Good, so she was willing to fight then. For a second he thought she might have been interested in Tom. He was, after all, an up-and-coming attorney from a wealthy family. Most women would think he was a catch.
Chad sat on the sofa, listening patiently while Tom rattled on about his new career opportunity and Charles prattled on about the weather, football, and other boring topics that he could give a flip about at the present time. Michelle had ruined his evening with Cassandra for the second night in a row. He could literally throw her out — right over the deck. But then, he’d really lose Cassandra. His thoughts shocked him; he’d never wished harm to a woman — even Michelle.
He knew it wasn’t God … He’d never taken an interest in his life before, so why would He interfere now. Michelle had made her choice entirely on her own and had pulled in her posse to help accomplish her goal. Michelle knew if she’d come alone, he would have thrown her out. So this time she brought reinforcements. Little did she realize he would have still evicted her if it weren’t for Cassandra’s insistence.
Dinner was tedious but delicious. Eliza was a great cook.
Michelle hadn’t inherited her skills, another notch in the belt for Cassandra. Not that he needed to compare the two women; he knew what he wanted.
After dinner, the ladies stood to clear the plates. As always, Eliza shooed him away when he tried to help.
Tom hadn’t bothered to offer. Instead, he slid his chair back. “Hey, man! How ’bout a round of pool? I still owe you from last summer. Amazing how time flies.”
That wouldn’t be so awful; they could play siblings versus siblings. Though, he hated thinking of Cassandra for even a moment like that. No, he wouldn’t say it like that. He didn’t want that idea planted in anyone’s head more than Michelle had already tried. “Sure,” Chad said. “Cassandra, you’ll be my partner. We’ll slaughter the Turners.”
“How cute,” Michelle said in a sweet voice she reserved for when she felt like patronizing someone. “Brother and sister teams.”
Chad glared at Michelle, refusing to let her comment slide. “Michelle,” he snapped, “I already explained this; we aren’t brother and sister. Our parents were married, but now they’re gone. We didn’t grow up together like the Brady Bunch.”
She smirked. “Touchy.”
“I’m just making a point.” He stood up and walked toward the hall. “Come on, Tom … Cassandra.” He rested his hand on Cassandra’s back, motioning her in front of him.
Tom snickered behind him. “Okay, but I don’t appreciate being hustled. It’s only reasonable I take Cassandra. I know how you play, Chad. I don’t need to be double-teamed. I know I can beat my sister.”
Cassandra stopped in front of him and peeked over his shoulder at Tom. “Really, Tom, I’ve never played. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
Chad turned around to comment, but Tom just shook his head, crossing his arms, showing off his biceps at the same time.
“I guess it’s you and me, Chad,” Michelle said, sliding past them and darting down the steps. “We made a good team before. I’m sure we can offer them a challenge as a couple.”
Chad inhaled deeply and continued his walk downstairs. He was gonna have a difficult time remaining civil this evening.
Tom waited while Chad racked the balls, then announced, “Visiting team captain first.” He aimed, breaking the set smoothly, sinking a solid. “Cool, we’re solids,” he said, raising his hand to high-five Cassandra. “Go ahead and take your best shot, Chad.”
Chad wanted to take his best shot. But instead, he lined up his choices. He could take the number eleven ball, an easy shot that would also block Cassandra’s next shot, or he could take the nine, a more difficult shot that would leave the three ball for her, an easy drop. He took the nine. Michelle sighed, but Cassandra obviously had no idea what he’d done.
“You’re up, Cass,” Tom announced. Blood boiled in Chad’s veins … where did Tom get off nicknaming Cassandra? And worse, he noticed Cassandra hadn’t corrected him. “All you have to do is tap it, and it should drop into the corner pocket.”
Cassandra nervously lined up her shot, her hands quivering. She pulled her stick back and lightly tapped the cue ball. It was a straight shot; a seven-year-old child could have made it. And yet, she cheered when it dropped. She’d told the truth; she hadn’t played before.
Chad gave her a friendly smile but then grimaced when Tom high-fived her again.
Michelle lined up an extremely difficult shot. She would have to bank the cue ball to drop the fifteen, but it was clearly her intention. She pulled back, launching her pool stick. The cue ball banked, hit the fifteen, and then dropped into the corner pocket.
“Nice shot,” he muttered.
Tom took his shot, followed by Chad again, and then it would be Cassandra’s turn again. There wasn’t anything really for him to set up for her, so he just made certain the cue ball bounced back unobstructed.
Cassandra scoped out her shot. There was one, but it was difficult. He could take it, but a first timer, never. She bent to take a shot, and Tom stopped her, directing her to the difficult shot, knowing there was no way.
“No … Here,” Tom stated, taking her by the waist and leading her around the table. His arms folded around hers, demonstrating how to scope out the shot. Chad saw nothing but red. He gasped a mouthful of air, holding it in for a moment, then slowly released it, trying to calm himself. He closed his eyes, attempting to shut off his view. It wasn’t that big of a deal. It wasn’t as though he’d touched her inappropriately.
But suddenly, Chad was insane with jealousy. He’d never felt this way with any woman. He’d been furious at Michelle when he’d discovered her infidelity the first time, but he hadn’t really been jealous, just angry. And he’d never wanted to fight over a woman, but here he was ready to tangle with Tom, his best friend.
Michelle ambled her way over to him while Cassandra took her shot … and missed. “You never acted jealous over me like that,” she whispered. Cassandra glanced up while she muttered her nonsense. “Too bad, Cassandra,” Michelle clucked. “It was a difficult shot. I don’t believe I could have made it either, even with Tom’s assistance.” Michelle took her shot, landing the ten easily, then sauntered over next to Chad again.
After Tom had taken his shot, Chad approached the table, took aim, and easily sunk the eight ball. “Oops, oh well, you win, Tom … Cassandra. Good game. Let’s go back upstairs.”
Michelle laughed. “Wow, Chad! Remind me not to accept you as a partner again. I know you like to get right to the finish, but that was one of the shortest events I’ve ever seen.”
Tom joined in Michelle’s laughter, commenting, “Yeah, Chad, I thought you could go longer than that.”
He couldn’t help but notice the double entendre in both their words. “Nice,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head at their crudeness.
“Good game, Cass,” Tom offered. “I’d take you as my partner anytime.”
Narrowing his eyes at Tom, Chad dropped his stick on the table and headed upstairs, noticing immediately it was too quiet.
Chad turned around, frustrated. “Where are your parents, Michelle?”
Michelle shrugged. “Oh, I suppose they decided to leave. They probably assumed you’d give Tom and me a ride home when we were through.”
He turned his eyes on her, hissing, “We are through, Michelle, and I have to get up early in the morning.”
“Whoa, Chad … what happened, man … are you okay?” Her brother’s tone held genuine concern. So, he hadn’t been in on Michelle’s little arrangement.
“I’m fantastic,” Chad said through his teeth. “It’s just your sister and I are over, but she doesn’t seem to want to accept it.”
Tom looked at Michelle, questioning the validity of his comment. “I thought you said you were engaged?”
Chad rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Nope. I asked her over Christmas. She turned me down flat. Now, five mon
ths later she decides —” He halted his words, no need in rehashing all of this with Tom.
Tom whirled his head back to his sister. “Michelle? What — you’ve been together for over six years. I don’t understand. Why would you turn him down?” He turned to Chad again. “I thought you were going to be my brother.”
“Things change,” Chad responded, sighing deeply.
Chad corralled Tom and Michelle out the door and then motioned for Cassandra to come too. She was standing by the stairs, obviously ready to make her escape, as she’d done last night. “Are you coming?” His voice came out a little harsher than he’d intended.
She recoiled, shaking her head. “No … you go. I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
He stared at her, trying to understand what she wanted, what he should do. How had his life become so complicated in such a short time?
Before walking out the door, he turned to say goodbye. She was already climbing the stairs. Cassandra would be here when he returned. That was the one good thing; they would figure out everything later. They had six months. He didn’t have to worry that she’d disappear … as everyone else in his life had.
Chapter Thirteen
Cassandra was, of course, sleeping when he returned. He considered waking her, but deciding against it, walked downstairs.
What was there to say anyway? She knew he hadn’t planned for Michelle to interrupt their evening. He could apologize. His words had been entirely too aggressive. She was fragile; he knew that. And he’d upset her.
Unlike him, she hadn’t made a decision to live and work in this sleepy little town of Nantahala. She’d been forced into this life … his life … because she had nowhere else to go. It wasn’t fair.
He remained awake most of the night, unsure what he should do, wondering how he could make everything right. He only knew one way.
The following morning, grudgingly, Chad had made his resolution.
Heading upstairs, he smelled Cassandra’s coffee, and it warmed his heart. He hated what he was about to do, but it was the only solution. It wasn’t fair what her mother had forced upon her.
When he reached the top of the stairs, Cassandra was sitting on the sofa, still in the clothes she’d worn to bed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, immediate concern filling his voice. “Are you okay?”
“I’m leaving, Chad,” she responded in a hushed whisper. “I’ll make arrangements today, but I should be out of here by this evening before you return. You can keep the house and business —”
Surprised, he cut her off. “Cassandra, I don’t want you to go.” Suddenly, the arrangement he’d come up with, which wasn’t much different from hers, seemed ridiculous. He’d intended to tell her she could leave now, and at the end of the six months, he’d sell the house and give her one hundred percent of the proceeds, which would be pretty close to half of the inheritance. Now he realized he hadn’t expected her to accept his offer. He was only going to offer it to make her happy. Secretly, he’d hoped she’d felt the same way he did and would ridicule his suggestion. But here she was, willing to leave, without the money.
“I don’t belong here, Chad.” She sighed and raised her hands, rubbing her temples.
Walking toward her, he took a deep breath to steady himself. “Cassandra, if you want to leave, I won’t try to stop you. Actually, I was coming up here this morning to tell you that if you want to leave, go ahead. And at the end of six months, I’ll sell the house and give you everything. I just need the store; it’s all I have. It should be about half.” Voice shaking, he continued, “But now, I realize I never thought you’d accept my proposal. I’d hoped you would dissuade me, convince me you didn’t want to leave.” He sounded pathetic, dismal, as if he would break down at any moment. What had happened to him? He hadn’t felt so helpless in years.
“Chad …” she trailed off, her voice affectionate and tender.
He knew their sentiments were mutual, so why was it so difficult to admit his feelings? Why did he even have to? Couldn’t she see how he was behaving?
“I don’t want you to leave, Cassandra,” he pleaded, kneeling down in front of her, taking her hands in his.
“I can’t stay here, Chad. You have too many good things in your life, too many possibilities. You belong with —”
“This isn’t about Michelle!” he cut her off again. “Can’t you see? I don’t love her … I couldn’t possibly, I —” he hesitated, biting his lip.
“Chad, you were so carefree Sunday, as if you hadn’t a concern in the world. After four days with me … look at you, you’re upset. I don’t understand, but situations don’t turn out for me like normal people. My being here, in your home, in your business … it will cause you nothing but problems. You said so yourself yesterday; you couldn’t work because of me.” She inhaled a deep breath, then continued, “And Michelle loves you. I know she has a peculiar way of showing it, but she loves you.”
Abruptly, he stood up. “I don’t love her!” he shouted. But seeing Cassandra wince, he sank back to his knees, taking her hand again. “I love you, can’t you see that? I love you,” he admitted. The words tumbled out of his mouth in a flood of truth. “I love you,” he repeated, his head falling into her hands.
Cassandra lifted his head, looking into his eyes. He instantly felt foolish, knowing his eyes glistened with unshed tears. What was she going to say? How stupid he was … how he couldn’t have possibly fallen in love with her in a few days? But he had. And the thought of losing her before having the chance to see what they could be, tore him apart more than anything he’d ever been through, and he’d been through a lot.
“I love you too, Chad,” she said, closing her eyes. “But it doesn’t change anything.”
His heart raced, exhilarated by her words. “Of course it does … it means everything. You love me, too?”
She nodded. “I’ve never loved anyone … never even cared to get to know anyone, but I know I love you.”
He wanted to say marry me, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t go to that extreme. He couldn’t allow her an opportunity to say no.
“Get dressed, Cassandra. We’re going to work so you can fulfill your time before either of us makes any impulsive decisions. We will discuss everything tonight. Nothing is going to come between us again.”
With a slow nod, she turned from him and headed upstairs.
Twenty minutes later, she started down the steps. He jumped up, ready to get this day started and over with, and met her at the steps. He wouldn’t allow her out of his sight for one minute.
“I was thinking …” she started. He glared at her playfully. “Not about anything important. I was just wondering …” She looked up at his face.
He loved her height. Michelle had always been too tall. He could gather Cassandra up perfectly in his arms. “Yes?” He narrowed his eyes a fraction. She kept him on his toes. He was never sure what she was thinking.
“I was just wondering,” she continued, “would you like to take the convertible today? It’s beautiful outside, isn’t it?”
He lowered his head, making direct eye contact. “Can I drive?” He would love to take her car, but hated when anyone else drove. He wasn’t chauvinistic. It had nothing to do with whether it was a woman or a man. He simply couldn’t stand to be anywhere else in a vehicle besides behind the wheel.
“Absolutely … that’s what I was suggesting. I hate to drive.”
Chad grabbed her hand; they were perfect together. Michelle had constantly made an issue out of him always wanting to drive. “Let’s go. I always wanted a Mustang.”
“I knew it!” She chuckled. “I knew you were jealous when you saw me driving it Monday.”
“I just figured you got it because it looked good … that you couldn’t appreciate the power under the hood.”
“You’re right … that was my father’s idea. I was completely content with the six-cylinder engine.” She threw him the keys, smiling as he snapped them up mid-air. “Although,
I’m afraid you won’t be able to have too much fun with me in the car … I’m a scaredy-cat.”
“I’ll be gentle,” he promised, kissing her lightly on the lips, flirting again. He couldn’t seem to control himself from making little innocent innuendos. But she loved him … she would be his, and then he could flirt all he wanted.
When they arrived at the store, Cassandra headed toward the upstairs office. He wrapped his arm around her waist, stopping her procession. “Not today. We’re getting you something to wear, and then you’re spending the entire day with me.” He really needed to stop being so aggressive. She would eventually get upset with him, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He wanted what he wanted. And right now, he wanted Cassandra.
“I can’t,” she pleaded.
“I’ll take the raft today. Mark will lead the duckies. You’ll sit right next to me, and I’ll stay on the Nantahala. Nothing will happen, I promise. Rafts are easy to control on the Nantahala. I’ve never flipped one.”
She winced.
“Cassandra, I swear … I’ll protect you. I’ll be there for you no matter what happens.” He realized that even though he was speaking of rafting, he wanted the words to be a lifetime promise. He wanted to be with her always and take care of her forever.
“Okay,” she agreed. “You promise? If I end up in the water, I’ll never go again, I swear. I already told you I was a scaredy-cat.”
“I promise,” he pledged, crossing his heart. And it was an effortless promise. The Nantahala was docile compared to some of the other rivers they paddled; he’d never lost a raft. A few people had gone over, but it had been their fault. He decided not to mention that tidbit of information.
Chapter Fourteen
Music floated up the stairs as Cassandra rushed to get ready for her dinner date with Chad.
They’d been together all day on the raft, and still, she couldn’t wait to get downstairs and start their first official date.
Southern Romantic-Suspense Boxed Set (Southern Romantic-Suspense Novel Book 0) Page 75
