He managed to crab-walk her down the wall, one hold at a time, until they were only a foot above the ground. Nodding to his belayer he jumped down, wincing as his ankle gave a little protest. He placed his hands on Cassie’s waist. Her belayer lessened the tension and Ty was able to pull her down to solid ground.
“There.” He began to untie her harness. “You did it.”
“I did it,” she said, her voice holding a touch of awe. “You did it. I’d still be stuck up there like a bug on a windshield if you hadn’t come along.”
Ty handed the rope to the belayer, who looked so relieved he might faint. “They would have called Jake and he would have come up for you.”
She nodded, her eyes shiny. “I know. There are people who would actually come to my rescue. Like you.”
Ty wanted to kiss her right then. Instead he stepped back and unfastened his own harness. “Thanks,” he said to his belayer as he handed him the rope. “Good work.”
Both of the other guys exchanged looks of relief as they checked over the gear. Ty helped Cassie out of the harness, laughing when she reached behind to adjust her shorts.
“Jeez, talk about a wedgie. No wonder the harnesses get all tangled.” He laughed as she unclipped the chin strap of her helmet. “Remind me to do that again. Real soon.”
“If you’d started on one of the beginner walls, maybe you wouldn’t have gotten stuck.”
“Not stuck, Ty. Scared.”
“Okay, scared. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody needs a little help now and then.”
She placed a hand in the middle of his chest, leaning into him. “I’m glad you were here to help me today.”
Suddenly he didn’t care who was watching. He leaned down and kissed her. She was sweet and hot and she let out that little purr sound she sometimes made when she was excited.
Pulling back, he found her grinning up at him.
“What?”
“You look hot in that helmet, Ty.”
He placed his hand on top of his head and laughed. Their audience wasn’t the only thing he’d forgotten. “A real fashion statement.”
She smiled, and then nodded to the belayers. “Thanks, guys.”
“Sure.”
“Yeah, any time.”
They both couldn’t look right at her and Ty could guess the reason. Her camp shirt was plastered to the front of her from sweat and that pretty purple bra was on display.
“Let me walk you back to the shed. You’re still a little shaky.”
She stopped him with a hand on his arm. “You’re limping.”
He shrugged. “I tweaked my ankle yesterday on my run. It’s nothing.”
“Your ankle was injured and you still helped me?”
“I didn’t give it a passing thought.”
She gave a sweet little gasp, and then let his arm go as they walked on.
“Jake is going to kill me,” she said in a low voice as they stepped into the shed.
“He’s not going to kill you.”
“Why am I not going to kill her?” Jake asked, frowning.
“Nothing major,” Ty said. “Cassie was up on one of the walls and she got a little nervous.”
“I was scared out of my mind,” Cassie said with a smile that told him she was slowly getting over it. “Ty came to my rescue.”
“Yeah?” Jake came around the counter and clapped Ty on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“It was nothing,” Ty answered.
Cassie clicked her tongue. “Okay, if you’re both done being all testosteron-y, I’ll put our gear away and help close down.”
“Weren’t you going for a climb, Ty?”
“You should have told him not to climb, Jake. His ankle is sore.”
“I’m fine, Cassie,” Ty told her. “But I’ve had all the excitement I can handle for today, thanks.”
Cassie stared at him. Hard. “I hope that’s not true.”
Ty kept his expression even as her brother watched him over her shoulder. “Maybe you want to do dinner later? At the tavern?”
“Sure.” She leaned closer, ignoring her brother who now made a show of straightening the counter and looking anywhere but at his little sister and Ty. “But how about pizza out by the far lakeshore?”
Ty couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “Sounds good.”
She kissed him again, just a quick peck, and went over to the equipment wall. When Ty dragged his eyes off of her he found Jake with his arms crossed, one brow arched.
“See you, Jake.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jake answered.
Still grinning, Ty left the shed and headed back to the fitness center. His ankle gave a twinge but he ignored it. If this afternoon’s rescue mission didn’t prove it to him, nothing would.
Cassie Chapman knocked him off his feet.
Chapter 15
They picked up a pizza and ate it out on the back porch of the tent-cabin. The sun was just beginning to dip into the lake as Cassie stretched out in one of the two Adirondack chairs.
“This is just lovely, Ty.” She took in a deep breath and let out all the stress she’d been feeling since dangling above the sandy ground of the courses. “This was a great idea.”
“It was yours, but I have to agree.”
She laughed and took another slice of pizza. “What are you up to this weekend? Do you have Riley tomorrow?”
“Her father called Thursday night. He told my mother that we could have her from ten o’clock until five.”
“That’s not very long.”
“It’s longer than he usually gives us with her.”
She could feel the pain and frustration coming off of him. “It’s none of my business, but I have to say that just sucks.”
“Yeah, it does. There’s nothing I can do about it, though.”
“What about visitation rights? Don’t you have any?”
Ty shook his head, the expression on his face showing how sad the situation made him. “Not at all.”
“So Riley’s father has full custody?”
Ty lifted his beer bottle to his lips and took a long sip. “There’s no such thing as child custody in Florida.”
“What? Why the hell not?”
He raised his brows. “There just isn’t. My mother doesn’t even have rights.”
“But she’s Riley’s grandmother! That doesn’t make any sense.”
“There are grandparents’ rights laws on the books but they’re unconstitutional. It’s a shitty system but one we have no choice but to honor.”
“And if you approached Riley’s father and demanded visitation?”
Ty laughed but there didn’t seem to be any humor in it. “You don’t know this guy. If I demand anything from Hank he’ll fix it so we never see Riley again.”
She scowled. “This guy sounds like a prick.”
“He is. But he’s a good ol’ boy with lots of connections in town. His family practically founded St. Cloud. He can drink and have parties out at his place where the cops get called but nothing sticks. We’re at his mercy.”
Cassie drank more of her beer, and then set the bottle down on the deck. “You know, our father had nothing to do with us aside from paying bills. He’s a prick, too. Maybe my brothers and I were better off.”
“Better off ignored by your father?”
She snorted. “Ignored? Yeah, pretty much. Bill had lots of money to throw at us, though. All the toys we could ever want. The fanciest schools. Pricey tutors. You name it.”
“Sounds like something out of a movie.”
“I guess it was. There was no love there, though. Not from him. Our mother more than made up for his lack of affection, though. Maybe a little bit too much sometimes.”
“How do you mean?”
Cassie felt a little guilty talking about her poor, put-upon mother but sitting here with Ty felt like a very safe place. She wouldn’t try to figure out why just now, though. She’d just take advantage of his easygoing nature and spill h
er guts.
“Our mother was very attached to all of us. It could get a little stifling at times. Rick bore the brunt of it, I suppose. Guilt-tripped into working for Bill right out of college like an indentured servant.”
“He did well with Chapman, though. Didn’t he?”
“He made lots of money. For himself and our dad and the investors. But he was miserable. Even from far away, I could sense that anytime we connected.”
Ty looked thoughtful for a second. “He’s happy now.”
“Yeah, because he got away from Bill and all that bullshit. Jake did too, although his own brand of rebellion almost got him killed a couple of times.”
“I’d heard about that, too.” Ty smiled a little. “Your brothers don’t do anything by half-measure, do they?”
“None of us do.” She wiped her hands and leaned back in the chair. “I did some crazy stupid things to get away from Bill. And to get his attention. How pathetic is that?”
Ty reached over to cover her hand with his. “You’re not pathetic. You’ve made some mistakes but you’re not that scared little girl anymore.”
She looked at him sharply. “Who said I was scared?”
He shrugged. “Weren’t you? I would be, so far away from my family.”
“I guess so. You see so much more than I want to show.”
“There’s nothing you can show me that would send me running, Cassie.”
He looked so earnest right then. The sunset picked up the streaks in his hair and the stubble on his cheeks. His eyes were intense and his beautiful mouth was serious.
“Thanks,” she said for lack of anything more clever.
They were quiet for a few long minutes, just drinking their beer and staring out over the lake. It was really quite pretty out here. Wild yet inviting. It was unlike any place she’d ever been before.
“So when did you lose your mother?” he finally asked.
“About three years after Bill left us for good. I was nine years old.”
“That’s pretty young. Who took care of you?”
She found a smile. “Rick, mostly. He was always so much more serious than me and Jake, but he seemed to grow up really fast. Our father was technically handed custody but he didn’t spend any real time with us. Nannies and tutors raised us, so to speak.”
“That sucks, but you and your brothers are close.”
That warmth filled her chest as it had when she sat with her brothers outside the coffee shop the other day. “We are. Now. Jake and I are a lot alike but he and Rick were closest, I think. I was too busy burning my way through Europe to bother with holidays and stuff.”
“Then you’ll have to stay through the holidays here in Cypress.”
“That’s almost seven months from now.”
He got a little worry line between his brows. “You won’t be here?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Her eyes pricked and she looked back out at the lake. “I don’t know where I’ll be.”
Ty grew really quiet. Even more than usual. Chancing a look at him, she thought he almost looked sad. Would he miss her if she left? No one ever missed her.
“You okay?” she asked.
He faced her with that grin made her stomach flip, a dimple peeping at her in one cheek. “I’m better than okay. I’m eating pizza and drinking beer out by the lake with the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”
“You’re my hero, you know.”
He gave a slow nod. “I know. Saved you from yourself.”
“Myself?” She hit him on the arm. “I didn’t know how tough that wall was.”
“And you work in the shed?”
She had to allow that one. “Yeah, I know. I’m sure Jake will read me the riot act but good on Monday morning.”
“Then you’re off this weekend?”
“Yep.”
“Then come to Old Town Village with me and Riley tomorrow.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s this quirky place over in Kissimmee. It has rides and games and old-fashioned shops. I know, it sounds lame but it’s pretty fun.”
“Wait. They have car shows too, right?”
“Some weekends. I don’t think they have one tomorrow, though.”
Cassie nodded. “Claire and Jake take her father there sometimes. I heard them talking about it.”
“I think they do. What do you say?”
“A whole day with Riley, sure. She’s adorable. But you?” she teased. “I don’t know. You’re kind of a stick in the mud. All about safety and nature. A real know-it-all.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ll definitely have to think about it.”
He growled and reached over, pulling her onto his lap. “I can remind you of how much fun I can be.” He buried his face in the crook of her neck and she let out a little giggle. “I can show you just how much I know, too.”
A flash of heat seemed to bubble up between them and it wasn’t from the burst of orange and pink from the setting sun.
She framed his face with her hands, and then drove her fingers into his hair. “Show me.”
***
Ty was whistling as he poured himself a coffee in his mother’s kitchen. Last night with Cassie had been a revelation, and not just the sex. She’d opened up to him about her childhood, which sounded pretty fucked-up to him. He’d had two wonderful parents and still enjoyed being with his mother. The huge fly in the ointment was the shit Tracy put them through, before and after her death. Even thoughts about Tracy and his own guilt about how she’d turned out couldn’t dim his smile this morning.
“I expected you to stay out at your love shack last night,” his mother said as she came down the stairs.
He managed to keep his smile as he shook his head at her. “It’s Saturday, Mom. We have Riley today and I have to pick her up for ten.”
“Yes, I know. Will you see Cassie today, too?”
He blinked at her. “Can you read minds now?”
She laughed, settling on one of the stools at the tall counter. “I don’t have to. The two of you are dating. Everybody knows that now.”
“I’m not going to argue with everybody, then. We’re taking Riley to Old Town Village.”
Her face lit up. “Oh, she’ll love that!”
“I know it’s a lot of walking, but do you want to come with us?”
She shook her head. “No, dear. You three go have fun. Just promise to bring our little angel here before you go back to Hank’s? I know it’s out of the way.”
Ty put down his mug. “Count on it. Besides, we have her until five and the kid will probably poop out not long after lunch.”
His mother’s face was bright. “Good. Then maybe after you drop her off you and Cassie can have a proper date.”
“A proper date? I’ve taken her out to dinner, you know. The Boathouse.”
“I know.” She winked. “Everybody knows.”
Ty finished his coffee and put his mug in the sink. “I’m going to go pick up Cassie and then we’re heading out.”
“Put sunblock on Riley, Ty. And maybe take that little hat I bought her.”
“Why don’t you go grab some stuff for her and I’ll bring them along.”
He rarely saw his mother move as fast as she did to gather some things for Riley. In just a couple of minutes Ty was holding onto a hot pink tote bag covered with white polka dots and Minnie Mouse faces.
Slinging it over his shoulder, he let out a groan. “The things I do for my niece.”
His mother pushed at his shoulder. “Go. Have fun.”
“I’m taking your car, so just call or text me if you need anything.”
“I’ll be fine, Ty. I’ll just sit out on the porch, I think. It’s a lovely day.”
“Good. I’ll call when we’re on our way home.”
“Home.” The light in his mother’s eyes dimmed a little. “I wish this was her home.”
“She’s safe and well taken care of at Hank’s, Mom. That’s what we hav
e to focus on.”
She sniffed, and then nodded. “You’re right. You’re always right.”
He shook his head. “Always right, huh? I’ll remember that the next time you disagree with me about something.”
“Never mind. Now, shoo.”
He pulled his mother’s Camry out of the garage, and then hit the windows and breathed in. The air was fresh this morning, although it would probably get pretty warm come the afternoon. That was spring in Central Florida. As he approached Rick and Harmony’s, he saw Cassie waiting for him on the porch. She stood when he stopped the car and he took a few seconds to just look at her.
All that wavy dark hair was pulled up off her face in a ponytail and she wore a purple T-shirt and denim shorts. The shirt was worn and had French words scrawled across it. It might be the same one she’d been wearing when he’d picked her up at the airport, but he couldn’t be sure. There had been so much else to notice about her that afternoon. Damn, her legs looked long with those shorts and little sneakers.
Before he could get out of the car she was running toward him. She got in and fastened her seatbelt, a grin on her face.
“Hey, there!” She leaned in and kissed him right on the mouth. “Isn’t it a nice morning?”
“It is. Thanks for coming.”
“This is going to be fun, Ty. Rick and Harmony gave me the lowdown on the best rides.”
“Yeah well, promise me you won’t try the zip line.”
She waved a hand. “No worries there. I think I’ve had enough with ropes and heights to last a lifetime.”
He pulled away from the curb and turned the car around to head out to St. Cloud. She picked up the straps to the pink tote and let out a short laugh.
“This yours?” she asked. “I wouldn’t have thought pink was your signature color.”
“Ha. No, it’s Riley’s. Please say you’ll carry it around today?”
She nodded. “Sure thing. I love Minnie. She’s a classic.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re up for carnival food.”
“What, like candy apples and popcorn and stuff?”
“Mostly. There are a few restaurants too. And a couple of bars, believe it or not.”
Cypress Corners Boxed Set (Books 1-3) Page 47