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Because he hadn’t known he could. Cassie had made it clear she thought a relationship between them wouldn’t work. He’d believed her.Until he hadn’t.
“Do you know where she is?”
“Are you going to make this worse?” Surprisingly Ravi, not Sophie asked.
Ryan snickered. “Is that even possible?” Surely at this point she hated him.
“She was still at the bookstore when I left, but I think she was heading home,” Sophie answered. “Ryan, I don’t know that there’s a way to fix this.”
Well, he wouldn’t know unless he tried. “Can you get Ellie, so I can head over and try to talk with Cassie?”
“Ellie’s welcome to stay,” Sophie offered. “Maybe it would be best if —”
“You think Cassie’s going to let me in her door without a magic key?” Yes, talking to Cassie would be easier without their daughter in tow, but the chances of her letting him in the door were much better with Ellie around.
Sighing, Sophie handed over the girl’s bag. “I’ll go get her. Ryan, make this right. Please.”
As if getting this right could matter to anyone more than it did to him. “I will.” He had to. Though he didn’t know exactly what Brooke had said or what Cassie thought, if Sophie had banned him from her home, Cassie was probably ready to kick him out of her life. What did he have to lose by telling her the truth now? She couldn’t possibly hate him more for loving her than for thinking he betrayed her. At least he hoped she couldn’t.
* * *
Cassie drifted through the house, putting away stray toys and leftover wrapping paper. Any minute now, Ryan would drop off Ellie. Until then, she had to keep her emotions in check and pretend she didn’t care what he did with other women. Making Ryan feel guilty wouldn’t help either of them. If he found her upset about him kissing Brooke, he’d feel bad. And he shouldn’t. He’d only done exactly as she’d asked. He’d given her a nice night of earth-shattering orgasms, then walked away as if nothing had changed. Probably because, for him, nothing had changed, while her world now resembled a family’s living room after Christmas gifts were opened - completely destroyed. Again – her fault. Maybe one day she’d start asking for what she wanted.
Still, how did you sleep with someone, holding them, and looking at them the way Ryan had looked at her and anything stay the same?
Yet another reason she never had one-night stands. Sex, for her, changed everything. If she were honest with herself, she’d known it would. Had Ryan? Surely he wouldn’t have agreed - no urged - her to have sex with him if he knew she’d fall even deeper in love with him. No. Ryan might not want to spend the rest of his life committed to her, but he did care for her. He wouldn’t hurt her on purpose.
Through the window she heard the rumble of a truck. Seconds later, light swung into the driveway.Ryan. Her heart plummeted to her stomach and tears threatened.
Maybe he’d just drop Ellie off at the door and be on his way.Yeah right. He never dropped her off at the door. No way was her luck good enough for him to start tonight.
Like she’d done countless times since Brooke had walked into the bookstore, Cassie pushed back her tears and pasted on a smile. When she pulled open the door, Ellie already reached for the knob. Despite the turmoil raging inside her, Cassie smiled. No matter how Ryan ever hurt her, Ellie always made up for the pain. How could she regret loving a man who’d given her such a gift?
“Hey Mommy,” her daughter squealed.
“Hey Ellie Belly.” She swept the girl into her arms, then covered her face with kisses. For this, she didn’t have to fake a smile.
As she lowered her daughter to the floor, she froze. Ryan stood in the doorway with Ellie’s bag in his hand and a troubled scowl on his face. He looked as if he’d be sick. For a moment she forgot her own problems.
“Everything okay?”
He gave a curt nod, but it didn’t convince her. “Ellie, why don’t you put your things away, then play in your room. I need to talk to your mommy.” He held out her bag.
Eyeing her parents, Ellie crept forward. “I don’t want to play in my room. I want to see Mommy.”
Lowering to a squat, Ryan handed over the bag. “It’s about a Christmas present.” He shrugged. “But if you…”
She snatched the bag. “Let me know when I can come back.” And with that, she scampered up the stairs, leaving her parents alone.
“I… uh… I thought we already decided on her gifts. Christmas is in two days.”
“I need to talk to you… Alone.” That troubled expression took over his face again.
She didn’t like the look, and she didn’t want to deal with it. Dread bloomed in her stomach. “Ryan. I really have some things to do. Ellie needs dinner and a bath and —”
“Ravi told me Brooke came by the bookstore.”
Damn it Sophie.
