Chapter Twenty-Five
Cassie
I knew I was being moody, that my emotions were all over the place. But how I felt was how I felt. I was at war with myself. I wanted to be touched and desired. But at the same time I didn’t want to be jerked around. Dec wanted to eat his cake and have it too. That’s not how this was going to go. I couldn’t afford a broken heart.
I drank my wine and finished cooking dinner. I could hear Wyllie playing in the next room with his dad and his uncle. He really was such a lucky little boy. As irritating as those two men were, they were great role models. Both of them kind, chivalrous, successful, and driven. If Wyllie grew up to have some of their better qualities, I’d be happy. I could go without my son bedding his way across Europe though.
“Guys. Dinner’s ready.” I put out plates and silverware then made Wyllie’s plate. I made sure everything was cool and in bite-size pieces.
Brice came in rubbing his hands together. “Fresh baked cookies and a home-cooked meal? Cassie, you are the best.”
Dec came in behind him, carrying Wyllie on his shoulders. He took him down and flew him with flourish into his highchair. We made our plates and sat, Dec taking my normal seat next to Wyllie. I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. I was so used to feeding Wyllie while trying to feed myself in the process. I had to stop myself from taking over a few times.
When Brice was finished shoveling food into his mouth, he sat back in his chair, wine in hand, and looked between Declan and me. He could feel the tension. Only question: what was he going to do about it? He could be such a shit stirrer sometimes.
“I ran into Jason earlier today, he said you two had lunch together.”
Shit stirrer it was. “Yeah I was out running some errands and we bumped into each other.”
Dec put his fork down and glared at me. “I asked you about your day not two hours ago and you never mentioned Jason. Were you planning on not telling me you had lunch with your ex-boyfriend?”
Brice made a face. “Ex-boyfriend? When did you date Jason?”
I took a deep breath and put a smile on my face. “I never dated Jason. I told you, we’re friends. And I didn’t mention it to you, Dec, because you seem to have such a sore spot when it comes to him.” I kept my voice calm and even; I didn’t want Wyllie to pick up on any anger.
“So you went to lunch with another man, a man who is obviously interested in you, even though you are engaged to me? How do you think that makes me look? Makes you look?”
I glanced over at Wyllie. He was eating his green beans and playing in some spilt milk. “I didn’t make plans to see him, Dec, it was a coincidence. We were both eating alone at the same place. It would have been awkward to not sit together. It’s not like I kissed him or flirted with him. We had lunch, that was all.” I plastered another sweet smile on my face. “I’m not loving your d-i-c-k head jealousy crap. You don’t want me, but no one else can have me? What are you, five?” I stood and picked up Wyllie. “He needs a bath, and I need to not be around you right now.” I shot daggers at Brice. “Do the dishes.”
I was so mad I wanted to scream and throw things and cry and scream some more. I took deep calming breaths on the way to the Wyllie’s bathroom. A lot of them. Declan was being an ass, and Brice? What was his end game here? Was he trying to end Dec and I before we even started?
First the custody questions, and now bringing up Jason.
I needed to have words with my brother.
***
After I bathed Wyllie and got him all comfy in his jammies, I carried him back downstairs. Declan and Brice were sitting at the island in the kitchen, a plate of cookies and a bottle of wine between them.
“Here you go, Daddy, all clean and ready for bed.” The goofy smile on Declan’s face was enough to melt some of my anger. The reaction this man had at being called Daddy was freaking adorable.
He rose, cradling a sleepy Wyllie to his chest. “Tell Mommy night-night.”
I leaned in and kissed my son. Brice did the same. “Good night, wild man. See you in the morning.”
When Dec and Wyllie were upstairs, I grabbed the cookie out of Brice’s hand and took the plate away for good measure. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you constantly trying to start fights between Dec and me?”
He rolled his eyes, annoyed. “What are you talking about? I’m not trying to make y’all fight.”
“Really? Could have fooled me. You brought up custody of Wyllie the other day, and tonight it was me having lunch with another man.” I downed the rest of Declan’s wine.
“I’m trying to get the two of you to see how stupid you are being. I brought up custody because I wanted Declan to realize that he doesn’t want to spend one moment away from you or Wyllie. And bringing up Jason? A little jealousy is a good thing. Declan needs to see how lucky he is.”
I shook my head, smiling. “I love you, Brice, so much. But you’ve got to leave it alone. Dec needs to figure out how he feels and what he wants on his own. I lied to him. I kept our son from him. He deserves some time to think.” What he doesn’t deserve is sex while he does it.
“He loves you, Cassie.”
I nodded. “I know he does.” But sometimes love wasn’t enough. Sometimes love wasn’t all you need to make a relationship work.
Brice took my hand. “I don’t want to see you get your heart broken, Cassie. You deserve the best Declan, not the half-in wishy-washy Declan.”
I let out a little laugh. “Don’t I know it?” I slid the cookie plate back to him.
“You’re a good big brother, Brice. You’re a good friend and a good uncle. But I’m a big girl now.
“I can handle Dec on my own.”