by Cindy Kirk
“The black-and-white ball is coming up.” Paula took a sip of her cappuccino and slanted a glance at Cassidy before shifting her attention to Tim. “I hope you’re planning to attend. Jayne tells me you’re an excellent dancer.”
Cassidy remembered seeing Tim and Jayne dance together. They’d looked as if they belonged together.
“What do you say, Cass?” Tim fixed warm hazel eyes on her. “Got a black or white dress in that colorful closet of yours?”
“Fancy country-club stuff isn’t for me. I’m more of a beer and two-step kind of gal.” Cassidy could have cheered that her voice came out casual and offhand, just as she’d intended.
Tim surprised her by reaching over and taking her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss that made the girls giggle. “Well, we’ll just have to ask the orchestra if they’ll play a two-step.”
Her heart, she was ashamed to admit, simply melted.
A momentary stillness settled over the table, finally broken by one of the twins telling Paula about the time Cassidy had put colored streaks in their hair.
“We looked real pretty,” Esther said with a decisive nod.
“We had glitter polish, too,” Ellyn added.
Cassidy guessed she shouldn’t have been surprised that the twins had brought up the subject. Every time she saw them they asked when they could have another color party. She put them off, the words white trash ringing in her ears.
“I wish I could have seen you with the color in your hair,” Jayne told the girls, then shifted her attention to Cassidy. “I’ve always thought it’d be fun to put a streak of color in my hair.”
“Just name the time and date.” Cassidy almost laughed at the look of shock on Paula’s face. “I can do any color you like.”
Jayne tapped a finger against her lips. “I’d like to do it before school is back in session. Perhaps—”
“You can’t be serious,” Paula interrupted.
“Why not?” Jayne asked.
“You know the kind of people who do those kinds of things—” Paula appeared to notice the bright blue streak in Cassidy’s hair and paused. “I’m sorry. I just meant that while it may be pretty, it’s sort of—”
“White trashy?” Cassidy filled in the blank.
“Exactly,” Paula said quickly, then stopped, chagrined.
Esther cocked her head. “What does white trashy mean?”
“That isn’t a nice word,” Tim told his daughter, his eyes hard. “Isn’t that right, Paula?”
“Absolutely right,” the older woman said immediately, looking abashed.
“If you can fit me in on Monday at four,” Jayne continued, as if the interruption hadn’t occurred, “I’d love to get a cut also.”
After checking the calendar on her phone, Cassidy nodded. “That’ll work.”
The conversation continued without incident and when they rose to leave, Paula’s hand curved around Cassidy’s arm. “May I speak with you a moment?”
Cassidy hesitated. She wasn’t a coward but neither was she a masochist. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tim’s concerned gaze.
Suck it up, Cassidy told herself and straightened her shoulders. “Certainly.”
The two women stepped away from the others.
“I’m sorry if I said anything to offend you,” Paula began.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise.
“No offense taken.”
“It’s just that I’m conservative.” Two bright swaths of pink colored Paula’s cheeks. “You understand.”
“Of course.”
Cassidy understood all right. She just wondered how often she had to be beaten over the head with the truth for it to finally sink in that she and Tim came from different worlds.
* * *
Cassidy could tell Tim wanted to discuss the incident with Paula and Jayne but the girls were in the backseat, listening to their every word. Then, when they pulled up to Tim’s home, Suzanne and Steve were waiting on the porch.
“I’m sorry about stopping by unexpectedly.” Tim’s father shot a look that managed to be both apologetic and sympathetic in Cassidy’s direction.
A chill traveled up her spine.
“I need to speak with you.” Suzanne spoke stiffly, her gaze only on her son.
“What’s this about, Mother?”
“It’s something best discussed in private.”
Though Cassidy wasn’t a big fan of Suzanne Duggan, the woman looked as if she was about to cry. Cassidy hoped for Tim’s sake that Suzanne didn’t have any health issues. She knew how much Tim and the girls loved the woman.
“If you need to speak with your parents,” Cassidy said, assuming Suzanne would want her husband with her when she told her son her news, “I can take the girls into the backyard. It’s been a while since I’ve played on swings.”
“Yippee!” Esther jumped in the air.
“Thanks.” Tim squeezed her shoulder.
He watched Cassidy and his daughters disappear around the corner of the house. Then, to his surprise, his father followed them.
Tim cocked his head. “What’s up? Is something wrong?”
“Yes.” Suzanne’s voice shook and tears welled in her eyes. “Something is very, very wrong.”
Quickly moving to his mother’s side, Tim put an arm around her and sat beside her on the top step. “Tell me.”
“Oh, Tim, what were you thinking?”
What was he thinking? Tim pulled his brows together. “I’m thinking I’m worried about you.”
“You should be worried about yourself.”
Still confused, Tim forced a little laugh. “I’m doing just fine. In fact, I couldn’t be better.”
Her gaze searched his face. “You don’t have to pretend with me. I know you must be devastated.”
Tim felt a prickle of unease travel up his spine. “About what?”
“I know Cassidy is pregnant. Your sister let it slip.” Suzanne pressed her lips together. “Can you believe Lindsey is actually excited about this travesty? She told me she can’t wait for the two cousins to be old enough to play together.”
“Lindsey always was a planner.” It was an inane thing to say, but this conversation had caught him off guard.
“Don’t you try to distract me.” Suzanne shifted on the front step to more fully face him. “I realize I told you to have your fun with her, if that’s what you needed, but I warned you to take precautions to avoid unintended consequences.”
“I wouldn’t describe a baby as an unintended consequence.” His words held a biting edge.
His mother gave a humorless laugh that somehow managed to sound a little sad. “I didn’t want this for you. And, if you’re being honest with me and yourself, you can’t say that you wanted it, either.”
Tim paused. No, he couldn’t say that he’d been ready for another child, or for a relationship. But Cassidy had exploded into his life and blown his plans sky-high. Lately, he’d realized it had all been for the better.
Before her, he’d lived his life in shades of gray and brown. Not that there was anything wrong with a life lived on an even keel, any more than there was with sailing on a day with a gentle breeze. It was pleasant.
But there was something about bright colors and loud laughter that made the boat ride exhilarating. No, though what had happened definitely hadn’t been in his plans, he didn’t have regrets.
Apparently taking his silence for assent, Suzanne plowed ahead.
She reached out and laid her hand on his arm, her voice soft and low, her eyes filled with compassion. “Although your father and I taught you to take responsibility for your mistakes, I don’t want you to martyr yourself because you let this woman seduce you.”
Cassidy seduce him? He laughed. “She d
idn’t seduce me. If anything, it was the other way around.”
“Do your best by the child,” Suzanne said, dismissing his comments. “But don’t marry her. There are some women you sleep with, some you marry. Jayne is the kind of woman you should marry. Don’t just think about you, Tim. Think about the twins. Jayne would make the perfect mother for your children. Can you say the same thing about Cassidy?”
“Yes.” Tim met his mother’s searching gaze with a steady one of his own. “Cassidy is great with the girls. I have no doubts she’ll be a fabulous mother to our baby. I’m beginning to realize she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
As Tim uttered the words, he realized they were true.
* * *
I didn’t want this for you. And, if you’re being honest with me and yourself, you can’t say that you wanted it, either.
Cassidy paused at the corner of the house. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop... Okay, so maybe she had. But she’d had a reason for coming around the corner. She’d left her phone in the car. Cassidy had paused and stayed out of sight when she’d heard Suzanne speaking and realized she was the topic du jour.
She wasn’t sure what she expected to hear, but it wasn’t the pounding silence to his mother’s question. Then again, she had wanted to know where Tim stood.
Now she had her answer. She whirled and ran straight into Steve.
“Whoa.” He grabbed her arms, steadying her when she might have fallen. “You move as fast as Esther and Ellyn.”
His eyes were warm and kind and filled with concern. He looked so much like his son that her heart twisted in her chest and tears filled her eyes. But she hurriedly blinked them back before Steve could see.
“I just remembered there’s someplace I need to be.”
“Well, then, let me get Tim—”
“No.” She nearly shouted the word, then lowered her voice and took a deep breath. “He and your wife seem to be having a heavy-duty discussion.”
“I know Suz hasn’t been herself since Lindsey stopped over earlier.” Lines of worry furrowed his brow. “She wouldn’t tell me what she needed to speak with Tim about, only that it was urgent.”
He raised a questioning brow as if hoping she’d supply the answer.
“I have no idea,” she lied. “They simply seem really focused.”
Steve looked as if he didn’t quite believe her, but let it drop.
“My wife is a good woman,” he told her. “She gets a little intense at times. Goes off in left field. But she always comes around.”
Though she appreciated Steve’s kindness, Cassidy gave a casual shrug. “I really need to take off. I assume you’ll keep an eye on the girls?”
“Sure.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ll happily take you wherever you need to go. The girls can come with us. They love car rides.”
“Not necessary.” Cassidy flashed him a bright smile. “My friends live just down the street. I, ah, told them I planned to stop by. They’ll take me home.”
“What friends are those?” Steve asked conversationally, though his eyes remained intense.
Crap. A direct question.
“Mitzi and Keenan McGregor.” Then, because she feared Tim and his mother might conclude their conversation any moment, Cassidy impulsively rose on her tiptoes and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek. “You’ve been very kind to me. I appreciate it.”
Those eyes, so much like Tim’s, bored into hers. “You’re good for my son. I don’t recall ever seeing him this happy.”
Cassidy gave a short wave then turned in the direction of the walkway that ran behind the properties on this block.
As she quickened her steps, Cassidy told herself she wasn’t running away. She was making a conscious decision, a rational choice, one in her best interests.
But as she broke into a light jog, even she wasn’t convinced.
Chapter Fifteen
Mitzi McGregor opened the front door to her home and smiled in welcome. “Cassidy. What a pleasant surprise. Come in.”
Somehow managing to look stylish in cargo shorts and a sage-colored tee, Mitzi motioned her inside. The daughter of a Mexican mother and Argentinian father, Mitzi had skin the color of café au lait, light brown hair streaked with blond and bright blue eyes, a very pleasing combination.
She was smart and spunky and could hold her own against Keenan, whom Cassidy knew could be a bit headstrong and bossy at times. While on paper a talented orthopedic surgeon and ex-con pilot might seem an odd match, Mitzi and Keenan were perfect for each other.
“I, ah.” Cassidy hesitated and found her thoughts returning to Suzanne’s words, to Tim’s silence, and emotion made her heart swell to bursting. She swiped away a few tears that dared to fall. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d—”
“Oh, honey.” Concern filled Mitzi’s cobalt-blue eyes and she put an arm around her waist as she ushered her inside. “Can I get you something? A glass of water or—”
“Who was at the door?” Keenan came into the room and quickly took note of his wife’s furrowed brow and Cassidy wiping away tears. He glanced around as if searching for the cause of her distress. “What’s wrong?”
“I was wondering if one of you could give me a ride home.”
“I’ll give you a ride home,” a deep masculine voice behind her said. “If that’s what you want.”
Tim.
Cassidy closed her eyes and prayed for strength. When she opened them, the tears were gone. She turned. “Thanks. I’ve got it covered.”
His gaze searched hers. “We need to talk.”
Keenan stepped forward, putting himself between her and Tim. “Not until I’m certain she wants to speak with you.”
Tim felt his temper rise. Not only had he been forced to deal with his mother, he’d gone to the back to find Cassidy gone. Thankfully, his father had a clue where she might be.
Now it looked as if he’d have to go through Keenan to get to Cassidy. Tim tightened his jaw. Though he’d never been a brawler, far from it in fact, no one was standing between him and Cassidy. Not even her old friend.
“Stay out of this, McGregor,” Tim growled. “This is between Cassidy and me.”
“You seem to forget this is my house, Doogie.” Keenan’s eyes were hard as steel. “And I don’t recall inviting you here.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” Mitzi pushed in between the two men. “As much as I love a little excitement, this is ridiculous.”
She slipped a hand around her husband’s muscular biceps. “It’s obvious Cassidy and Tim need to talk.”
When Keenan opened his mouth to protest, Mitzi hurriedly spoke. “You know as well as I do that Cassidy can handle herself. She’s tough. And—”
Mitzi met Cassidy’s gaze. “We’ll be right in the kitchen if you need us.”
Cassidy gave a slight nod.
Though still grumbling, Keenan let his pretty wife tug him out of the room.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think there was something between the two of you.”
Cassidy shot him a sharp gaze.
“Just trying to lighten the mood.” Tim lifted his hands palm sides out but then the joking expression fled his face and his expression turned serious. “I guess I hoped if you needed something, someone, I’d be the guy you ran to, not Keenan.”
Though he did a good job of hiding it, Cassidy heard the undercurrent of hurt in the words. Despite their best efforts, they kept hurting each other. And that she couldn’t abide.
The phone in his pocket rang. He ignored it.
She gestured to the sofa. “You want to talk. Let’s talk.”
He expelled an audible breath. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
When she sat on the burgundy leather couch facing the firepla
ce, Tim took a seat beside her.
“Why did you leave?” he asked.
“I heard what your mother said.” Honesty, she told herself, was the best policy. “And frankly I agree with her. I’m not the kind of woman you should marry. I wouldn’t be a good mother to your daughters, Tim. Heck, I even worry about being a good mother to my own child.”
He opened his mouth to say something then appeared to reconsider. After a moment, he spoke. “Tell me how you feel. About me. About the girls.”
He was so analytical, so logical. Unlike her mother and her mother’s various boyfriends, Tim didn’t fly off the handle or shout or scream or get emotional.
She would show him the same consideration.
“I’ve told you a little of how I grew up. Crystal was the opposite of what a good mother should be. Despite my best efforts, I tend to be more impulsive, to be less controlled than I probably should be.”
“I tend to be too controlled,” Tim admitted. “I believe that’s why we’re so good together. You bring out a side in me I didn’t even know I had, and it’s a good thing.”
“You’ll get tired of me.”
“Who says?”
“I’m not the kind of woman you should marry.”
“You’re exactly the kind of woman I should marry.”
His phone rang again, the sound shrill in the silence.
“Don’t you need to get that?” she asked. “It could be the hospital.”
He shook his head. A muscle in his jaw jumped. “It’s my mother’s ringtone.”
Regardless of what her husband thought, Suzanne wouldn’t come around. She’d never accept a relationship with Cassidy and her son. Tim was close to his family. His daughters loved their grandparents. She wouldn’t be responsible for breaking that family apart.
Cassidy met his gaze. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with the words of a Kenny Rogers song that says ‘You have to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.’ Well, we’ve given it a good try, Tim.”
“We haven’t given it a good try.” Tim’s tone took on urgency as he leaned forward. “We’ve played at building a relationship. You’re scared to commit, Cassidy, I get that. You don’t want to be hurt. You don’t want to hurt me. And you don’t want the girls hurt.”