by B. B. Miller
Suddenly, the door opens and Dale walks in. “Cassidy,” he begins, his wary gaze taking in the room and my father’s outraged expression. “Sylvia told me you were here. What brings you to town? Is Jack with you?”
“You…you…” My father sputters with anger. “Sylvia!” he bellows, making us all jump. His assistant’s startled face appears at the door. “Call security. Now!”
Sylvia disappears, and Dale swiftly closes the door behind her. “Bob, what’s going on?” He looks at Sean and Tucker. “Who the hell are these guys?”
“Truth tellers, Canton,” Tucker says, his face grim. “Which is more than I can say about you.”
I move without thinking.
“What are you—shit!” Dale flinches from the force of my slap and covers his cheek with his hand. “What the fuck?”
“You bastard,” I spit at him, wringing my stinging palm. I draw my other hand back, but Sean catches it in his.
“Careful, love,” he cautions softly. “He’s not worth injuring yourself.”
“You’re fired.” My dad stands beside his desk, quivering with barely restrained anger. I can’t remember when I’ve ever seen him this mad. “After everything I’ve done for you, after everything we’ve been through,” he growls, his jaw twitching. “You’ve been manipulating—torturing—my daughter for years! You’ve used one of the worst things that could ever happen to a person against her.”
Dale sucks in a breath, eyeing each of us in turn. His accusatory gaze lingers on Sean before he faces my father. “Bob, I don’t know what they’ve been telling you, but whatever it is, I assure you it’s not true.”
My father extends an arm, shaking one of the photos at us. “This girl was an intern, you sick fuck!” He stabs a finger at the others spread on his desk. “And this one’s on the majority leader’s staff! I don’t recognize the other girls, but I’m sure the press would figure it out if they ever got their hands on these.”
Dale blanches. “Where did you get those?”
“I have real cybersecurity people at my fingertips.” Tucker straightens his shoulders. “Unlike the fake ones you’ve been pretending to work with.”
Drawing himself up, Dale glares at me before looking back at my dad. “Bob, I swear to God, whatever they’re showing you has been faked. That’s not me. I’d never do that—you know me! And I have no idea what Cassidy’s talking about!”
Sean growls and jerks toward him, but I lay a hand on his bicep, stopping him. “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” I hiss at Dale. “The threats? Trying to blackmail me to go along with this sham of an engagement to Jack, and with what? You don’t have any photos, Dale. You never did.”
The color rushes back to his face. “You’re talking like a crazy person!” He points a finger at me as he looks at my dad. “See this? This is what New York does to a person. That place is a cesspool!” Sean huffs a laugh, shaking his head.
“Well, you should know a cesspool when you see one, Canton, based on those photos.” He gestures to the crumpled picture in my dad’s fist.
“Who the fuck are you, anyway?” Dale demands, but before he can answer, my dad steps closer.
“You can’t tell me this isn’t you, you sonofabitch. We’ve been in the steam room at the gym too many times for me not to recognize the scar on your back,” Dad growls. Dale’s eyes widen, and he takes a step back, bumping into a bookshelf.
“You’re finished, Dale,” I whisper. “Crawl back under your rock, and leave me and my family the fuck alone, or I guarantee that all of DC will see you being pleasured with produce.”
His eyes flare with malice. “You bitch.” He jerks toward me and raises his hand. Sean is between us before I can blink. He grabs him by the lapels and slams him back against the wall.
“Try it, mate,” he snarls. “I’ve wanted a go at you for weeks.”
Tucker joins them and swiftly pats Dale down, ridding him of two cell phones, just as Sylvia opens the door, accompanied by Capitol Police officers. “Take his keys and building ID. He’s fired.” Dad’s voice is like ice. “Walk him out. He doesn’t get to touch his computer or anything else. We’ll send whatever belongings you have here, including your personal cell phone, later. After we’ve checked them out.”
Dale stares at my dad for a beat, and then his shoulders slump in shame, the fight suddenly leaving him, and he lets them lead him out. Once he’s gone, my father comes to me and gathers me in his arms, hugging me like he used to when I was small. “I’m sorry, Cass,” he murmurs in my hair, and I finally let a few tears of relief fall. “I’m sorry about everything. I’m sorry you didn’t feel like you could talk to me about all this sooner. Your mother and I never brought it up for the same reasons—we didn’t want you to have to relive it. I love you. Can you forgive me?”
I nod and smile up at him through my tears. He kisses my forehead and says, “Will you—all of you—come over to the house so we can talk with your mother? Then we need to set the record straight concerning Jack.”
“What about your meeting with the majority leader?”
He tucks my hair behind my ear. “He can wait.” He turns to Sean, who’s giving me a smile that warms my heart. “You protected her.”
“I always will.” Sean’s emerald eyes glow with love, and I’m drawn to his side like a magnet. “I love her. She’s everything, sir,” he says, holding me close.
Dad’s mouth quirks into an awkward smile; he clears his throat and extends a hand to him. “Let’s start again,” he says. “I’m Robert Skinner, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Sean. Welcome to the family.”
Murphy’s Law No. 19: If you get really lucky, the reality is better than the dream.
Sean
“YOU SURE YOU DON’T WANT to come with?” I ask Tucker as I open the door to the Pink Tornado for Cassidy.
Tucker waves me off. “I’ve got an Uber coming.”
“We can drop you somewhere,” I offer.
“I’m good.”
I narrow my eyes, regarding him. “Where exactly are you off to?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would, actually.”
“You’re settled now. My work here is done. I’m going to catch a flight back to New York to pick up my stuff and then head to Cali.”
“Aren’t Kennedy and Abby in Minnesota?”
Tucker nods. “They are.”
“And you’re not going there?”
“They’re laying low with his parents. They don’t need me.”
“But someone in California does?”
He claps me on the shoulder. “I live in California, genius. And I’ve got work to do.”
That’s a bullshit answer if there ever was one. We’re not back on tour until the end of the year, and Tucker’s been with us for so long, he doesn’t need months to plan anything. “Mhmm. I’m not buying it, mate.”
“You know, I do have a life outside of all the drama that seems to follow the four of you around.”
“What’s her name?” Cassidy pinches me in the side. “Ow!” I glance down at her, and she narrows her eyes at me.
“Let him be, Sean.” She shoves me out of the way and wraps her arms around Tucker, surprising him a little. He gives her a stilted pat on the back in response to her heartfelt hug, and if it wasn’t Tucker, I’d level any man who dare put his hands on her.
She leans back, glancing up at him. “Thank you, Tucker. You don’t know how much this means to me—everything you’ve done.”
“It’s nothing.” He shoves his hands into his pockets when she releases him and glances up the street.
“It’s not nothing. I’m finally out from under all of this uncertainty and worry. It’s been awful spending years thinking those pictures would come out. Worrying how it would affect my father, me.”
I clench my fists, my anger bubbling up again when I think about that slimy, vegetable-fucker Dale. I would’ve loved to have tuned him up. Fucker better watch himself.
&nbs
p; Cass closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Just, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Cassidy. We’ve got eyes on him, so don’t worry, okay? If he even thinks about doing something stupid, we’ll know.”
“That means a lot, Tuck. Thanks, mate.” I slap him on the back as a silver sedan pulls up to the curb.
“If anything happens, just—”
“Call you. I know, I know.” I shove him toward the curb. “Now go to this all important work you have in California.”
“You’re such a pain in the ass.” He opens up the door to the car, pretending to be annoyed.
“Does this work have a name?”
Tuck leans on the frame of the door. “I’m leaving now.”
“Ha!” I point a finger at him. “I knew it.”
“You know nothing,” he fires back at me.
“But I can find out.”
“You wish.” Ah, there’s nothing better than a challenge.
I fold my arms across my chest. “Care to make it interesting?”
“You want to make a bet on whether you can find out what I’m doing in California?”
“You mean who you’re doing.”
His eyes flash with warning. “Watch it.”
“You’re so transparent.” I hold out my hand, and he grips it far more tightly than he needs to. “A grand it is then.”
“You’re on. I’m going to enjoy spending that money.” He releases my hand and taps the door before slipping into the seat. I throw my arm around Cassidy’s shoulder and we wave, watching the car until it disappears around the corner.
“He’s a good friend.” Cassidy tightens her arm around my waist.
“That he is, love.”
My boots echo on the gleaming mahogany hardwood floor as Cassidy leads me down the never-ending hallway of her parents’ DC estate home. I probably should’ve taken them off at the door. I glance down at my well-worn Docs that have seen countless concerts and countries. Her mum is going to have heart failure when she sees me. This should be entertaining.
This house—I’m not calling it a home because nothing this perfect and spotless is a real home—is obviously a statement piece for the senator and his wife, designed for entertaining and putting on a well-crafted facade for the Washington elite. Soaring ceilings, a semicircular staircase, and probably a thousand rooms where political alliances are forged and fought. It feels stifling and staged, and I can’t imagine Cass spending any time here at all.
We follow the senator into a massive sitting room. He moves to stand behind the wingback chair his wife is sitting in. It’s like they’re getting ready to have a portrait taken. He sets his hand on the chair and motions to Cassidy. “Marilyn, Cassidy and her fiancé, Sean,” he announces like some courtly knight.
I bark out a laugh and Cassidy elbows me in the side. “Sorry, love. But I’ve not heard an actual announcement of my arrival like that since I had a spot of tea with Liz.” I cross the room and stand in front of Marilyn Skinner. I can see traces of Cassidy in there, but her stiff posture and wary eyes are the polar opposite. Also, Cass wouldn’t be caught dead in this perfectly pressed light blue suit and pearls. Good Lord, does this woman need to relax.
“Mrs. Skinner. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I take her hand in both of mine as her eyes widen, flitting up to my hair. “Before this gets started, I want you to know that I don’t just love your daughter. I crave her. There’s not another soul on the planet I need more than Cassidy, and I will spend my life making her happy. That’s the only thing that matters to me.”
Marilyn’s eyes soften a little, and I see a trace of a smile, but it evaporates quickly and she repurses her lips, extracting her hand from mine. “You’re engaged.” She glances over to her daughter, who smiles.
“I am, Mom. I love him.” Cassidy’s voice is quiet.
Marilyn rises from the chair, and I move out of her path as she glides toward Cass. “Let me see the ring.” Cassidy’s lips curl into a half smile as she reached into her pocket and holds up the black ribbon.
Marilyn’s gaze darts between the ribbon and Cass. “I don’t understand?”
“About that. It was a bit spur of the moment, you know? Carpe diem and all that.” The senator moves from behind the chair, joining his wife and shooting me a death glare.
“Spur of the moment?” Marilyn asks.
Marilyn’s hand covers her mouth and she drops her eyes to Cassidy’s stomach. “You’re not pregnant, are you?” Just slice me open. Her words are like a blade to my soul. She’s mortified her daughter may be pregnant… out of wedlock no less. Talk about a scandal. Christ, do I wish that were possible. My stomach bottoms out, and Cassidy looks up at me with an apologetic smile. The grandfather clock in the corner ticks off each passing, painful second.
“No. I’m not pregnant,” Cassidy murmurs.
“Well, then what do you mean, spur of the moment?” Cassidy’s father glares at me.
“I mean. I tend to act first and worry about the consequences later.”
The senator officially hates me now as evidenced by his crossed arms and half-imposing scowl he fires at me.
“This isn’t coming out right. If you’re worried about my commitment to your daughter, you needn’t be. She’s the most important person in my life. And I’ll get her a ring when the right one makes itself known. But no ring, no ribbon is going to change the way I feel about her.” His jaw ticks as he glances at Cassidy. “Do you have any idea how rare and precious it is to find someone who wants you not because of who are but because of who you are?” A little crease forms in his brow, similar to the one Cass gets when I say things that don’t make sense to her.
“Still, you should’ve asked us first,” Marilyn offers.
“No. I shouldn’t have. For a thousand reasons, I shouldn’t have. It’s not 1532, she’s not yours to give away, and Cass is fiercely independent, if you hadn’t already realized. It’s one of the things I love most about her.” Marilyn and Robert apparently have been struck speechless, exchanging a questioning look.
“Would it be nice to have a medieval blessing? I suppose, but ultimately the only opinion of me that matters is your daughter’s, and believe me when I tell you that’s a first for me. That I care about what someone else thinks of me is terrifying. But her happiness, her joy, seeing her light up is everything to me. I’m happy when she’s happy. I’m gutted when she is, and I’ll bleed for her.”
“Sean.” It’s a single word from my Cassidy that has me moving closer to take her hand in mine.
“And what happens one day when you wake up and carpe diem changes your mind?” the helpful senator asks.
“I can understand why you’d ask that. You know, I used to think my life was perfect. I’m doing what I love, perpetually moving from one city to the next, and I liked it that way. The randomness of it all was part of the thrill. Meeting Cass changed all that. The reality is: we’re all just walking around in this meaningless vortex of nothingness until one day, karma or fate or serendipity or just straight-up luck taps you on the shoulder and says, ‘Mate, you’re up. It’s your turn.’” Cass squeezes my hand, and I look down to catch her gaze. “If you’re ever lucky enough to get that tap on the shoulder, you fucking grab onto that chance and you never let it go.”
“I still can’t believe you said all of that to my parents,” Cassidy says as we turn down a dirt path in the camping RV park just outside of DC. I’m not sure the Pink Tornado actually qualifies as an official RV, but turns out the kid at the sign-in desk is a Redfall fan, so I shamelessly convinced him to let us park for the night.
Could we have grabbed a hotel? Of course. But it’s forecasted to be a clear night and spending it under the stars with the woman I love seems like a no-brainer to me.
“Every word is true.”
She smiles at me, sticking her arm out the window to feel the rush of warm air. “I think my mom is still in shock.”
“If you’re happy, she should be. That’s really al
l there is to it.”
She squeezes my thigh as I pull into site twenty-four, grinning when I throw the VW into park. “We have arrived!” There’s a small patch of grass along with a fire pit and a few of those low cedar chairs crowded around it. The squeals of kids playing at the little lake to the left drift in through Cassidy’s open window. I wonder if I’ll always feel that twinge of sadness when little poppets are near. I hope not.
She glances out to the space before turning back to me. “It’s perfect.”
“That you are, love.” I unbutton my seat belt and slide my hand behind her neck to pull her lips to mine. “Let’s start a fire, and we can watch the stars reveal themselves.” She wrinkles her nose when I kiss the tip. “You can grill your man up some of those fine burgers we bought, and I can thank you later, many times over.”
I can feel her smile against my lips. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
A few hours later, we’re by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, with Cassidy’s back relaxed against my chest. Sharing s’mores from the couple in the tricked-out RV next to us who have no earthly clue who either one of us is topped off our meal.
Cass points out constellations, and I have no idea if she really knows what they are or is making it all up, but I couldn’t care less. It’s a perfect moment, untainted by responsibilities and expectations.
I rest my chin on top of her head, tightening my arms around her when she snuggles in closer. “My dad should’ve issued his statement by now.”
I watch the flames flicker and snap into the darkened night. “Mmm. Did you want to take a look at it? I saw a Wi-Fi sign back at the sign-in shack.”
She turns her head and presses a kiss to my jaw. “No. I don’t. I’m just glad it’s finally over, you know?”
“I know. I’m just sorry you’ve had to live under that for so long.” She reaches her hand up to flutter her fingers through my hair. I close my eyes, savoring the sensation.