One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 85
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One Summer Evening Part 85

"Yep."

"Okay, but don't tell my friends."

She laughed outright.

"Your secret's safe with me. Scout's honor."

Once he was against her, he asked in a muffled tone, "Do we have to go away again?"

"No, son, we don't."

"I don't like my dad. I told him I hated him."

At first Cassie didn't quite know how to respond to such an honest but bold statement. His grown-up words, however, had ripped her heart further apart.

"I don't like him, either."

"Do I have to see him again?"

"No, you don't. He'll never get out of jail." She paused, feeling him

stiffen.

"How do you feel about that, with your friends and all? Will they tease you?"

She had to ask those tough questions, since Tyler was sure to encounter

the cruel tongues of his peers. She would give anything to shield him

from that, but she couldn't.

So far, he seemed to have taken this latest crisis in stride with more wisdom than his years should have permitted. The fact that Lester hadn't physically harmed him had helped, and the fact that Lester had stayed with him, rather than one of his cohorts, had been another plus for Tyler's psyche.

At least Lester had shown Tyler that small touch of humanity, although Cassie wasn't sure why. Now that Tyler was safe in her arms and Lester behind bars, her ex-husband's motives didn't matter. What mattered was that she and her son could start afresh, begin the healing process one more time.

"Sammy will probably say something smart," Tyler finally said in answer to her question.

"What will you do?"

"Punch him in the nose."

Cassie made a face, but she was careful how she responded, since she was on delicate ground.

"Do you think that's the answer?"

Tyler cut his eyes up to her.

"Will you spank me?"

"Do you think I should?"

"I guess so," he muttered.

"Then I guess you'd best keep your fists to yourself, young man."

Tyler's mouth turned down.

"Okay."

Cassie kissed the top of his head.

"Maybe your friends won't be ugly.

If some are, try ignoring them. Soon they'll forget about you and your

problems."

"I hope so." Tyler was quiet for a minute, then asked, "When can I go back to Austin's farm?"

Her stomach flip-flopped again.

"Do you want to?"

Tyler sat up and looked at her with flashing eyes. '"Course I want to."

"Well, pardon me. Austin's still special to you, huh?" Cassie forced her

voice to show none of the panic suddenly charging through her.

While she was still willing to share her son, she wouldn't give him up.

She would die first. But then, Austin would never demand that.

Or would he?

There was such a fine line between love and hate.

"Mom, I gotta go." "You're right," she said, unclasping her arms from

around his wiggling body.

"Papa will be beating on the door."

He gave her a quick kiss, scrambled off her lap, then fled the room.

Now, as Cassie thought back on how her son had felt in her arms, she

ached for Austin to experience that same feeling. So should she take thegamble that she could spill her soul and come out a winner a winner inpossession of both Austin and her son?

Cassie reached for a fan, closed her eyes and rocked.

Forty -Austin nib bed his scratchy jaw. He should shave. For that

matter, he should do a lot of things he wasn't doing. He was. too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Damn. Damn Cassie.

He stomped around his condo and for the umpteenth time noticed how bare

and austere it looked. What it needed was a woman's touch.

Baloney. What this pad needed was a new owner.

Austin glanced at the clock above the fireplace. He ought to be at the

hotel in Baton Rouge. He had lost some staff members there, one of themhis manager. But he didn't have the desire or the energy to take care ofbusiness.

Still, this pity party had to end. He was a grown man, with responsibilities that couldn't be shirked. Hell, he had already pulled aboner with the land deal, a boner that was costing him a bundle.

But there was light at the end of that dark tunnel, thank heavens.

He'd found a buyer for one of his colts. That one horse alone would nethim half the money he owed the company. Yet he wouldn't be satisfieduntil he had paid back all he owed. Then maybe the company could borrowthe remaining amount required to do the renovations that Cassie wantedon the Jasmine Hillcrest.

Cassie. Cassie.

He couldn't stop thinking about her. He couldn't stop thinking abouthimself, either. His mind and guts had literally been blown tosmithereens when she had dropped her bombshell. But with Tyler'skidnapping and dramatic rescue, he hadn't had a chance to put his truefeelings under his mind's microscope until now.

Maybe if he went to the farm, he would fare better. Maybe an eveninggallop through the woods would do the trick, would help him reach adecision concerning Cassie and Tyler.

Tyler.

His groan sounded more like a wail as he made his way into the kitchen,opened the refrigerator and grabbed a Coke. What he wanted was a beer,but he didn't have any here. When he got to the farm, he swore he woulddown an entire six-pack.

He loved her, dammit.

Austin slouched against the cabinet, unable to move. Cassie had rippedthe lining out of his soul, and he wasn't sure it could ever be mended.

For eight years she had robbed him of his child.

How could she have done such a thing? Why hadn't she come to him?

Why? Why? Why? Not knowing the, answers to those questions was what hadreduced him to this state.

He had never felt so empty, so betrayed, so helpless. How could he loveCassie and hate her at the same time?

His stomach clenched. He wanted to puke, and he wanted to cry. Hecouldn't allow himself the luxury of either. He was a strong man, withstrong motivations and strong wants.

And he wanted his son in his life. Come hell or high water, that wasgoing to happen. How it happened would be up to Cassie, which meant hehad to see her.

He was so deep in his own torment that it took him a minute to realizethe doorbell was buzzing relentlessly. He set his Coke down on thecounter and, with a stinging curse, strode to the door, not happy withthe interruption.

When he jerked the door open, his happy factor dropped even more. Yet hestepped back and gestured with his hand.

"Come on in, James."

His lifelong friend was the last person Austin had expected to see at