by Jeane Watier
CASSANDRA heard herself telling Jace what she’d only told her closest confidants, and suddenly she was annoyed that she’d lost focus. He’s smooth; I’ll give him that. He knows how to act charming and innocent at the same time. That’s probably how he wormed his way into Aunt Sophia’s good graces.
“So you live in the city?”
“Yes, I…,” Cassandra paused. She didn’t want to chance revealing too much. I have plenty of information. I need to find a way to wrap this up. She glanced at her watch. “Wow, I didn’t realize we’d been here this long. I really should go; I have some more errands this afternoon before I go back to the city.”
“Well, thanks for the latte,” he smiled politely.
Jace stood up as she did, and they walked outside together. As much as Cassandra was eager to be done with the pretense, part of her didn’t want their time together to end yet. She hesitated, pretending to check something on her phone.
“You’re not driving the same car?” he asked when she didn’t leave right away.
“Oh…the Martin? No, I borrowed a friend’s car last weekend. I had to pledge my soul before he’d let me drive it,” she laughed, hoping to sound convincing. “Some guys are so obsessive about their vehicles.”
The moment that followed was awkward. He seemed to be waiting for her to head to whatever car she was driving. Thinking quickly, she came up with a way to get more information. “I was going to call a cab.” She offered an entreating smile. “But maybe I could bother you for a ride…unless you need to be somewhere.”
“Yeah…sure, no problem. I’m parked right here.”
“Nice car,” Cassandra remarked as she clicked her seatbelt in place. “It looks new.” Inhaling, she added, “It even smells new.” Then she held her breath, waiting to catch him in a lie, sure he wouldn’t admit it belonged to an old woman.
“Yeah, it is,” he said simply.
She tried again. “You must make decent money where you work. That’s great.”
He looked as though he was about to respond, but instead put the car in reverse and started backing up. “So,” he asked. “Where to?”
“Macmillan Tower on Emerald Street.” The high-rise where her brother had once lived was about fifteen blocks away. It was the only place she could think of in short notice.
The trip was short, and the conversation centered on their taste in music, which was surprisingly similar. He pulled up in front of the building, put the car in neutral, and pulled the hand brake. Then he turned to her. There was nothing suggestive in his behavior, yet she found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. She fought the impulse for a moment and then decided, given the character she was playing, it wouldn’t be inappropriate or even unexpected to give him a quick kiss. She opted for the cheek and thanked him for the ride.
“That’s all I get?” he responded with a smile and a suggestive tone.
“I didn’t realize this ride was going to cost me,” she teased. “Maybe I should have taken a cab after all.”
“Sorry, I should have my fares posted,” he joked. “Anything over ten blocks is a kiss on the mouth. You still owe me.”
Cassandra couldn’t suppress her laughter. She didn’t think he was serious, yet she was tempted to kiss him anyway. “That’s a very interesting fee schedule. May I assume, then, that you only give rides to desirable young women?”
He looked slightly embarrassed by her question, and she realized he was probably thinking of her aunt. She instantly regretted asking. “Jace…” She turned her body to face him and moved slightly closer. “I am truly sorry for my behavior last weekend, and I do appreciate your kindness.” She leaned in and smiled. He met her lips with his own, and they shared an extraordinary kiss. Then she moved away to open her door. “Thanks again, Jace. Take care.”
SHE WAS GONE before he could think of an appropriate response. He was completely taken aback by the kiss. It wasn’t simply that he had dared her, and she’d taken him up on it. It was the kiss itself—he felt that soul connection again, like in his dream. He’d never felt that with a woman before, and he’d been with quite a few. He’d dated a girl for three years and even considered marrying her, yet her kiss had never made him feel that way.
What’s going on here? he asked as he pulled away from the building Tanisha had disappeared into. What kind of weird spell does she have on me? He decided to go to Chad’s place. He needed to hang out with a friend, drink some beers, and put a stop to thoughts that were beginning to mess with his head.
ENTERING THE high-rise, Cassandra breathed easier as the smoked glass door closed behind her. She didn’t think Jace could see her, but just in case, she walked to the reception desk and pretended to inquire about a resident. Within minutes, the full implication of her actions hit her. Never in her life had she done anything that outrageously impulsive. Never in her life had she told as many lies as she had in the past hour. She had convinced herself it was for a good cause, but now she felt wretched and deceitful.
Her opinion of Jace had changed dramatically, too. He was no longer a would-be con artist trying to take advantage of a trusting old woman. Far from it. She began to wonder how she could have been so convinced that he was.
She shouldn’t have kissed him—Cassandra was acutely aware of that. Unfortunately, that was only one item in a long list of things she shouldn’t have done.
CHAPTER 7
AS EXPECTED, his friend was at home on a Sunday afternoon. Jace walked in, helped himself to a beer from Chad’s refrigerator, and slumped back on the sofa. The sports channel was blaring on the mammoth flat screen TV, and Jace relaxed a little as he integrated into the familiar surroundings.
The room didn’t have much furniture. The sofa was one that Jace had helped Chad and his brother pull from a dumpster. Chad’s favorite chair was a piece of patio furniture, also reclaimed from the trash during a midnight raid in a more affluent neighborhood. The large television was the focal point in the small room and was Chad’s true love. He’d borrowed the money when he found the entertainment system of his dreams at a pawnshop. He and his brother lived on macaroni and cheese for the next year to pay it off.
Jace had to admit he was comfortable in that environment. His place wasn’t any different—secondhand furniture and the best TV and stereo he could afford from the pawnshop. It certainly wasn’t the kind of place he could bring a woman like Tanisha to. She lived in the city, worked at a fancy job, and had friends who lived in high-rise condos and drove ultra-expensive sports cars.
So why did she come on to me? The question had been burning in his mind since he’d left her. She knows where I live. She accused me of trying to steal her car last weekend. And today she flirts with me as if I’m actually in her league. He longed to understand.
She did seem impressed by the car, he maintained, grasping for answers, …which belongs to an eighty-year-old woman! He groaned inwardly as reality slapped him in the face.
But that kiss… Jace couldn’t erase it from his memory. He could still feel her full, soft lips and taste the deliciousness of her mouth. The scent of her perfume was in his nostrils, and the warmth of her hand remained where she’d touched his face.
“Jace!” Chad yelled.
He turned to his friend, startled. “What?”
“I asked if you wanted another beer. Are you deaf?”
“Uh…yeah, sure,” Jace responded, embarrassed that his friend had caught him daydreaming.
“What’s the matter with you, anyway?” Chad inquired roughly. “You haven’t said a word since you walked in.”
It wasn’t unusual for them to watch TV without saying much. However, that was usually preceded by some type of communication—acknowledging recent sports scores or talking about parties they’d been to. Jace was eager to talk about his date with Tanisha, but he didn’t think it would provide him with more clarity than he had now. “I went out with the rich bitch,” he stated bluntly, referring to her as he had for the past week, although he
no longer thought of her in that way.
“Out…seriously? Like on a date?”
“Sort of,” Jace replied. “We went out for coffee.”
“Howd’ya manage that?”
“She asked me.”
“Okay, shit head,” Chad scowled. “Is this like the brand new Accord you supposedly own?”
“No, that was…” Jace tried to explain. “That was a joke. This really happened; I swear.”
Chad scrutinized him, obviously trying to decide whether he was telling the truth. Finally he frowned. “She asked you out?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“I’m gonna need details, buddy.” Chad opened another beer and sat back on his patio lounger. “How’d it happen?”
“I ran into her in the grocery store this morning,” Jace began. “She didn’t recognize me at first.” He recounted all the details except the last, the most important.
“That’s just strange,” Chad scratched his head. “Maybe she’s schizo.”
“Maybe,” Jace acknowledged. The thought had crossed his mind, too.
“So that’s it? She asks you to go for coffee, you drive her to a friend’s place…now what?” Chad looked puzzled. “Are you gonna see her again?”
“Doubt it,” Jace shrugged. “I don’t have her number. Don’t even know her last name. Besides, I’m not sure I want to; we’re too different.”
“The Rich Bitch and the Pauper,” Chad grinned. “Sounds like a Disney blockbuster to me.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh well, it’s not the first time you struck out on a first date,” Chad laughed, downing the rest of his beer.
“I didn’t exactly strike out.” Jace couldn’t resist letting his friend know that more had taken place.
“So…what? You made out?”
“We kissed,” Jace replied nonchalantly. “I dared her to, and she took me up on it. I could tell she wanted to.”
“And then what? She gets out of the car and walks away?” Chad’s furrowed brow indicated he was trying to figure it out, too.
“Pretty much.”
THE CAB DROPPED HER OFF at the Town House just after one o’clock. Cassandra ran up the steps, seeking the comfort her childhood home offered, hoping that being there could wash away the shame she was experiencing. It was all too clear now. Jace wasn’t the person she’d judged him to be. Sophia had been right after all, and it left Cassandra in a predicament.
Confident that she could uncover his true nature, she’d intended to present her aunt with evidence that afternoon. She was supposed to be at her aunt’s place in less than an hour, yet she couldn’t go near the building for fear of running into Jace. “God, what have I done?”
Though she’d directed her query heavenward, the dogs came rushing to her side. Letting them in the house was against the rules when her mother was home, but Cassandra didn’t care; she wanted the company. She breathed evenly as she paced the marble foyer, dogs at her heels, trying to come up with a solution.
“I could call and tell her I’m not well,” she suggested to Delilah. The old dog gazed up at her with an inquisitive look. No, that might worry her, she concluded, forgetting her aunt’s view about worry. I could tell her I have to go back to the city early, a work emergency maybe. God! More lies. I have to stop this!
I could invite her here. The idea was by far the best she’d come up with—she truly wanted to see her aunt—however, the idea wasn’t free of complications. Mother said she rarely comes here anymore. Knowing that the reason was the tension between her mother and her great aunt, Cassandra was still willing to ask. But if she does come, what if she gets Jace to drive her? I wonder if she calls him any time she needs a ride or if she has to arrange it in advance?
The clock ticked on, and she needed to make a decision fast. She opted to invite her aunt to the Town House, praying that she’d be willing to come, and praying that Jace wouldn’t drive her. Her anxiety increased as she heard the sweet, old voice answer the phone.
“Aunt Sophia, this is Cassandra. I wondered…I know I said I’d stop by this afternoon…but I thought, maybe…”
“Are you all right, dear?” Sophia asked calmly.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine,” she assured her. “I just thought we might have more time together if you were to come out to the house. Mother and Daddy left for the summer house this morning, so we’d have the place to ourselves. It’s lovely in the garden this time of day,” Cassandra offered enticingly.
Sophia was quiet on the other end.
In a final effort, Cassandra added, “Daddy said you have a chauffeur now. Don’t feel obligated, though; it was just an idea.”
“I’d be happy to come out to the house, dear,” Sophia replied cordially. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been there.”
“Will your driver be available on such short notice?” Cassandra closed her eyes and crossed her fingers, hoping the answer would be no.
“I’ll see if Jace is home,” Sophia replied. “If not, don’t worry; I’m quite comfortable taking a cab.”
Her answer did little to relieve Cassandra’s jitters, and hearing his name intensified her guilt. “All right,” she said, trying to sound enthusiastic. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
Calculating that her aunt could be half an hour if she waited for a cab and sooner if Jace were to drive her, Cassandra went up to her bedroom and sat on her window seat where she had a view of the long driveway. As she waited, she replayed the morning’s events in her head, going over the information she’d underhandedly acquired. His name is Jace Rutherford. He’s approximately twenty-five years old. He works on an assembly line in one of the factories here in town. He drives a Honda Accord—although it belongs to my aunt. No, wait…that’s still an assumption. She found herself arguing for his defense.
Jace… She smiled, remembering their conversation as he dropped her off at the high-rise. It was so cute the way he told me I owed him a kiss for cab fare. And that kiss… It had been more than she’d bargained for. She hadn’t expected him to respond the way he did, hadn’t expected to feel the instant heat. Truthfully, it was one of the most exceptional kisses she’d ever experienced. I wonder if he felt it too.
Her thoughts were suspended as she heard the dogs barking. She’d put them outside before going upstairs, and they were letting her know that a car was approaching. She moved back from the window and peered from behind the heavy drape. The sight of a blue car made her rapid pulse begin to slow. She watched until she had no doubt that it was a cab, then ran down to welcome her aunt.
CHAPTER 8
CASSANDRA WAS relieved when her plane touched down. It was comforting to be back in the city. The distance helped ease her mind. She’d come to realize that future trips to Port Hayden would be devoid of pleasure because of the anxiety she possessed. Port Hayden was associated with Jace Rutherford and having to be constantly on guard for fear of running into him. If he discovered that she was Cassandra Van Broden, that she’d lied to him and led him on to get information for a background check, that she’d suspected him of taking advantage of an old woman with money, he would hate her—plain and simple.
The whole matter upset her for many reasons. Her aunt would surely learn that she’d acted in an underhanded way, and that pained her because she valued her aunt’s good opinion of her. Furthermore, acting that way was out of character. She didn’t like the way it felt or how easy it had been for her to step into that role. She’d acted impulsively, immorally. Finally, it weighed on her because she cared what Jace thought of her. Though they barely knew each other, they were connected by their association to Sophia Langdon.
But it was more than that. She’d been trying unsuccessfully to wipe him from her mind. She’d been smitten by his good looks, his openness, his sense of humor. Although they were an unlikely match, had they met under different circumstances, something might have developed. Now that wasn’t even a possibility.
JACE APPRECIATED the use of Sophie’s car and
did his best not to take advantage of her kindness. She’d had him drive her several times and always invited him in for tea afterward. He obliged at first, wanting to be polite. After a time or two, he began to enjoy her company. He still had reservations about her unconventional beliefs yet found himself with more and more questions as the days went by. After driving her to get groceries one evening, Jace sat down at his usual spot by the kitchen counter and watched her put the items away.
“You know, Jace, people aren’t always what they appear to be at first glance.”
Her comment came from nowhere, yet it seemed to address what was on his mind—he’d been thinking of Tanisha. He stared at her for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
“You can feel what’s right for you, though.”
“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” he replied uneasily.
“You seem to have a lot of hostility toward rich people,” she explained, referencing their prior discussion. “Why is that?”
“I’ve seen the way some of them operate.”
She didn’t respond, so he went on. “My mom works for a rich family. After my dad died, she didn’t have much choice. I hated seeing her reduced to a servant, but it was either that or factory work.” He sighed audibly. “And factory work sucks. I know what kind of profits the owners make on the products we assemble, yet we get paid peanuts.”
“Remember what I said about leverage, Jace?”
Jace had to think a minute. He recalled what she’d told him, yet he wasn’t sure how it applied to the current topic. “You said that focus works the same way. I’m still not sure what you meant by that,” he admitted.
“What are you focusing on?”
“You mean, what am I thinking about?” He gave her a confused look. “Right now?”
“In general,” she clarified, “when you think about money. Your job, your mother’s employers, other wealthy people. What kinds of thoughts do you think?”