Chapter 12
The week passed in a whirlwind of travel, wining, dining, and presentations followed by Q and A through three different cities in five days. To say Cassie was exhausted would have been an understatement. She was exhausted and felt like a dried out shell at times, but she was also exhilarated since all three clients were thrilled with their work and signed contracts inked for more. The next year coming up would be amazing for Halcyon.
On late Friday afternoon, Cassie went straight from the airport to catch up on updates with Nathan and their team. Practically doing the foxtrot into the office, Cassie stopped dead at the looks of amusement and interest that followed her. She caught Nathan’s grin and watched his smile bloom.
“Change of plan, fearless leader. We’re going to celebrate all your stunning success with this amazing champagne I bought,” Nathan said. “A stellar week needs to be recognized.”
He tore off the foil and gave the wire a twist. There was a huge pop, then glasses of bubbly were passed around.
Stunned with the impromptu party, Cassie took one glass and turned to her team, saluting them as she looked at every last face that she adored. As a leader, sometimes you had to adjust on the fly – even from your own perfectly outlined agenda for the day. Nathan was right. Recognition was important. Especially when your team worked their asses off.
“We are all celebrating this amazing week. None of it would be possible without every last one of you guys. I’m so proud to work with all of you. It makes every day a pleasure and an adventure. Now let’s freaking celebrate!”
The party exploded with cheers, food, and music. Halcyon was pumping with energy as they ended the successful week.
Nathan had just finished giving Cassie the short version about a potential new client when, in the middle of their celebration, a delivery guy walked in bearing a vase of flowers. Surprise overtook his partner when the guy said he had a delivery for Miss Cassidy Rhone. Ignoring Nathan’s interest, Cassie signed and accepted the container before taking it over to her desk. Nathan followed her, already more than a little suspicious of who had sent them. Cassie removed the card carefully, as if it were a snake about to bite her. She looked at the inscription and didn’t say a word.
Ever nosy and a true friend, Nathan peered over her shoulder to read it himself. “‘Welcome home, gorgeous. I missed you. Looking forward to seeing you tonight. Brody.’ Well then, nicely done. About time someone in this city took notice of what an amazing woman you are.” He kissed her cheek.
Cassie lifted stormy eyes filled with hopelessness. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“And why exactly not?” Leaning on the desk, he cocked his head at her as he’d done since they were young. The look that said Cassie was capable of anything.
“I’m worn out, exhausted, physically and mentally drained. I want a bottle of wine, a bubble bath, and my bed. Why did I tell Brody I’d see him tonight?”
“Maybe cause you missed him a little bit too?” Seeing the misery in her eyes, Nathan pulled her into a hug and kept holding her. Since he had lived through her divorce with her and picked up the broken pieces along the way, Nathan knew the signs and could see Cassie falling right back into that rabbit hole of not being good enough now that she was home. Brushing his knuckles on her cheek, he used his other hand to fix her hair by tucking a stray lock behind her ear. “He’s not that asshole, sweetie. This is Brody Miller, someone who’s man enough to hear you say you’re tired and give you a hot meal and put you to bed instead.”
“And what if he’s not and expects more?”
“You want my advice? Let him take the lead on that tonight. He had no problem with anything last weekend. When you worked most of it anyway, right?”
“No, he didn’t. But maybe it was just a fluke, you know… because of the sex?”
God, Nathan hated seeing her like this, beating herself up over nothing but the past. Nathan had never forgiven himself for not seeing how bad things were in her marriage. Cassie had learned to hide things well until she hadn’t been able to any longer and broke down in their office one day, crying her heart out. The fact that she’d lived for two more years in that hell while she and Daniel tried therapy hadn’t made things any easier.
That she had even allowed Brody to get close to her at all said a lot about how much she did actually like the man, even if she had no idea on how to handle it yet. Tears filled her eyes, but Cassie held herself tight, furiously blinking them back. She hated to cry, and Nathan wished — not for the first and probably not the last time — that he could beat Daniel’s head in with a shovel for destroying someone so wonderful.
Nathan let her go only to hold her arms and make her look at him. “Cassidy Leanne Rhone, do I need to be ashamed of you? If it was just sex, I doubt Brody would have come over to make you dinner the evening after. He’d have just left it at a one-night stand. Now, stop listening to that bullshit from that asshole and go enjoy yourself.”