remarkable.
“So you’re really okay?”
“Yep,” she insisted, because she wasn’t truly worried about her job or her cousins.
Her personal life? Well, that was another story. But she wasn’t about to get into that with him, not yet, not here, not when they were about to spend the evening with his kid sister.
Chatty Jackie did not need to know Casandra had once been—and still was—her sister-in-law. Nobody else needed to know about Cassandra’s problems. Problems that included some seriously confused emotions. Plus her inability to get over what had been the most important relationship in her life.
Her inability to get over him.
Oh. And the fact that they were still married.
Chapter 3
D inner was shaping up to be a complete disaster. Despite having issued the invitation, Wyatt’s sister obviously had no idea how to cook. Cassandra quickly discovered that when she walked into the large, fully equipped kitchen of Wyatt’s spacious apartment near Beacon Hill. Wyatt was getting cleaned up so Cassie had asked Jackie if she could help.
“Is there an easy way to get this stuff out of the bottom of the jar?” Jackie was shaking an open container of premade Alfredo sauce into a much-too-small saucepan. “I was going to put water in it to get the last little clumps out, like I do with tomato soup, but I was afraid it might get runny.”
Cassandra sucked her bottom lip in her mouth so Jackie wouldn’t see her amusement. The girl looked thoroughly confused, with globs of whitish-gray sauce splattered on the stove, the counter and Jackie’s face. The scene, and Jackie’s woebegone expression, emphasized her youth. Wyatt’s sister was probably only twenty or twenty-one, and in way over her head. She looked a lot like Cassandra probably had during her brief marriage.
The realization made her heart twist.
“Is Wyatt really lactose intolerant?” she asked, to see if he’d been messing with her head earlier, and to make sure his sister wasn’t about to make him sick. As his wife used to do.
“Oh, cripes, I forgot,” Jackie said, her eyes widening into big circles. “Is this stuff dairy?”
Wincing as she read the label, Cassandra nodded. “I’d expect so. Cheese, cream…”
The girl muttered a four-letter word, then gave Cassandra an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I did my share of cursing when I was first learning to cook. Especially when I first made soufflé.”
“Are you a good cook?” The hope in Jackie’s face and voice told her just how overwhelmed the girl felt.
Thinking of the hours she’d spent with her family’s cook growing up—because the woman was the only person on the estate who’d ever made her feel welcome, rather than underfoot—Cassandra nodded. “Cooking is the one thing I’m very good at.”
“What about selling makeup?”
Cassandra winked. “I’m pretty good at that, too. But it helps to have an awesome product line.”
“Which you do,” Jackie said with an earnest nod. “I never thought your company’s cosmetics were worth the outrageous prices, but that thickening mascara makes my eyes look incredible.” Her face instantly reddened. “I’m sorry. I was trying to pay you a compliment.”
Grinning, Cassandra said, “Don’t worry about it. The overpriced perception is one of the reasons I need your brother’s help.” Striding to Wyatt’s pantry, she took stock. Then she scoped out the fridge, noting the fruits and veggies. She was already picturing pasta with marinara sauce and a big salad. “He sure eats healthier than he did in the old days,” she murmured.
It was only when Jackie cleared her throat that she realized what she’d said. Whirling around, she stammered, “Your brother and I have known each other for a while.”
Jackie stared at her, but didn’t answer at first. Instead, she walked to the kitchen door and pushed it open, peering into the living area of the apartment. Then she pulled her head back
“So you’re really okay?”
“Yep,” she insisted, because she wasn’t truly worried about her job or her cousins.
Her personal life? Well, that was another story. But she wasn’t about to get into that with him, not yet, not here, not when they were about to spend the evening with his kid sister.
Chatty Jackie did not need to know Casandra had once been—and still was—her sister-in-law. Nobody else needed to know about Cassandra’s problems. Problems that included some seriously confused emotions. Plus her inability to get over what had been the most important relationship in her life.
Her inability to get over him.
Oh. And the fact that they were still married.
Chapter 3
D inner was shaping up to be a complete disaster. Despite having issued the invitation, Wyatt’s sister obviously had no idea how to cook. Cassandra quickly discovered that when she walked into the large, fully equipped kitchen of Wyatt’s spacious apartment near Beacon Hill. Wyatt was getting cleaned up so Cassie had asked Jackie if she could help.
“Is there an easy way to get this stuff out of the bottom of the jar?” Jackie was shaking an open container of premade Alfredo sauce into a much-too-small saucepan. “I was going to put water in it to get the last little clumps out, like I do with tomato soup, but I was afraid it might get runny.”
Cassandra sucked her bottom lip in her mouth so Jackie wouldn’t see her amusement. The girl looked thoroughly confused, with globs of whitish-gray sauce splattered on the stove, the counter and Jackie’s face. The scene, and Jackie’s woebegone expression, emphasized her youth. Wyatt’s sister was probably only twenty or twenty-one, and in way over her head. She looked a lot like Cassandra probably had during her brief marriage.
The realization made her heart twist.
“Is Wyatt really lactose intolerant?” she asked, to see if he’d been messing with her head earlier, and to make sure his sister wasn’t about to make him sick. As his wife used to do.
“Oh, cripes, I forgot,” Jackie said, her eyes widening into big circles. “Is this stuff dairy?”
Wincing as she read the label, Cassandra nodded. “I’d expect so. Cheese, cream…”
The girl muttered a four-letter word, then gave Cassandra an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I did my share of cursing when I was first learning to cook. Especially when I first made soufflé.”
“Are you a good cook?” The hope in Jackie’s face and voice told her just how overwhelmed the girl felt.
Thinking of the hours she’d spent with her family’s cook growing up—because the woman was the only person on the estate who’d ever made her feel welcome, rather than underfoot—Cassandra nodded. “Cooking is the one thing I’m very good at.”
“What about selling makeup?”
Cassandra winked. “I’m pretty good at that, too. But it helps to have an awesome product line.”
“Which you do,” Jackie said with an earnest nod. “I never thought your company’s cosmetics were worth the outrageous prices, but that thickening mascara makes my eyes look incredible.” Her face instantly reddened. “I’m sorry. I was trying to pay you a compliment.”
Grinning, Cassandra said, “Don’t worry about it. The overpriced perception is one of the reasons I need your brother’s help.” Striding to Wyatt’s pantry, she took stock. Then she scoped out the fridge, noting the fruits and veggies. She was already picturing pasta with marinara sauce and a big salad. “He sure eats healthier than he did in the old days,” she murmured.
It was only when Jackie cleared her throat that she realized what she’d said. Whirling around, she stammered, “Your brother and I have known each other for a while.”
Jackie stared at her, but didn’t answer at first. Instead, she walked to the kitchen door and pushed it open, peering into the living area of the apartment. Then she pulled her head back
Similar Books
Bound To Him: Three Dates with a Billionaire
Emma Lyn Wild
Outward Borne
R. J. Weinkam
Viking
Daniel Hardman
Crooked House
Agatha Christie
Game For Love: Game On (Kindle Worlds Novella)
Cat Johnson
Amber Brown Is Green with Envy
Paula Danziger
The Anchor
B.N. Toler
Beast Untamed: Beasts of Bodmin Moor, Book 3
Faye Avalon
Dark Secrets
Jessica Burnett