Chapter 12 #4
“Uh-oh. But what?”
“Only if you’ll meet me first for a little fun.”
Cassie eyed Drea for a long moment until a smile finally broke through. “Fine. Deal.”
A wave of relief spread through Drea. “I’ll pick you up at your place on Friday at 2 p.m. then.”
“Okay.” Cassie took another bite of cake.
“Oh, and wear something you don’t mind getting dirty.” She winked, grabbed a slice of pecan pie, and headed back to the table.
“What happened back there?” Molly asked once they got in Cassie’s car to head home.
Cassie started the engine and turned the heat to full blast. “What do you mean?”
Molly nodded at Cassie’s wrist. “You did your thing.”
“I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Probably just the wedding stuff.”
Molly watched her for a moment. Even before their parents had died, she had possessed that mom superpower to read Cassie like a book. “What is it really?”
Cassie blew out a breath and watched the people leaving the party to head home. She met Molly’s eyes. “It’s Drea.”
The words seemed to surprise Molly. “What about her?”
“She was, you know,” she gestured at Molly, “flirting with you.”
Molly looked like she was trying to calculate a solution that didn’t compute.
“And you were . . .” Cassie nodded to will the words to come out though the images running through her mind made her brain want to short-circuit.
“I was what?” Molly’s words dripped with curiosity.
“Flirting back.”
Molly’s deep, melodic laughter ripped through the car, dropping Cassie’s jaw until she realized how long it had been since she had heard that beautiful tune, her favorite sound in the entire world.
It had been a rare beacon of normalcy through their childhood.
She sat back and listened, reveling in the joy on Molly’s face that had been absent for so long.
Molly finally wiped the tears from her eyes as her laughter quieted.
“I’m sorry.” She rubbed Cassie’s shoulder. “I did not expect that at all.”
“You can laugh at me all day if it keeps you laughing.”
Molly returned a sincere, yet sad smile at the statement.
Cassie didn’t know what to think. “Am I wrong?”
“One thousand percent. I mean, she’s very beautiful, and I completely see her allure and why women would jump at the chance to be with her, in whatever capacity. But . . .” She shrugged. “Not me.”
Cassie took a moment with the information as relief washed through her.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t know that she was flirting with me. I think that’s just how Drea speaks to women.”
“She doesn’t speak to me that way.” The admission sent a wave of sadness through her, catching her off guard.
“Are you sure?”
Cassie furrowed her brow. “Pretty positive, why?”
A mischievous grin played on Molly’s lips. “Because from where I was sitting, she seemed pretty interested in you.”
“She barely spoke to me at the table.”
“No, when you two were getting dessert.”
Now it was Cassie’s turn to laugh. “No, she thought I was stressed about the wedding stuff and wanted me to take a break.”
“But you said you weren’t stressed about the wedding stuff.”
“I wasn’t.”
Realization hit Molly. “You thought Drea was hitting on me and that’s what got you upset?”
Cassie didn’t like the way that made her look. “Upset’s a strong word. Concerned. Uneasy, maybe?”
“You did your thing, Cassie.”
Cassie sighed. “I’ve never seen someone flirt with you while you were . . .”
“Were what?”
“Single.”
A flash of pain passed through Molly’s eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
Molly shook her head. “It’s okay. Continue, please.”
“Well, let alone someone I . . .” She couldn’t find the right word. No, plenty of words were coming to her. She just didn’t agree with them.
“Like?” Molly’s suggestion came as Cassie uttered “work with,” then continued. “It’s not like that. At best, we’re friends. In reality, I think she pities me.”
“Why in the world do you think that?”
Damn it. She couldn’t think of a reason other than the truth, but she hated to upset Molly or make her think she couldn’t be the stable one Molly needed. “I was stressed when I started helping with the weddings, and I guess she noticed. That’s why she offered to help.”
“I never meant for you to be stressed helping me out.” She squeezed Cassie’s knee.
“It wasn’t so much that as seeing you so sad and not being able to make it better.” She blew out a breath. “It’s been hard and I just want to be there for you the way you’ve been there for me.”
“I couldn’t ask for a better sister than you. I meant what I said earlier. You’ve been a lifesaver to me over the past couple of months.”
“And you’ve always been mine.”
Molly leaned over and hugged her. When she finally released her, they both wiped away tears.
“All right, enough of that,” Molly said. “Let’s go home.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Cassie replied, putting the car in gear.
Molly looked out the passenger window, but Cassie could hear the smile in her voice, “And don’t think I’m done trying to get the truth about your feelings for Miss Drea.”
Cassie didn’t answer as she navigated traffic. She’d have to figure it out for herself first.