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Cathy shook her head. “I wouldn’t believe it for a minute,” Cathy said. “That floozy has homewrecker stamped on her forehead.”
I grunted again.
I had never wanted to leap across bleachers and punch the crap out of someone as much as I did at that moment. I didn’t only want to hit her; I wanted to pull out her hair and grab a few tacks and puncture her boobs. I hated feeling this way. I hated feeling like I could spit fire. My hands balled into fists.
“Mom,” Kyra whispered. “Seriously, are you okay?”
I shook my head no. My hands opened for a brief moment, then closed into tight fists. “No, I’m not okay,” I managed to sputter. Anger and hurt burned the pit of my stomach and soul. I grabbed my purse and said, “I have to go. I’ll be in the car waiting for you guys, okay?”
Kyra nodded in understanding.
I didn’t say another word to Cathy or Dex. I rushed down the steps and jogged to the van. The van had turned into my sanctuary for sanity and private tears. I wondered if I would ever be able to trust a man again. I wondered if I was capable of truly and completely falling in love again. Was this love that I was feeling? Maybe I was in love with Ray. But this quickly? I mean, if I didn’t love him, I wouldn’t have felt this way, right?
Chapter Fourteen
Ray sent me a few text messages while I was working on Monday. I ignored them. Later that evening, when I was sitting in the waiting area at Kyra’s dance practice, he called. Twice. I let the calls go to voice mail. I just wasn’t ready to talk to him. I was still wrapping my head around what I had felt watching him chat it up with Mel. Dex didn’t seem to mind, but why would he feel threatened the way I did? He wasn’t the one who was cheated on.
I wasn’t ready to talk to Ray for the remainder of the week, either. On Friday I didn’t hear a peep from him. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or angry that he stopped trying to reach me.
I showered and was pulling on an oversize T-shirt when I heard a knock on the door. As I moved to answer it, I noticed that the kids' duffel bags were stuffed and by the door. They only used duffel bags when they spent the night at a friend’s house. I frowned.
They didn’t race or fight each other to answer the door. “Guys, everything okay?” I shouted out to them.
“Yes,” they said from somewhere in the house. I heard them laughing. They used that peculiar conspiratorial laugh when they were plotting against me or knew something I didn’t.
Uneasiness crept up inside me. I peeked through the peephole, but someone had used their thumb to cover it.
“I’m not opening the door until you move your finger!” I shouted.
“Cass, open up! It’s me,” Ray shouted. He pounded on the door for good measure.
My heart raced. I didn’t want to feel this way. I didn’t want to feel giddy and excited. I didn’t want to be exhilarated and charged over a man. But, damn it, I did, thanks to Ray and his rock-hard body. Ray and his big heart and naturally charming and flirtatious spirit.
I opened the door.
Cathy was right behind him. “Are you ready, kids?” she asked. She didn’t even bother to acknowledge me. “What? Wait, what? What do you think you’re doing? What?” I asked, ready to grab the baseball bat I kept near the front door.
“Relax,” Ray said. “Cathy agreed to watch the kids for the weekend while I take you away.”
“But—”
“Let’s go,” Ray commanded. “Get your purse, keys, and phone. You won’t need anything else.”
“Um, shorts?” I said.
“Fine, get shorts and shoes on. Let’s go.” Ray clapped his hands twice for emphasis.
The kids grabbed their duffel bags and kissed me on the cheek before scurrying off with Cathy.
After driving along the Pacific Coast Highway for a little over an hour, Ray turned onto a dirt path and followed it for about twenty minutes. Soon we were driving past rows and rows of grapevines. He parked in front of Halliday Ranch and Winery. He walked to the passenger side of the truck and opened the door for me, offering his hand. “What are you doing, Ray?”
“Haven’t you figured it out already?” he asked. When I didn’t respond, he said, “Kidnapping you for the weekend.”
I accepted his hand, then followed him into the winery lobby.
“Here’s the plan. We will spend a little time here. Sample a few wines, then pick out one or two to take back to the little house I rented for the weekend.”
“You rented a house?”
