“Cassandra, what’s wrong? You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.” Marie broke into her thoughts.
Cassie blinked and focused on the woman in front of her. “I’m sorry. I guess I have a lot on my mind. Let’s get back to Derek.”
The other woman nodded.
For the next twenty minutes, they talked about a variety of things. Derek’s grades—all As, his preference for math and the sciences, lack of athletic ability as a child, him finding the gym and boxing and building muscles as an adult. And his desire to give back now that he had so much. It was interesting to get his mother’s perspective on her son. She was obviously proud as she should be. She’d raised a wonderful man.
They talked about how losing his father had both hurt and defined him. He’d channeled the pain into a drive to succeed to make his father proud and provide for his mother to make up for the loss.
“He also nursed anger I wasn’t aware of until recently,” Marie said pointedly.
“At my father?” Cassie asked.
Marie nodded. “He believed that had we not been let go, we would have had health insurance and his father might have survived. What he doesn’t understand—or didn’t until I told him—was that his father was a stubborn mule. Who’s to say he’d have gone to a doctor in time?”
Cassie nodded. “I understand your point and it’s generous. Really.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t appreciate being accused, blamed, arrested for something I didn’t do. I’ve lived with that pain and stigma all my life, but I’ve dealt with it. I think Derek is still learning.”
As Marie spoke, guilt and embarrassment suffused Cassie. “I’m sorry,” Cassie murmured again. It was all she could do.
The very thought that her father had lied ate away at her as Marie patted her hand.
Cassie was determined to find out why her father had lied and damaged a good woman’s reputation, even if she had to confront him herself. She knew her mother would never do it.
* * *
After leaving his mother’s, Derek drove by the high school he’d attended. As it turned out, school was closed for a Superindent’s Day, but the janitor remembered Derek and was happy to let them take a walk around. Cassie wanted to see where he’d spent his formative years, as she called them, and he figured why the hell not?
Although he’d been busy changing high hat light bulbs for his mom, he’d also spent time eavesdropping on the women. His mother had been her usual kind self, but she’d been honest, too, when Cassie mentioned her father. And though it was a fair conversation, Derek had felt Cassie’s discomfort, which way outweighed his mother’s pain. She had clearly overcome the past. Derek had made more progress recently.
For Cassie it was still raw. Nothing but time and, maybe someday, an explanation would help.
After they strode down the halls with the now green lockers and he’d pointed out the science lab, they ended up in what used to be the computer lab. These days, the classrooms had smartboards and were much more high-tech. Kids had computers and laptops at home. Derek didn’t know what the kids at this school could afford, but it was obvious things had been upgraded well.
“Can you imagine if we’d gone to school together?” Cassie asked, looking around the room that was now a normal classroom.
“Maybe I’d have had more time to get you to notice me,” he said with a wink.
“Oh, I’d have noticed you,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Yeah?” He rubbed his nose against her cold one. “Think you’d have been brave enough to sneak a kiss?”
“I’d regret it if I didn’t because now I know what I’d be missing.” She threaded her hand through his hair and looked int
o his eyes.
“Damn straight,” he muttered, and covered her lips with his, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She opened eagerly, and the kiss went on for a good long while, long, seductive sweeps of their tongues, meshing of mouths, and more.
His heart pounded hard in his chest as he pulled away. After the last twenty-four hours, Derek knew one thing for sure. He wasn’t falling in love with her. He was already there.
It didn’t matter what her family thought, what had happened in the past between them. All that mattered was her.
“I love you,” he heard himself say, unable to hold the words back now that he’d acknowledged them.
Her eyes opened wide. “You do?”
A smile pulled at his lips. “You don’t believe me?”