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She jerked her head in his direction. He was staring at the adjacent land next to the clubhouse. She glanced over. It didn’t seem like much, nothing more than a small shack on what seemed like a few acres. It was strange for him to go from divulging Caden’s past to real estate. She decided to go with it.
“They don’t wanna sell?” she asked. It was more for keeping the conversation light.
Kase grunted. “No.” He cleared his throat. “Offered two times the value. Even offered up another piece of property in Ghosttown but got shut down.”
“Hmm.” Marissa eyed the land. It wasn’t anything special from what she could see.
“Looked into the owner. She and her husband bought the property years ago. They used it mostly as a weekend getaway.”
Marissa took another look. While it didn’t look like much to her, she could understand why a couple would want it. Maybe it was their hideaway from the city.
“He died last year,” Kase said.
Ahhh…now I get it. Others might not, but Marissa could sympathize with the wife wanting to hold onto it. Grasping tightly to any memory or space which brought happiness.
“Don’t push her,” Marissa whispered, not even realizing she was saying anything.
“No?”
Marissa shook her head. “It’s hard giving up something that reminds you of a better time.”
A small silence lingered, and she basked in it. Then it ended. Abruptly.
“Looked into you,” Kase said, and she immediately froze. It wasn’t a secret. Her life. Her past. Anyone with internet access could probably find out her life story. Among other things. But Kase was the last person she wanted to have the discussion with. She focused on the neighboring land and remained quiet.
“Carly was three, huh?”
Marissa’s chest seized. Just the sound of her name sent her into a place she wasn’t ready to visit. Her breathing labored as her body chilled. Whenever she thought of her daughter, it was on her terms, when she wanted to, and she was always alone. Her breathing shallowed as she gritted her teeth. If Kase wanted to hit her hard, he was doing it.
“I had you all fucking wrong.”
She barely heard him. She was too focused on Carly and her smile and her giggle. Her tiny casket. Marissa sucked in a hard breath, trying to fill her lungs and fight against her tears. She would not cry. Not here. Not in front of him. She rested her elbows on her knees and clasped her hands in a tight squeeze.
“I ain’t bringing her up to be an asshole,” his voice whispered in her ear.
When Kase reached over, she flinched, but it didn’t stop him from resting his hand on her back. His hand moved up and down her spine in a comforting motion. She bowed her head when a tear escaped, drifting down her cheek. Two years was a long time. A long time to have her locked away as a memory. A long time to shut out someone who was her world for three years. She drew in a deep breath. His hand moved up to her shoulder and gave her a firm squeeze.
“Ya can’t have secrets. If you’re gonna be with Cade, ya gotta give him everything. Even the shitty stuff.”
She blinked, completely caught off guard with his statement. It was awful timing, but she laughed. Maybe she was hysterical or losing her shit. Whatever the case, she shook her head, smiled, and then glanced up at him.
“Are you seriously giving me relationship advice?”
His chest rumbled. “Fucking crazy, I get it. But yeah.” He narrowed his gaze. “And ya better fucking take it. Ya ain’t gonna be able to give my brother the future he wants with ya if ya can’t give him your past.”
Marissa stared back at him. My past.
Kase lowered his voice to a whisper. “Cade is all in. I see the way he is with you, how he looks at you, and I know where his head’s at.” He released her shoulder and matched her position with his elbows resting on his knees.
“Where?”
“Future.” He cocked his brow and smirked. “Probably marry your crazy ass in the next month and knock ya up the month after that. He’s gonna want babies with ya, Riss.” Kase shook his head and stared off into the open space. “And I ain’t gonna pretend to know how that could fuck with your head. Ya gotta give him your past. All of it.” He paused. “You let him in, Cade will help ya through it.”
This was a side to Kase she couldn’t even imagine existed. There was none of his usual mockery or sarcasm. He lacked the cruel and vicious tongue. All she saw was real and honest. And kind.
She turned away, staring ahead but not seeing a thing. She came with more baggage than Caden knew about, and most importantly, deserved.
She shook her head. “Not his to take on.” Once the words passed her lips, her eyes welled, and slowly, her tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn’t even bother wiping them away. They wouldn’t stop, not when she realized what she had with him would have to end. He already had so much going on in his life. She wouldn’t strap him with her past and all that would come with it.
