Pretend You Love Me

by Stacia Wolf

  Did he see guilt there? His law-abiding, too-honest mother was hiding something. “I'm talking about the reason Cassie's mother always turns down Cassie's father, who proposes to her every year, who's waited years for her. I'm talking about the fact that Cassie's mom has loved this man for over thirty years and has denied herself—and him—because she believes he betrayed her with my aunt!"

  Jessie reeled at his words. “I...I don't know what you're talking about."

  Damn, he'd stumbled onto something. In two strides he reached her. Gripping her shoulders, he asked, “Mom, what did you do?"

  Uncovering her face, she stiffened her shoulders and her eyes turned hard and angry. “She's the only black mark on my thirty-five year marriage. Your father's been the perfect husband and father, except for her. Lucia.” Her mouth twisted in a sneer. “He doesn't know I saw them that day. Holding her in his arms, kissing her, going upstairs to her bedroom.” She sucked in a harsh breath, her eyes swimming with pain. “I couldn't confront him. That could have chased him right to her. Julia was a baby, I was pregnant with you, and I couldn't be a single parent. I made sure there was no more opportunity. I found another sitter, and whenever she came to visit her grandmother, I kept your dad so busy that there was no chance of anything happening.” Tears formed in her eyes. “Months later I told Annalise that Lucia hit on your dad. I figured she'd do something. I didn't know Lucia was pregnant with Jake's babies, not at first. I only meant to break them up. I wanted her to know what true heartache felt like."

  "Dear God, Mom,” Mike said. He dropped his hands to his side. His father had cheated on Jessie? With Lucia? He couldn't even wrap his mind around that.

  "Jessica, how could you have thought that?” Pete strode into the room, his eyes incredulous and angry.

  "Pete...!” Jessie reeled again; without Mike holding her up, she stumbled. “I saw you two! I went next door to see what took you so long, and I saw you holding her. And you took her upstairs."

  "I never had an affair with her. She was a kid, for God's sake. And I was happily married to you!” He raked one hand through his hair. “The only times I ever went next door was to ask her to babysit for us."

  She looked up at Pete. Mike saw confusion in her face, heard the accusation in her voice. “But I saw you holding her, then going with her into her bedroom."

  He frowned, staring at his wife. “She'd been crying once. Apparently she'd dropped something down the upstairs bathroom sink, and it had clogged. A ring some boy had given her, I hugged her to calm her down, then I helped her retrieve it.” He gripped her by the shoulders. “Jess, I never slept with her. Do you hear me? Never."

  Mike eyes shut as his anger melded with shame. One lie, and an entire family suffered. He remembered the anguish he'd heard in Cassie's voice as she'd discussed her childhood. “Well, Mom, time to fix what went wrong,” he said to Jessie. He picked up the kitchen phone and held it out to Jessie. “Call Aunt Annalise, tell her it's time for the big confession."

  * * * *

  Angry tears burned Cassie's eyes. “How could she have done this?” She held her cell phone tightly in her hand, having just hung up from talking with Mike. She sat in Cal's Camry at a traffic light, on their way to meet up with Jake.

  Cal gently pried the phone from her fingers. “I assume you're not expecting an answer from me on that one."

  "No.” Bitterness twisted in her gut. “I want to strangle all of them. Look at what they did to our family, and why? Because that shrew's a jealous—"

  "Cass.” Cal gripped her hand. “You can't let this screw you up. What happened, happened a long time ago. It's over. What's important now is seeing if we can set things straight."

  She nodded, fighting down the bile. “You're right. I know you're right. But I don't know how I'm going to be able to stand being in the same room as that woman."

  "That's going to be quite a problem, isn't it?” Cal said quietly. “Considering you and Mike are now a couple."

  Cal's words chilled her. Normally not a person who held a grudge, Cassie realized that in this case, she wanted to hold a grudge. She wanted that woman to know how much pain she'd caused. But she didn't want Mike to suffer in the process.

  "We'll work it out somehow,” she told her brother, wondering how on earth she'd accomplish that when all she wanted to do was throttle her boyfriend's hateful mother.

  * * * *

  Mike stood by Cassie at the ferry's rail, watching the moonlit water skim by on their way back to Bainbridge Island. A few feet away, Cal and Jake stood, talking quietly.

  She'd wrapped her silence around her like a blanket; he didn't dare touch her. Nothing in her body language told him that she'd welcome it. He could feel the nervous tension coursing through her; stress sizzled off her. She'd been distant since he and Jake had met up with her and Cal. But now, perhaps he could make peace with her.

  He'd been way off base concerning Lucia; although the woman wasn't exactly an average mother, she was Cassie's mom, and for that fact alone, she deserved respect. In reality, there were many reasons to respect Lucia, but Cassie would be the best one.

  "Is everything all right?” he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the thrum of the ferry's engines.

  She nodded, remaining silent. But her ramrod straight spine told him differently.

  "I'm sorry about my mother's meddling. I know it's not enough, but she's truly sorry for the problems she caused."

  Cassie turned her face toward the water. “I don't want to talk about your mom,” she said, and he had to fight the wind to hear her words. “At least, not until after I calm down."

  Mike nodded, hoping that this wouldn't cause a rift between them. At least, not any bigger than he'd caused himself. “I'm sorry for my remarks earlier. I was talking through my own narrow viewpoint. Sometimes when things happen to you, you think you're the only one who's ever experienced them and you don't see things clearly."

  She nodded, but he didn't know what that meant. Before he could ask her, a tap landed on his shoulder. He turned to acknowledge Jake, who'd worn that tense, wary yet hopeful look ever since Cass and Cal had pitched their plan to him.

  "I sent Cal to get us all some coffee so I could talk to the two of you.” Jake leaned against the railing, facing Cassie and Mike, his voice loud to overcome the wind.

  Mike didn't like the sound of this. Any time a dad wanted to talk to him in the past, it had taken the form of ‘if you ever hurt my daughter...'.

  "Looks to me that you've grown past your play-acting, and I wanted to be sure you've discussed this and not just slid into a relationship without knowing what the other really wants,” Jake said.

  Mike knew what he wanted: Cassie beside him for eternity. “We've talked, and we're clear on everything,” Mike said. But at his words, Cassie stiffened. No, damn it, he'd mucked things up, and with everything going on, he didn't know when he'd get a chance to fix them. What could he do to close this rift?

  You never said you love her. The realization slapped him hard. She'd said she loved him, but why hadn't he said the words back? He knew he loved her, had been in love with her for forever, but what held him back from telling her?

  Because he felt vulnerable and exposed with her. As if he was merely waiting for her to wound him. But if he couldn't trust her completely, did they have a shot at a future?

  He remembered the bravery she exhibited by chasing after her mother and confronting her, then later hatching this plot to clear the air with her parents. When she believed in someone or something, she showed a fierceness and tenacity that transcended fear, that often overrode even common sense.

  How much nerve had it taken for her to come to him like she'd done yesterday and bare her soul to him? More than he could comprehend. For her to have been able to do that, she must love him deeply. He understood then and there that she'd fight for him just as steadfastly as she battled for her parents right now. And as he realized that, the lingering doubts melted away.

  He wra
pped his arm about her and placed his mouth next to her ear. This wasn't the best moment to declare himself, but he couldn't let her suffer any more.

  As his heart slammed in his chest in fear and joy, he said, “I love you."

  Cassie slumped against him as if her knees had turned to rubber. Her face angled toward his, and the love shining from her dancing green eyes filled him to the brim with happiness. She planted a kiss on his mouth, then with a laugh, broke away.

  "Yes, Dad,” she said. “Everything's fine."

  * * * *

  "Mom?” Finally, Cassie had found her.

  Lucia sat outside on the darkened terrace overlooking the water. Only a candle on the glass tabletop, enhanced by the soft moonlight, lit her features.

  "Cassandra, I don't want to talk about this."

  Cassie stood next to her mother, who kept her face turned away from her. “I don't want you to, except to answer one question."

  Lucia sighed, but Cassie knew by the tone of that sound that she'd comply. “What?"

  "Is Dad the one you've always loved?"

  Silence stretched for nearly a minute, but Cassie bid her time. So did her father, standing back in the shadows just inside the open French doors.

  "Of course he is, Cassandra. But that makes no difference."

  "Yes, it does, Mom. It makes all the difference in the world.” Cassie held out her cell phone. “Here, Mom, this is for you. It's not Dad,” she added when her mother hesitated. “It's an old acquaintance, who wants to tell you something."

  Curiosity overrode her reluctance and Lucia took the phone. Cassie hoped like hell that Annalise Thompkins could be as convincing telling the truth as she'd been telling lies.

  Leaving the terrace, Cassie passed her father, who kissed her cheek. “Thanks, honey."

  She hugged him fiercely. “You're welcome, Dad. Now go talk to that foolish woman."

  She could see his grin, even in the darkness. “You bet, and this time I'm not taking no for an answer."

  "Good for you.” He moved past her, his eyes only for Lucia, and Cassie contained a whoop.

  She stepped into the shadows of the library, looking for Mike. He'd said he loved her. Her heart swelled. Surely with love like that, they could work through anything, including his mother's bitter machinations.

  Yes, they needed this night to themselves, free of anger and misunderstandings. He'd said he loved her, and she wanted to hear those words over and over again.

  As if her thoughts brought him to her, Mike's arms circled her, and his mouth fastened on to hers. Laughing, she wrapped her arms about his neck and her legs around his butt.

  "Hey, stranger, wanna neck?"

  Mike's laughter warmed her almost as much as his kisses. “How could you be so sure I wasn't the butler?"

  Giggling, Cassie nipped his bottom lip. “'Cause he has a moustache.” Planting fleeting kisses on his mouth, his cheek, his throat, she asked, “Why are we still upright?"

  "Don't you want to see the outcome of this?” Mike nodded toward the deck.

  Leaning back, Cassie peeked outside. Her dad, kneeling in front of Lucia's chair, held her sobbing mother tightly in his arms, soothing her with soft kisses and tender whispers.

  She felt her own eyes misting. Her parents’ dreams were coming true. Now, she needed to concentrate on her own.

  Smiling, she tasted the base of Mike's throat. “I already know. Now I'm more interested in the outcome of tonight."

  Mike's brows arched upward. “Oh?"

  She laughed, her world finally all right. They could work through anything as long as they had this chemistry, this connection, between them. “I've been remembering our last ‘session’ all day, and I've been thinking that nothing could have been that good."

  "Oh, really?” She felt rather than heard his laughter. “Are you trying to tell me that fantasy is better than the reality? Woman, familiarity breeds even more ecstasy. What do you think of that?"

  She thought the world of that. “So show me the goods, pal."

  Laughing, Mike lifted her up in his arms.

  "Baby, I'll show you good. In fact, I'll show you great."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Ten

  Cassie heard a tinny melody from far away. “What's that?” she mumbled against a solid warm object.

  Mike's chest. It felt so natural, waking up next to him. They'd been home for several days now, and usually ended up together at her place. Being in love was great. She snuggled closer, planning on going back to sleep.

  But that noise kept nagging at her.

  "It's your phone.” Mike's voice, mildly annoyed, cut through her sleep-ridden mind, and she lifted her head up to stare at the clock. It was a bit after seven. She didn't like mornings, not at all. Whoever was calling her, she'd shoot them.

  The cell stopped ringing, and with a sigh, she dropped her head back on Mike's chest. All she wanted was to fall asleep again in his arms, wake up later in the same position, then to make long, lingering love to him again.

  For an instant, the thought that they still skirted around some major issues bothered her. His mother, for one, and his over-protective manner toward Cassie's desire to work with her brother. But she refused to let those problems keep her awake. Her eyes fluttered shut to Mike's slow stroking of her hair, and she let herself sink into the contented veil of sleep.

  Almost immediately the cell started that annoying sound again. Darn it, when she'd downloaded that song the other day, she'd really liked it. Now it only grated on her nerves.

  "I'd better get that,” she muttered, still not moving.

  "Yes, I think you'd better.” Mike kissed her forehead, and she reluctantly separated her body from his. Groaning, she tumbled off the bed, landing onto her clothes, where her phone nagged at her from its perch on her skirt's waistband.

  "Hello?"

  "Cassandra?” a woman sobbed, and it took several moments to recognize the voice through the choking tears and the baby screaming in the background.

  "Irina?” Sitting up, she dragged her hair out of her eyes. Last time she'd talked to her one and only client, she'd been happily planning on moving into her house. Cass had arranged for all the locks to be changed, and a security system installed. That had happened a few days ago. “Irina, calm down and tell me what's happening."

  "It-it's Stan. He came here and knocked so loud that he woke the baby up. He told me...!” Her sobs choked her for a moment, but she continued. “He said that he would see us dead before we live off him. He left when a neighbor yelled at him, but I know he'll be back.” Baby Andy wailed and Cassie heard Irina try to shush him, but the mother's panic must have transmitted to the baby, because he cried even louder.

  "Irina, take a deep breath, I can barely understand you.” Sitting forward, Cassie grasped her skirt and slipped the rumpled mess on. Her client was in trouble, she didn't have time to find something else to wear. “Did you call the police?"

  "Yes, I did, but it will take them time to get here. Cassandra, what do I do?"

  Cassie thought fast. She'd only met the father-in-law once, but he'd struck her as a loose cannon.

  "I'm on my way. Take Andy to that little coffee house down the corner, and I'll meet you there, okay? Lock the house up, and I'll call the police and tell them to meet us there. He won't get away with threatening you."

  Hanging up the phone, she stood up and found Mike watching her. She could tell by his deep frown he'd overheard and had a pretty good understanding at what the dilemma was.

  "I have to go,” she said.

  He nodded. “I know. I'm going with you."

  Cassie bristled. This over-protectiveness grated on her nerves. “Mike, you don't need to. I'll be fine."

  "Cass, I know you feel you can take care of everything, but humor me here. This guy's been threatening her, and that could spill over onto you. Until the cops have him in custody, then I don't want you taking any chances."

  Swallowing her own doubts, s
he said, “More than likely he's just a hothead spouting off due to too much booze. Besides, I don't want to panic Irina. If you're there looking this grim, you'll scare her to death."

  Pulling on his jeans, Mike snorted. “I'm sure that she's already terrified. I doubt I'll add to it. Cass, I'm going with you. Deal with it."

  Rolling her eyes, she slipped her shoes on and snagged her jacket. “Fine, come along. But if you rip open your shirt and show off the big ‘S,’ I'm never speaking to you again."

  * * * *

  The little coffee shop teemed with chaos as the uniformed police officers wrote down Irina's statement. Mike leaned against the door, glancing out the glass panes as if keeping watch for Irina's father-in-law. Cassie didn't want to remind him that he'd never seen the man, but at least he'd stopped harping on her about getting involved in cases like this.

  Damn, he looked sexy in this protective mode, with his dark eyes narrowed, one brown lock hanging over his brow and his muscular arms crossed over that very broad, very manly chest. If it weren't so irritating, so smothering, she'd drag him off somewhere and do him right now.

  But it did bother her. She didn't like leaning on anyone, even if it were the man of her dreams. The fact that he forced such help on her made it harder to accept.

  "Is that all, ma'am?” the officer asked. Irina nodded, and he walked out to his patrol car to call in. Cassie gripped the other woman's hand, handing her a tissue when a tear escaped.

  "Will this stop him?” Irina asked.

  "This will help,” Cassie told her, making her voice soothing. “The fact your neighbor overheard the threats and is making a statement as well will help. They can pick him up on that alone, and in the meantime we'll file a restraining order. If he comes anywhere close to you, we can have him arrested."

  Irina turned hopeful eyes to her. “Then it's over?"

  Cassie longed to lie to her, and tell her yes. But lies wouldn't protect Irina in the long run. She needed to know the reality of the situation. “It's the first step, and hopefully it'll knock some sense into him. But they won't be able to hold him for long and he might cause some more trouble. If you see him, you call 911. We'll go get you a cell phone—” Cassie lifted one hand to stop Irina's protest. “You won't be paying for it. There's a program for endangered women that'll set you up. I already called and they're expecting you. And they'll also set you up in a shelter."