“Grady, it took a lot for her to come here and then she walks in on you kissing your ex. What’s that all about?”
“I didn’t know that Rylan was going to be here, and I certainly didn’t expect her to kiss me.”
“Do you have any feelings for Rylan and don’t lie to me?”
“NO! None. I swear.”
“I believe you.” Jess smiled.
“I smelled peaches and immediately knew she was here.” Grady smiled. “I’m guessing she took off when Rylan kissed me?”
“She did but you’re in luck because I know where she went.” Jess pointed to the bathroom.
Grady grabbed her and hugged her. “Wish me luck.” Grady ran toward the bathroom.
Jess mumbled. “You’re going to need it.” Then she sat down at the bar in hopes that Weston would soon return.
Cassidy finally calmed herself down enough to come out of the bathroom stall. She made her way to the sink, splashed some water onto her face and looked in the mirror to assess the damage to her make up.
Grady’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Cassidy. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”
Cassidy’s eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw Grady staring at her in the mirror. She looked down. “Leave me alone. Go back to kissing your ex.”
“Doc…”
“Was this some cruel joke inviting me here?”
Grady stepped closer. He felt sick that Cassidy had been hurt. “No, I swear I had no idea that she was going to be here. She kissed me and I did not reciprocate. I don’t love her…hell, I don’t even like her.” Grady placed his hands onto Cassidy’s arms. “I like you, Doc. It’s you that I want in my life.”
Cassidy wiped her eyes. “Grady…”
“Please, Doc, give me a chance.”
Cassidy pulled away. She never looked up at Grady. “I care about you too but…”
Once Grady heard Cassidy say that she cared about him he placed his hands onto her cheeks, leaned down, and kissed her. When the kiss ended Grady looked down into Cassidy’s eyes. “It feels like forever since I’ve kissed those lips.”
Cassidy blinked a few times. Part of her was still in shock that she was back in Grady’s arms. “I’ve missed you.” She raised her hand up and placed it onto Grady’s to move his hand away from her cheek. “I need you to look at me and…”
“Doc, I have looked at you.”
“But I don’t look like…”
Grady placed his finger over Cassidy’s lips. “You are a beautiful woman whom I find very attractive. Now don’t ever think otherwise!”
“All your ex-girlfriends look like models.”
“To me you are the most beautiful. Doc, I’ve never had feelings for them like I do for you.”
Cassidy moved her hand away from her cheek. For the first time since it had been slashed, she didn’t feel like she needed to hide her scar. She smiled.
“OH MY GOD! IT’S GRADY O’MALLEY!”
Grady grabbed Cassidy’s hand and with the other gave a quick wave to his fan. “Hello!’
“I love you, Grady, I’m a huge fan.” The woman smiled and then looked over at Cassidy. “You’re a lucky woman.”
Cassidy smiled back.
“Well, it was nice meeting you. We need to get back to our friends at the bar.” Grady nodded as he walked out holding Cassidy’s hand.
Cassidy giggled. “Oh, my goodness.”
“That was a bit awkward.”
“We should go to the bar before she comes out.”
“Smart thinking.”
“So, do you think he’ll win her over?”
Jess looked over at Weston. “If he says all the right things.”
Weston extended his hand. “Weston Mills. Can I buy you a drink?”
“Jesslyn Williams.” Jess shook his hand. “My friends call me Jess and I’d love another beer.”
Weston raised his hand up to get the bartender’s attention and then motioned to himself and Jess. “Can I get a couple of beers for my friend and I, thanks.”
“Cassidy was really upset when she saw Grady kissing his ex.”
“He didn’t know that she was going to be here and I’m certain he had no plans to kiss that nasty bitch.”
“Nasty bitch? But…”
“I only bribed her with a drink to get her away. I can’t stand her.”
Jess laughed. “What a good friend.”
“Grady and I have been through a lot. He deserves the best.” Weston smiled and patted himself on the back.
Jess laughed. “A comedian, you are.”
“Sometimes, but seriously, he deserves someone like Doc Scott.”
“She could use a good man in her life.”
The bartender placed down the beers. Weston handed one to Jess and then grabbed the other. “To Grady and Doc Scott.”
Jess knocked her bottle neck against Weston’s. “To our besties.”
Grady walked Cassidy past the bar and out the door. “We’re leaving?”
“I thought that maybe we could go someplace quiet and talk.”
Cassidy smiled. “Just talk?”
“What are you saying?” Grady grinned.
“I’ve been alone with you before and you were never a big talker.”
Grady leaned down and kissed Cassidy. “I prefer to put my mouth to better use most of the time.” Grady winked.
Cassidy was feeling flushed. “Uh, ok.”
“I’ll text West and let him know I’m leaving.”
“I’ll see if Jess can give him a ride home.”
Grady took Cassidy’s hand, walked her over to his truck and opened the door. “Do you need help climbing in?”
“I’m ok.” Cassidy climbed in and Grady closed her door.
21
Grady woke up with Cassidy in his arms. He looked down at her and smiled.
Cassidy smiled back. “Good morning.”
“You have no idea what it’s like to not only have you here in my arms but to wake up, look down and see you smiling at me.”
“I never lost my sight, but I can say that I feel the same way about waking up in your big, strong arms.”
“I can’t believe we fell asleep talking.”
“It could have been the bottle of wine we had.” Cassidy giggled.
“There was one question I didn’t ask you last night.”
Cassidy sat up. “My favorite color and cereal weren’t the only questions you had.” She laughed.
“Why didn’t you want to see me after I got my sight back? Were you still angry with me?”
“No. In fact, I don’t know if I ever really was angry. I was scared.”
“And now?”
“Still scared but Jess helped me to realize that I deserve to be happy.”
“And I make you happy?” Grady pulled Cassidy close.
“You do.”
“Then why are you still scared?”
“I’ve shut everyone but Jess out for so long. My past is ugly, and I guess it’s just so hard for me to let people back in.”
“I can understand that especially after the crash. I shut down. Even though I got my sight back I will never forget what happened to me.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t. It’s a part of my past that I’m going to try and leave there and only visit when necessary.”
Cassidy held her cheek. “I tried to pretend that I was ok but instead I pushed everyone away, except Jess who wouldn’t give in. She saved me.”
“Maybe I should buy her a car or something to thank her.” Grady smiled.
“Seeing as I have not heard from her this morning, I bet that Weston already has.”
Grady laughed. “Really?”
“Oh, please, she was in lust once she saw him sitting at the bar last night.”
“Bet you’re right because I haven’t heard from him either now that you’ve mentioned it.”
“Why don’t I go and make us some breakfast?�
�
“I could take you out for breakfast if you’d rather?”
“I don’t mind.” Cassidy got up.
Grady grabbed her hand. “Maybe after breakfast I could give you that swim lesson.” Grady winked.
“Darn, I don’t have a swimsuit.” Cassidy pulled her hand away and darted to the kitchen.
Jess rolled over. “I guess swimmers really do know how to dive.”
“Not all swimmers do but lucky for you I take my diving very seriously.” Weston laughed as he crawled up the bed.
“I feel lucky and a bit sore.” Jess giggled.
“I wonder how our friends are doing on this fine morning.”
“Oh my God I forgot all about Cassidy.”
“I’m sure things worked out with Grady or they both would have been calling us.”
“Oh no, if they haven’t called us and we assume they are together then do you think that they figured out that we’re together?”
“I don’t know but what difference does it make?”
“They’d know that we spent the night together.”
“Again, why does it matter?”
“We just officially met last night.” Jess covered her face.
Weston pulled her hands from her face. “Hey, we are two consenting adults, I don’t have a girlfriend and…” Weston stopped talking when Jess looked down.
“We’re not serious.”
“YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND?”
Jess got up. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“We went on a few dates.”
“Did they end with you in his bed?”
“Yes.” Jess picked up her clothes and started to get dressed. “I’m sorry.”
“You should save your apology for your boyfriend.”
“Weston, I didn’t plan on any of this, it just happened.”
“Were you going to mention you had a boyfriend or were you going to say you’d call and then never call?”
“It’s not like that. I had a really good time with you last night and then an even better time once we came back here.”
“I’ve been cheated on and I refuse to be the other man.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“Fine, then as long as we agree. Goodbye, Jess, let yourself out once you’re dressed.” Weston walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Cassidy was scrambling eggs when two big arms wrapped around her waist. “I hope your cooking skills have improved.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my cooking, I’ve never killed anyone.” Cassidy giggled.
Grady closed his eyes and inhaled Cassidy’s scent. “I love the way you smell.” Grady could feel her tense up. “Are you alright?”
Cassidy couldn’t tell him that the word love gave her an instant panic until she heard the rest of the sentence. “I’m just concentrating on not setting the house ablaze.”
Grady sensed it was more but didn’t want to push. “Ok. How about I make the toast?”
“Perfect.” Cassidy smiled at Grady.
Jess walked in circles waiting for her phone to ring. She knew it would only be a matter of time before Weston told Grady what happened between them. She grabbed a cup of coffee and then sat down with her phone. The waiting was getting to her, so she decided to call Cassidy and get it over with.
“So, how did it go with Weston last night?”
“You first. Did you work things out with Grady?”
“We’re friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yeah. We came back to his house to talk and fell asleep.”
“No sex?”
“Jess, just because I came back to his house doesn’t mean that I was planning to have sex with him.”
“I guess, but you want to, right?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Cass!”
“Your turn. Did you go home with Weston?”
“Cass, I hope you don’t hate me…”
“What happened?”
“We went back to his place and oh my God he does this thing…”
“JESS TMI!”
“I’m sorry.”
“So, will you be seeing him again?”
“Uh, I doubt it.”
“Jess, what happened?”
“He freaked out when he found out about Dan.”
“I thought that you and Dan weren’t a thing?”
“We aren’t…well not exactly.”
“Oh boy.”
“Yeah.”
“You really like Weston, don’t you?”
“I do but it doesn’t matter now. He flat out asked me if I was sleeping with Dan and when I said yes, he said goodbye.”
“Maybe if you end things with Dan then you can ask Weston for a second chance?”
“Speaking of second chances I think that you should go on over to Grady’s house and remind him what he is missing.”
“I’m still here, and no I don’t want to talk about it now.”
“Ok, but we will discuss it.”
“Fine. I’ll call you later.”
Grady stood there waiting for Cassidy to hang up. He was upset at what he’d overheard. Once Cassidy put the phone down, he started in on her. “We’re friends, you don’t want to have sex with me, and it’s complicated? What the hell is this? Are you playing a game here?”
Cassidy spun around visibly shocked to see Grady standing there. “No games.”
“Then explain. I thought that we were…” Grady shook his head and walked out.
“Grady, wait!” Cassidy followed him.
“Why, so that you can hurt me some more?”
“No, so that I can explain.”
Grady stopped and turned around. “Doc, do you have feelings for me beyond friendship?”
“Yes.”
Grady closed the distance between them and held Cassidy’s hands. “Talk to me then. What’s going on?”
“I’m afraid.”
Grady reached up, held her cheek and ran his thumb across her scar. “Because of this?”
Cassidy nodded. “It’s a constant reminder.”
“The only thing it should remind you is that you fought a battle and you won. You’re a survivor, Doc.”
Grady was right she did win, and she was a survivor. “I never thought of it that way.”
“Ah, the patient teaches the doctor.” Grady smiled at Cassidy.
“It’s so hard to let it go and move on.”
“I know. I still have nightmares and…”
“Grady, I’m sorry. You’ve been through hell and here I am whining about something that happened a decade ago because I’m weak.”
Grady hugged Cassidy. “I want to help you, Doc. Let me help you.”
Cassidy pulled away, took Grady’s hand, and walked them over to the couch. “I want to tell you, I do, but I don’t think I can…not yet.”
“I understand but you’re the one who told me that if I didn’t talk about it that I wouldn’t get better.”
“I did say that didn’t I.” Cassidy shook her head. “Me and my big mouth.”
Grady pulled her close and ran his index finger across her lower lip. “I want to kiss this big mouth.”
Cassidy leaned up and Grady kissed her.
Weston picked up his phone to call Grady and the first thing that popped up was a video of Grady and Cassidy coming out of the bathroom the night before. “Shit!” Weston dialed Grady.
“Hey West!”
“Have you been on social media lately?”
“No. Why?”
“There is an interesting video of you and Doc Scott emerging from the bathroom and the comments are out of control.”
“Oh God!”
Cassidy looked over at Grady. “Is everything ok?”
Grady covered the phone. “I’ll explain when I hang up.”
“Sounds like someone got lucky last night.”
Grady looked at Cassidy and smiled. “I am lucky.”
C
assidy smiled.
“I’m happy for you, Buddy.”
“You ok?”
“I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“Did you hook up with Jess?”
“Oh yeah only to find out that she has a boyfriend.”
Grady ran his hand through his hair. “I’m guessing you had too much fun and found out about the boyfriend after?”
Cassidy walked out of the room.
“I did but it was my fault because I didn’t ask any questions all I could think about was getting into her pants.”
“She shouldn’t have gone home with you if she had a boyfriend.”
“Whatever. You go and deal with the video and hope that Coach doesn’t see it.”
“Wish me luck.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Grady walked into the living room and leaned against the door frame. “I’m guessing you knew about Jess’ boyfriend?”
“Dan isn’t her boyfriend.”
“He’s just someone she has sex with?”
“She had sex with Weston too.”
“True. Weston called for a different reason. Come sit down.”
“What’s going on?”
Grady looked down at his phone and opened social media. “He called to tell me about this.” Grady turned the phone toward Cassidy.
“Oh my God!”
“I know it looks like we were screwing in the…”
Cassidy stood up. “Over a million people have seen us.”
Grady could see how visibly upset Cassidy was becoming. He reached for her and she pulled away.
“I have to go.” Cassidy was practically shaking.
“I don’t know why you’re so upset when I’m the one who could get into real trouble over this with my sponsors.”
Cassidy turned around. She had tears streaming down her cheeks. “He’s going to find me.”
Grady’s eyes opened wide. “Who is?”
Cassidy had a blank stare. “I’m sorry, Grady.” Cassidy picked up her purse and ran down the stairs.
Grady caught up to Cassidy in the driveway and wrapped his arms around her. “Let me help you.”
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 282
