Everything in Cassie's body shut down. She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She couldn't even breathe.
Lester was here! And Tyler was due any moment.
FR1;Twenty-Three L/assie couldn't stand to hear another word come out of
that lying viper's mouth. Unlocking her legs, she thrust open the door and stormed into the room.
Both men swung around and stared at her, a dumbfounded expression on
their faces, obviously taken aback by her unexpected intrusion.
James recovered and gave her a pasty smile.
"Cassie, my dear, look who's here."
"I'm well aware of who's here." Her voice shook with rage as her gaze
landed on Lester.
"And that's the problem."
Lester didn't say a word, yet there was a smug turn to his lips that
further infuriated her. She clenched her hands to keep from striking her
ex-husband, who was standing in the middle of this room as though he
belonged there.
"Hello, Cassie," he finally said, that smirk still in place.
"So we meet again."
"How dare you come here?" Her voice was still wrapped in rage.
"Now, Cassie," James said, a pleading note in his voice.
"Let's try to keep things civil."
Lester focused his attention on her father with a nod. "I couldn't agree more." Cassie's rage was now off the charts, and it was all she could do not tolay into both of them. But she had to keep a cool head or she would playinto their hands. Time, though, was of the essence. She had to get Lester out of the house before Tyler got home from the picnic. When and if Tyler saw Lester, it would be her call, not his.
"What do you want?" she demanded, forcing herself to look at her
ex-husband, although it sickened her to do so.
Again, her frigid attitude didn't seem to phase him. Lester crossed to
the polished cherry desk, leaned against it, then folded his arms across his chest, as if he hadn't a worry in the world.
"Oh, I think you know the answer to that."
"I told you to stay away from my son." Rage flooded her face with color.
James straightened, his eyes settling on her.
"Cassie, please, control yourself. I want to hear what Lester has to say
even if you don't."
"Daddy, this is none of your business."
"I beg your pardon." James's eyes darted from one to the other.
"Of course it's my business. We're talking about a family here--you,
Lester and Tyler."
"No! We're not a family."
"In the eyes of the Lord you are," James added in a quiet but firm tone.
"Daddy, you don't know what you're saying. You don't know this man like
I do."
"It's you who doesn't know me," Lester said, his tone low, smooth and condescending.
"Even though I went to prison, I was innocent."
"Oh, puhlease." Cassie rolled her eyes while her panic rose.
Lester went on as though she hadn't said a word, his gaze centered on
James.
"But I hold no grudges, sir. You have to believe me."
"I'm the one who doesn't believe you," Cassie countered.
"And I'm the one who counts."
"I beg to differ with that, young lady," James said. "The Lord is the
one who counts."
Lester smiled at him.
"Speaking of the Lord, while I was in prison, I was saved. I took Jesus
into my heart."
Cassie forced herself not to laugh. Instead she prayed she wouldn't
upchuck on her shoes as she watched her daddy's face change from dark tolight. Lester was feeding James exactly what he wanted to hear, and her daddy was lapping it up like a starving vagrant who'd found food. Not only was Cassie repulsed by the entire charade, she wanted to scream at the injustice of it all.
Instead she thought of Tyler.
"Enough!" she shouted.
"I know what you're up to, Lester. I can see through you, even if Daddy
can't."
Lester held out his arms.
"Hey, what you see, baby, is what you're getting."
"Like hell," Cassie choked.
"Cassie, for heaven's sake," James said in a rebuking tone, "you must
try to work things out with your husband."
"He's not my husband."
"I'll always be your husband," Lester said in a cajoling tone.
"In the eyes of the Lord, that is."
"Mom! Where are you?"
Oh no! Cassie's worst fear had materialized. What should she do? For a moment she was paralyzed and couldn't do anything. It was that state ofparalysis that cost her.
"In here, Tyler" James said, walking to the door and opening it.
"Don't!" Cassie said in a frantic but broken voice.
No one paid her any heed. Not only did Tyler hurl himself into the room
and toward her, but Austin was right behind him.
If it hadn't been for her son's bright face, Cassie would have wished
for death to claim her. The two men she feared most were together in this room, and she didn't know what to do.
She wasn't alone. No one else seemed to know quite what to do, either,