“I’m not a shark. Jeez, what will Cassie think of me if you tell them that?”
Cassie slid into the booth and Ty followed. It was a little close and it felt just right.
“A shark, huh? Hmm. I played over in England but Ty tells me this isn’t snooker.”
“Snooker?” Jake chuckled. “Are we having tea and crumpets later?”
“Hardly,” Ty said. “Wings and nachos, maybe.”
Cassie smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, maybe Claire and I will team up and kick both your sorry asses.”
Jake groaned. “Man, another one.”
Claire reached across and took Cassie’s hand in hers. “We Chapman girls have to stick together.”
If he hadn’t been watching, he would have missed the way Cassie’s shoulders tightened just a little bit. Her smile looked warm, though. The girl was afraid to give herself to these people who obviously loved her. It was her own brand of crap and she needed to work through it herself.
He just hoped that she wasn’t afraid to give herself to him, too.
Chapter 17
Cassie nibbled on a hot wing, letting the heat from the sauce and the cool bite of blue cheese fill her senses. There was a little pile of skinny bones in front of her and no one was more surprised than she was. She rarely ate this kind of food, simple pub stuff, and it was pretty good. This place was a modern honkytonk, and it was like no other place she’d ever been. Not quite a dive, but it definitely had a dive vibe, if that was a thing. She found she liked it.
“How was Old Town Village?” Claire asked, setting her own plate aside.
“It was a lot of fun.” Cassie didn’t even skip a beat. She wasn’t at all surprised that her family knew what they’d been up to today. Her brothers and their wives talked every day. “Watching Riley enjoying herself was a blast.”
“She is a sweet little thing,” Claire said. “When can you bring her by again, Ty?”
Ty stiffened beside Cassie, but gave Claire his usual carefree expression. “I’m not sure. Soon, I hope.”
Jake sighed dramatically. “Good. She can keep Nick on his toes. That boy wears me out.”
“You say that but more than once I found the two of you asleep on Harmony’s couch,” Claire said.
Jake shrugged and turned a serious expression on his wife. “Chapman men work hard, Claire. We play hard, too.”
Claire laughed and waved a hand at him. “Yeah, yeah. So what else did you do at Old Town Village?”
“This and that,” Cassie answered. “The merry-go-round and those little cars that look like ladybugs.”
“Cassie went up in the Ferris wheel,” Ty put in.
Jake’s brows rose. “Yeah? After yesterday’s climb? Good for you, sis. Back on the horse.”
Cassie licked the sauce off her fingers and wiped her hands. “I didn’t climb the wheel, Jake. I just sat there and let the machine do the work.”
Jake laughed. “Next time you want to climb let me get you on the beginner’s wall, okay?”
“I won’t be climbing again.” She nudged Ty with her shoulder. “Even if big, strong nature boy here comes to my rescue again.”
“You are her hero, Ty,” Claire said. “Now let’s see if you two tough guys can beat two delicate flowers at a real challenge. What do you say, Cassie?”
Cassie grinned and took the last sip of her beer. “Bring it.”
The pool room was pretty much what she’d expected. Six tables were lined up down the middle of the big room, with wide shaded lights hanging low above each one. It was noisy with chatter and laughter and the crack of billiard balls. Several games were going on, and there were about eight guys and half as many girls scattered around five of the tables. The closest one was just opening up as they entered, and Ty said hello and thanks to the guys vacating the table.
“Oh, good!” Claire grabbed two cues from the wall and handed one to Cassie. “Here. Rack those balls, boys.”
Jake snickered. “That’s what she said.”
Cassie clicked her tongue at her brother and leaned on her cue stick, eyeing the table. “I think I know how to play eight ball.”
“Then we’ll play eight ball,” Ty said.
She watched him as he racked the balls. He looked a little more relaxed now. She was glad. His nerves had been stretched taut ever since they’d dropped Riley back at her father’s. Her putting her nose in his business hadn’t helped matters, either.
Claire took the first shot and sank one of the striped balls. Purple and white, the twelve ball.
“We’re stripes, Cassie,” she grinned.
Jake shook his head. “Just sit tight and watch them, Ty. Claire doesn’t give the table up easily.”
Claire winked at her husband, and then proceeded to sink the ten and eleven balls too. Then Jake came close and whispered something in her ear that made her blush and scratch on the shot. The cue ball popped into the side pocket and Claire stomped one foot.
“Damn you, Jake Chapman.”
Claire didn’t look angry, though. In fact, the heat in her eyes showed that whatever Jake had whispered wasn’t about their pool game.
“You take the shot, Ty,” Jake said. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Cassie watched Ty as he leaned over the table to line up his shot. His butt looked mighty fine in his cargo shorts, the fabric stretched just right. His shirt rode up a little bit, too. She wanted to slide her hands up his back and feel his smooth muscles. Test his strength as he flexed and shot.
He sank the number two ball and Cassie groaned. Glancing over his shoulder at her, Ty winked.
“Five ball, right corner,” he said, and then sank the ball he’d indicated.
“Now who’s the shark?” Cassie grumbled.
Ty chuckled and lined up another shot. Taking a page from her brother’s book, Cassie came up really close to him. She put her face right in the crook of his neck, breathed in and sighed.
“Cassie,” he said, a warning in his voice.
“You handle that stick mighty fine, Ty,” she whispered. “Get it in the pocket every time.”
He coughed then and missed his shot. He still smiled, though. “You play hard, Cassie Chapman.”
Grinning, she grabbed her cue and wriggled her butt at him. “Watch me.”
She and Claire cleaned the table between them but the next game was taken by the guys. By the start of the third game Ty looked relaxed and like he was having a good time. His dimples kept peeping out at her and his hazel eyes sparkled like the stars over the far lakeshore.
“What are you guys up to tomorrow?” Ty asked, directing his question toward her.
“Harmony and Rick are barbecuing,” Jake answered. “Why don’t you come by?”
“I’d love to.”
“Bring your mom, Ty,” Claire said. “She’s a hoot.”
Ty snorted. “Yeah. A real Lettie in training.”
“I think she’s sweet,” Cassie told him. “She loves you and Riley so much.”
Ty smiled. “If only we—” He looked out into the bar area, a dark look on his face. “Shit.”
Cassie followed his gaze and saw it landed on a burly guy in his forties standing just inside the bar area. He had a buzz cut and a beer belly and, by the way he was holding court with a bunch of other rednecks and the expression on Ty’s face, she guessed he could only be Hank Busey.
Riley’s father.
***
Ty watched Hank reveling in his element, laughing and boasting and being his usual, blowhard self. Cassie stepped close to him and placed her hand on his arm.
“Why don’t you go talk to him?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
He could think of a hundred reasons why not, but none of them made any real sense. He had to talk with Hank and at least the guy looked to be in a good mood. Handing Cassie his cue stick, he made his way toward the bar.
“I will.”
He left his friends and made his way toward Hank. “Hey, Hank.”
Hank turned with a jerk, his eyes going wide for a second before he wore a shit-eating grin. “Walsh. Haven’t seen you here in a while.”
“I’m here with friends.”
Hank looked past him into the pool room, and then faced Ty again with a sly expression. “Friends, huh? I’ve been watching that hottie you’re playing with. She looks familiar. Now, where have I seen her before? Hmm.”
Ty took in a calming breath. “Can we talk for a few minutes?”
Hank drained his beer and set his bottle back on the bar. “Sure thing. Buy me another beer and we’ll go have a chat.”
Ty dug out his wallet and paid for Hank’s beer. “Two more, please.”
The girl handed him two bottles and Ty brought them over to where Hank was now seated at one of the booths. He handed Hank one bottle, which Hank cracked open. As he took a long drink, Ty sat down across from him and set the other bottle on the table.
“I want to talk about Riley, Hank.”
“What about her?”
“We want to see her more often than once a week. And for longer than just a few hours at a time.”
“Look, Tracy didn’t say anything to me about the kid when she was alive. You and your family had her all to yourselves until your sister kissed that phone pole. Now she lives with me.”
Ty bit back a sharp response to Hank’s harsh description of Tracy’s death. “We need to work up a plan for visitation. To have some kind of schedule so we can plan for our days with Riley.”
“I don’t have any kind of agreement with you, Walsh. And I don’t have to. Not with you or with your mother. How is she, by the way?”
Ty blinked at the swift change in subject. “She’s fine.”
“Oh?” Hank scratched his chin. “Riley told me she gets tired.”
“She has fibromyalgia. She has mostly good days, though.”
“Still. A sick woman can’t be trusted with an active kid like my Riley. That’s not good for either of them.”
“My mother loves that little girl and I’m always there when she visits.”
Hank took another drink. “I guess that’s okay, then. I’m still not obliged to give you any kind of agreement. You have no legal leg to stand on and you know it. No grandparents’ rights for your mother, either.”
“I know that.” Ty had read all the statutes and consulted an attorney to arrive at just that same sad truth. “I’m asking you as Riley’s uncle, Hank.”
“And why would I let her hang around with you and your friends? That’s not good for the kid, either.”
“What’s wrong with my friends?”
Hank gave a greasy smile. “Let’s take that hottie, for instance. I know who she is, you know. That Chapman chick who burned up the tabloids in Europe. Have you seen the pictures, Walsh? My buddy Reggie there pulled them up on his phone. Damn, she’s got a smoking body. You hitting that?”
“Don’t talk about her like that.”
“I sure would,” Hank went on. “With that pretty, rosy mouth I bet she could suck a guy for hours.”
“Enough,” Ty growled. He waited a beat, and then spoke again. “Please, Hank. This is about Riley.”
“And this is about the fact that I’m the best thing for that little girl. I’m an upstanding citizen whose damn family founded this city. Your sister was a party girl, and you know it.”
“Seems to me you party a lot yourself.”
“So what if I do? There isn’t a dark splotch against me, Walsh. Not a damn mark. You know that.”
“That’s because of all your buddies in the courts and city hall.”
Hank waved one beefy hand. “Whatever. The fact is I’m the fucking paragon here and you’re the one running around with that party girl from Boston.”
“She isn’t like that.”
“Don’t matter if she is or she isn’t. The press is the press and that girl’s rep is pretty remarkable. She got into some crazy shit across the pond. Have you two made a sex tape yet? Damn, I’d pay to see a sex tape with her in it.”
Ty flexed his hands and placed them flat on the table. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples but he held on to his control.
“I know we have no standing in court, Hank. You and Linda are good parents to Riley.”
Hank’s chest puffed up and he leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, we are. Linda takes good care of the kid. But I have the only say in where and when Riley goes anywhere.”
“What do you want?” Ty hated to ask but he was out of ideas right then. “Tell me what you want in exchange for giving us more time with Riley.”
“What do I want? You ain’t got anything I want, Walsh. Living out there in Stepford with all the other perfect people. Tamed wild animals, that’s what you all are. Pets.” His gaze slid over to Cassie again. “Except for that Chapman chick. Even you can’t tame that one.” He looked back at Ty, leaning closer. “Tell me. Does she like to be tied down? She like it rough?”
Ty came to his feet, sending the chair rocking on its legs behind him. “Just think about what I said. I know you don’t have to work with us but we appreciate any time we get with Riley.”
Hank looked very proud of himself again. Why wouldn’t he? Ty was practically licking his boots.
“Sure, sure,” Hank said with a nod. “Just keep your nose clean. I wouldn’t want any scandal or gossip to touch my sweet little girl’s life.”
It nearly killed him to kiss Hank’s ass but he had no choice. “No. Of course not.”
Hank lumbered to his feet, reaching across to take the other unopened bottle of beer in his big fist. “Thanks for the beer.” He winked. “Have a good night.”
Cassie, Jake and Claire made their way over to him and Ty didn’t miss it when Hank watched Cassie’s ass.
“You okay?” Cassie asked.
“Yeah.”
“Any progress?”
“He’s going to think about it.”
“Well, that’s something,” Claire said.
Ty grunted his agreement but he knew that Hank saying he’d think about it meant absolutely nothing. And from the expression on Cassie’s face, she got that too. Hank wouldn’t change his mind about visitation and now he had a bone to pick with Ty about Cassie, of all people. Cassie who was so sweet with Riley and so good for him. She was more than just a party girl from Boston. He knew that even if Hank never would.
Cassie wrapped a hand around his arm. “Do you want to shoot another game?”
He shook his head. “I’m ready to go.”
“Will we see you tomorrow at my brother’s?” Jake asked.
“I think so,” Ty told him. “Rick’s burgers are hard to turn down.”
Claire hugged Cassie. “See you tomorrow, Cassie.”
Cassie squeezed her eyes shut as she returned the embrace. A sudden burst of raucous laughter came from Hank’s corner of the bar. Ty lifted his head to find the rednecks ogling both Claire and Cassie as they checked out each other’s phones. Hank was bent close to one of his cronies and whatever he said had that guy snickering.
“Let’s go,” he said to Cassie.
Cassie tilted her head in question, but then she just smiled again and the rest of the place faded from his mind. Hank and his near-refusal to consider coming up with a visitation agreement. The guy’s disgusting comments about Cassie. The general noise of the bar and the crack of the balls on the pool tables. There was nothing but Cassie and he felt a warmth bloom in his chest.
This was more than sexual. He’d suspected it for a while now. It was her. Just her. He could fall hard for this girl. If she wasn’t so tangled up inside about her family and her past they might turn into something real. Something lasting. But after their talk last night?
He suspected she wouldn’t stick around Cypress long enough to give them a chance.
Chapter 18
About a week later, Memorial Day weekend was upon them. Ty hadn’t ended up coming by for burgers at Rick’s that Sunday after his talk with Hank and Cassie tr
ied really hard not to take it personally. By the time they’d had a chance to catch up it was Wednesday and they shared what was becoming their usual. Take-out or pizza out at the tent-cabin and more of the best sex she’d ever had. There was a wall there, though. He was worried about visitation with Riley and he’d gone back to being that strong and silent type of guy.
He still laughed and teased and drove her crazy in the best ways, though. She couldn’t complain. They’d grabbed a couple lattes at the coffee shop just this morning but, since he hadn’t mentioned any weekend plans, she wasn’t counting on another invitation to take up what little bit of time he had with his niece. She wasn’t going to be that girl. Needing to constantly be the center of attention with her guy. Her guy. When had she started to think about him that way? He was, though. She might not do relationships, she never had anyway, but this thing she had going with Ty sure felt like one. It wasn’t as frightening as she might have thought before meeting her dimpled hottie.
Cassie had been in Cypress Corners going on a month now and, while she loved being around family, she still didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. She wasn’t a fool. She knew she couldn’t stay in this state of limbo forever.
So on Friday afternoon she came home to Rick and Harmony’s after another day at the shed with Jake. She’d had a lot of fun showing kids the ins and outs of the courses and instructing them on safety over the past couple of days. Whoever would have thought that she would be able to connect with the little guys? Her very favorite little guy was sitting on the couch, playing with his Legos and watching the big screen.
She put her big bag down on the table in the foyer and walked toward the family room.
“Hey there, Nick.”
He turned, his face breaking in a smile. “Hi, Aunt Cassie! Watch the dragons with me?”
“Sure.”
“My friend Billy got a new dragon and he brought it for show-and-tell today.”
“That sounds pretty cool.”
Nick nodded, and then turned back to his show.
“Hi, Cassie,” Harmony said from the kitchen.
Her sister-in-law was making something for dinner, and it smelled fantastic. Cassie headed for the kitchen and leaned on the tall counter. She sniffed the air again. “What’s for dinner? It smells yummy.”
Cypress Corners Boxed Set (Books 1-3) Page 49