Irreplaceable (13 page)

“She isn’t my type, and never has been. I especially
think my older brother would highly disapprove.”

What?
I scrunched my face in confusion, but before
I could answer, Oliver was bouncing back into the room.

“Come on, aren’t you hungry?” he asked, lifting the dark
cloud forming above us.

“We’ll be right there. I was just telling Cassandra about
Katherine.” The side of his mouth pulled up and I stiffened. Katherine could
not have been some random hookup if she knew Oliver and his brother…and then it
hit me.

“Aunt Katie is the best. She makes pancakes that look
like Mickey Mouse!”

I swallowed, nodding away my embarrassment. “She’s your
brother’s wife,” I grumbled under my breath.

Logan simply raised his brows and watched me shift
uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“Why don’t you go get the pictures you colored for
Cassandra and meet us in the dining room? We’ll be right there,” Logan said,
and Oliver left the room, excited to show me his artwork.

My thoughts of why I made such a scene and acted so
childish were interrupted when he wrapped his arms fully around me and held me
in place.

“You’re jealous.” His fingers delicately moved the strand
of hair that had fallen over my eyes in my rush to leave the room.

“Why would I be? Whatever we had, I’m over it. I came
over to have lunch with Oliver, so if you’ll excuse me.” My tone was laced in
ice as I yanked myself out of his grip, but I didn’t care. I was humiliated
that he was seeing through my defenses.

His intoxicating breath tickled my lips as he held me
close. “I dislike Luke.”

Where did that come from?

“What?”

“Luke, Caleb’s kid brother. The guy who’s been hounding
you, waiting for the right time to pounce.”

The confusion on my face slipped into a grin matching his
previous one, and like him, I began to laugh.

“Pounce? Luke?” I laughed harder, dipping my head back.
Luke was so not interested like that.

Logan raked his fingers over the waistband of my jeans.
His fingers brushed my skin, cutting off my giggles in an instant.

My pulse accelerated, and heat coursed up from my toes,
surging to the deepest part of me. He’d never touched me there before. I closed
my eyes as he spoke.

“He wants you, but the question is: do you want him?”

I was about to tell him how ridiculous he was, but then
realized he was jealous. The flash of insecurity I saw in his eyes drove me to
say my next words.

“Maybe. He’s sweet, honest, and…” I leaned into his ear,
his hand still pressing on my stomach. “…he’s quite sexy.”

I pulled away with a smirk.

“Interesting. I’ll accept that challenge, sweetheart—not
that the boy presents one.”

Boy?
Luke was only a few years younger than Logan.
His arrogance knew no bounds.

“Are you coming?” Oliver called out.

I stepped away from Logan, feeling even more confused
about what was evolving between us, yet with a calmness settling over my heart.

Chapter Twelve

Haunted

The grin on my face was bigger
than I remembered it being in ages; it felt like my first full day back to my
old self. The snow was a thick blanket covering the earth, but it didn’t stand
a chance at deterring me. The moment I finished stretching, I was out the door.

Starting off light and easy, I hit the pavement, snow
crunching under my feet. The cold morning air rushed through me as I increased
my speed down the back road, my face nothing but a carefree grin.

It was invigorating—the pull of my tight muscles and the
chance to put everything behind me. It was only a month earlier that I was
lying in that hospital bed, dreaming of the moment I’d be back out there. My
eyes slid shut for a moment and my mouth opened just enough to suck in a deep
breath. With my ribs healed, I could finally enjoy the fresh, snowy breeze
knocking into me.

When I returned home an hour later, out of breath and
loving it, I was met with the cheerful grin of Oliver standing beside Julia on
my front porch.

“Hey, what are you guys doing up so early?” I asked as I
came to a stop in front of them, wiping the cold sweat from my brow.

“Oliver saw you out on the road and wanted to come over
to see you before I took him to school,” Julia explained with a wary tone I
didn’t understand.

“Well, I like hearing that.” I smiled his way.

“How are you feeling? Must be doing pretty good to go out
for a run in this weather.”

I shrugged. I enjoyed the winter air. “Better. Things are
getting better.”

“You got a car, finally, huh?” I followed her glance to
the aged black Honda sitting in my driveway.

“No, just borrowing my mom’s.” She was only loaning it to
me while I waited for my appointment at the bank. The loan officer had a busy
schedule, but was able to squeeze me in the following week.

My mother, however, was under the impression that I was
waiting to speak to Logan about writing a new check after I’d convinced her to
let me talk to him. And since her boyfriend was more than happy to shuttle her
around until I got my own vehicle, she was officially off my back about it.

Julia nodded with a sympathetic smile and looked down to
Oliver. He took a step forward when I opened the door for them to enter, but
Julia’s hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

“We can’t stay. Don’t want him to be late, sorry,” Julia
said, standing in place, and I noticed the tiredness in her tone.

“Oh, okay. Is everything all right?” I asked, watching as
Scout ran up and Oliver squatted down to scoop him up. It was nice to finally
be able to handle having a puppy in the house again. Bringing him home after my
lunch with Oliver had been hard to watch. You’d have thought they were parting
for a cross
-
country voyage until I reminded Oliver he could come over
anytime he wanted to visit.

Giggling at the pup licking his tiny face, Oliver looked
up to Julia. “Can I ask now?”

She nodded and then looked to me, with an irritated scowl
settling between her brows.

Before I could question it, Oliver burst out, “My mom
came to see me! She said she’d take me out soon, too.” He was practically
stuttering with excitement.

I kept my thin smile fixed in place, glancing up at the
now-understandable gloomy expression on Julia. She made a face.

“That’s great. I’m so happy for you, Oliver.”

He looked pleased, and sat Scout back on the ground. “I
told her ‘bout the tree house, but Daddy said she’s not allowed to see it. Said
I had to ask you first. Can I show her when she comes back?”

Natasha—Logan’s ex—in my tree house?
Not a chance,
and I didn’t even want to analyze why that bothered me so much. But she was
Oliver’s mother…how could I say no?

“Sure, of course,” I replied with a nod, attempting to
cover the hesitation in my voice.

“I told Daddy you’d say yes!” He ran into me, hugging me
around the waist until Julia told him it was time to go. He looked up, and
added, “She’ll love it as much as we do!”

“I’m sure she will.” A broken and awkward laugh fell from
my lips as he hopped down from the porch steps.

“See you Saturday, Cassie!” Julia called back as they cut
through the lawn back to Logan’s.

I gave a nod, then quickly realized I had no clue why I
was seeing her this weekend.

“Saturday?”

She turned back, her brows pinched together. “Yeah,
Logan’s birthday.”

Birthday?
“Oh, I didn’t know.”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Of course he didn’t
tell you. He’s not big on celebrating it, but we force him to sit down and open
a few presents and eat cake. We do the big party next month; since Oliver’s
birthday is exactly one month to the day of Logan’s, my mother goes all out for
that one. So it’s just Jax, Oliver, and me for Logan’s, but it’s nice.” She
hesitated for a brief moment before adding, “Mark has to work late, so he won’t
be there.”

This was news to me, as well as her nervousness at
bringing up Mark. Did she know more about our past? It didn’t matter, and the
party was way too family-oriented for me to be included in it.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I should come. Like you said,
it’s just you and Jax—family.”

“And my mom,” Oliver chimed in. “I invited her too.”

“You what?” Julia snapped.

“Daddy said I could,” he defended with a pouting lip.

With a huff, Julia looked back to me. She was definitely
not okay with Oliver’s last-minute invite.

“Like I said, it’s Saturday at six, and I know Logan
would love for you to be there. Just think about it.”

I nodded, unsure why I didn’t clarify right away that I
wouldn’t be attending. Instead, I grabbed Scout and headed inside, eager to
clear my head with a cool shower.

Logan was back to work, which
meant I had a lot of free alone time on my hands. I spent most of the week
sitting in my freezing attic, rummaging through the last of my grandparents’
treasures. After sliding the last box down the ladder and watching it smack on
the hall floor below, I stood looking around at the empty space.

As a kid, I was never allowed in the small room. I’d
always wondered what I’d find if I pulled down the ladder and snuck up. Grandma
swore it was nothing more than a dusty dropping zone with stacks of boxes and
old furniture, but seeing it empty aside from an old sofa and antique dresser
which were too heavy to move, I realized ‘small’ was not the word to describe
it—dusty, yes, but it was larger than I’d expected.

Two stained-glass windows filtered in light on each side
of the room, highlighting the dark wooden floors. Years of neglect and wear
magnified the floor’s true age, but there was something comforting in it. I sat
with my back against the bare brick wall, losing myself in a daydream of
turning it into my own private office—or secret library.

I sat beside the sofa that was covered in a drop cloth
and closed my eyes. Color schemes and furniture layouts played through my mind,
just as they had for Julia’s house. I could dream at least.

The instant the phone vibrated beside me, I was pulled
back to the empty room covered in cobwebs and layers of dust, as well as the
somber reality of my empty bank account. No lavish makeover happening there.

I knew without looking whom the text was from. It’d been
over two hours since I’d received one from Logan, with my last to him
explaining I was getting my hands dirty and didn’t wish to be bothered.

With a smile, I read.

Still cleaning?

How did he know getting my hands dirty meant cleaning? He
knew me better than I cared to admit. I replied.

Just finished.

Logan was careful not to hover too closely after my lunch
with Oliver, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t blowing up my phone at least a
dozen times a day—all texts, never once a call. I guess if we didn’t hear each
other’s voices, it didn’t count as actually talking—at least, not to him.

Can I see you tonight?

It was the same request every night, and my reply was
always the same.

No.

Instantly, he answered back.

I’ll bring dinner. Grilled cheese. Oliver can
supervise

Lol. I’ll pass but tell Oliver I miss him

I will. Have a good night Cassandra.

You too.

I tucked my phone in my pocket, but the moment I went to
stand, it vibrated again. He normally accepted my refusal and wouldn’t text
again until after eight or nine to say good night.

The screen flashed and my finger swiped over it to show a
text from Julia.

U still coming tonight?

I groaned, shoulders slouching. Logan’s birthday. I’d
been so focused on sorting years of baggage that I’d completely forgotten.

Sorry can’t. Tell Oliver I said hi :)

Don’t leave me with a depressed brother and his
ex-bitch. U sure I can’t convince u?

That certainly didn’t help her case. If she wanted to
convince me, she shouldn’t have reminded me what I’d be walking in on.

Sorry. Have fun though!

Yeah right! Thanks!

My head rested against the cool wall, glad to have gotten
out of the party so easily, and it was then that I noticed the purple hat box
stashed behind the sofa. Grandma hadn’t been a very fashionable woman, so I
wasn’t sure what I’d find inside as I pulled it out and placed it on the floor
in front of my crossed legs. Confused by what I was looking down at, I removed
a letter that had my mother’s name written on it in my grandmother’s hand from
atop a pile of envelopes.

The letter inside was short and to the point:

Felicia,

Please see to it that Cassandra
receives these when you’re ready. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. I’ve always
loved you like a daughter, but he’s my son. I hope you understand.

I swallowed. My father? I should’ve closed the lid and
thrown out the box, or taken it to my mother, whom my grandmother seemed to
have had expected to find it. However, I found myself pulling out the first
envelope, postmarked two years after he left. Whatever grandma was hiding, I
needed to know.

Mom,

I’m sorry this hurts you so much, but
I told you, I can’t come back. I can’t face them. I won’t write again. I don’t
want to further upset you. I can’t explain my love for her, but it’s unlike
anything I’ve ever felt before. She’s my everything. If you gave Nina a chance,
you’d see…

“Nina?” I gasped, dropping the letter.

Nina? My babysitter who went off to college the same time
my father left Nina? No, it was too much to assume. There had to be thousands
of women in the world with that same name.

I didn’t need to know anymore. Whatever the letters said
didn’t mean anything other than further damaging my faith in men. I stuffed the
letter back in the envelope and saw the photograph peeking out from under the
stack. I couldn’t stop myself from pulling it out to reveal a smiling picture
of my father, his arm wrapped around the same Nina who played Barbies with me
almost every Saturday for an entire year.

Irate, I shoved it back inside and placed the lid on the
box before standing and releasing a deep breath, wishing I’d never looked
behind the couch to begin with.

Once I climbed down from the attic and closed up the
ladder carefully, tucking it back into the ceiling, I took a quick shower,
resigned to forget what I’d read.

An hour later, I plopped down on my couch, phone in hand,
and sent the text to Logan that should’ve gone out after Julia’s reminder text,
had I not gotten distracted. Logan and I weren’t friends anymore, but I liked
things being civil between us. I wasn’t going to overthink it; just a simple
text, nothing special.

Happy birthday!

There, a neighborly deed done well. He’d never even told
me it was his birthday, so maybe he didn’t want me to know. I rarely knew what
he was thinking.

I waited for a reply, but it never came. I figured he was
busy at work or on his way home, where he’d be bombarded with his family—his
family that included Natasha. I wondered what that would be like for him after
all this time…to have her back and celebrating his birthday.

It wasn’t my business, and I wasn’t going to dwell.