Page 53 of The Other Half

All it took was one look. One word. One touch. And I was sliding back down the cliff again.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cassie

“Where’d you go?” Lucy asked when I got back to my group.

“Just bumped into a friend.” Jake wasn’t just a friend, but even though I now considered Lucy and Josie just that, I hadn’t told them about my almost-romance with Jake. Knowing it wasn’t going to happen for us, I didn’t see the point in reliving the ache of his rejection. Only Poppy knew what had transpired because she’d curled up in my arms that night while I cried and recounted the whole tale.

“You need another beer?” Josie asked.

“No, I’m good.” I lifted the half-full cup and smiled.

We’d met at the Ox last week. Josie and Lucy were roommates in college who came up here to work for the summer. After a few shots during my shift we’d gotten to talking, and they’d invited me to join them at the beach the following day. Avid paddle boarders, they’d taught me how to do it and even lent me my own for the summer. Outdoor sports, well sports at all for that matter, had never been my thing. But being on the water and enjoying the peace and tranquility of this little town had been just the thing to help heal my heart from Jake’s scathing rejection, and the loss of my parents I still struggled with every day.

I looked back through the crowd, but he was gone. Seeing him today hurt more than I’d been prepared for, but I hoped I’d kept my feelings hidden away. Easy and breezy. That’s what I’d gone for. In reality, agony and misery were what I’d felt when those azure eyes had stared down at me. And those lips. Now that I’d tasted them all I wanted to do was launch back into his arms.

But he was still hurting. And that I understood. The searing pain of loss coursed through me as well, but in a different way. It was death for me; betrayal for him. Guilt mounted on top of my loss is what had sent me to the bottom of the bottles after I lost my parents. But for the first time in two years I was dealing with the pain I’d hidden from in a mist of parties, drugs, and alcohol. Even though I’d been more than reluctant to come to Door County, I was finally healing here. Grandpa had been right, and I owed him my eternal gratitude for helping me find my way back.

“Hey, I’ll catch you guys tonight at the Ox. I’m going home for a little while.”

“You sure?” Lucy asked. “We were going to head over to go watch the band by the docks.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I need to make a call and get some rest before tonight. If it’s as wild as you guys say it is, I’d better take a break!” Moderation. That was my new motto while I found the new balance in my life.

Josie laughed. “It is. Go nap. Rest. We’ll meet you at the Ox at eight.”

“I’ll see you then.”

After finishing my beer, I walked back to where my beast was parked on the side road up from the Blue Ox. When I climbed inside, I pulled out my phone and pushed my grandpa’s number. It rang twice.

“Cassandra?” he answered.

“Hey, Grandpa, it’s me.”

“You okay?” The intention threaded through the words. It had been two weeks since we’d talked, and I knew he was still expecting me to toss up the white flag and beg to come home. But that was just it. This place now felt like home and returning to New York was the farthest thing from my mind.

“I’m great, Grandpa.”

“Really?” Shock settled in his voice. “You’re doing good?”

“I’m doing great. I just wanted to call and tell you thank you. You were right. I needed this. For the first time since my parents I feel like myself again.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that, sweetheart.”

The fact I could even bring them up was a monumental step for me, and I knew he understood that.

“I love it here. I’m making friends. My job is pretty great and I’m making enough money to get by. A lot of people up here work two and even three jobs just to make ends meet. It’s unreal how hard they have to work just to pay rent and buy groceries.”

“I’m glad you’re starting to understand the struggles of the other half. Not everyone has a trust fund waiting to support them. When I was your age, I was lucky to have a roof over my head.”

“I see that now, Grandpa. You were right. I never appreciated it before.”

“I’m glad to hear it. If you take over Davenport Industries, a lot of hardworking people will depend on you to take care of them and ensure them jobs to support their families.”

“I understand that now.”

“Good. Very good, Cassandra.”