Chapter Ten
––––––––
A s he reached Front Street, he spotted Bristol stepping out of Whale’s Tale with a bag in her hand. She stopped, smiled at him. “Hi there.” She held up the bag. “Just popped down to grab a couple copies of this month’s book club pick for Cass and me.”
“I didn’t know she’d joined.”
“I made her. But I think she secretly enjoys it. And I thought a new book would be a good idea for her going into this weekend. Give her something to take her mind off everything.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “How is she?”
“She’s...coping the best she can. But you know her—she doesn’t say much.”
It made him feel slightly better that she was like that with her family too.
“I basically barged into her place and forced myself on her when I found out what happened,” Bristol said. “Because you know how she is. She’s all about taking care of everyone else, but God forbid someone tries to return the favor.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that.”
Bristol’s expression sobered, empathy filling her blue-gray eyes. “You offered to help, and she shut you down,” she guessed.
“Pretty much.”
“Ugh, Cass, why are you the way you are?” She sighed. Glanced behind her at the café and then back at him. “Got time for a coffee and a pastry?”
If she was going to talk about Cassie, he’d stay as long as she wanted and eat an entire tray of whatever Poppy and her team had in the display case. “Sure.”
Seated at a table for two in the corner with steaming lattes and fresh crème brulé Danishes, Bristol leaned toward him slightly and lowered her voice. “This conversation stays between us. If Cassie ever found out I told you this stuff, she’d kill me.”
“Yeah, of course.” Sensing a possible ally, he waited, desperate for anything she could give him.
“Don’t take her need for independence personally.”
Kind of hard not to when it felt so one-sided.
She ripped a piece of pastry off with her fingers. “It literally took me years to win her over, and our parents are married.”
“But you’re tight now.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t easy in the beginning. Actually, to be honest, I was the one who was side-eyeing her and her mom at the start.” She gestured toward his Danish. “Go on, eat up. It’s delicious. This is my second one,” she whispered, eyes dancing.
He took a bite of the buttery pastry, its custard center covered with a thin, crunchy layer of burned sugar.
“Good, right?”
“Amazing.” But the best part was learning more about Cassie from someone who knew her best.
“I know. Everything they make here is. Anyway, back to Cassie.” She took a quick peek around the café, as if worried someone might overhear her, then focused on him again. “She didn’t grow up with a dad. Her father left her and her mom when Cassie was in preschool. It left a big mark.”
He hadn’t known that. But he did understand exactly how that felt. “And her mom?”
“Things between them were...strained is probably the best way to put it. Her mom made a lot of bad decisions where men are concerned over the years. I’ll just leave it at that. And unfortunately...” She paused, grimaced as though she felt guilty for telling him all this.
“What?” he prompted, wanting more.
“I don’t know the specifics, but I get the sense that her most recent ex was a total A-hole.”
It was adorable that Bristol never cursed.
At least, not that he’d ever heard. After what she’d been through this summer, he would have expected her to swear freely.
But a deep, primal part of him rebelled at the thought of anyone mistreating Cassie.
Whether it was her father or anyone else. “Was he in Vegas?”
“She didn’t say, but I assume so. See what I mean?
Even I don’t know the real story. So it’s not you.
She’s got major trust issues with men in general, and from reading between the lines, they’re warranted.
” Her gaze was earnest. “All the men in her life have let her down, and you guys work together, so she’s gonna naturally keep her guard up. ”
He nodded, absorbing it all. It fit with what his gut said. “Did she quit her job in Vegas because of her ex?”
“I think so. Again, not entirely sure. And that’s all I can tell you without feeling like a complete traitor.”
“Understood. I appreciate it.”
She smiled softly. “I appreciate you . I’m glad you were there for her—that’s the only reason I told you anything, by the way.
I aged five years when she called to say there’d been ‘an incident at work.’” She snorted.
“I had to drag everything out of her bit by bit, and I’m pretty sure she still didn’t tell me everything. ”
“She wants to protect you.”
“I know.” She shook her head. “It’s because she’s older, and badass. She thinks I’m na?ve and in constant need of protection.”
He grinned. “She sure does love you a lot.”
“Yeah.” She smiled, picked up her Danish. “I love her a lot too.”
“I can tell.” He admired it even more because they weren’t related by blood. But families were complicated, whether related by blood or marriage.
“You want my advice?” There was a distinctly conspiratorial gleam in her eyes. As if she had guessed his feelings for Cassie weren’t entirely professional and might even approve of the idea.
“Definitely.”
“Just keep showing up for her. Sooner or later, she’ll figure out she doesn’t need to protect herself from you.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “I will.”
Bristol lifted her latte cup toward him. “Cheers.”
He tapped his cup to hers, feeling a renewed sense of determination. And a flare of hope that verged on painful. “Cheers.”
Now he understood what he was actually up against. And why it was going to be so hard to crack through her armor.
But she was worth it, so he wasn’t giving up. He just needed to change tactics.
Initially, he’d wanted Cassie to lower the drawbridge and let him through her walls herself. Instead, he would take them down himself, brick by brick. Until there was nothing left to keep him out anymore.