Chapter Nine
When they pulled up to the curb in front of the Chases’ beautiful home, nervousness clawed Cassie’s insides. Sure, she knew Polly casually and she saw Matt pretty much every day, but this was like a meet the parents date. What if they didn’t like her for their son?
Shane grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss across her knuckles. “Darlin’, don’t be nervous. They already know you except for my daddy and he’s going to love you. Trust me. Now come on.” He jerked his head and she laughed.
He had to put his hands in his pockets to keep from going to open her door but the smile she gave him for letting her do it herself was worth it.
She took his arm though as they walked up to the porch and he wanted to shout to the whole neighborhood that Cassie Gambol was his. Long, curvy and absolutely astonishingly beautiful, he couldn’t believe this woman beside him trusted him as much as she did.
Before he could reach out and turn the knob, the door opened and Marc stood there, grinning. “Hey there, Cassie. My, that blue does only good things for you.” He leaned in quickly and kissed her, just a friendly greeting. But Shane felt her startle and stiffen. Putting an arm around her waist, he shot Marc a look and his brother stood back quickly.
Marc seemed to understand, winking at her but backing off to let them both in. She relaxed and he kicked himself for not talking to Marc about how to approach her. Matt, he knew, understood and Kyle didn’t hug up on any woman he wasn’t related to after he’d gotten together with Maggie.
“I thought I heard someone arrive.” Polly Chase came click-clacking into the hallway, wearing a big grin. “Hi there, honey. Welcome. Can I get you something to drink? Maggie and I were sneaking a beer in my sitting room. You want to come on in there after my Edward meets you? He’s been dying to after hearing us all talk about you nonstop.”
Shane tensed, not knowing how Cassie would react to his mother’s stream of consciousness, mile a minute chatter but she smiled and let his mother enfold her into a hug.
“Mrs. Chase, this is just a beautiful home. I love the period pieces you have. Are they family antiques?”
Shane wanted to laugh out loud. Now Cassie was in for it. She’d hit on some of his mother’s greatest loves. Antiques and the history of the house and the pieces in it.
“Polly. My mother-in-law is Mrs. Chase. I’ll give you a tour. Let’s go say hi to the boys in the family room. Dontcha know baseball is on and once the game starts you won’t see any butts moving from seats until dinner.” Polly took Cassie’s hand and Maggie came out of the sitting room and after a quick hug for Shane, followed Polly and Cassie into the family room.
Shane watched his father’s eyes widen when he saw Cassie. He’d told his father Cassie was beautiful but Shane saw his father really understand the full impact Cassie made. He waited for the voice.
“Well hello there. You must be Cassie.” His father, ever the gentleman, took her hand, giving her a courtly kiss. Cassie blushed slightly. “I’m Edward Chase. It’s very nice to meet you and see you in one piece after my wife welcomed you to Petal in her own special way.”
Cassie’s delighted laugh sounded through the room and Shane wanted to laugh himself as he saw his father’s eyes widen again and he snuck a quick peek at Shane.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Chase. My neck has recovered from your wife’s welcome and my car is good as new. I’m sure your insurance company is less thrilled than I am though.”
“Edward, please, sugar. And my goodness, aren’t you just a bundle of gorgeous? Shane told me you were beautiful but he was right that I had to see you, and hear you, to get the full impact.”
“Okay, Daddy, enough. You trying to steal my girl?”
“Oh no, my boy! Your momma is more than enough for me.”
Matt approached and paused a moment, making sure Cassie saw him before giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Hi there, sweetie. You ready to run out the door yet?”
Cassie grinned. “Nah. I hear there’ll be cobbler. I can’t leave until after that.”
Kyle laughed and stood up to squeeze Cassie’s hand and reach around and smooch Maggie. It was an easy movement and Shane realized, not for the first time, just how good his brother was at making people feel safe.
Shane loved seeing Cassie so at ease and relaxed and hoped she’d come to be comfortable with his family enough to be like that all the time.
“Okay, we’re off for the tour. You boys behave. Dinner in thirty.” Polly took Cassie’s hand and they left the room.
Shane grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge in the corner and sat on the couch, grinning at his father.
“Go ahead on and grin, boy. She’s something else. Your momma sure does seem to like her and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you this way with a woman before. You watched her, made sure she was all right. I like seeing you that way.”
“I’m sorry I spooked her, Shane. I didn’t mean to.” Marc might come off as cavalier in public but those who knew him, really knew him, understood he was a truly sensitive person.
Shane turned and patted Marc’s arm. “It’s okay. You didn’t mean any harm. She’ll get used to you in time. She’s really easy around Matt since she sees him every day. Women don’t seem to spook her at all.”
“She’s a totally different woman than the one who practically shoved me out the door when she first came to town. You’re good for each other,” Matt said.
* * *
At dinner, Cassie marveled at how close they all were. Such an ease of communication and friendly banter. It was clear they all loved each other very much.
And they all went out of their way to make her feel included and welcome. She missed that kind of connection to family. Terry had interfered so much she’d backed away from her father until the very end and she’d had to sneak around to see Brian. Sitting there at the table, listening to the joking and the teasing, a pang of longing cut through her, and a tiny ember of hope flared too. She wasn’t so far gone that this wasn’t possible.
It was a scary thought but not as scary as it would have been even three weeks before. Suddenly she could see herself at this table with these people. See herself as part of their family. See herself with Shane.
The danger of hope was the very real chance of losing it. She wasn’t sure she could afford it but her therapist seemed very happy and sure Cassie had the strength to succeed in a relationship with a man like Shane. She just had to find the strength to keep on believing in herself. To let go of the Carly she’d been and embrace Cassie and her future.
* * *
“You ready to run for Florida yet?” Shane teased as he drove her home.
“I like your family, Shane. They’re all very nice and worked to make me feel welcome.”
“They like you too, darlin’. I’d ask you to dinner next Sunday but with the party on Monday, I think my momma will be cooking and getting ready. The woman loves to throw a party.”
“But it’s her birthday. Oh see, I’m putting her out. I’m going to call a caterer so she doesn’t have to do all the work. I’d do it myself but I’m a terrible cook.”
Shane laughed. “Cassie, my mother loves to plan parties. She does. She loves to cook and be with her family. She lives for this stuff. You’ll see when Homecoming approaches. And I don’t want you spending any money anyway. I know it must be tight with just being part-time at the bookstore. My dad wanted to talk to you about some work in his office but he didn’t get the chance. You should call him about it.”
“I don’t need the job. I told Penny that. I really don’t. I have some money set aside and with the jewelry beginning to take off, things are very comfortable.”
“Comfortable? Come on, Cassie. I know you can’t be making much more than your rent. Where is the money coming from for you to live?”
“I told you, I have some money set aside.”
“From the divorce?”
Money was a sore subject. She’d fought over it with Terry many times as it was a chief way to control her movements. As a surgeon she’d made an excellent living but her checks were direct deposited and he kept a tight hold on their bank account.
“Shane, I told you all you need to know. I appreciate your concern but it’s not necessary.”
“You know, you have to give some too. It’s not fair of you to expect me to do all the compromising.”
“Do I ask you how you pay your bills, Shane? How is it a compromise on my part to tell you how much money is in my bank account and where it came from? I told you I had enough to pay my bills and be comfortable. I’m not sure how it’s any business of yours where it comes from.”
“I’m the sheriff; it’s my business if it’s from an illegal source.” He pulled in front of her building and stopped the truck.
“Are you accusing me of breaking the law? All because I won’t let you snoop in my finances?”
He knew he was in trouble when he saw the set of her jaw and anger flashing in her eyes. Put the way she’d said it, he saw her point. Still, it frustrated him that she kept trying to keep him out. He was a cop. He couldn’t turn it off even if he was dealing with his girlfriend. He knew that bookstore job couldn’t pay very much and even if her jewelry business was doing really well, it couldn’t be doing much more than paying her rent. He truly didn’t think she was involved in something illegal but he hated not knowing and hated her not sharing with him even more.
“I’m sorry. Yes, I did insinuate that but I don’t mean it. I’m just agitated that you keep hiding from me.”
“I am not hiding from you. I’ve let you in further than anyone else other than my brother. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you snoop in my checkbook. I think I need to go in before we say something we regret.” She grabbed the door handle.
“Are you always going to run away when things get difficult?”
She turned to him, shock on her face. “You don’t know a fucking thing about it, Shane.”
He knew he should shut up but damn it, his mouth wouldn’t listen. “Then tell me! How can I know if you won’t tell me?”
“You don’t get every part of me! I am the only person entitled to all of me. If you need to know every bit of me and what I do, I can’t offer it to you. I won’t. I’ve been there and I will not go back.”
“I’m sick of you comparing me to him, Cassie.”
“Well, let me make it easy for you then. I won’t compare you to anyone. Goodnight, Shane.”
She got out of the car and began to walk to her apartment. He sat in his car and watched until she got inside and drove off.