Chapter 2
Supporting and loving a friend sometimes went beyond the bounds of normal in Cassie’s book. Call her a prude and, according to Anna, a bit uptight and married to her calendar, but she really liked to get to know a guy for a bit more than an hour or so before jumping into bed with him. That was, if ever came the day that hell managed to freeze solid. Of course, Anna wasn’t like that at all. It was rare for her to make a connection with someone so fast, but when she did, she followed her emotions and heart, flinging herself into it with abandon. Sometimes they worked out and sometimes… well… devastation occurred.
Still, even with a long friendship of understanding between them, it was hard for Cassie to sit there on the phone and listen to Anna rhapsodizing on the magnificence of Chase, who was apparently “AH HA MAZING” in bed, out of bed, and just as sweet the morning after. Details swirled around Cassie like a slow-motion still of a hurricane. She heard all the incredible breakdown of the night, including the breakfast in bed Chase had brought Anna before asking if he could see her again. Little heart eyes were practically floating out of the phone.
Cassie chose to roll her own eyes at the situation and stay in equally supportive silence. At least Anna was safe, alive, and apparently more than well. Brody had been right about that at least.
“So did you go home with the delicious-looking friend?” Anna said, tossing Cassie a curve ball. “Knowing you, of course not, but I feel I have to ask.”
“He was magnificent in bed and out of it. Honestly, I’ve never had better.” Cassie listened to Anna’s stunned silence, so deep Cassie could have heard crickets chirping before she burst out in laughter. “Of course I didn’t take him home. You’re nuts to even think to ask that, but I’m glad you had a fun time with Chase.”
“Damn you, I thought for minute you’d actually had some out-of-the-box fun for a change. Brody was interested in you, by the way, for more than just your speaking ability, but knowing you, it would take a nuclear bomb going off for you to notice.” Cassie sighed. She wasn’t exactly known for breaking the rules or deviating from her carefully outlined schedule, and that included her moratorium on dating for professional reasons. “I don’t have time to date, and even if I did, I wouldn’t be interested in him.”
“You don’t have to date him, just use him. And by use, I mean let him get his—”
Cassie choked on her drink. “Oh God. I’m hanging up now. Goodbye.”
Anna ended the call with the sage advice that using someone for something would be good for her. Cassie sighed as she cleaned up her tea and toast. The idea of fantastic sex may have been good for Anna, but the few years of marriage Cassie had suffered through had proven that sex wasn’t her thing. Even if it was, she apparently didn’t have what it took to keep a guy happy in that department, so she had long since set those failings aside. It simply wasn’t one of her strengths. Everyone was excellent at a few things, and those few were what she focused on.
After packing her bag and grabbing a to-go Thermos of tea, Cassie headed out into the combined hell and joy of Atlanta’s morning traffic. Normally she worked from home at her leisure, but this was the only time she had available to meet a part of her team and focus on the final details for launching the next leg of their business. As a marketing and social media brand expert, Cassie and her team specialized in online branding for companies and individuals. Their primary objective was always to get each client’s message out — not only about their products but also about themselves or companies.
These days, people didn’t just buy a product. The product was a side benefit. There were thousands of great products out there, after all. People wanted an experience and, if possible, to know what difference in the world they would be contributing to with their dollars. Customers were essentially buying the company or individual that went with the product. That was why branding was so essential.
Her company’s move to Atlanta had come about as a result of needing to add to their staff when the company’s growth had proven too much for Cassie and her partner to handle alone. Friends in Atlanta — Anna being one of them — had convinced her that there was a great environment to tap into in Georgia. Needing a fresh start after her divorce, Cassie had made the move with her business partner, inseparable cohort, and best friend, Nathan Jotte, about two years ago.
What had started as the two of them organizing a frantic and crazy move had turned into being surrounded by the fun team they’d hired. Every step of their growth had come right on schedule, according to Cassie’s meticulously outlined business plan. She could not have dreamed up a better group to work with. They were the change-makers needed for the clients looking to contract their services.
Inside the small building she had bought to house Halcyon, Inc., Cassie dropped her bag off in her office space in the back corner and headed out into the conference area. It still gave her a thrill to look around at what she and Nathan had created. The open, informal concept was perfect. Couches and work stations, both standing and sitting, were scattered at seemingly random intervals. A large kitchen with conference tables was laid out on one side on the building.
She’d fallen in love with the old converted warehouse full of exposed brick walls, open ductwork, industrial lighting, and worn refinished wood floors. Everything in the building had been replaced with old or reclaimed parts and pieces, keeping the building’s history intact. That supported conservation of resources and green living, which was one of Cassie’s personal platforms.
Heading over to the conference table, she caught a ball tossed by Nathan after giving him a grin and a thumbs-up to his current look of retro fifties fashion. It went quite well with his natural blond looks and tall, elegant frame. If Cassie was the public face of Halcyon, then Nathan was the one who made everything behind the scenes run seamlessly. She’d said more than once that she’d be lost without him, both professionally and personally.
With a round of hellos, Cassie sat down to open the meeting with their team and plan the branding launch of a company from Utah they were coaching. Anna teased that Cassie was a workaholic, but Cassie believed that she was merely passionate about what she did. And when you had a passion for what you loved, it never felt like work.
Two days later, Cassie’s daily checklist was finally complete and she was done packing for her trip out in the morning. It was time for another of her personal passions — fitness. Cassie shrugged off her work clothes and was suiting up for an early evening run when her phone rang. Not recognizing the number, she answered. Clients new and old sometimes referred people to her private number.
“Hi, this is Cassidy Rhone.”
“Hey, Cassie. I was hoping to catch up with you. This is Brody. From the seminar the other night.”
The deep voice coming through the line made Cassie pull back to stare at her phone as if it had just grown teeth. She was standing in her bedroom in nothing more than her underwear and sports bra, and suddenly felt completely naked.
“Hey… are you still there?”
She heard the faint words and slowly lifted the phone back to her ear. “I’m here.” She waited, not sure what to say.
Brody had no problem carrying on. “Great. How are you doing?”
“I’m good. Listen… no offense… but how did you get this number?” she said slowly, having trouble forming words through the shock. She’d honestly forgotten about him. She forced herself to pull out her training pants and top to finish getting dressed.
“From Anna. I might have begged her after you blew me off. You know she and Chase are seeing each other now? Go figure. Anyway, I won’t keep you long. She said you work crazy hours. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Was wondering if you’d give me a second chance on taking you out for dinner?”
It was a slow south Texas drawl. Cassie finally placed the accent. “Look, I really don’t mean to be rude—”
“Now why do people always say that?” Brody said, interrupting her.
Surprised that he’d thrown off her standard reply, Cassie almost dropped the phone as she yanked on running pants. “What?”
“About not being rude. When clearly you want to be rude to me. Go ahead. I can take it. I’m a big boy.”
The comment left Cassie snickering for a minute as she remembered his size. “All right, being completely rude — and I’ll add blunt — I’m not interested in going out with you or anyone. I really don’t have the time.”
“Yeah, Anna mentioned you work a lot. My schedule’s a bit nutty too, so I’ll take what I can get. Pick an activity. I’ll meet you there. Lunch, dinner, dog walker, running buddy, coffee date. Just give me one hour to plead my case.”
The reply Cassie had ready broke off as her mind ground to a halt. Her shirt was halfway stuck on her head for a few seconds before she got it untangled. “What did you say? That last bit?”
“What? An hour to plead my case. Yeah, basically, let’s get to know each other some and see if you want to extend to date number two of a potentially longer time frame.”
Cassie laughed in disbelief. “You know, my best friend and I used to say that when we started dating as teenagers. That most guys were worth an hour of your time to plead their case — if they met certain criteria.” She giggled at the fond memory of her and Nathan’s list of requirements. They had also come up with their own post-date evaluation list.
Brody laughed with her. “Well, how about that? What criteria do I need to fit?”
“Well back then, our criteria was pretty low since we were just starting to date, and you know how it goes when you’re a teenager and mostly broke. So, a guy had to meet two things: he had to bathe on a regular basis and have a job.”
More infectious laughter filtered through her phone. He really did have a great laugh along with that slow southern drawl.
“I swear I clean up most days. There’s a rare one I might skip, and I do have a job.”
“I know nothing about you,” Cassie said, shaking her head. “What kind of work do you do?” God, she was thinking of saying yes! She put on running shoes, got them tied, and started to pace.
“I work in the film industry here in Atlanta. Coffee one morning? Text me a place and time, and I’ll meet you there. Bring all the questions you want. One hour. You can even set a timer.”
“It would have to be next Sunday morning. Early. It’s the only time I have available.” Dammit! The words were out before she could stop them. Miming hitting herself, Cassie continued pacing the kitchen.
“Perfect. Message me the when and where of it on this number. I’ll see you then, Cassie.”
And Brody hung up before she could change her mind, leaving Cassie staring at the phone in horror over what she’d just agreed to.
An hour-long date with a guy she barely knew.