Chapter 12 #2
“Wait.” Desperation claws at me. “If you go charging out there and rat me out, then he’ll just go running back to Zoe.” I throw her a challenging look. “Is that really what you want?”
She stiffens before her eyes narrow. “Are you threatening me?”
“No. I’m just asking—begging—you to give me some time to work this out.” I gulp. “I was invisible to Seth back in the day, but he sees me now.” Tears fill my eyes as I get choked up. “For the first time, he actually sees me. I care about your brother, and I don’t want anything to mess that up.”
“Let go of my arm,” she growls.
I do so and hold up my hands. “Seth’s going through a lot right now, and I don’t want to add to the stress. I don’t think it’s the right time to tell him the truth. If you’d just give me a few more days to work things out—”
She gets up in my face. “The truth is always the best policy. You say you don’t want to add to the stress? Well, you should’ve thought about that before you lied to him. My brother’s already been hurt by someone he trusts. I’ll not stand by and watch it happen again.”
She charges out of the door, and I go after her.
“Cassie, please. I need to be the one to tell him.”
“You had your chance.”
I grab her arm, but she jerks it away.
“Are you telling me that you’ve never made a mistake? I just want a chance to make things right. I promise I’ll come clean after the benefit. I’ll tell him everything.” As the words leave my mouth, I realize that I’ll do just that—tell him everything. That’s the only hope I have of keeping him.
She throws up her hand. “Enough.”
“I meant what I said. I’m crazy about your brother.
” My throat closes as I try again. “I think a part of me never truly got over him. We’re good together.
No, great! He doesn’t belong with Zoe. He belongs with me.
If only you’d give me a chance.” I’m being tossed over a cliff, and I’m digging my fingernails into the side … anything, to keep from spiraling.
We walk fast to get to the door. When we reach it, I catch hold of her arm again. “Please,” I croak.
She looks down at my hand. I release her as a sinking darkness envelops me.
Here’s where it’ll all implode. I wish I could just pass out like they do in the movies.
But no, I’m painfully in the present—keenly aware of every tear of my heart as it’s being ripped to shreds.
And it’s my own stupid fault! I should’ve never agreed to go into Axel’s home and pretend to be a decorator.
No, it goes way beyond that. I should’ve left the past in the past and not used Axel to further my career.
I should’ve taken Mom’s advice and learned to turn the other cheek rather than holding a grudge.
Cassie goes in first, with me trailing behind.
When Axel sees me, a broad smile tips his lips. “You found her.”
“Oh, yeah,” Cassie drawls and then throws me a blistering look.
The sight of Axel’s dad, lying motionless and hooked to monitors, makes my eyes burn.
Axel’s mom is sitting beside the bed. She offers a graceful smile. “Hello. Thanks for helping my son get to me in one piece.”
“You’re welcome.” Fran Cox has always been the epitome of class with her slim figure and regal bearing. It’s not hard to picture her running a dance studio. I’m not surprised that she doesn’t recognize me. I only went to her house a couple of times.
Both gratitude and tenderness wash over Axel’s handsome face. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if London hadn’t stepped in to help.”
Cassie interrupts. “Bro, there’s something you need to know—”
Axel continues as if she hadn’t spoken. “London has been my saving grace over the past several days. She even offered to perform with me at the benefit.”
Fran looks impressed. “Really?”
He nods. “Y’all know how rocky things have been with my career and the split from the band.” He pauses. “This may sound corny, but being with London has given me a new lease on life.”
“Thank you.” Tears fill my eyes. I blink furiously to stay them.
“I could say the same about you.” Being with him has made me question myself and my motives.
When’s the last time I put another person’s needs above my own?
Axel makes me want to be a better person.
Our gazes catch and hold for a beat of silence.
Is it too soon to call this love? I have no idea, but these feelings are strong—stronger than anything I’ve ever felt for a guy before.
Axel turns to Cassie with a boyish grin. “Sorry, sis, I didn’t mean to cut you off. Just had to put that out there before I lost my nerve.”
Cassie glances at me and then takes in a breath. “I was just going to say that I’m glad you’re here … and that it’s nice to meet a girl who can hold your attention for longer than five minutes.”
“Ouch.” Axel lets out a low chuckle. “That’s hitting a guy where it hurts.”
Cassie grins as she cuts her eyes at him. “You deserved that.”
“You’re probably right,” Axel admits.
I throw Cassie a questioning look, wondering why she didn’t rat me out. It would seem that I’ve been given a stay of execution.
She lifts her chin, assessing me. “I look forward to catching up and finding out if you measure up to my brother’s high praise.”
“Hey,” Axel counters, “be nice. I like her.”
Fran pats Axel’s hand. “So do I. She seems lovely.”
“Thanks,” I murmur and shuffle over to stand beside Axel. He slips his arm around my shoulders. The comfort of being near him is as tangible as a warm blanket. I turn to him. “How’s your dad?”
Before Axel can answer, Fran gives a report. “The surgery helped reduce the pressure in his brain and stopped the bleeding. Randall will be sedated for approximately twenty-four hours. After that, the sedation will be reduced slowly until he regains consciousness.”
I give her an encouraging smile. “That’s good to hear.”
“Yes,” she agrees, her beautiful face taut with worry.
Cassie speaks up. “I have an idea.” She looks at Axel. “Bro, why don’t you stay here and visit with Mom for a bit? I’ll take London back to the house and help her get settled.”
Uncertainty pings Axel’s expression. “Uh, maybe London should stay here with me.”
“Don’t worry,” Cassie says sweetly. “I’ll be nice. I’m sure London could use a long, hot shower and some rest.” She silently dares me to disagree.
“That sounds great,” I pipe in. Cassie’s calling the shots, and I have no other choice but to follow her lead.
Axel grimaces. “I dunno.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine,” Cassie blusters. “You act like I’m gonna terrorize her.”
He gives her The Look. “Just speaking from experience.”
“I’m not that awful,” she quips. “I told you I’d be nice.”
“Okay,” he relents and turns his attention to me. “I’ll see you at the house.”
I nod.
He gives me a peck on the lips. I heat up ten degrees, acutely aware that Cassie and Fran are watching.
When we step into the hall and close the door, I turn to Cassie, my voice low. “I thought you were gonna tell him who I am.”
She gives me a measured look. “I decided to let things ride until the benefit.”
“Good call,” I breathe.
Her eyes flash. “But don’t think I won’t be watching your every move until then.”
A chortle clips my throat. “I have no doubt.” One of the reasons why Cassie and I got along so well back in the day is because we’re both feisty.
“I wanna hear all about what you’ve been up to since high school …
and how you managed to steal my brother away from Zoe.
” Her gaze flicks over me. “You do look fabulous, by the way, but you still look like yourself. I don’t know how in the world my brother could be dense enough not to recognize you.
Did he not put two and two together when he saw you playing the drums? ”
I giggle. “No, he didn’t. I was amused and a little peeved at first, but then I decided to just roll with it.
Of course, I didn’t realize that the two of us would get involved.
” I shrug. “Maybe he won’t want me anymore when he realizes I’m the geeky girl with coke-bottle glasses who had a crush on him. ”
“I dunno about that. He seems pretty smitten.”
“Really?” A large smile stretches over my mouth. That’s music to my ears, especially coming from Cassie.
She chuckles and gives me a shove. “Good to know you’re not still geeking out over him.”
“Oh, I’m geeking,” I admit. “Big time.” I might as well call a spade a spade.
“What happened to the glasses? Did you get LASIK surgery?”
“No, I wear contacts now.”
A sly smile tugs at her lips as we get on the elevator. “How did Zoe take the news about you and Seth? Not too well, I’m assuming.” She pushes the button to go to the first floor, and the door closes.
“Actually, he hasn’t told her yet.”
She whips around so fast that she has to grasp the handle on the wall to keep from falling as the elevator descends. “What?”
“He didn’t want to break the news to her over the phone, especially with the party coming up this weekend. So he’s waiting until after the benefit.”
She looks at me like I have two heads. “You and my brother are both whacked—both of you too chicken to have a simple conversation.” She shakes her head in disgust.
We cross through the lobby and go out the glass doors. I follow Cassie to her car. When we get on the road, she asks, “Does it not bother you to be with Seth when he hasn’t officially broken things off with Zoe?”
My tongue darts over my dry lips. What I’d give for a drink of water right now. I’m so parched. “Yeah, it bothers me … but I can’t beat him up too badly considering that I haven’t told him the truth about me.” I’m so deep in the problem I’ve created that I don’t know how I’ll ever get out.”
“So how did you and Seth fall for each other?”
“As he said, we’ve been spending the past few days together—rehearsing.”
She trills out a wicked chortle. “Is that all you’ve been doing?”
I shove her arm, causing the car to weave.
“Watch it,” she barks.
A dart of fright streaks through me. I should’ve been more cognizant of the icy road. “Oops, sorry.”
Throwing me a censuring look, she tightens her hold on the steering wheel and focuses on the road. A few seconds later, she says, “spill it.”
I take in a breath. “We might’ve kissed a couple of times.”
“Might’ve?” Her tone is rolled in amusement.
“Okay, we have … obviously. I mean, we’re together.” This conversation is reminiscent of so many of the ones we used to have. It’s easy to fall back into a comfortable rhythm with Cassie. There was a time when she knew me better than almost anyone.
She belts out a guffaw and then snorts. Laughter gurgles out of her, to the point where her shoulders shake, and tears leak from her eyes.
“What?” I ask, mildly offended by her behavior.
“Who would’ve thought?” she muses. “My older brother and my former friend … after all that drama of him standing you up at the Sadie Hawkins dance. I thought you were gonna hate him forever.”
“Me too,” I grumble and then catch on to something she said. My eyebrows shoot up into my hairline. “Former friend?”
She smirks. “Well, you did ghost me on social media.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“Talk is cheap,” she snips.
“I know, so I won’t keep trying to convince you.” A gush of emotion runs through me. It’s nice to be around Cassie again. I hadn’t realized how much I missed her friendship. Too bad she’s going to hate me when she finds out I’m Jovie Chord.
“So, how did you get into the field of interior design?” She scrunches her nose. “Sorry, but I have a hard time picturing you as a decorator.”
She has no idea how accurate that statement is. Think, London, think. You have to tiptoe around this. “I sort of fell into it.” That’s somewhat truthful.
“Do you enjoy it?”
I pause like I’m considering the question, even though the answer is easy. “No, not really. The designer I’ve been working for is a piece of work. She’s tight with Zoe.”
“I don’t know what my brother ever saw in Zoe Reynolds.” She rolls her eyes. “Other than her being glamorously beautiful and an influencer.”
Jealousy pricks at me. “Yeah.” I puff out a ball of air.
“She’s an entitled snot,” Cassie spouts.
“I don’t know her very well, but from what I’ve seen, I’m inclined to agree with you.” A sense of camaraderie kindles in me, and I’m vindicated that Cassie despises Zoe.
Her voice swings up. “But, hey, the good news is that he’s choosing you.”
“Or maybe I’m the one choosing him.”
She giggles. “You’ve still got your spunk, I see.”
“For better or worse, my spunk is alive and well.”
“How did you end up in Nashville … doing design work?”
“Why not Nashville? I’ve always liked country music.” I cringe inwardly. That sounded so lame, but it’s the best I can come up with on the spot.
Suspicion coats her voice. “Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
My eyes widen. “Why would you ask that?” Cassie has always been able to see right through me.
“It just seems too coincidental that you happened to work for a designer who happened to be decorating Seth’s home for the holidays.”
I keep my voice light. “Coincidences happen.”
“They do,” she acknowledges, “but my gut tells me there’s more to the story.” She hardens her voice. “I gave you a chance to prove yourself. Don’t blow it.”
My pulse bumps up several notches. “You gave me a few extra days to tell Seth the truth, and that’s precisely what I intend to do—after we perform at the benefit.” Hopefully, she won’t press me on the subject any further.
She lets out a long exhale. “My brother’s a good guy.”
“I know that,” I say fervently. “He took me to the soup kitchen. I even met your uncle Dex.”
“You did?” She sounds shocked.
“I did. I know that Seth funds the kitchen and outreach center to help Dex and people like him. That speaks volumes about his character.”
“It does. How’s Dex doing?”
“Not great, from the looks of him. He seems pretty haggard.”
“I’m not surprised,” she says glumly.
Silence stretches between us.
My mind pings to something else. “Hey, earlier in the restroom, you said that Seth had been hurt by someone he trusted. What did you mean by that?”
She pulls her eyes off the road long enough to throw me a glance. “He hasn’t told you?”
“No.”
“I’m sure he will eventually.”
“You could tell me.”
“Maybe I will … after you tell Seth the truth.”
I chuckle. “Fair enough.”