Reunited in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 8)

by Cindy Kirk

  Cassie licked her suddenly dry lips. “You know how I said I didn’t know the identity of Dakota’s father?”

  Surprise flickered in her sister’s eyes. This conversation was obviously headed down a path Lindsay hadn’t foreseen. She nodded.

  Cassie took a deep breath and began by explaining everything that had happened between her and Mitch.

  Lindsay winced. “The rumors back then were that her dad was Mitch Peskin. Please tell me he’s not.”

  “No. I thought he was, but…” Cassie squared her shoulders. “Her father is Krew Slattery.”

  Lindsay’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding me.”

  “Nope.” Cassie picked up her fork, needing something to do with her hands. “A DNA test confirmed it.”

  “Wow.” Lindsay sat back in the Muddy Boots booth. “I didn’t know you’d ever, ah, been with him. I mean, Mom heard rumors you’d kissed him. I thought that’s as far as it went.”

  Cassie’s lips lifted in a wry smile. “It started with a kiss. It went a whole lot further.”

  “Obviously.” Lindsay’s quick burst of laughter eased the tension. “What does Dakota think of all this?”

  Cassie’s heart began to flutter. “Dakota knows it’s a possibility but not that the results are back.”

  Lindsay’s gaze remained fixed on Cassie. “How do you feel about Krew being her father?”

  “I’m glad it’s him and not Mitch.”

  “I agree. I can see why you never said anything about Mitch. I never liked the man. After hearing how he treated you, I really can’t stand him.” Lindsay’s soft pink lips curled in a sneer. “Low-life scum.”

  “Slopsucker,” Cassie added.

  “I like that one.” Lindsay grinned. “A lot.”

  The sisters exchanged a smile.

  Cassie cleared her throat. “What do you think about having Krew there when I tell Dakota?”

  Lindsay took a sip of iced tea. Her brows pulled together in thought. “I think that’d be a good idea. If she has questions of how this will look going forward, both of you will be there.”

  Cassie fought an urge to sigh. That’s what she thought her sister would say.

  “Krew wants to pay for her college.”

  Lindsay’s eyes went wide. “Why, Cass, that’s wonderful. Dakota will be able to—” Her sister paused as if sensing something amiss. “It…isn’t wonderful?”

  This time, Cassie did sigh. “What if Dakota sees his money and how easy life would be with him and it makes her turn away from me even more?”

  “I don’t think that will happen.”

  The fact that her sister didn’t sound completely convinced only fueled Cassie’s insecurities.

  “I’ve been really trying, Lin, trying to be a better role model, trying to get my life together to help the kids, and I feel like I’m so close. But Krew, he can come in and take away everything just like that. And if he does, then what’s the point of all my work? How am I any different from the fifteen-year-old girl he used and left? From the girl Mitch called stupid and worthless? From the woman who let Clint, a predator, get dangerously close to her child.”

  Simply voicing her deepest fears brought a hollow feeling to Cassie’s gut.

  “Speak of the devil.” Lindsay’s gaze flickered to the door, then back to her sister. “If you don’t want to talk to Krew now, I’ll tell him we’re having a meeting.”

  Cassie didn’t have the opportunity to respond. She barely had time to breathe before Krew was beside the table, the citrusy scent of his cologne teasing her nostrils.

  She looked up, and her traitorous lips curved automatically. “Hey.”

  “Hi.” Looking more gorgeous than a man had a right to look in a green sweater and jeans, he shifted his gaze and widened that heart-stopping smile to include Lindsay. “How are you, Lindsay?”

  “I’m good. Just discussing some flower business with my sister.” Lindsay gestured to her barely touched plate. “And enjoying some lunch.”

  “I don’t want to interrupt…”

  When he looked at her, Cassie knew she had only to echo Lindsay’s words to have him walk away. But chatting with Lindsay had solidified her next step in Cassie’s mind.

  Cassie scooted over, making room beside her in the booth. “Lindsay and I are just finishing up. Why don’t you join us?”

  His gaze shifted to Lindsay.

  “I promise. We don’t bite.” Her sister flashed him a saucy smile. “At least, I don’t. I can’t speak for Cassie.”

  Krew laughed and slid in beside Cassie. By the time Krew’s food was delivered, Lindsay had even come up with a few floral-related questions for her. Then she made her exit. But only after meeting Cassie’s gaze in a steady one that said, You got this. You can do it.

  “I hope I didn’t cut your meeting short.” Krew took a big bite of burger, his gaze searching hers.

  “I was planning to call you.”

  He cocked his head.

  “You were right. We should tell Dakota together.” Cassie took a breath and let it out. “I also think we need to tell the boys together.”

  Krew took a long drink of soda. His dark brows pulled slightly together, as if he were dissecting a playbook. “You’re right. It’s a family thing. I should have thought of that.”

  “Sometimes, parenting takes two heads.” The words came so easily, but were so unfamiliar that they gave Cassie pause.

  The quick flash of his smile warmed Cassie’s heart.

  “We should do it soon.”

  Krew nodded as he skimmed a fry across a mound of ketchup. “Dakota texted me three times this morning, asking about the results.”

  Cassie tapped the table in thought. “I work from one to five. I know Dakota was helping her grandmother earlier this morning, but she isn’t working today. We could meet with her now, then tell the boys tonight.”

  “I’ll bring pizza tonight. But do you have time to speak with Dakota before work? It’s almost noon now.” He gestured to her nearly full plate. “You’ve barely touched your lunch.”

  Cassie pushed the salad aside. “I’m not hungry.”

  “What if Dakota wants to spend time with you after she finds out?”

  “If there’s anyone she’ll want to spend time with afterwards, it’ll be you.” Cassie chewed on her bottom lip. “If she does need me, I’ll call in.”

  Krew pulled out his phone. “Where and when?”

  Cassie thought quickly. Someplace private. Someplace close. Somewhere they wouldn’t be disturbed. “Your place?”

  Minutes later, she and Krew strode down the block to the Sweet Dreams motel to meet Dakota.

  Feeling conspicuous, Cassie stood off to the side of the door while Krew pulled out his key. Before he could open the door, Mavis Rosekranz stepped out of a unit several doors down.

  The proprietress was a portly woman, almost as wide as she was tall, with tightly permed gray hair and a ready smile. She offered that smile now, but Cassie saw the speculation in her gaze.

  Cassie waved, grateful when Krew opened the door and she could step inside.

  The room, spacious with a homey, country décor, had been completely renovated just last year. This unit even had a fireplace.

  Krew turned on the lights, started a fire then opened the curtains. Sunlight streamed in through the windowpane, but it didn’t do much to warm the chill that wrapped around Cassie like a straitjacket.

  How would Dakota respond? Would she be angry? Would she understand that her mom had never meant to hurt her?

  “Hey.” Krew moved to her, his hands sliding up and down her arms. “Don’t worry. She’ll understand.”

  Before Cassie could respond, a knock sounded.

  Here we go, Cassie thought.

  “This is a crazy place to meet.” Dakota unwound the scarf from her neck. “You should have seen the look Mavis gave me—”

  Only then did Dakota notice Cassie. Her gaze darted from Krew to her mother. The look in her daughter�
�s eyes when they met hers tore at Cassie’s heart.

  “Well, you’re here, so it’s true, then.” Dakota took her time hanging her jacket and scarf on the metal coat stand. “Krew is my father. All this time, and you never told me—”

  “No. I mean, yes. Krew is your father, but I didn’t tell you—or him—because I didn’t know.” When Dakota clasped her hands together to still their trembling, Cassie’s heart lurched.

  “How could you not know? What kind of woman doesn’t know which guy got her pregnant?” Dakota stalked to the window, then whirled. “All I know is I’ve had to suffer all my life because my mother was some kind of slu—”

  “Enough.” Krew’s voice slashed the air, startling Dakota into silence. “This is your mom. She did her best, and you owe her respect.”

  Cassie inhaled sharply at Krew’s defense of her. She’d never had that before.

  Dakota’s gold eyes, so much like her father’s—Cassie could see that clearly now—pierced the air between them. She cocked her head. “Oh, and did you respect her when you slept with her and left?”

  A muscle in Krew’s jaw jumped. “I would have been there for you both if I’d known.”

  “Then why weren’t you? Did you even check to see if she’d gotten pregnant?” Dakota’s laugh contained no humor. “Or did you just have your fun and never look back?”

  It was so close to the truth that there was nothing Krew could say.

  Dakota crossed to the fireplace as if the tumult of emotions wouldn’t allow her to remain still for long. Placing a hand on the mantel, she heaved a sigh. “That’s what I thought.”

  “We were kids, Dakota.” Cassie took a step toward her daughter. “Both of us were younger than you are now. Krew and I, well, we made mistakes.”

  Tears filled Dakota’s eyes. “I wanted a dad so much.”

  “I know you did, and I’m sorry.” Cassie took another step forward, wanting to comfort her.

  “Don’t.” Dakota held up a hand even as tears slipped down her cheeks.

  “What’s important isn’t what we didn’t know then, but what we do know now.” Krew cleared his throat. He appeared calm, but the way the fingers of his right hand clenched and released told a different story. “I’m here now, and I’d like to get to know both of you better.”

  “Oh, so we’re just going to pretend to be a family now?” Dakota asked sarcastically. She gestured with one hand, encompassing the beautiful room. “Pretend we’re normal?”

  “I don’t know about you, but none of the families I know are normal.” Krew’s joking expression turned serious. “Besides, we won’t be pretending. We are a family.”

  For a long moment, the only sound came from the wood crackling in the fireplace. When Dakota’s gaze narrowed on her, Cassie managed a tiny smile.

  “Is that what you want?” Dakota asked.

  Cassie decided that was a question best sidestepped. “I want you to get to know your father. And for him to get to know all of us better. Not just you and me, but the boys, too. We’re a unit.”

  Indecision skittered across Dakota’s face.

  Cassie knew how much her daughter had wanted to know her dad. Now that Krew was here, she was scared. Scared to love. Afraid of being hurt.

  “Where we go from here is up to you, Dakota.” Cassie kept her tone even. “Just tell us what you want.”

  Chapter Eight

  Cassie was driving home shortly before six, tired and frustrated. When she’d left work, snow was falling and it had taken her three times to get the car started. When the engine finally had turned over, it had wheezed and coughed like a smoker who’d just run a 5K.

  It wasn’t the car or the crazy afternoon that had her on edge. She was worried about Dakota. Her daughter had a tough outer shell but a gooey center. Finding out that Krew was her father had rocked her world.

  Cassie wished she could have done more to comfort her, to reassure Dakota that she and her brothers would continue to be there for her.

  As Axl continued to throw brightly colored foam cars at the back of her head, Cassie pulled to a stop in their driveway. She shut off the ignition, and the car belched before it shuddered, then stilled.

  “I wanna get out,” Axl called out as he rocked up and down in his seat like a caged gorilla.

  “In a minute.” Cassie needed just a few seconds to steady herself for the ordeal ahead.

  “Want out.” Axl called from the backseat before a blue car sailed by her ear.

  “No more cars for you.” With a sigh, Cassie pushed open the door. She released Axl from the binds of his car seat and watched him race toward the front door.

  The driveway ran alongside the house. Neither it nor the walkway had been cleared of the recent snowfall, so her feet—and his—were soaked by the time she pushed open the slightly ajar front door.

  “The door was open,” she called out, grabbing Axl so she could remove his shoes.

  “What’s the problem?” Braxton stepped out from the bedroom and stifled a yawn.

  “You left the door open. Not just unlocked. Open.” When he continued to stare blankly at her, she continued. “Anyone could have walked in.”

  “Oh, sorry.” He yawned again.

  “Were you sleeping?”

  At his nod, she narrowed her gaze. What teenage boy took a nap in the afternoon? “Are you feeling okay?”

  “I feel fine.” He swung Axl high into the air, and the boy who’d been whining and sour-faced seconds before dissolved in giggles. “I stayed up late building a website for one of the teachers last night.”

  “Why would a teacher need a website?”

  “She has a side business selling some kind of oils.” Braxton shrugged. “Easy money. I’m happy. She’s happy.”

  Familiar guilt sluiced through her. She’d never had to work in high school. Her boys had started mowing lawns at twelve. They’d had to work if they wanted anything beyond the basics. “Where’s your brother?”

  Braxton plopped down on the sofa and flipped on the television. “Which one?”

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “Well, since two are right in my field of vision, who is it you think I mean?”

  “K.T. is at school. He’s working on another art project. Don’t ask me which one or what for, they all mash together.” Braxton’s gaze remained riveted on the television. “He should be home any time.”

  “I want you to turn off the TV and pick up this room. We’re having company tonight.” When he didn’t immediately comply, Cassie used her “mom voice.” “Now, Braxton.”

  Her eldest son hit the off button on the remote and slowly turned his head. “Who’s the company?”

  “Krew Slattery.”

  Braxton frowned. “I thought you were swearing off guys for a while.”

  “It’s not like that between Krew and me.” Despite the protest, Cassie felt heat rise up her neck.

  Not for the first time, she cursed her tendency to blush.

  “What is it like, then?” His eyes were filled with a familiar watchful waiting.

  “He’s not my boyfriend, Brax. He’s—”

  The door flew open and K.T. burst in, snow dusting the top of his dark head. He dropped his book bag to the floor. “Someone left the door unlocked.”

  “Mom was last inside.” Braxton turned to his brother. “We’re having company for dinner. Krew Slattery.”

  “Your sister will be here, too.”

  “I thought you were done with men.” K.T. strode past her to the refrigerator and peered inside, assessing the meager contents. “I hope he’s bringing food.”

  “I am still off men,” Cassie insisted. “And we’re having pizza. Krew is bringing it.”

  A knock coming at that particular moment seemed fitting, considering the way her day was going.

  Even though the door was unlocked and any criminal could just push their way inside, Cassie made a show of looking through the peep before opening the door.

  “I’ll be back.” Krew shoved two l
arge pizza boxes into her hands. “I’ve got soda in the car.”

  At the enticing aroma emanating from the boxes, K.T. shut the refrigerator door. Like a hound that caught a scent, he made a beeline for his mother.

  Before Krew even made it to his car, each boy had a box in his hands.

  “I want.” Axl jumped in the air, but Braxton lifted the box he held just out of reach.

  “Here.” K.T. stacked his box on top of Braxton’s, then made quick work of clearing off the rickety card table.

  “Bayside Pizza.” Braxton read the logo on the top box as he set the pizzas on the table.

  “Their pies are the best.” K.T. blocked Axl’s grabbing hands. “You need to wait.”

  Braxton must have felt no such compunction, because he opened the top box and was reaching inside when Cassie slapped his hand away. “I need you to get plates, glasses and napkins. Enough for everyone, including your sister.”

  K.T. shifted his gaze from Axl. “Dakota is coming?”

  “I said she was.” Sometimes Cassie had the feeling only fifty percent of what she said got through.

  “We don’t eat pizza off plates,” Braxton protested.

  “We do tonight.” Cassie’s hard-eyed stare had both boys muttering on the short distance to the kitchen.

  Krew returned with a two-liter bottle of Dr Pepper in one hand and Coke in the other. “I don’t know what everyone likes, so I got one of each.”

  Cassie took the bottles from him. “You didn’t have to bring dinner.”

  “Yeah, he did. There wouldn’t have been anything to eat otherwise.” Braxton dumped a fistful of mismatched silverware on the table.

  “Someone left the door unlocked,” Dakota called out as she stepped into the craziness.

  She looked better, Cassie saw with relief. Though her daughter’s eyes were red-rimmed, Dakota had applied fresh makeup and even curled her hair.

  Minutes later, the plates sat unused on the table—well, other than by Axl—while the rest of them used paper towels and ate with their hands instead of silverware.

  “Mom told us she wasn’t going to bring any more guys around.” K.T. reached for his third slice. “But you can come around anytime you want.”