Redemption (15 page)

He put the stone in his pocket and simultaneously produced a small box from the inside of his coat. Cassidy grinned.

“I do love presents,” she said.

“Kinda figured that.”

The table was watching them, but she didn’t care. Like Bryan had said, let them think what they wanted. She carefully unwrapped the pink paper and opened the small white box. Inside, nestled on fluffy, white cotton was a silver bracelet. Dangling from it was a tiny, pink crystal angel. All right, maybe she should care, just a little.

“Bryan, this is too much. I mean, it’s gorgeous. But, it’s too much,” she protested.

“It’s not too much. Remember? I’m a hot-shot California photographer,” he joked.

“Well, it’ll definitely make them think this is a date,” Cassidy said, leaning against him and smiling.

“This isn’t part of some fake-date scam, Cass.” Bryan’s brow furrowed, and he became serious. “When I saw it, I thought of you. The past two days, all you’ve done is go out of your way to be good to me. It’s like you’re
my
personal angel or something. I haven’t had anyone like that in my life for a long time.” He lifted her chin so she faced him. “Say you’ll wear it, please.”

Cassidy couldn’t speak through the giant lump in her throat. All she could do was nod as he undid the clasp and put it on her wrist.

“Perfect,” he said. “Somehow I knew it would be.” He held her hand, helping to stop the shaking, as they approached the table.

Nick looked uneasy. Miranda looked displeased. Derek looked unsure.

But Carrie was beaming.

Thankfully, dinner was relaxed, full of small-talk and good food. Miranda seemed to lighten up a bit around Cassidy, who noticed how carefully she avoided conversation with Bryan. Cassidy was beginning to wonder if, maybe, Carrie hadn’t told Miranda that he would be there. Her cousin always had some scheme in the works, and in her mind, each was for someone’s own good. For all Cassidy knew, Carrie had been forced to listen to Miranda lamenting about the loss of Bryan in her life, and this was her way of forcing it to happen again.

Derek was amazingly wonderful. Not only did he take handsome to a new level with those dreamy brown eyes and perfectly messy brown hair, he was thoughtful, attentive, and had a body that no woman could possibly resist. As a police officer and volunteer firefighter, he definitely had the market on hero cornered. Add to that his intense desire to deepen his faith and, well, Cassidy was left wondering where she could find a Derek of her own. She could easily see how Miranda had fallen so deeply in love with him. It was all over the two of them in each look, gentle touch, and smile.

The only one who didn’t say much was Bryan. He spoke a bit to Nick or Carrie, avoided Miranda and Derek, and kept one hand on Cassidy’s knee the entire time. She knew it was simply to maintain contact with someone so he didn’t have to feel so alone with Miranda there. It was hard to watch him struggle with his pain, to put on a brave face, pretend to have moved on.

When the music slowed, he leaned over to her and asked her to dance. Cassidy smiled.

“Certainly,” she answered.

He held her hand as they walked to the dance floor. Cassidy’s heart pounded in her ears and she felt her nerves fraying. What was it about him that made her come so unglued? She could name a few things. She could talk about the angles of his gorgeous face, the lean muscles she felt beneath her hands while they danced - even if he was a bit too thin from improper care. She might also mention his smile. When it was genuine, something in her heart threatened to burst. But, it was his eyes that held her captive.

As they swayed to the music, she found herself needing to distract her entire being, which was crying out for more of him. She had to remind herself that he was in love with someone else. Someone glamorous and sitting only a few feet away.

“She’s been watching you all night,” Cassidy said.

Bryan spun her. “I’ve noticed.”

“Aren’t you going to talk to her?” she asked, dizzy from the twirl and the excitement of dancing with him.

“I should,” he shrugged. “Later.”

He pulled her closer, and she rested her head against his shoulder. Cassidy could hear his heart beating, and it frightened her to admit that she wished it beat for her instead of Miranda. Being attracted to him was one thing. Wanting to belong to him was another.

The light caught the crystal on her bracelet, making it shimmer. “This bracelet is so pretty, thank you, again. Really, thank you for everything.”

She felt his cheek against her head.

“I’m glad you’re having a good birthday,” he murmured.

Cassidy smiled against him.
I’d like to make you mine,
she thought.

The song ended too soon, making Cassidy frown. When another slow one started, she was relieved that he kept their dance going. A tap on her shoulder made them both stop.

“Mind if I cut in?” Miranda asked.

“Actually-” Bryan began, but Cassidy cut him off.

“Of course not. It’s fine,” she said, forcing a smile. Bryan opened his mouth to protest, but she continued, “I’ll get the next one.”

Cassidy walked back to the table stiffly. It took all of her self-control to walk away from Bryan and leave him with Miranda. The one who broke his heart. The one whose memory continued to haunt him. The one whose memory she was certain she could never replace.

No one was at the table when she returned. Carrie and Nick were on the dance floor, Derek was at the bar, and she was left alone.

 

Bryan avoided eye contact with her. He wanted to go back to dancing with Cassidy, to feeling
her
in his arms.

“What do you want, Miranda?” he asked, his tone sharp.

“I didn’t realize you’d be here,” she answered. “It threw me. I guess Carrie thinks it’s time we make up, play nice again.” She smiled, trying to soften him up. “Be friends?”

“I told you. Until I figure out how not to love you anymore, I can’t. I’ve spent the past six months trying to pry you from my heart and my memory. Friends?” he paused. “I can’t do that yet.” Bryan looked away, but kept dancing. As much as he wanted to push her away, being this close to Miranda again did feel strangely good.

They moved in time with the music, their bodies finding an old, familiar rhythm. Bryan thought about all he’d hoped to have with her. Every so often, she would glance over at the table, waiting for Derek’s return. He never had a chance with her once Gainnes showed up on the scene, not really. He’d wasted too much of his life on someone who would never love him in return, not like he wanted to be loved.

Bitterness welled up inside him. He thought of who he’d become, of what he’d become. It was all Miranda’s fault.

“So, are you with her?” Miranda looked in Cassidy’s direction. “That’s pretty fast, even for you.”

“Cassidy?” Bryan hesitated before answering. He was, technically speaking, with Mara. The chick lived in his apartment. However, he wanted to be with Cassidy. “I’m her date for tonight, but we’re friends. Who knows where it might lead?” His forehead creased.

“I know that look, Bryan.
We
may not be friends right now, but there are enough years when we were for me to recognize what’s going on inside you,” Miranda said. She tilted her head, studying him. “You have feelings for her.”

Miranda was getting on his nerves. She didn’t have a right to pry into his life. It wasn’t her business whether or not he had feelings for Cassidy. He turned his head to find her. She stood by the table, drinking her glass of wine, waiting for him. Just seeing her changed his entire expression. His eyes lit up, he smiled. And when he did, it was the old Bryan smiling through him, not the shadow he’d become. She made him feel...better. She made him
feel.

“Shut-up, Miranda. It’s none of your business anyway.”

“I’m just saying that it’s obvious to me you’re attracted to her, at least.” Miranda pouted. It had always worked before; perhaps he could still be moved by it.

“She’s about the nicest person I’ve ever met, Randi. And yes, I do think she’s beautiful. But that’s where it ends. I’m going back to California.” He stopped there. For some reason, his vocal cords wouldn’t let him say anything more.

“You can’t lie to me,” Miranda said. “I know you.”

“You used to know me,” he snapped. “Just dance.”

They finished the song in silence.

C
assidy couldn’t stand there watching Bryan hold Miranda, wishing he was still holding her instead. She downed the rest of her wine and set the glass on the table. Pretending that she’d be satisfied if Bryan was nothing more than a friend to her was a lie that she could no longer tell herself. And seeing him with Miranda, seeing the way the look on his face changed while they danced...Once he’d looked over to the table where she stood, but then his attention returned to Miranda. His eyes sparkled when he looked at her, and he smiled in a way Cassidy knew she hadn’t been able to make him smile. She couldn’t compete with that. She had to leave. Cassidy grabbed her coat and walked outside onto the deck. It might be freezing out there, but there was no way it would chill her as much as witnessing firsthand all the reasons why she and Bryan would never be, regardless of how much time they spent together. She looked at Miranda before leaving, only to see the other woman watching her and smiling. Everything about that smile told Cassidy that no matter what she thought, Miranda would always have a hold on Bryan.

Derek returned to the table to see Cassidy fleeing from it. “Cassidy,” he called after her, “are you okay?” She never even slowed down.

He put his drink on the table and looked toward the dance floor. Once he saw Miranda and Bryan, everything made sense.

 

Though she felt a bit melodramatic for the way she’d exited the room, Cassidy couldn’t make herself go back yet. She stood against the railing, rubbing her arms, freezing and wishing the music would change tempo so she
could
return inside. She closed her eyes, pretending the tears clouding her vision were simply from the icy wind whipping around her. She should have listened to Carrie. What a fool she’d been! She sighed deeply and began devising a plan to make it through the night. How quickly the roles had reversed. Earlier, it had been about helping Bryan. Now she was the one feeling sick while he seemed just fine.

She looked down at the bracelet he gave her. As she ran her finger over it, she remembered how wonderful it had felt when he asked her to wear it. He was trying to say thank you to a friend, and whether she’d wanted to acknowledge it or not, the whole time she’d been building it up to mean more.

She frowned. Her imagination always was a bit overactive.

 

The music stopped and Bryan released Miranda abruptly. “You’re right,” he said to her, sensing an opportunity. A wicked smile spread across his face. “And though you really don’t have any right to ask, I’ll answer your question. Yes, I do have feelings for her.” He knew the potential for truth in his words, but no one else needed to. He’d found a way he could keep the charade going, and that thought filled him with a mixture of relief, excitement, and confusion.