by Leanne Davis
She sighed. “John fired me.”
“He what?”
“He fired me. Okay, more like he redirected where I get to work. He’s having me clean the office and your house. He thinks being out in the public is too dangerous, that Marcus could catch wind of my presence.”
Luke nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. You don’t agree?”
She shrugged. “It doesn’t leave much for me to do.”
Luke wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “You’ll get through this. It can’t last forever.”
“From your lips…”
He laughed. “You really should keep a low profile.”
“I am. Now. Thanks to your brother.”
“You sure there isn’t more to yours and John’s animosity?”
She shook her head. “No. Just too close of quarters.”
“I told John to pick up a prepaid cell phone for you. Turn yours off and take out the battery and card. I doubt your ex can track you with it…but better safe than sorry.”
She hadn’t considered that. What other little clues had she left behind or available for Marcus? Her head spun as she considered what all that she could have done wrong. She took out her phone and shut it down while taking out the battery and card. “Good idea. Thank you.”
Luke glanced at his watch. “I do however have a team meeting to get to. John texted me and said he’d be at Sarah’s tonight. So you and Tim are on your own until about seven. Is that okay?”
Cassie put her hand over Luke’s. “It’s just fine. Really. We’ve been on our own for weeks. I’m just glad you’ll be back later. Thank you, for everything you’ve done for us.”
Luke stood up. “Quit it. You live here now. You don’t have to continue to be so grateful.”
She squeezed his hand. If only Luke had any idea how grateful she was.
After Luke left, Cassie made the last few trips to the hated trailer. They left the used and abused couch, then arranged pick-up of their rented beds and TV.
After she’d made up their bedrooms, she sank down onto her freshly made bed as the reality of her life made tears fill her eyes. She wasn’t home. She didn’t have a home anymore. She didn’t have much of a job now. Tim couldn’t even go to school. She lived with a man who detested her. And now she had nothing to do all day and nowhere to be. All while she waited around for signs of a violent ex-con to find her.
“Mommy? What’s wrong?”
Cassie turned toward the doorway where Tim stood clutching the brown teddy bear he’d named Ted when he was one years old. Ted hadn’t been carried around for over a year. Now Tim carried him everywhere. To bed. To the car. To do errands. To play. She wiped her eyes with her shirt and stood up, smiling at Tim. Her heart clenched.
That, right there, in her doorway was what she had to do. Tim. Her darling, wonderful son was what she had to live for. Who cared about the rest? As long as he was safe, the rest didn’t warrant tears. And as of now, Tim was safe and in fact, quite happy, so she should be smiling.
She held out her hand to her son. “Want to sneak down and grab a bowl of ice cream? I saw some in the freezer.”
Tim grinned and grabbed her hand. “What kind?”
Chapter Five
John stayed at Sarah’s apartment until almost midnight. He’d intended to spend the night; but the thing that ruined what otherwise should have been a pleasant evening was a nagging feeling that he should get home. Luke was at home so Cassie was fine, and he certainly didn’t relish spending more time than necessary with Cassie so why was he rushing home tonight?
Still he kissed his girlfriend goodbye and went home.
The house was bright with lights when John pulled in. It was suddenly alive and lived in; usually it was dark and empty. It often looked as desolate as his brother’s face. John shook off the feeling that he had finally come home. He walked down the hall and into the living room. He stopped. Cassie was curled up, fast asleep, with a book dropped in her lap.
John stood over her. He picked up the book. He then nudged her leg.
She startled awake. Her eyes flashed open. She smiled up at him; he almost smiled back. He caught himself; they did not have an open friendly relationship that was based on their adolescent friendship. What they had was his idea of a worst-case scenario, come true.
“What time is it?”
“Midnight.”
She yawned and stretched. “I fell asleep reading.”
He tossed the book onto her lap. She scrambled to turn it over. He’d already seen the pirate embracing the scantily clad woman. He knew what she read. She knew he knew. So why was she acting like it was a surprise to find a novel like that in her lap?
She straightened and swung her feet to the floor. “I didn’t expect you back. Luke said you were staying the night with your girlfriend. Did everything go okay with her? I hope she wasn’t upset that I’m staying here.”
“Sarah’s fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes really. Why wouldn’t she be?”
“I wouldn’t be okay if I were her.”
“Well Sarah’s not like you.”
“No I suppose she’s not.” Cassie sighed. “You didn’t tell her about us did you?”
“There is no us and nothing to tell Sarah about. Other than you’re an old friend of Luke’s in need of a place to stay.”
“There was something between us.”
He leveled a look at her. “There is nothing to tell her.”
“Do you ever think about telling me exactly what’s on your mind? Instead of all your not so subtle innuendoes?”
“Haven’t I done enough for you? You’re living in my house and yet you’re still criticizing how I’m handling all this?”
She opened her mouth, then shut it. She lifted her eyes. “You’re right. I don’t have a right to criticize how you handle this. I’m sorry, I’m just tired.”
“I am too and it’s only been a day.”
She flinched. “I’ll try better not to comment on things past or present.”
Sympathy stirred in him. She had purple bruises of fatigue under her eyes and hair that frizzed out from the once tight knot. What had happened to her in the last ten years? How had she married a man who ended up being such a threat to her?
He pulled out the prepaid cell phone Luke told him to pick up. He threw it on Cassie’s lap. “There’s your new cell phone. Are you okay here alone during the day? Maybe you should contact the police.”
“I did notify the police. I stopped by this afternoon, and they promised to send a patrol car around to check on things. Marcus’s only crime at the moment is skipping out on his parole. I have no proof it was Marcus who tried to grab Tim at school. I know in my gut it was him. I keep hoping that in getting out of town and coming here, I’ve lost him. For good. I just need some time to make sure.”
John nodded. “Luke said you moved stuff from the trailer today. No more going out alone. Take one of us with you. As long as you’re hiding, why don’t you try staying hidden?”
She bristled and frowned at him. “Volunteering John?” she asked, her gaze brushing over his face. His lips tightened. Damn her ability to so piss him off.
“No. But if this mess is real don’t take any unnecessary chances.”
She let out a sigh. “I know. I won’t. Housebound. That’s me. Thank God we have the beach right here for Tim to play on. He loved it. So did I, not that you care of course. Anyways, I think Tim found his new best friend in Luke.”
“Luke?”
“Yeah he played with Tim down at the beach. He didn’t tell you?’
“No.”
Cassie’s face lit up whenever she talking about Tim. What had gone on with Luke, Tim, and Cassie today? And what was this stab in his gut? As if he cared what they did today or had any feelings about it. Ridiculous. He’d rather be anywhere than near Cassie. John turned, ending the conversation.
****
The next day was a Saturday, and all fo
ur of them were home together. Tim seemed to blossom with two adult males who talked, wrestled, and played with him, all the while answering Tim’s boundless questions. Cassie grinned, delighted to hear his many suggestions for what they could all do together. She should tone down Tim’s excitement and his familiarity with the Tyler’s, but how could she deny him the joy the grown men were to him? Her heart warmed to see him so happy and comfortable in the Tyler’s house. It was like he’d been here for years instead of a mere two days. He went out to the beach running endlessly, and already had a basket full of treasures he’d found on the dunes and beach.
There was a distinct coolness from John this morning as they had been forced by proximity to share the breakfast table. She regretted having prodded John last night. Ten years had done nothing to ease his hatred of what she’d done to him. Nothing ever would. But unreasonably, it ticked her off he pretended they were nothing to each other and that Sarah could so easily accept her presence in his life.
She’d sat around all evening stewing about John being at Sarah’s house. Which was stupid. Why would she care who John was with?
That afternoon he pulled in with Luke’s truck. John was soon putting together a basketball hoop. Cassie was touched that John would spend his Saturday afternoon doing such a chore for her son. She sighed. She was sick of all she had to be indebted to John for. He gave her a weary nod at her thanks and turned back to his project with a chattering Tim right alongside him. The rest of the afternoon she heard them playing basketball.
Cassie wandered back out onto the porch just as a zippy little red convertible flew up the driveway. Was it Sarah? It had to be. She sighed, she was going to have to get used to this. After all, she was the interloper, not Sarah.
John stopped the ball, tossing it to Luke as he jogged over to Sarah’s car. He smiled at her as she opened the door and all mile long legs of her emerged from the little car. John gave her a kiss as she wrapped herself around him. Cassie looked away.
The perfect, dark haired version of Ken and Barbie came over to the porch where frumpy, dull feeling Cassie stood. She wanted to sink into the floor. Cassie was average height, average figure, and average attractive looks, even at her best. But now? She almost shuttered at how downright ugly she looked next to Sarah.
Then she reminded herself, it didn’t matter.
“You must be Cassie,” Sarah said.
“Yes. It’s nice to meet you Sarah.”
“And you. John says you’re in some trouble.”
Why couldn’t Sarah be snarky and rude, instead of nice and polite? Cassie darted a look at John. His face was impassive. She had no idea what he thought. Cassie told herself to smile, but her lips didn’t move past a fake thin line she hoped passed for polite. John and Sarah went into the house. Cassie stayed outside.
Why had her life taken her here? What was it she was supposed to learn from this experience? How to be gracious? How to not attract psycho ex-husbands? Hadn’t she paid enough for her long ago mistakes? Why did she now have to live with a man who detested her and be polite to his young, hot little girlfriend?
With a long sigh she finally followed everyone else inside.
As it got later Cassie excused herself to put Tim to bed. She was gone for over a half hour and debated whether or not to go back downstairs. She almost went to bed but for some reason she couldn’t seem to stay away from watching John with his girlfriend. He was different with Sarah. He smiled. He flirted. He patted her ass. He was almost amicable with Sarah, which he never was in front of her.
Cassie came quietly down the stairs. As she rounded the foyer, she stopped dead when Sarah mentioned her name.
“How is it you thought I’d be jealous of her?” Sarah said, “I mean she’s what? Forty? And besides that I would have mistaken her for your housekeeper. I mean those clothes. That hair.”
“Thirty-three,” Luke said. “Cassie’s the same age as me. She was in my high school class.”
“Well she doesn’t look like it. I mean she’s a nice woman and all and really it’s sweet of you two to do this for her, but she’s no threat to me. Your helping Cassie is just what I’d expect from you.”
“She’s Luke’s friend,” John answered.
“Yeah but I wasn’t the one with a crush on her.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes I do. Even when you were fifteen you were always gawking after Cassie anytime she was around. You’d make up excuses to talk to her. Don’t you remember when she started coming to the football games your senior year to watch Kelly cheerlead; you’d always talk to her after the game. You were so obvious. Of course, she looked a lot different.”
“That’s not how it was,” John said. Didn’t anyone else in the room notice the sudden anger laced through John’s tone? For those times John was around her at the football games was definitely not out of puppy love. She had been at those games for John, not her sister. The thing was, no one else knew that. Not then, and not now.
“No way. Cassie?” Sarah laughed. “I can’t believe it.”
“Cassie used to be really pretty. She’s changed a lot.”
Cassie knew with a sinking heart they were right. Why would Sarah ever think of her as a threat? But still, it hurt. They didn’t know everything. They didn’t know what had happened.
“It seems like she has more to worry about than how her hair looks, what with her son’s life in danger and all,” John broke into the conversation.
“Well I don’t think using a hair brush will make a difference in her son’s safety. She’s—”
“Right here.” Cassie instantly regretted it when predictably all six eyes turned toward her.
“Cassie,” Luke said, after a stunned moment and guilty looks. “God, we were just discussing—”
“That I’ve changed?”
Sarah stood up. “Oh Cassie, I—”
Cassie turned and fled quickly up the stairs two at a time and locked herself in the bathroom. She looked in the mirror. She had tears in her eyes. Madly she scrubbed at them with a towel and wetted her face with cold water. What did it matter what they thought anyways? She had changed. And little did they get, it was all for the better.
She opened the bathroom door and went to her bedroom. She stopped dead. John stood near her bed. He walked toward her. He looked over her face. She held her ground even though she wanted to turn and cover the face that they had been discussing.
“You heard us.”
“So?”
“It was thoughtless.”
“It was. Something I’d expect from you. From Sarah. Maybe even Luke. But don’t say you’re sorry to me. I know what you think of me.”
“You have no idea what I think of you.”
She laughed. “I know exactly what you think about me. And my looks are the least of it.”
“It’s your business how you want to look.”
She frowned. “You can’t possibly be apologizing to me can you?”
“Sarah can be thoughtless sometimes. She’s just so—”
“Perfect that she forgets some of us aren’t,” Cassie interrupted, anger in her tone. She paused taking a deep breath. “Look, I get it. I’m glad I’m not a threat to Sarah, it just makes my life easier.”
“And Luke was just…bullshitting.”
“I know. Luke doesn’t particularly upset me.”
“And I—”
“You didn’t say anything,” she finished for him. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Why is that? Why don’t you say anything?”
“I don’t feel a need to air my dirty laundry.”
“Even to your girlfriend? To your brother?”
“To anyone.”
“So some things about you haven’t changed have they? Look I appreciate you not saying anything about me. And forget it; they didn’t say anything that everyone else doesn’t already think.” With that she turned and walked over to the bed. “Goodnight.”
He stood there. “Why�
�”
She jerked her gaze to him. “Don’t. Don’t ask me why I look this way. Don’t start a conversation with me that would make you have to acknowledge you know me. You don’t want this to get personal, and neither do I.” She took in a breath and lowered her voice. “Just don’t for a second presume you understand anything about me.”
Chapter Six
Cassie sat alone in the kitchen the next morning drinking coffee when she heard steps. She tensed preparing to face John. Luke came in; he stopped short when he saw her. He blushed. She nearly choked on her coffee. Then he came forward and sat across from her.
“Cassie about last night—”
Cassie sighed. The last thing she wanted to start a Sunday morning with was discussing her homely status. “John already apologized, forget it.”
“No I won’t just forget it. I tried to go apologize last night but John wouldn’t hear of it. But the thing is I have no excuse.”
Cassie tried to shrug it off. Luke continued, “I shouldn’t have discussed you with Sarah.”
“I’m not a kid, what people say doesn’t really affect me anymore.”
“I like and respect you a hell of a lot more than I do Sarah. And I promise you nothing like that will come out of me again.”
Cassie looked at Luke. He was so handsome with his tousled, thick blonde hair, restless blue eyes and square chin. He was muscled and compact. Yet she felt nothing for him but a warming friendship. She didn’t feel even a spark of sexual attraction toward him.
Yet when John entered a room she physically reacted his presence in the tingling of every one of her nerve endings. Why? What was the chemical reaction that seemed to mix between her and John? The past should have killed their attraction to each other. But it hadn’t. At least for her.
“Please. Forget it. You’re forgiven.”
Cassie nearly laughed when Luke let out a breath and sat back in his chair with a smile.
After a moment, Cassie’s smile faded and she tapped her fingers on the table top. “Can I ask you what happened? What changed you so much?”