“No,” she said firmly.
“But you do, don’t you?” her mother said, more of a statement than a question. Cass looked at her for a moment before finally nodding. “Then you should tell her.”
“I will, but it isn’t really something you tell someone over the phone for the first time, is it?”
“Oh, you really are a romantic at heart, aren’t you?” Barb asked, but her tone didn’t indicate teasing, and it made Cass uncomfortable. “I think it’s sweet.”
Cass got up without another word and left through the sliding glass door so she could go back to her cabin. She didn’t want to have this conversation with them. She wanted to talk to Erica, and she didn’t want to wait until later, when Erica would probably be at the hospital visiting Kyle.
After letting Gordy out to do his business, she made herself a cup of coffee and sat on the couch, cell phone in hand, and realized her heart was beating rather fast. What if Erica didn’t feel the same way about her? She remembered the kiss they started in the restroom at the hospital the night before and knew without a doubt that was one thing she didn’t have to worry about. The kiss had been full of promises of things to come, a kind of kiss Cass never experienced before. She smiled as she scrolled through her contacts to find Erica’s name.
“Hello?” Erica said.
Cass closed her eyes and let the sound of Erica’s voice wash over her for a moment. Her lips tingled with the memory of their last kiss.
“Cass? Are you there?”
“I’m here, sorry,” she answered, opening her eyes and resting a hand on Gordy’s back as he lay curled up beside her. He lifted his head to look at her, but when she didn’t acknowledge him, he rested his chin on his paws and went back to sleep.
“Are you okay?” Erica sounded worried.
“I’m fine.” Cass could hear Lila in the background asking Erica something, but then she heard a door close. Apparently, she’d gone into her bedroom to have some privacy. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, thanks for asking.”
This was awkward, and Cass hadn’t expected it to be. Maybe things between them hadn’t really changed, and she was surprised to feel disappointment at the thought.
“When will you be going to see Kyle today?” Cass asked.
“We were getting ready to leave in just a few minutes.”
“Oh. I don’t want to keep you.”
“No, you aren’t,” she said quickly. She sounded like she was smiling, if that was even possible. It made Cass’s heart swell. “I was hoping you’d call.”
“I said I would,” Cass answered. Lame. Now she’d think it was the only reason she was calling. “I was wondering if you might want to have dinner with me tonight. You can choose the restaurant.”
“I would love to.”
“Great. Can I pick you up around six?”
“Six sounds perfect. I’ll spend the morning and early afternoon with Kyle, and I should be home in plenty of time.”
“If you decide to spend more time with him, it’s okay,” Cass said. “We can do it another time.”
“No, I doubt I’ll want to spend even that much time in the hospital, but I know he’ll be bored out of his mind. He’ll understand.”
“Well, just give me a call if you change your mind.”
“I won’t.” Erica sounded sure, and Cass relaxed a little. “I hope you won’t change your mind.”
“Not a chance,” Cass answered. “I’ve missed you, Erica.”
“Me too,” she replied. “Missed you, I mean.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll see you tonight. Tell Kyle I said hello.”
They hung up, and Cass sat there motionless for a few minutes after ending the call. She was about to take a leap she thought she’d never take, and instead of scaring her, it actually felt liberating.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Why are you here?” Kyle asked, looking much better than he had the night before. Erica had just told him about her dinner plans for the evening. “You should be at home getting ready for your date.”
“Kyle, it isn’t even noon yet,” Erica said with a grin. “I hope you don’t think it would take me that long to get ready to go out.”
“You never know. It always seemed like it took forever for Mom to get ready to leave the house.”
“I’m not Mom,” Erica said, and they both sobered at her words.
“Thank God,” Kyle muttered. After a moment, he smiled again. “So they really signed the papers? You’re going to be my legal guardian?”
“It looks that way,” Erica said. “But it means they’ll have nothing to do with you again.”
“That’s cool. I’ve kind of realized in the past few weeks I didn’t really know them.” Kyle looked sad, but only for a fraction of a second. “Maybe Cass will want to be my guardian too.”
“Slow down, buddy. I don’t even know where this might lead between us. I doubt she’s changed her mind about wanting anything long-term, so don’t get your hopes up.” Erica had worried about this since she’d talked to Cass earlier. The fact was, Erica had given up hope of finding a relationship like her parents had, because like Kyle, she now felt as if she never really knew them. And Kyle was so obviously enamored with Cass, she knew he’d be the one making long-term plans.
“You guys will be married by the time I go off to college,” he said, looking utterly sure of himself. Erica smiled and shook her head. “Trust me; I know these things.”
“We’ll see. I’m not making any promises about anything.” Erica looked at her watch, wondering what time she would have to leave in order to get home and shower in time for Cass to pick her up at six. But then an idea struck, and she stood from the chair she’d been occupying and placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “Would you be terribly upset if I left? I think maybe I’ll make dinner for her instead of letting her take me out to eat.”
“Good thinking,” Kyle said with a wink. “That way you never have to leave the house, and hopefully she’ll be there in the morning too.”
“You must be feeling a lot better today. You’re back to being your usual pain in the ass.” Erica kissed him on the cheek before ruffling his hair.
“I’m just saying, I won’t be there, so that has to be something in your favor, right?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Try not to give the nurses a hard time.”
“You’re no fun,” she heard him say as she walked out the door.
She just hoped she had enough time to get to the store and have dinner ready by six.
*
Cass was about to take Gordy up to Danny’s for the evening when there was a knock at her door. She looked at her watch and cursed under her breath. She was running late and would have to speed in order to make it to Erica’s by six. Gordy barked as she walked over and opened the door. It was her mother.
“I’m late, Mom. I don’t have time for a pep talk,” she said, clipping the leash on to Gordy’s collar. Her mother took it from her and smiled.
“I came to get him because we knew you’d be running late,” she said. She looked Cass up and down, and Cass fought not to squirm under the scrutiny. “None of us expect you home tonight, so don’t worry about the dog. Just have fun.”
“I intend to,” she answered with a rakish grin. She dodged her mother’s hand when she reached out to slap her on the arm. “But I’m sure I’ll be home. We’re only going out to dinner.”
“Then why do you look so nervous?”
Cass was surprised her inner turmoil was obviously noticeable. She’d thought she was displaying the utmost confidence. If her mother could see it, then she was sure Erica would be able to as well.
“Come on,” her mother said, walking into the cabin and shutting the door behind her. She unleashed Gordy and took Cass’s hand, leading her to the couch. “Talk to me.”
“What if I screw everything up?” There. She said it out loud. Well, it wasn’t the first time she’d voiced the concern, but somehow she knew it wasn’t the sa
me when only Gordy was there to hear her.
“Trust me, Erica likes you. A lot.” Her mother smiled and squeezed her hand briefly.
“How do you know?” Cass asked. “You’ve never even met her.”
“True, but I’ve heard quite a bit about her from Barb, and you. From what I’ve heard, I have no doubt she likes you. Why do you have doubts?”
“I don’t know,” Cass said with a shake of her head. She did know, but she didn’t want to tell her mother. Cass had never thought herself worthy of being loved. She’d convinced herself she was going to spend her life alone, and now that another path was becoming possible, she wasn’t entirely sure how to deal with the onslaught of emotions.
“I think you do, but it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. Just be yourself. If I’m right, and she likes you, everything will work itself out, as long as you don’t run away and hide from her again.” Her mother cupped her cheek and smiled at her, and Cass felt the warmth of her mother’s love she hadn’t experienced in a long time. “You’re happier now than I’ve seen you since I’ve been back, and if she can do that for you, then she must be a very special woman.”
“She is,” Cass said. “She really is.”
They both stood and walked back to the door, and Cass clipped Gordy’s leash back on to his collar. Before she left, her mother pulled her into an embrace.
“Let me tell you a secret,” her mother said into her ear. “You know you’re in love because you’re nervous. If you weren’t in love, then there’d be no reason to worry. Just promise me you’ll tell her how you feel. And bring her home with you in the morning. I want to meet her.”
“Mom, we’re only having dinner,” Cass said, feeling her cheeks flush. “I’ll be home tonight. Alone.”
“Sure you will.” Her mother smiled and turned to walk away, Gordy followed her happily, his tail dancing back and forth as they went.
When Cass asked Erica to have dinner with her tonight, she’d intended it to be a date, but she knew she hadn’t made her meaning clear over the phone. Because of that, Cass had tried her best to not think of tonight as a date, but she was having a hard time with it. The bottom line though, was whether Erica was going to consider it a date. If she didn’t, there was no sense in hoping for more than dinner with a beautiful woman. But if she did…
“You’re going to drive yourself nuts, Holmes,” she said as she pulled her coat on and headed out the door. “Just show up and see where it goes.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Erica checked the steaks one more time before looking at the clock and wondering why Cass wasn’t there yet. It was almost ten after six. She tried not to let herself worry, but what if Cass changed her mind and simply decided not to show up? Somehow, she didn’t think Cass would do something so callous. She’d call if she wasn’t going to make it.
At a quarter past, her stomach was so tied up in knots she thought she might throw up, but then she thought she heard a car in the driveway, so she pulled the curtains back slightly. It was her. The dread she’d felt when Cass wasn’t there right at six turned quickly into nervous energy. She removed the apron she’d donned to prevent any food splatter on her clothes and tossed it into the laundry room. After running a hand over her blouse and her slacks, she made her way to the door.
Even though she’d been expecting it, the knock caused her to jump, and she laughed at herself for feeling so anxious. It was just a date, right? Well, maybe it had been when she was supposed to pick a restaurant, but by opting to cook dinner at home, she took the guesswork out of whether or not she’d invite Cass in when she brought her home. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before grasping the doorknob and twisting it.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Cass said, and it was obvious to Erica how tense she was as well. “I got stuck behind a tractor on ninety-eight.”
“They call that rush hour around here, don’t they?” Erica asked, trying to sound calmer than she felt. Cass’s grin told her she succeeded. Erica pushed open the screen door and motioned her inside. Cass stopped when the aroma of dinner reached her, and Erica found herself only a few inches from her.
“I thought we were going out?”
“Yeah, about that,” Erica said, unable to move even if she’d wanted to. All she needed to do was lean forward and their lips would meet. She was about to do it when Cass took another step into the house and away from her, effectively breaking the spell. “I couldn’t make up my mind about where I wanted to eat, so I stopped at the store on my way home from the hospital and picked up a few things. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“It’s more than okay,” Cass said. She pulled a hand from behind her back and held out a single red rose. “I hope this is okay.”
“I can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t be.” Erica took it from her and held it to her nose, closing her eyes as she inhaled the wonderful scent. “It’s beautiful.”
“Just like you,” Cass said.
Erica felt a slight flutter in her chest at the words. She didn’t trust herself to speak around the lump in her throat, so she motioned for Cass to have a seat in the living room before she turned and headed for the kitchen.
“Just so we both know what tonight is about,” Erica said as she put water in a vase. She was about to place the rose in the vase when she felt firm hands on her hips. She turned and found herself gazing into Cass’s eyes and being held in her arms. She’d intended to ask if this was a date, but there was no way she could speak when Cass was looking at her this way.
“Did I fail to make it clear I was asking you on a date?” Cass asked.
Erica felt her knees go weak when Cass’s mouth met hers in a kiss filled with so much meaning. Erica slid her arms around her neck and held her body against Cass, their tongues dueling for dominance. Erica finally gave in and allowed Cass to take control.
She sighed into her mouth when Cass ran a hand up her side and cupped her breast. She whimpered when Cass pinched her nipple, and she moaned when Cass slid a thigh between her legs. Erica pressed herself against the firmness of her leg and forced her mouth away from Cass’s lips. Not because she wanted the kiss to end, but simply because she needed to catch her breath.
“Hopefully, that will answer any questions about where I stand on what this evening is about,” Cass said.
“Oh, it does,” Erica said, pressing a hand to her own chest in a feeble attempt to slow her racing heart. “Good to know we’re on the same page.”
“The food smells wonderful,” Cass said, almost as if the kiss hadn’t carried the same effect for her as it had Erica, but Erica knew better. There was a slight tremor in Cass’s hands, which was a dead giveaway. “What are we having?”
“Well, I couldn’t decide between steak and seafood,” Erica said as she forced herself to turn away from Cass to tend to the food. “So I picked up a couple of sirloins and lobster tails. I also have mashed potatoes and asparagus. Any objections?”
“It sounds amazing. And if it’s half as good as it smells, I may just want you to cook for me every night.”
“Go take a seat,” Erica said, trying her best to not read anything into the words she’d just heard. “It’s ready, so I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving.”
Erica wondered if it would be inappropriate to suggest retiring to the bedroom as soon as they were done eating.
*
Cass placed her napkin on the empty plate in front of her and leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. They hadn’t really talked much throughout dinner, but that was okay. They’d each caught the other one staring more than once, and each time it happened, the heat seemed to rise substantially in the room.
“So much better than any meal we could have gotten at a restaurant,” she said. Her words caused Erica’s cheeks to flush, and Cass felt inordinately pleased with herself for having caused the reaction.
“Thank you.”
Cass stood when Erica did and helped her carry t
he dirty dishes into the kitchen. She rolled her sleeves up and turned on the water before Erica said something.
“What are you doing?”
“Dishes?” Cass said in the form a question, because she thought it was fairly obvious.
“You don’t have to do that,” Erica said.
Cass shut the water off and turned to face her, her butt resting against the edge of the counter. She took both of Erica’s hands in hers and smiled at her.
“You made dinner for me, which I should point out you didn’t have to do either. Cleaning up is the least I can do to contribute to what was by far the best meal I’ve had in ages.” Cass brought one of Erica’s hands to her lips and held it there as they looked into each other’s eyes. “Unless you have dessert too? Because it would be silly to clean up twice.”
“Dessert?” Erica looked around the kitchen, probably trying to figure out what she could make on the spur of the moment. “I bought popcorn. I thought maybe you’d like to watch a movie.”
“That sounds great.”
“Good. You go find something to watch, and I’ll straighten up a bit in here.”
Cass thought about arguing the point, but decided against it. She went to the living room and began hunting for a DVD collection, but there weren’t any to be found. She finally sat down on the couch and turned the television on, but the screen remained black and the words no signal appeared after a few moments.
“I think your cable is out,” she said.
“I don’t have cable.”
“Your satellite is out then.”
“No satellite either.” Erica came and sat on the opposite end of the couch and grinned at what Cass figured was her obvious confusion. “I’m a cord cutter. I refuse to pay the outrageous prices those companies charge for their services.”
“Then how do you watch television?” Cass was confused; she could admit it. Who didn’t have cable these days?
They spent the next half hour talking about the advantages of streaming over the Internet as opposed to paying for cable. Apparently, she could buy a device to connect her TV to her Wi-Fi. And for a nominal fee, she could subscribe to a service that would allow her to watch most shows the day after they aired. On her television. Cass was amazed, and this was something she was going to have to look into. But tonight was about other things. More intimate things, if she was interpreting the kiss before dinner correctly.
Taking a Gamble Page 17