One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 86
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One Summer Evening Part 86

his door, but then, the way his life had been going lately, nothing should have surprised him.

James Wortham crossed the threshold, pausing only after he reached the

middle of the living room.

"I hope you don't mind my intruding?"

"Now's not the time to pull that formality bull, James. Just say what

you came to say."

James flushed, and his jaw tightened, but he didn't reprimand Austin, as

if he knew better.

"All right. I don't want you to blame Cassie for what she did."

"Oh, really." Austin crossed his arms, and a grim tilt altered his lips.

"Why's that?"

"Because she was only eighteen, for one thing."

"She still could've told me."

"I know how you feel."

Austin snorted crudely.

"I don't think so."

James's flush deepened.

"Okay, maybe I don't. But Cassie's not to blame."

"Then just who is?"

"Me."

"Oh, come on, James, even for you, that's a stretch."

"Just listen, will you?"

Austin shrugged.

"I'm all ears."

"First off, I'm not condoning what either of you did, especially you,"

You've already made that plain, so there's no need to beat that dead

horse.

I'm not exactly proud of myself, either."

"That aside for now," James went on, "Cassie didn't tell you because of us."

"Did she actually say that?"

"No, but I know my daughter."

Austin pressed his lips together and held his tongue. It wouldn't hurt

him to hear what James had to say, although he doubted it would change his mind about Cassie's betrayal.

"She was afraid of telling us the truth. You see, we expected her to be

perfect, constantly drilling it into her that she must never do anything to bring shame on us or the Wortham name."

"I'll buy that," Austin said harshly.

James's chin jutted at the obvious rebuke, but once again he didn't take umbrage at Austin's rudeness.

"I deeply regret that she didn't feel that she could confide in us. Does

what I just said help?"

"Help how?" Austin would be damned if he let his holier-than-thou friend off the hook. If James was willing to take the blame, then he needed to squirm a bit, though he didn't for one minute completely exonerate Cassie. When she had seduced him that evening, she had known exactly what she was doing.

"I just told you," James said in an irritated tone.

"I don't want you to hold her responsible for not telling you about the ... baby."

"Don't you mean my baby?"

"All right," James said tersely.

"Your baby."

"Well, I appreciate your coming on her behalf, but it doesn't change

anything."

James's head came up and his eyes turned belligerent.

"What does that mean?"

"I still plan to have my day in court with Cassie."

"I wish you wouldn't."

Austin almost choked on his fury.

"What do you suggest I do?"

"Let the past stay buried, for Cassie's and Tyler's sake. Don't you

think they've been through enough?"

"I damn sure do, but then, so have I, James. Don't my feelings count at all?"

"Of course they count. You know how I feel about you and our friendship,

but" -- "But what?"

"If you must know, I don't approve of a relationship between you andCassie now any more than I would have then."

"Do you think I care?"

"I'm asking you to leave them alone," James snapped.