyes.
“Seriously?”
Gerri’s brows dipped over her beautiful blue eyes. “Yes.” Then she smiled. “Too many to remember?”
“Hardly. How about never.” She could have probably changed that to at least once if she had taken Massimo up on his offer, but she had a feeling he was more interested in a booty call than an actual date.
Gerri’s eyes widened in surprise. “Now you are the one messing with me.”
“Nope. Not even a little.” She shrugged. “As nice as I try to be, most men don’t care about a woman’s personality. It’s her body they are more concerned with and I don’t have one that is ‘sexy.’”
Bearfoot and Pregnant: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Paranormal Dating Agency Book 10) Page 2
