Cassie's Choice

by Donna Gallagher

  Should he apologise for his actions? Should he beg Cassie to give him another chance? Should he berate her for letting another man touch her so intimately? These were some of the thoughts he had argued over with his inner self. But in the end he’d done nothing. Had said nothing. Finally the dinner had concluded and he had taken himself home—alone.

  That night’s sleep had been filled with the haunting memories of Cassie and what they had once shared.

  Chapter Three

  “Hi, Pip, it’s Cassie.”

  Cassie had phoned her best friend as soon as she’d arrived home from the school meeting. The staff had been so excited at the prospect of having some of the Jets team at the school fête that Cassie had agreed to try to make it happen.

  “Yeah, I know, sweetie, after twenty-odd years I recognise your voice.” Pippa laughed. “What’s up, Cass?”

  Now that was a loaded question. Cassie hadn’t quite forgiven Pippa for not warning her about Riley working at the Jets or for setting them up at dinner.

  Cassie did concede, to herself, that in Pippa’s defence she was not aware of what had happened between her two best friends. At that time, she’d not wanted Pippa to be caught in the middle. Pippa had been so happy over her engagement to Rook, making wedding plans—plans that had included both Cassie and Riley. There had been no way Cassie would have spoiled that time for her best friend by acting like the heartbroken loser she was. So she’d sucked it up, put a smile on her face and had soldiered on.

  The wedding had been hard but luckily for her, Riley had declined to be part of Pippa’s bridal party. Cassie had just kept herself busy fussing over Pippa, taking her job as bridesmaid to a whole new level and keeping well away from Riley Walters. Not that it had been all that difficult. It wasn’t like Riley had sought her out—nope, he’d not even bothered to say hello.

  But the other night, having to sit next to him throughout the whole dinner, had been pure torture. Cassie could not remember a single thing she had eaten or any conversation that may have taken place. The whole meal had been spent focusing on her breathing and resisting the urge to demand answers from the man seated beside her.

  “Oh, Pip, I’ve got myself into another bind at school. You know, being friends with the wife of the Jets captain does have its drawbacks. Have you got time today to pop over for a cuppa and a chat?”

  Much to Cassie’s relief, Pippa agreed to come straight over.

  * * * *

  So it wasn’t long before they were sitting together sipping tea and chatting, just like they had been doing for years.

  After some lighthearted banter about their respective days, Pippa broached the subject of Cassie’s phone call. “So what’s the big drama at school?”

  “Well, it’s really just more of the same, you know, pressuring me to use my contacts—that would be you, Pip”—Cassie smiled—“into getting some player presence at the school fête in a few weeks.”

  The strange smile Pippa gave Cassie immediately set off warning bells.

  “I’d love to help you, Cassie, but you do have other contacts now. Riley is in charge of that side of things at the Jets, public appearances and donations. Why don’t you just give him a ring? It will be quicker than me going to him. You know all the details, where I’d just have to ask you and pass them on.”

  Cassie tried to hide the look of dread that crossed her face at Pippa’s words.

  “What’s going on between you two? I know something happened, but neither one of you will give me any details. You’re my best friend—don’t you think I deserve to know what happened between the two of you? One minute you and Riley are inseparable, the next you’re hardly able to look at each other. I’m not blind!”

  This was exactly what Cassie had been trying to avoid. She didn’t want to put Pippa in the middle but could not see a way out of it now. She couldn’t lie to her best friend.

  “We were both young, Pip. He was young. Things just didn’t work out, is all.”

  “What a load of crap! It has to have been something…”

  “That’s the problem, Pippa. I don’t know what happened. A few months before your wedding, Riley disappeared from my life. Refused to answer my calls, ignored my texts. Next thing I hear, he’s moved away to study, or something. We didn’t even speak at your reception, not even a hello.”

  Cassie could feel herself getting emotional, the tears welling behind her eyes, heard the sadness in her own voice. She didn’t want to cry again, believed she’d shed enough tears over Riley Walters. But here she was again, about to break down. Will I never learn? Cassie tried to think of a way to explain to Pippa the events of that last night with Riley, worried that her friend would think less of her for agreeing to a threesome in the first place. “Maybe I couldn’t give him what he wanted…”

  “Oh please! In what way, Cass, mentally? I’ve known Riley for years. He may be exuberant, but he has always been one of the most mature guys I’ve ever met. Riley Walters has a heart of gold. Remember he stood toe to toe with Rook that night at Jetstream when he thought Rook had upset me. I always thought losing his parents so young made him grow up faster than most boys his age. Or does Riley have some sort of kinky sexual dark side I don’t know about?” At first, Pippa was chuckling at her own comment, but obviously noticed Cassie’s reaction, even though Cassie had tried her best not to show it. Pippa had clearly seen something, though, judging by the way her eyes were now open wide, staring back at Cassie, and the way Pippa’s mouth was frozen with her lips making an ‘O’ formation.

  Great! How on earth was Cassie going to explain what had happened? Pippa had been friends with Riley for so many years. This is so awkward.

  “OMG, Cass, is that it? Did Riley do something to you, hurt you in some way? Please, if he did I need to know. You’ve been there for me, all through the Rook saga. Please, let me help. Please say something ’cause the images going through my head right now are not pretty. Cassie, talk to me.”

  Pippa was becoming so distressed that Cassie had no choice but to tell her the sorry tale. She just prayed it didn’t change their friendship.

  “You have to promise not to judge me, Pip, I made a mistake. One I’m not ever going to repeat. The night just got out of hand…” Cassie was finding it difficult to look her friend in the eye and was surprised when Pippa wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

  “It’s okay, sweetie, of course I won’t judge you, you’re my best friend. I love you. Just spit it out. What happened?”

  So Cassie replayed that night. Explained how one minute she had been joking about a threesome and the next she had been at home, naked and having sex with Riley then Mike.

  “It all happened before I could stop it. Riley made me feel things I’d never imagined I could feel. He set my body on fire. I would have done anything for him. My God, Pip, I think I was in love with him. It was more than just the sex. That was explosive, but him as a person! I loved spending time with him. Wrapped in his arms while we watched telly or holding his hand as we walked, it was… I don’t know how to explain it… Perfect. But he was so young, and so good-looking, I worried that he didn’t feel the same way about me as I did about him. The man was a stud at eighteen. Goodness knows how many females he’d slept with. I tried to keep my true feelings under control. Didn’t want to scare him away with the stupid L word. Tried to keep it light and fun when we were together. When he seemed so excited about the idea of a threesome, I was scared to disappoint him. Yes, I was older than Riley in years—but, Pippa, you know better than anyone how much of a sheltered life we’ve lived. No raging sex orgies ever took place in our university bedroom. I was worried I wasn’t experienced enough to keep him happy. And obviously I wasn’t…’cause he took off right in the middle of me giving Mike a blow job… I didn’t even know he was gone. I must have been such a disappointment to him.”

  “Cassie, I don’t know what to say… You mean Riley just left you alone with Mike? What the hell was he thinking? Why didn’t you say n
o, Cass, if you felt so uncomfortable? What happened with Mike after Riley left?”

  “We fucked and then he made some excuse about needing to go to the toilet, grabbed his clothes and left.” Cassie couldn’t stop the tears from falling any longer, the lump in her throat threatening to strangle her as she fought to finish her sordid story. “I haven’t spoken to either of them since. It’s why I stopped going to the Jets games for a while. I cheered the day I learnt Mike had signed with the Hawks. Hey, I must not be all that great a lay. Both guys wasted no time getting out of my bed or my life.”

  “Shh! Don’t cry, Cassie… I am so sorry.”

  Pippa rubbed her hands in small circular movements on Cassie’s back. The tender caress and the understanding from her best friend took away at least some of the weighted guilt over the embarrassing night.

  “You should have told me before. First the wedding and then the other night at dinner… Having to sit next to Riley must have been so awkward. So painful. Seriously, I cannot believe he didn’t at least call you… What an arse! And there I was singing his praises, calling him mature… What an arse…”

  Hearing Pippa repeat herself for some reason made Cassie laugh, or at least chuckle. Pippa stilled her hands.

  “What’s so funny? Not that we couldn’t use some humour at the moment, I’m so furious with Riley.”

  “You said arse twice… It’s just I’ve been calling him so much worse.” Cassie wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to pull herself together before continuing, “That’s the whole thing, Pip, the reason why I didn’t tell you—I don’t want you to be furious with Riley. This is between Riley and me. Not you and Riley. I’m sorry to put you in the—”

  “Stop! You are wrong there,” Pippa butted in quickly, cutting off any further apology from Cassie. “I would be angry at Riley for treating any woman like that. I honestly thought better of him. The fact that he did this to my best friend—treated her, you, so terribly—is just unforgiveable.”

  “Please don’t say anything to him, Pip. I couldn’t stand the added humiliation of it. Of him knowing how upset I was, still am, so many years later. Riley didn’t make me any promises. I let myself fall for him. I still let myself cry over him, even after all that. But I would appreciate a bit of a heads-up next time he’s going to be around… That’s all. I know I have to move past it… It’s just hard…” Cassie shrugged her shoulders. She knew what she’d said was the truth—it was acting on it that she struggled with.

  “Yeah, moving on…I know all about that notion. Luckily for me I have a happy ending. But it did take a few trips on the merry-go-round for Mitch and me to get there.”

  “Oh, Pip, it still sounds wrong when you call Rook Mitch. I sometimes wonder who you mean.”

  “Don’t you start too, Cass. My God, the man’s birth name is Mitchell, why is it everybody freaks out when I don’t use his bloody football nickname? Anyway if I did use a nickname I’d much prefer to call him Rookie, ‘cause that’s who I fell in love with.” Pippa sighed, but it was more a reflective, happy sigh, Cassie thought, and judging by the dreamy lovesick look her friend now sported her assumption was confirmed.

  “You are such a lovesick puppy, Pip. I’m so happy for you and green with jealousy.” She laughed while making kissing noises in Pippa’s direction. “My Prince Charming will come along one day… And while I’m waiting, it will give me plenty of time to get over Riley Walters.”

  “Amen to that, Cass, you deserve someone much better than that Riley—arse,” Pippa added. It was silly, but both she and Pippa ended up giggling like schoolgirls as they finished their tea, both repeating the word ‘arse’ over and over and laughing some more, Cassie reflecting that having a best friend like Pippa was worth more to her than any man ever would be.

  Chapter Four

  “So how goes the new job, Riley?”

  The familiar voice of his childhood idol and now close friend had Riley jumping to his feet. It was the second week into his new job and Riley was still trying to get it all sorted. He was so thankful that Sarah Flynn had extended the offer to help him settle in, she had been invaluable. She had also sorted out whatever it was that had been going on in her life judging by the happy smile on her face every time she popped her head through his office door to offer her assistance.

  He’d been going over the long list of requests for player appearances. It felt like every school, junior rugby league club and charity in the area wanted a visit from one or more of the Jets players, not to mention the media circus that was evolving now that the end of the season was only weeks away. But when Riley heard the familiar sound of Mitch ‘Rook’ Harris’ voice coming from his office doorway, he stopped what he was doing. A chat with his good friend took precedence.

  “Rook, buddy, come in take a load off… At least give me some time away from trying to sort out this guest appearance schedule. God, why so many people want your ugly mug around beats me. God knows what it will be like if you guys win the next game and make it to the Grand Final. I’m not sure there will be enough hours in the day.”

  Riley’s insult just managed to get a laugh from Rook as the captain of the Jets pulled out the spare chair opposite his desk and flopped into it.

  “What can I say, Riles, I’m a popular, good-looking character—of course I’d be in demand. My fans are only human.”

  “If only they knew how modest you were to go along with it,” Riley added quickly as he resumed his own seat across the desk space. “So, what’s been happening? How’s Pip?”

  “Why is it that that one of the first things you always do is ask after my wife? Mate, anyone would think you still had a crush on her.”

  Riley knew Rook was only ribbing him. It was a bit of a standing joke that went way back to a time when he had been just a boy and used to hang around with Pippa.

  “What can I say? I’m only human…” Riley smiled to himself as he used Rook’s own words back at him. “Why she fell for you when she could have had a ranga instead, I will never understand.”

  “Hey, Riles, I think you answered your own question. Who on earth would fall for a redhead?”

  Riley shook his head and smirked back at Rook, desperately trying to think of some worthwhile, smart-arse retort when another voice entered into the conversation—Riley’s brother-in-law and current coach of the Jets.

  “Ahem… Well, I would for one. G’day, Rook, Riley,” answered Brodie James as he walked into the office. Riley couldn’t help the laugh that escaped from him as Brodie gave Rook a heavy-handed slap on the back in greeting, causing Rook to wince and voice a four-letter expletive under his breath. Brodie was, after all, married to a redhead.

  “Are you ever going to stop beating me up, Brodes? Look, if you don’t want me to be part of the team anymore just say so. You don’t have to try to put me on the injury list, you know,” Rook said, sounding wounded.

  “Typical halfback… Soft,” Brodie drawled as he rolled his eyes for Riley’s benefit and took up position leaning casually against the office wall. All of a sudden Riley’s office was getting very crowded.

  “Hey, boss, what’s cooking?” Riley laughed. These two men were such a big part of his life—always had been—and seeing them in friendly banter, even now that Brodie was Rook’s coach, just reminded Riley what a tight-knit family the Jets rugby league team was.

  “Nothing really, I just wanted to touch base with you, make sure you were handling everything, remind you that if you need any advice, I’m here. Sarah’s always up on what’s going on around here as well. I’m sure she’d lend a hand. The board and I know what a big ask it is, getting you to step in at such short notice, and at the busiest time of the year.”

  “Thanks, Brodes, I know, and Sarah’s been great.” Riley did understand—he wasn’t just making noise. If there was one person he could always count on it was Brodie James. The man had literally turned Riley’s and Caitlin’s lives around. At a time when everything had been going wrong, Brodie had be
en like a hero arriving on the scene. “Well, maybe if you could clone a couple of the guys so I could get through all these appearance requests, that would be helpful.”

  “Just do the best you can, Riles, but the trick here is keeping the players fresh. Don’t want them too caught up in all the hype. The main focus is on the game and winning. The requests will still be there if we do that. Prioritise would be my advice.”

  Brodie had been down this road before as a player and coach, so Riley was glad for any tips or advice he could get.

  “The media and fans that have always supported us get first look then move on to the Johnny-come-lately’s. They’re the ones who are likely to forget all about us by the end of the season. Loyalty is the golden rule, in my mind anyway.”

  “Actually that was one of the reasons I stopped by to see you, Riley.”

  “Really and here I was thinking you just popped in to say hi to a mate.” Riley was only kidding really, but he never let the opportunity go by when he had a chance to give Rook a hard time.

  “Don’t be like that, mate! It’s hard enough that I have to do my wife’s bidding and ask a favour, but she promised to make it worth my while.”

  “Way too much information, Rook. Hey, Brodie, isn’t there some sort of sporting code that women weaken legs or something? Shouldn’t the guys be abstaining from sex at such an important time of the season?” Riley was amazed at how deadpanned his voice sounded because he was dying from laughter on the inside at the look of abject horror on Rook’s face at his statement.

  Brodie just chuckled—the big guy knew he was pulling Rook’s leg.

  When it came to Riley and what he was thinking or feeling, Brodie had some sort of sixth sense, could always read him like an open book. It was one of the reasons Riley had moved away—he hadn’t wanted Brodie to know about his over-the-top reaction to the whole messy affair with Cassie Davies, hadn’t wanted to see the disappointment in Brodie’s eyes when he found out what he had done.