The Forgotten Night by Becky Andrews Read Free Book Online Page A

shaking her head again. “You dolt! You broke her heart. You want to know why she’s been avoiding you, why she was so upset that night? It was because she loves you too.”
    “What?” Andrew breathed.
    “I guess I always figured, but now there’s the proof.”
    “She loves me?” Andrew asked again.
    “Yes, you idiot! I’m betting for as long as you’ve loved her, maybe longer. You broke her heart that night. That’s why she’s been acting strange.”
    “She loves me?” he asked again, still not believing it. All those times he thought he saw the love in her eyes, he had been right. He should have just told her when he knew. He should have told her how he felt then none of this nonsense would be happening.
    “I have to tell her,” he said as he pulled the car to a park in front of their house.
    “No! You can’t!”
    “What? First you’re telling me yes, now no?”
    “You can’t tell her now. She’s still mad at you. She still thinks you slept with Ashley. You have to make sure you didn’t.”
    Andrew stared at his sister for a long moment. The magnitude of his stupidity hit him like a brick. He’d made love to Cassidy on Christmas Eve. She’d given herself to him, and then he hadn’t even called her the next day. He’d let a whole week go by, then he’d told her he didn’t remember anything that had happened that night. No wonder she’d been so angry with him. Was there anything he could ever do to earn her forgiveness?

Chapter Four

     
    December 24 - Winbright Christmas Party
     
    A ndrew saw Cassidy the minute she arrived at his parents’ party. He had been sitting in the corner, waiting for her to show up. She looked even more beautiful than the last time he’d seen her as she went directly to the bar and ordered a drink. She wore her red spaghetti-strap A-line dress with a bubble hem skirt that fell just below her knees, complete with black sash. Cassidy had never liked wearing it, but her mother always insisted. He wondered why she wore it tonight. He watched her as she downed the contents of her cup and turned around to leave.
    As she slowly made her way out of the living room, he jumped up and followed her, wondering what she was doing. Normally she would have sat down and pulled out her book, but she wasn’t even carrying her clutch. What was going on? She walked across the ballroom and leaned against one of the walls, watching as couples danced. He stepped inside, determined to talk to her, just as a friend. Rachel was right, he needed to wait until he knew exactly what happened that night before confronting her with his feelings. As Andrew stepped closer, he stopped when Cassidy’s attention was drawn by a man who walked up to her.
    Cassidy knew Andrew was here somewhere and her heart still beat wildly at the thought. She hated herself for still loving Andrew Winbright, but at the same time knew she would never get over her feelings. She had accepted her fate but would build a wall around her heart that would help her to ignore the sensations he caused every time she even thought of him. She was about to start looking around the room for him when someone touched her forearm.
    “Cassidy!”
    Cassidy turned to see her boyfriend, Robert Stokes, looking at her with adoring eyes. She tried to mimic his look but thought she probably looked like she was in pain. She didn’t love this man, so why was she with him? Because he took her mind off of Andrew. After Andrew and Rachel had left on their cruise, she’d been determined to find someone else, and Robert had seemed perfect.
    Robert bent down to kiss her but before his lips touched hers she turned her head and his lips grazed her cheek.
    Andrew felt his insides ignite as he watched Cassidy with someone else. He wanted to rush to Cassidy and push away the guy hovering over her. He watched as the man bent down to bestow a kiss, and almost left the room until he saw her turn her head.
    He wanted to smile, but he wouldn’t allow