Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
The sun had been shiningfor a week straight. All vestiges of the storm had long since been dried up by the heat, save for Cassie’s memory of Presley driving her home that night.
She was still mortified that he’d discovered her fear. That she was scared of some stupid raindrops. What kind of person froze up at a little precipitation falling on their car?
Apparently, she did.
True to his word, her car had been waiting for her in the morning. She’d sent Presley a thank you text, and he’d responded, but that had been it. They were back to being bandmates again. Talking at rehearsal and nowhere else. But to keep her mind off the fact that they were only bandmates, she focused on her dance classes. Drilling in the names of the last few students she had yet to memorize, and experimenting with a few different dance styles to see which ones the kids enjoyed.
“Okay, so we put our baked goods here,” Gemma said, pointing at a table that was already overladen with cakes and muffins, cookies and granola bars.
Cassie did as she was directed, setting down the only cookies she knew how to bake – snickerdoodles. They’d been her staple since she was in grade school and they had a bake sale what seemed like every other week for one good cause or another.
She’d never eaten them, though. Her mom wouldn’t let her. She could remember getting lectures about dancers needing to be strong.
“And now we put our chairs down where we want, then come for some lemonade.”
“That’s it?” Cassie clarified. She wasn’t sure if coming here was a good thing.
“Yep. What were you expecting?”
Cassie smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t think it would be so literal. Like I know it’s called Chairs because you bring your own chairs, but I just…” She trailed off, because she was going nowhere with this.
A woman called out Gemma’s name, and she waved at her. “That’s Aunt Gina,” Gemma told her. “She’s like the Hartson family matriarch.”
Cassie looked over at Aunt Gina, who waved at her, too. Cassie smiled back.
“She looks sweet,” Cassie said.
“She is,” Gemma agreed. “She adores all her family. And they adore her right back. Speaking of which, there’s the younger Hartson clan.” Gemma pointed at a group of chairs gathered together on the grass. “Let’s go over and say hi. I’ll introduce you to them all.”
They started walking across the grass. There was a warm wind that carried the promise of a beautiful sunset.
When they got to Gemma’s friends, they put their chairs out as somebody poured them some lemonade.
Once they had their glasses in their hands, Gemma introduced Cassie like she’d promised. “Everybody, this is Cassie. She’s the new dance teacher at the school. Cassie, you remember Grace? You met her at the diner. She works at the distillery right outside of town. And Sabrina, her cousin. She’s usually at college. You’re just down for the weekend, right?”
Sabrina nodded. “That’s right.” She had that kind of wild beauty that made you feel electric whenever you looked at her. Grace, her cousin, was equally pretty. Just more… graceful.
Cassie bit down a smile.
“You’re in our cousin’s band, right?” Sabrina asked. “Altered Reality?”
Cassie nodded. “That’s right.”
“Marley said you might play a gig soon,” Sabrina said, looking pleased. “If you do, I’ll be there.”
“Well, that’s one person in the crowd at least.” Cassie smiled at her. She really loved her energy.
“It’s nice to see Pres singing again,” Grace said softly. She was in the chair next to Cassie’s. “For a while there we were worried he never would.”
“Yeah, well losing Jade tore him up,” Sabrina said.
Cassie took a sip of her lemonade. It wasn’t the first time she’d wondered what Jade was like. There were so many photographs on the walls at Presley’s house she wasn’t sure who was who. And there was no way she was going to ask.
And though Delilah had a photograph of her mom by her bed, it had been dark the night she read to her and she hadn’t wanted to upset the little girl by drawing attention to it.
It was none of her business, anyway. And Presley was clearly too closed up to want to talk about her.
Cassie knew all about needing to keep some things buried.
“Speak of the devil and he will appear,” Grace murmured.
And of course she had to look. It was like she had no choice. She swallowed hard as Presley and Marley walked over from the parking lot, the two of them laughing together at something. Delilah was skipping ahead of them, her long hair curling around her shoulders.
“Over here,” Grace shouted out, waving at them.
Delilah was the first to spot Cassie and her cousins. Her face lit up as she ran over. She looked from Sabrina to Grace to Cassie, her smile so big it looked like it could split her face.
“You’re all here,” she said.
Grace shot Cassie an amused glance. “Yes we are. You got a hug for me?”
“I sure do.” Delilah hugged Grace first, followed by Sabrina, then she looked at Cassie shyly.
“I like your dress,” Cassie told her.
Delilah was wearing a fairy outfit, complete with wings. “I’m an angel,” she whispered. “A pretty one.”
“You sure are.”
“Daddy!” Delilah called out. “Look who’s here.”
Pres’ eyes immediately met hers. And yeah, she felt heat rise through her body. The corner of his lip quirked. “Hey.”
“Hi,” she breathed back.
Marley walked over, grinning. “I was gonna call you later. There’s a bar over in Shawlands that’s offered us a gig next week. Need to know if you’re free.”
“Are we ready for it?” she asked him.
“Yeah, I really think we are.” He glanced over at Pres. “Funny, he asked the same thing. If we need to we can have a couple of extra rehearsals next week.”
“When’s the gig again?” she asked him.
“Next Friday.”
It would be the first time she’d set foot on the stage since before… then. She took a deep breath. This was good for her, she knew that. She also knew that Presley wouldn’t let her fail. His voice knew hers enough by now to compensate if she faltered.
Not that she was planning on faltering.
“Okay. That sounds good.”
Marley’s smile was huge. “Excellent. I’ll call them and confirm. Any night next week that you can’t make rehearsal?”
“I work a little late on Wednesdays. But I’m finished by seven so I could always head straight there.”
“I’ll send out a schedule.” Marley ran his hands through his hair. He had a mole on his cheek where Presley didn’t.
“Can I come to the gig?” Delilah asked, looking excited.
“No.” That was Presley. She looked up at him and his eyes were trained on her face. The intensity of his stare made her jolt.
“Why not?” Delilah frowned.
“Because it’s in a bar and you’re about fifteen years to young to go inside. Plus Granny already said you can stay over at hers that night.”
“I can?” Delilah clapped her hands together. “Can we have pizza?”
“That’s up to Granny.”
“That’s a yes then,” Sabrina said, and they all laughed.
“Daddy, can I have a muffin?” Delilah asked.
“Yeah. Go for it.”
“Will you come with me?” She turned to look at Cassie, who couldn’t say no to her adorable expression.
“Sure.” She stood. “I was getting kind of hungry myself.”
Her gaze hit Presley’s again, but he was just so impossible to read. She’d thought she was closed off, but it was nothing compared to him.
Moody, sexy, tattooed. And probably the best kisser she’d ever met.
No wonder every time she looked at him her body clenched.
“Come on then,” Delilah said. “Before all the good ones are gone.”
It was getting late. Somebody had lit the fire, and all the younger generation had gathered around it. Pres’ mom had taken Delilah home despite his protests, telling him he needed to stay and spend some time with people his own age.
He didn’t bother pointing out that Marley was almost exactly his own age, and he spent a hell of a lot of time with him. Because he knew his mom well. She was sweet to everybody, but inside there was steel and she wasn’t afraid to show it.
If she’d decided on something, you did it. No questions.
Cassie was talking to Marley, the two of them laughing. They’d built up this easy going relationship which he liked. Envied, even. Because whatever was going on between him and her, it was definitely not easy-going.
It was sharp. And dark. And needy as fuck. Their eyes kept meeting all night and all he could think about was the way she’d opened herself up to him after finding Delilah’s giraffe.
The way he’d wanted to bury himself inside of her until she forgot her own name.
And that was why he wouldn’t. Why he’d keep the space between them. Relationships and him didn’t mix. He’d learned that from his marriage. And Cassie was way too sweet to be ruined by him.
Even if every muscle in his body wanted to ruin her.
He’d never met anybody who knew their body as well as she did. It was a weird thing to notice, but it was so clear in everything she did. In her smile, her movements, the way she talked. Hell, even in the way she sang.
It was entrancing. And he needed to snap the hell out of it.
“Pres?” Marley called out. “Come over here.”
He didn’t need asking twice. Because as much as he knew he couldn’t touch her, it didn’t stop him from wanting to be close. He walked over and his gaze washed over her.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“We were talking about the opening song. I really think we should go for ‘Beautiful Liar’.”
“‘Beautiful Liar’ is slow.” They always opened on a fast number. Got the audience going. Or at least they used to. It had been a while.
“I know. But it’s the second best song we have. The way you two sing it…” Marley trailed off. “It could work. I know it could.”
“What do you think?” He looked at Cassie.
“I think you should decide.” She shrugged. “You and Marley. It’s your band.”
“Why don’t you decide?” he asked her.
She bit down a smile. “Because I’ve never sung at a gig before.”
Well there was that. “Okay, but how does a ballet begin? Do you start on a fast note or a slow note?”
“It varies.”
Of course it did. And now he was picturing her dancing in a tight outfit and fuck if he didn’t wish he could see it. “I just think starting on something faster works. We can do ‘Beautiful Liar’ as our second song. If we started with ‘Slammed’ we could segue into it nicely.”
“Break up and make up,” Marley said, because “Slammed” was definitely angry. The two of them had written it years ago, when Marley had walked in on his then girlfriend cheating.
“More like break up and then have great break up sex,” Cassie said.
Marley laughed. “Yeah, that’s a good description. And you two do delightful break up sex.”
She lifted a brow at him. He smiled because what else could he do?
“By the way, how’s your car?” Marley asked her.
Pres’ hackles immediately rose.
“My car?” Cassie repeated.
“Yeah. I meant to ask you the other night but I forgot. Pres said you’ve been having trouble with it. That’s why he drove it to yours and got me to pick him up the other night.”
Her lips parted as she let out a breath. Now she knew he’d lied to his brother for her. Because he clearly got the impression she didn’t want people to know about her not driving in the rain.
“It’s fine now. And thank you for helping.” She glanced at Pres. “Both of you.”
“I know a good mechanic if you need one,” Marley said.
“It’s sorted,” Presley replied.
Marley tipped his head to the side, his gaze on his brother. “Okay…” Somebody called out his name, and he lifted a hand. “Gotta go. A few of us are heading over to the Moonlight.” He looked at Cassie. “Want to join us?”
She shook her head. “Thank you, but it’s been a long day. I’m going home to crash.”
Presley liked the fact that she wasn’t going. Too much.
“Okay then. I’ll give you a shout tomorrow. Talk about rehearsals and the set list.”
“Sounds good.” She nodded.
As soon as he was gone, she moved closer to Pres. “You lied about my car.”
“I figured you wouldn’t want your business being broadcasted around town. But I needed his help to get home.” He shrugged, it wasn’t a big deal.
“You didn’t need to cover for me.”
“You want me telling everybody?” he asked her.
“Not really.” A ghost of a smile passed her lips.
“That’s what I figured.”
She nodded.
“You worried about the gig?” he asked her. “I saw you frown when Marley mentioned it earlier.”
“Not worried. Just… I don’t want to let any of you down.” Her words sounded true. Genuine.
“You won’t let us down. We wouldn’t be playing without you. And it’s only a small venue.”
“On a Friday night.”
“Most places aren’t open except on the weekends around here. And you’re ready. You know you are.”
“Do I?” she asked softly.
“Yeah, you do.” The corner of his lip quirked. “You’re a hard worker. You know the songs, you know the emotions. You hit them every time.”
“And if I don’t, you’ll be there to catch me.”
“Something like that.” His voice was thick.
“Then I’m not afraid.” Her gaze was sure as it caught with his.
And damn if he didn’t like that. A little too much. “Glad to hear it.”