How Cassie Got Her Grind Back by Heather Rainier Read Free Book Online Page B

school they’d shared numerous classes, had both been active in the music and band departments, and they’d been good friends, even when scandal had occurred in their senior year. After graduation he’d gone away for college, and they’d lost touch.
    She giggled and said, “Sweet talker, some things never change, do they? Don’t be standing there claiming to have put on weight or aged because you haven’t changed hardly at all.”
    “Now who’s sweet-talking?” he asked, his cheeks, the color of lightly creamed coffee, taking on a ruddy hue.
    “Are you in town visiting? You never came to any of the other reunions. I thought I heard you’d gotten married to Dorene Lester a few years ago.”
    Andrew pursed his lips and nodded. “And I’m also recently divorced.”
    She patted his arm. “Me, too.”
    Andrew chuckled. “Ain’t we a pair? Her whole family was nuts. Between that interfering bunch and the problems we were having, it finally came to an end.”
    “No kids?”
    Andrew shook his head, and the regret showed in his gorgeous eyes. “She insisted she didn’t want any, and I went along with it. And you?”
    Cassie nodded. “A boy and a girl. They’re in college now. They’re great kids.”
    “Ah, then they must take after you.”
    Cassie laughed and nodded when he invited her to come with him to get a drink from the bar. The next several minutes were spent getting caught up on jobs and moves. During a pause in the conversation, Andrew said, “You know, I always wondered if you went on to performing arts college like you dreamed of doing.”
    Thinking of Samson and his pointed questions, Cassie shook her head. “I had to put college on the back burner when…everything happened. After graduation, with my mom…away…my dad needed me at home and in the family business. I still dreamed of going for it but I got married to Bill. And then Joseph and Tamara came along. Family life took priority.”
    Andrew nodded in commiseration. “I always pictured you ending up with Samson Cutter.”
    “Lots of things didn’t work out the way I envisioned them.” She looked past Andrew’s shoulder when there was a flurry of activity at the entrance. Andrew’s ex-wife, who also had a fair amount of history with several of the men already in the room, had just entered on the arm of a much younger man.
    Cassie glimpsed the pain in Andrew’s eyes before he shuttered the look with a blink. Andrew had adored Dorene all through high school. It was obvious their recent divorce still hurt, and Cassie acted without hesitation. She scooted under his arm and tugged his hand around her shoulder.
    Andrew looked down at her in surprise. “Girl, what are you doing?”
    “What does it look like I’m doing, doofus? I’m your wingman…wingwoman. I’m your friend, damn it.”
    Andrew laughed with her and gave her a squeeze and a kiss on the top of her head. “You’ve always been a good friend, Cassie. I’m glad that hasn’t changed. Tell you what. If Bill shows up I’ll run interference for you, too. How’s that, wingperson?”
    “That’d be great. If I’m lucky, he won’t show up at all.”
    They joined Hank, Travis, Chance, and Clayton, and their wives, with several other friends at a table, and the chitchat proceeded along normal lines, like at every reunion. In the split buffet line, they were unfortunate enough to be across the serving dishes from Dorene and her date. Dorene glared at Andrew and then gave Cassie a brittle smile across the serving dishes, evidently buying that they were a couple. Cassie began a mental countdown, knowing Dorene wouldn’t let this opportunity slide.
    In three…two…one—
    “Okay, so…Cassie, did your mom ever get over her drug addiction after your dad divorced her? I heard she owed some very scary people a lot of money.”
    “Huh?” Dorene’s date asked as he piled his plate with brisket. The serving line grew quiet. Cassie knew what was coming next, and her heart rate