“Good night.”
“Mmm hmm.” She dropped the portable back onto its cradle and sat down on the couch.
Thomas spoke first. “Mom, what’s wrong between you two?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Thomas, but our problems… I have to talk to Kevin about them.” She started to her feet, but her son’s hand grasped her arm and she settled back down, meeting his light eyes.
“Mom, can I let you know one thing?”
“What?”
“It seems like all fall has been a real roller coaster for you. Whatever is going on, all I want is to see you happy.”
James nodded. “Me, too.”
“I’ll be all right,” she responded. “Kevin and I will talk, and things will be resolved.” That was as much as she was willing to say. She went to the calendar. “Your school dance is the sixteenth,” she realized.
Thomas leaned over the couch and looked at her. “Yeah.”
“Looks like we go tux shopping tomorrow after church.”
James and Thomas groaned. “Can’t we just wear suits and ties?”
“What’s the attire requirement?”
“Formal,” James supplied with a grimace.
“Then it’s tuxedos. Have your dates picked their dresses yet?”
“Yes.”
Brenna nodded. “Tomorrow’s a busy day. You’d better get to bed.” She crossed the room again and accepted a kiss on the cheek from each son as they passed her. She kept a lingering hold on James. His reticence around Cassidy bothered her. “Are you all right?” She rubbed lightly between his shoulder blades, feeling the layer of tension there.
“Just anxious about all the changes,” he stated. “I’ll get over it.”
“Promise me you’ll tell me if anything gets to be too much.” She brushed her fingers through his hair. “Yes?” He nodded but said nothing. She pulled him into her body and rejoiced at the way he clung to her for a brief moment. My son. “I love you. Good night, James.”
Letting him go, she stood quietly, watching them both walk to their rooms. With a small smile, she had a moment of faith that everything might actually work out. She went into her room and closed her door, picked up the phone and dialed a now-familiar number.
Cassidy stepped into the house, putting her keys and purse aside. Ryan charged to the bathroom. “A quick bath,” she reminded him. “Then it’s story time.” “Will you read me a story?”
“Sure,” she answered, leaning in the doorway, She grinned as he splashed Into the filling tub. “Keep the water off the floor.”
“Okay.”
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yes.” Cassidy started out the door to get his pajamas. “Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“Are we going to see Ms. Lanigan again?”
“Probably.” She smiled warmly at the memory of Brenna’s face in the twilight.
“Are we going to be able to see Daddy anymore?”
“What?”
“Now that you’re dating Ms. Lanigan, will I get to see Daddy?”
“What makes you think Brenna and I are dating?” Cassidy knelt at the side of the tub and soaped a washcloth, helping him by washing behind his ears and over his back. “We’re just friends.”
“You don’t kiss ‘just friends’, Mom,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Cassidy carefully stifled her inclination to deny it. He must have seen us kissing in the tent during the camping trip. Obviously he had continued to think about it. At least he was finally talking to her about it. “Does that bother you?”
Ryan shook his head. “She’s really nice, and Thomas is a lot of fun. James doesn’t like me.”
“So, what’s bothering you?”
“When you were dating Mister P’lassis, I didn’t get to see Daddy. I want to be able to see Daddy.”
“Who I’m dating doesn’t affect you seeing your father.”
“Does that mean I can see him again?”
“Why do you want to see him?” Cassidy had kept Mitch’s image as pristine as possible for Ryan. During the divorce, the youngster had not been old enough to understand anything other than that he no longer saw his father every day.
“I asked Thomas if he ever saw his dad, and he said no. He hadn’t seen him since his mom married Mister Shea.”
Cassidy wondered if that was Brenna’s doing or her first husband’s. “I don’t know the reasons,” she admitted, “but we shouldn’t guess. It’s not nice.”
“Okay. So, are you dating her?”
Were they dating? Tonight could be considered a first date, even though they had been surrounded by their children. Or had the camping trip been the first one? She wanted to take Brenna out on a date sometime, just the two of them. That would be their first date, she decided. She finally shook her head. “No, we’re not dating.”
“Would you like to be?”
Smiling at her son’s “cut to the chase” manner, she said, “Yes. But it’s our secret, all right yours, mine, and Bren’s. Okay?”
“Okay.” Ryan nodded and turned away from her, standing up in the tub. “I’m ready for my story.”
At her son’s typically abrupt change of subject, Cassidy stood and wrapped him up in a towel as he stepped out of the water. “I’m glad you approve.” She laughed, rubbing his hair briskly under the terrycloth. He giggled when she tickled him and helped him into his pajamas.
Together they went into his room and pulled out Jack and the Beanstalk. They shared the reading and oohed and aahed together over the various mishaps and marŹvels in the giant’s home and the final triumph as Jack cut down the beanstalk.
When they finished, she tucked him under the covers. “Good night, Ryan.”
“Good night, Mommy.”
The phone rang. Hurrying out to the living room, Cassidy settled into the corŹner of her couch and answered it. “Hello?”
“Cassidy?”
Brenna’s voice slid through the phone and wrapped around her. It was soft, Cassidy realized, likely in order to keep their conversation private. She pictured the woman in her bedroom, lying across her bed. She shook herself to damp down the desire aroused by that simple image. “What’s up? I don’t think I left anything at the house.”
“You didn’t. I just wanted to tell you, I got off the phone with Kevin a few minŹutes ago.”
“You didn’t tell him over the phone!” She brought her voice down to a more normal pitch and volume and said again, “Brenna, don’t tell me you did that.”
“I didn’t. I…chickened out. He’s coming here, though. He’ll escort me to the Christmas party.”
“Oh.” She stifled her disappointment. “Everyone will expect that, I guess.”
“I know. We’ll talk after the party, though. I…wanted your permission…to tell him about us.”
Cassidy was torn. “Do you really want to do that? I thought you had other reaŹsons that were precipitating the divorce.”
“I do, but I realized they’re all excuses, reasons to avoid coming right out and saying I don’t love him. He recognized at Thanksgiving that we’ve been drifting apart. So, that’s what I should tell him.”
“Brenna, I don’t know. My divorce was very messy because I’d had an affair. That’s part of the reason I agreed we shouldn’t do anything until you were…able to.” She gripped the phone. “Besides, have you thought what that would be admitting? Are you really ready for the publicity? He’s a public official, if a small-town one. The firestorm would be”
“Oh God, unbearable.” Brenna sighed. “I don’t want to hurt him like that. I just want to be able to tell someone how much I love you,” she ended with a whispered pledge.
Cassidy blushed at the lowered, enticing tone. “Brenna, I”
“I had an incredible time today. All day,” Brenna admitted with soft amazeŹment. “I felt like we were a real family.”
“James might have a problem with that,” Cassidy pointed out.
“I th
ink he’ll come around. I had a talk with them.”
“About us?”
“Not exactly, but I told them I was unhappy, that Kevin and I have problems.”
“But you didn’t actually mention divorce.”
“No.”
“What did they say?”
“That they want me to be happy.” Brenna sounded a little stunned.
“I love your sons,” Cassidy said. “We have a lot in common.”
She heard the bedsprings as Brenna shifted on her bed. Imagining activities she could share with Brenna on that bed made her weak in the knees. She could almost imagine Brenna breathless and writhing under her touch.
“I, uh, should get some sleep,” Brenna said reluctantly. “I have to take the boys to a men’s shop tomorrow and rent tuxedos for their dance next Friday.”
“Tuxes? That must’ve gone over well. I bet they’ll look smashing, though. They’ve got their mom’s genes, and you looked incredible in that men’s suit in Wild
Horses”
During a time jump, they had all been swept through a vorlex to the American Old West. A fun romp, the episode had been a breather from their usual characterŹizations. Jakes had portrayed a Calamity Jane type and Hanssen, one of the “upstairs girls”. One of Hanssen’s Johns was supposed to be stopped from killing the town sheriff. Creighton had insinuated himself as the bartender and provided the modern, untraceable compound slipped into the drink. Jakes delivered the poisoned drink to their suspect during a high stakes card game.
“How long did you say you’ve been attracted to me again?”
Cassidy could just picture the sensual smile curling those kissable lips. The same look had innocently met the gaze of the sheriff, the man they had saved, though without his knowledge. Cassidy countered with a question of her own. “And what’s the favorite outfit you’ve seen me in?”
“As Chris?”
“As Chris.”
“I rather liked the flight jockey look on you in Brains and Brawn” Brenna replied huskily. “Before that, the gown from Wild Horses”
Cassidy grinned and chuckled softly. “See you Monday?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Good night, Bren.”
“Good night, Cass.”
Chapter 35
Crossing her feet at the ankles, Brenna leaned forward to get a better look at the script just laid in front of her on the small table in her trailer. “You really think I should consider it, Ray?”
Raymond Aruth, a slim man with brown hair and eyes, adjusted the lapel of his gray suit jacket. “Yes, I do. It’s got an energized group already assembled. The script is original, bold.”
“It’s shooting in England.”
“Tops you’d be there only…four weeks.” He put a hand on her shoulder to close the sale. “They loved the clips I sent. They want you.”
“When?”
“May. However, you have to go out before that specifically to read for the part, otherwise the government won’t issue the work visa.”
Brenna groaned. “Good thing my passport’s up to date. When do they want to do that?”
“As soon as possible.”
She looked at the opening pages. Ray had highlighted the role he had considŹered for her. The plot was elemental fantasy. She wondered what the pages would reveal.
“Read it. Think it over.” Ray patted her hand. “Now, tell me how it’s going here.”
She set aside the script. “Good.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Anything you need? I heard there was a top-down shake up.”
Brenna nodded. Cameron and Will’s fight still unnerved her. “Positive results from that so far.”
“All right. How are Thomas and James?”
She smiled. “We had a good break together camping. I’ve gotten the time I wanted with them.”
Ray stood. “That’s great. So, it’s still working. Happy?”
Brenna had an image of Cassidy the last time she had seen her. “Yes.” She grinned. “It’s proving to be a good season.”
“I like that smile, Brenna. I do. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it.” He reached for his briefcase. “I’ve represented you for ten years, and that smile is a promise that I’ll do it for a lot longer. Right?”
She stood and hugged him. “I promise I’ll look at the project. England’s dauntŹing, though.” She winced. “We’ll see.”
Opening the trailer door, Brenna let Ray hug her as he passed onto the steps. She leaned on the railing as he moved down to the sidewalk. Suddenly she joined him. “I’ll walk you out.”
They passed several crew members headed out to other soundstages. On another walkway, she glimpsed Cassidy and caught a small wave.
“I was looking at some of your recent tape,” Ray said. “I’d like to add a couple of scenes from Brains and Brawn to your audition reel.”
Brenna smiled, remembering the shoot and how hard she had worked on it. “Go ahead.” They stopped on the path. “I’ll call you after Christmas with my verdict
on the movie proposal.”
“Excellent. Give my love to your family,”
“I will.”
With quick strides, Brenna returned to her trailer to pick up her scripts. She was looking forward to the holiday break.
An unexpected visitor rose from her couch. “Cassidy?”
“Forgot what I looked like already?”
“I mean, what are you doing here?”
“I had to be here for a few meetings myself. I saw you with…”
“That was my agent, Ray Aruth.”
“I thought I’d see how you were.”
Brenna pulled her door shut. “I’m good.”
Cassidy sat back on the couch, and Brenna watched her getting comfortable. In deference to the cool temperatures, she wore a light blue sweater and wool slacks. A jacket lay over the couch arm next to her. “I thought about what you said,” Cassidy interjected into the silence.
“What?”
“About telling Kevin about us. I’m still not sure you should, but I don’t want to tell you how”
Brenna knelt on the couch cushion, one knee on either side of Cassidy’s thighs, and put a light hand over full lips. “You didn’t. You expressed an opinion that I asked for. And you’re right,” she added, “about the press it would generate. I won’t let you or Ryan be hurt.” She leaned forward, removed her fingers, and kissed Cassidy soundly.
“So now, tell me about what Ray brought you?”
Brenna chuckled as Cassidy tugged her down until she was sitting on her lap. “It’s a script to be filmed in England,” she said.
“Sounds interesting.”
“It sounds far away,” Brenna countered.
“Well, read the script before you decide. If it’s worth a look, you’ll find a way.”
Brenna blinked. She had thought with them feeling their way into a relationŹship, her leaving the States right now would have been at the bottom of Cassidy’s suggestion list. “You’re serious.”
“Don’t I sound serious?”
Cassidy’s fingers combed through her hair, and Brenna couldn’t deny how wonŹderful it made her feel. “What about us?”
“There isn’t any us…yet,” Cassidy pointed out. “But even if there was…Brenna, you’re a brilliant actress. We’ll find projects together or close to one another, or I’ll wait while you work, and…I hope…you’ll wait while I work. I won’t ever tell you that you can’t do a project that you want.”
Cassidy was in earnest; Brenna saw the proof of it in her face. A lump of emoŹtion lodged in her throat. She rubbed her eyes to avoid the tears burning in them. Hands slid up her arms to her shoulders and pulled her against a warm, soft chest. “Thank you,” she murmured against the soft skin of Cassidy’s throat.
Fingers brushed against her chin, lifting it. “So…tell me, was the tux hunt fun?”
Brenna laughed at the change of subject. Obviously her get
ting emotional over the statement of support made Cassidy uncomfortable. Well, damn it, no one had ever just said, “Do it” before. “They suffered, but now Thomas and James are properly outfitted for Friday.”
“Have any pictures?”
“In my bag,”
“Let’s see.” Brenna withdrew the Polaroids, and Cassidy encouraged her to recline into her chest to share the viewing. Her fingers moved gently over Brenna’s shoulders, raising tingles, then down her sides under her arms before tucking around her stomach.
The first picture was of James. Cassidy traced the outline of his frown as he fidgeted with the cummerbund. “He doesn’t look pleased.”
“James would rather curl up with a book than dance, but he’s going because he’s totally in love with Marcie.”
“Do you like to dance?”
“I love it,” Brenna replied, as Cassidy’s hand slid across her abdomen. “I took a little time on Sunday night to show them both how to lead.” She grinned, rememberŹing the awkward moments as they stepped on her feet or just stumbled on the idea that their mom was teaching them to dance. However, she had seen the pride in their eyes when she declared them “fit to serve”. She switched to another picture James adjusting Thomas’ bowtie. “They managed passable ties, too.”
Cassidy looked more closely at Thomas’ figure. “He really takes after you,” she murmured. “I love that smile.”
“Thomas has always been…more balanced. Maybe it was the fact that he was already in school when I divorced Tom. James…cried for months, upset at the least little change in plans or routine.” Brenna fell silent, pensive as she recalled those difŹficult days.
“What happened with your first marriage?” Cassidy nudged her into the curve of her shoulder. Brenna lifted a knee and adjusted her position to be more comfortŹable. Cassidy’s chin dropped gently onto her right shoulder, faint breathing sounding reassuringly in her ear.
“I was becoming miserable. I love my boys, but I wasn’t working. I hadn’t worked in almost three years. I felt a part of myself dying.” She sipped in a breath. “Tom said it was for the best. I should just quit entirely, he said. Stay home and raise the boys.” She swallowed the bitterness that still rose at his total lack of support. “He did not understand at all. There he was with his work; I had nothing.” She pursed her lips and frowned, then inhaled and exhaled slowly. God, it still hurts feeling that alone.
Turning Point Page 35