Another Chance (24 page)

“There’s no harm in coming down for a bit of a party and then who knows what might happen. You can stay the night at my place so she doesn’t feel too much pressure.” The thought of seeing her overwhelmed him, there was no way he could turn this down. “Fine. When do you want me down there?”

“Saturday afternoon. I thought we could have dinner so come around two. Cassie will be here at three.”

“I don’t want to piss her off.”

“Patrick, she’ll be pissed off. She needs to move on with her life though.”

“You’re a good friend to her, Lauren, I hope that she realises.”

“I’m sure she does, after all I’m giving up the chase for her to nab you.”

At that, he laughed. “I hope you find someone, Lauren, I really do.”

“Preferably before my eggs dry up.”

At that, he rolled his eyes and said goodbye before hanging up. Cassie had plagued his thoughts the past four months since she told him she wasn’t ready to be with him. He had behaved though, being faithful to her was easy, though he wondered how long he would have to wait. This weekend he wanted an answer.

The whole situation sucked, he didn’t want to push her, she had to take her time to grieve, but at the same time he wanted her in his bed, she already held his heart.

“It’s good to see you,” Lauren said, throwing her arms around his neck when he arrived.

“Thanks,” he said hugging her back. He might not be interested in Lauren, but it was good to see her again.

“She’ll be here in an hour, and she has no clue that you’ll be here. I hope I’m doing the right thing.”

“I hope so too, or she won’t talk to either of us.”

“You really love her don’t you?”

“With all my heart. She was my first love. I want her to be happy.”

“So do I. That’s why I organised today.”

It was hard to read Cassie’s face when she walked into Lauren’s house. She had seen the car parked outside, and Sophie had run to see Patrick, hugging him as Cassie walked in behind her.

“I didn’t realise you were here.”

“It’s nice to see you too,” he replied, leaning over with Sophie still hugging him to kiss her on the cheek.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s a surprise.”

“A nice one I hope?”

She nodded, smiling, but it wasn’t a genuine Cassie smile. Her eyes weren’t as animated as they were when she was truly happy. He hoped that just meant she was cautious about seeing him again. “Well someone’s happy to see me anyway,” he said, kissing Sophie on the nose.

“It’s been ages. I kept asking Mum to invite you to come and stay with us.”

“Oh did you now?” He realised his initial assessment hadn’t been quite right. The emotion in her eyes he couldn’t quite place. Was it longing?

“It never seemed like the right time.”

“We’re all here now so let’s have a good time shall we?”

Sophie and Patrick cooked, and Cassie watched her daughter laugh as her father told the worst jokes ever. It took a lot not to laugh herself, and she wanted to join in but held herself back.

“Are you all right?” Asked Lauren.

“I think you already have the answer to that.”

“I have no idea what your problem is. He’s gorgeous, smart and a doctor. You can’t ask for better than that Cassie, and he adores you. If it wasn’t for that, I’d go for him.”

“Lauren, I have so many emotions to work through.”

“I know that, but I also know you miss him, Cassie and Mark wanted you to be happy.”

She frowned. “I don’t know if I can give myself to him fully, Lauren and that’s as unfair to Patrick as it is to me.”

“Spend some time with him this evening then, I’ve told him he can crash here so there’s no pressure on you to put him up. If you’re not going to do it for yourself, then do it for me?”

Cassie laughed at that. “Do it for you?”

“I used to live vicariously through you and Mark. How else do I get my happy ever after.”

“Oh, Lauren.” Cassie hugged her. “You’ll find your own, I swear. It’s just a matter of finding the right man.”

“So how unfair is it that you found two?” Lauren poked her tongue at Cassie and that made Cassie laugh louder.

Patrick listened to the sound of her laughter and wished he could make her laugh like that.

“I have nagged Mum to call you. How else is she going to get laid?”

“Sophie Warren.” Patrick laughed. “You are not supposed to know about that stuff young lady.”

“Mum says the same thing.”

“You shouldn’t be talking about your mother like that.”

“I just want her to be happy.”

“So do I. So let’s see how we go tonight.”

She beamed. “You should come and stay at our place.”

“I’m staying here. If your mother offers, then she offers. Otherwise, I am fine for the night.”

Patrick sat next to Cassie at the table as they ate. “This was such a great idea,” Cassie said, “thank you to the chefs.”

“You are very welcome,” Patrick said.

For a moment, they locked eyes. He saw it then, the smile in her eyes was there but very faint as if she held something back. Cassie looked away, it was too much.

As much as she cared, she still remembered how it had felt walking in on him with Vicki. Her reluctance to be with him wasn’t just about still mourning Mark.

After dinner, Sophie showed Patrick all the new things she’d got on her iPad and Cassie grumbled about how much it was costing her.

“Let’s log in and put my credit card on the account,” said Patrick.

“I won’t have you paying for anything more.”

“Cassie, I like doing it. If it helps Sophie’s education then I’m happy to support it.”

He tapped Sophie on the nose. “Just no going crazy young lady.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

He nodded. “Just putting it out there.”

“You’re not doing it Patrick,” Cassie said.

“Cassie, it’s fine. I really don’t mind.”

“Well I do. It’s not your place to do it, and I really wish you would back off.”

He looked hurt, and she regretted her words. “I’m just trying to help, Cassie. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know you didn’t. Sophie, we should get going.”

She wanted to remove herself from the situation now. Talking to him was only confusing her more, even if they were arguing over something trivial. Sophie looked disappointed, but Cassie stood her ground.

“Get your stuff together sweetheart and we’ll get going.”

“But it’s early Mum.”

“And the night chill is setting in. I want to go home and warm up the house before it gets too cold.”

“Yes Mum,” she said glumly.

Sophie hugged Patrick. “I have to go.”

Patrick kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll see each other again soon, I promise.”

“Go out to the car, Sophie, I’ll be out in a minute.”

She waited until Sophie was gone before looking at Patrick.

“It was good to see you, thanks for being here. Sophie, was really pleased to see you.”

“She’s a good kid. I’d like to see more of both of you, but you already know that.” Lauren excused herself, leaving them alone to say goodbye.

“Patrick, I know what you say you want…”

“What I want, Cassie. I want to be with you and Sophie. We could be a family.”

“I need everything to be clear in my head, and right now it’s not.”

“So I go back and wait?”

“If you really want to be with me then yes.”

Cassie hugged him goodbye before turning away.

The drive home was short, but Cassie resisted the temptation the whole way to turn around and go back. Sophie wasn’t happy about leaving, and Cassie tried to patch things up when they got home.

“It’s not fair. Patrick is my friend too.”

“I know, Sophie, and I’m sorry, but I just wanted to come home.”

“It’s always about you.” Sophie yelled.

“Sophie, please. I love you more than anything else in this whole world, but tonight I wanted to come home.”

“Why don’t you just tell him you love him, and we can live with him. Get over yourself, Mum.”

“Don’t speak to me that way, Sophie. You know how hard it’s been since I lost Mark.”

“He would want you to be happy Mum,” Sophie was crying too now.

She wrapped her arms around Sophie. “I know, Soph. It’s hard to move on, that’s all. Please be patient with me.”

Cassie couldn’t sleep with Patrick on her mind, and it didn’t help that the rain fell outside and had increased in intensity in the last hour. Sick of tossing and turning she tried to sit up to sleep in an armchair before returning to bed at midnight.

“You’re supposed to be an adult,” she thought to herself, “not a silly little girl. You fell for it once, why would you be falling for it again. Especially after Mark.”

She was drifting off when her mobile phone buzzed on the cabinet beside the bed. Sighing, she picked it up to see if it was important.

Are you awake?
Came the text from Patrick.

Cassie chewed her bottom lip. Should she reply or ignore it? What could he possibly want? She’d made her feelings clear to him that she wasn’t prepared to make a decision. Fear gripped her stomach, and a wave of nausea washed over her. What if Lauren had made her move after Cassie had left and Patrick was no longer waiting for her? She swallowed hard, curiosity beating out nerves as she tapped her reply.

I’m awake, what do you want?

You
came the response

She frowned, now he was going to play games with her emotions. All these years she’d never gotten over her first love. Mark had been the love of her life, she’d been sure of that, but with Patrick around again suddenly she wasn’t sure.

Don’t play with me
she sent back

If we played you’d never want to leave my bed
came the reply

Cassie snorted, Patrick was gorgeous as he always had been and knew it. Now he seemed to be somehow convinced that bragging about his sexual prowess would impress her. Oh who was she kidding? Of course it did.

She’d only ever slept with two men in her life. Patrick and their fumbled first and only coupling, neither of them experienced enough to know any better. Mark had more knowledge in that area and made her purr with the pleasurable sensations he’d provided. He’d known exactly how to touch her, something she struggled with herself.

The thought of Patrick wanting her made her tingle. Everything about him said sexy, and she was sure he could make her scream now. It scared her to think that way.

No games, you know my rules

Rules are made to be broken Cassie
he replied

She swore. There was no winning with him. He’d have a comeback whichever way she turned.

I’d rather be in your bed than Lauren’s. I’m sure it’s more comfortable
came a further text.

She froze. Had he slept with Lauren? Was this his way of saying he’d had her and wanted Cassie too? Tears rolled down her cheeks. She felt as she had all those years ago seeing him in bed with Vicki. When she sent no reply, her phone rang. She closed her eyes before pressing the button to reject the call, but it started ringing again. This time she pressed the accept button.

“What do you want?”

“I thought I’d made that clear,” came Patrick’s deep voice. The one that stirred her desire from deep down where she’d suppressed it.

“And I told you my terms, which you’ve completely disregarded.” She paused, not even knowing where the tone had come from, she must have sounded like a school teacher telling off a naughty boy.

“I don’t want to wait, and I don’t think you want to either.”

“What I don’t want is to be screwed around on again and if you’ve slept with Lauren then you can go away.”

“Cassie, I haven’t slept with Lauren. She’s trying to get us together as much as I am. That’s why she organised the barbecue tonight and invited me. Who screwed around on you, Cassie, who hurt you?”

“You did.”

“I never went near anyone else when we were together, not that we were together for very long before you shut me out. Even now I have no idea what I did for you to stop talking to me. I was crazy about you, Cass, and you broke my heart.”

The pain in her stomach was searing, thinking about what had happened all those years ago. “Screw you, Patrick. You slept with Vicki, that’s why I stopped talking to you. Don’t play the innocent party in all of this.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Is this something Vicki told you? If it was, then it’s not true.”

“Patrick, I saw you. I came to your party just like you wanted me to and when I got there you were in bed with Vicki.”