Another Chance (22 page)

“Hey,” he said.

“Good morning. Patrick, I think you have to move.”

“What for?” he asked, still half asleep. “This is comfortable.”

“You have a thing going on down here.”

“Going on down where? Oh.” He laughed and let go of her so she could move onto her back. “Sorry Cass.”

“It’s all right, I know it happens quite involuntarily.”

“Happens a lot around you.”

“Well I’m going to go and make some coffee. Come out when you’re ready.” He grumbled something about coming and rolled over, still half asleep. Cassie shook her head still laughing and climbed out of bed, slipping her bathrobe on and looking down at the man in her bed. “Still the hottest boy in school,” she murmured before leaving the room.

The girls in the living room were almost all asleep still and she crept through to the kitchen, enjoying the quiet while she could. Lauren staggered out, seating herself at the table before collapsing face first into it.

“Want a coffee?” Cassie asked Lauren brightly.

“Yes please,” she said into the table.

“Lauren you really need to sort that out. Drinking doesn’t help anything.”

“It helps me feel better about everything.”

“Yeah well it’s not making you better now. Drink some coffee.” Cassie put it on the table.

“Thanks.”

“You know Mark hated this.”

“He’s not here to tell me not to anymore.”

“That might be, but I’m still here, and I give a crap even if you don’t think anyone else does.”

Patrick emerged from the bedroom, and Cassie got up to get him some coffee. “How are you?” he asked Lauren.

“I’ll be fine when I’ve had some coffee.”

“Cassie’s worried about you and I am too.”

Lauren laughed. “I’m fine, I’m a grown up. I just need to get this out of my system.”

“I can understand that Lauren but don’t make a habit of it. It’s easy for that to get out of hand.” Cassie rubbed his back as she put the coffee down in front of him and he looked up to see her smiling her thanks at him.

“We’re all here for you Lauren if you need us,” Cassie said.

“Cassie has more to be upset about. Mark was her partner. I’ll be fine.”

“It’s not a competition Lauren. I might have been his partner, but Mark practically raised you, you’re his sister. It’s all right to be upset and want to scream and throw things. We should take up boxing.”

“That’s not such a bad idea,” said Lauren laughing. “I’ll lay off the partying, and we can spend more time together.”

“I like the sound of that. Sophie would love to see more of you too.”

When it came time to leave, Cassie walked Patrick out to his car. “Thank you for everything.”

“Any time you want anything, call me.”

“I like this. I’m nowhere near ready for anything other than friendship, but I like this right now.”

“So do I.”

“You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t call you for a while, I still have a lot of stuff to sort through mentally.”

Patrick took Cassie’s hands in his. “I understand that. Cassie, I’ll wait for however long it takes.” He kissed her on the forehead and got into the car. “Just remember I’m only on the other end of the phone.”

She watched as he drove away. Every time she saw him, it stirred up emotions she wasn’t ready to deal with.

Cassie resolved to keep her distance until she was.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

The unveiling of Mark’s headstone was almost exactly a year to the day that he died. It had been months since they had seen each other, but Cassie called Patrick to invite him down for the weekend and he grinned at the thought of being with her again.

“Sophie really wants you to come down and stay with us for the weekend.”

“Sophie does huh?”

Cassie laughed. “Okay I’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to seeing you too. I really like this friendship thing we have going on.”

“We still have unfinished business, Cassandra.”

“Maybe but this weekend is about Mark.”

“It’s about you too, Cassie, and Sophie. You loved him, and he loved you. I would be pleased to spend the weekend with you.”

“Great, see you then.”

“Is he coming?” Sophie asked as Cassie put down the phone.

“He is,” said Cassie, “he’s looking forward to seeing you again.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “No, Mum, it’s you he wants to see. Just get over it and screw him.”

“Sophie Warren. Where on earth did that come from?”

“He loves you, Mum, and I know you used to love him. I told Jessica about him, and she said that. I wasn’t sure what she meant.”

“Oh Sophie,” her mother laughed. “We need to have another talk, and I’ll tell you what Jessica meant. I might also talk to her mother about it.”

“Do you have to?” Sophie looked terrified.

“It’ll be fine Sophie. It’s not your fault, and I’m pretty sure that Jessica’s mother will explain to her why it’s not the best thing to say.”

The day turned out to be sunny, and Patrick arrived in the morning, ready to go to the cemetery with Cassie and Sophie. He grinned when Sophie opened the door. “Patrick,” she cried, launching herself into his arms and he spun her around before kissing the top of her head.

“Hey sweetheart,” he said.

“It’s so good to see you, I’m really glad you’re here.”

He walked into the living room. “Where’s your mum?”

“She’s just getting ready. We’re meeting Lauren there. Can we go in your car?”

“What’s wrong with your mum’s car?”

“It’s not as new as yours. It looks flash.”

He laughed. “If you want to go in my car and your mum says it’s fine then we’ll go in my car.”

“Patrick shouldn’t be too much longer Sophie, and then we’ll get going.” Cassie said as she came out of the bathroom. She looked so good to him, the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her was overwhelming.

“Hey Cass.” He said instead.

“Patrick. It’s good to see you.”

Cassie moved towards him, kissing him on the cheek, and he caught her scent, that familiar vanilla smell that brought back so many memories. “You’re looking good. Are you ready to go? Sophie wants to go in my car.”

“That’s fine with me. Have you put your things in the spare room?”

“Not yet but that can wait. I’ve just got an overnight bag.”

Making small talk drove him crazy, but this wasn’t the time to push her.

Lauren was at the cemetery with other friends and Cassie hugged her when they got there. “How are you doing?” she asked.

“It’s a little weird to think he’s not even going to be buried here,” she replied.

“What do you mean?” asked Patrick.

“Cassie and I have the ashes, we split them between us. This is just symbolic, putting the headstone where our parents are buried so they can be together.”

He nodded. “I can understand that.”

Lauren kissed him on the cheek. “It’s good to see you, Patrick.” She fluttered her eyelashes and Cassie prodded him with her elbow.

“Stop it,” he hissed as Lauren walked away to join her friends.

Cassie laughed. “She is so flirting with you.”

“I know, but you know I’m not here for her.”

“I know that, I just think it’s cute.”

He shook his head. “You women, I don’t know.”

Cassie laughed again and took his arm. “Come on, Doctor Cross, escort me to where I’m supposed to go.”

The ceremony was harder to get through than she thought and he held her while she cried. All eyes were on them, but Patrick didn’t care, he was comforting his friend and the fact he was in love with her didn’t even come into it. Sophie and Lauren clung to each other as the site was blessed and people said a few words.

Afterwards, they all went back to Lauren’s place for coffee and food. Patrick never left Cassie’s side, helping get her through the day. He ached to hold her, tell her how he felt, but this wasn’t the day for it. Mark’s friend Ian eyed up Patrick the whole time, clearly still suspicious of the other man’s intentions, but Patrick ignored him, and if Cassie noticed she didn’t give any indication.

“Let’s go home,” she said later in the afternoon. The crowd had thinned out, and she suspected Lauren and the small group left would start drinking soon. She didn’t want Sophie round that.

“Sounds good,” Patrick said. “We can stop on the way, and I’ll grab something to cook for dinner.”

“You’re so good to me.”

“You deserve it sweetheart. You’ve spent enough of your life looking after other people, let me take care you for just a little while.” She was tired and had a headache by the time they got home, so he sent her to bed to rest while he sorted everything out. It was just as good to have some time with Sophie while Cassie had a nap.

Since her birthday, he was surer than ever that Sophie was his daughter. He had to time confronting Cassie right, too soon, and he would undo all the work he had put into building the relationship with her. Sophie helped him get dinner started, and they sat down to watch some television.

“You okay kiddo?” he asked.

“Today was sad, but I’m glad we did it. It all helps Mum.”

“Yeah it does. I’m glad I came for it.”

“You love Mum don’t you?”

He grinned. “Is it that obvious?”

“That Ian guy, Dad’s friend. I don’t like him, he looks at Mum a funny way but with you there he just glares at you.”

“I noticed that, Sophie. He likes your mum too right?”

“I think so. He hasn’t said anything I don’t think, but he’s been round a couple of times to see her, and she fobs him off.”

“If he hassles her too much, you tell me. I don’t want your mother having to deal with extra stress.”

“Sure will. I would rather you come to live with us anyway, you’re cool.”

“Is this because of the iPad or because of my car?” He teased.

“It’s because Mum loves you even though she won’t say it.”

“I hope so. I know she needs time though so I wouldn’t push her.”

“That’s why I think you’re the right one too, you know what she needs.”

“You’re very wise, Miss Warren.”

Sophie went to wake her mother for dinner, and Cassie hugged her and Patrick to say thank you for the day.

“Careful lady, I might think you like me or something.”

Cassie laughed. “Can’t have that. Now let’s eat, I’m starved.”

“How’s the headache Mum?”

“Better, today was just a bit stressful. It’s over now though, and I’m looking forward to dinner and a good sleep.”

After the emotions of the day, Cassie struggled to find sleep. Finally, she gave in and got up to warm some milk to make hot chocolate in the hope it would help. She heard the sound of the microwave and found Patrick in the kitchen, having beaten her to the idea.

He grinned when he saw her. “Can’t sleep either? I’m sure there’s enough for two.”

She took a deep breath at the sight of him. He was dressed in pyjama pants and a bathrobe, loosely tied together. He’d kept in good shape all these years, and she struggled to avert her eyes. It made her think of that last day of school.

“Thanks. Today was just so crazy, and my mind just can’t settle.”

“I know. Thank you for inviting me, Cassie, I’m so honoured you let me be with you and your family today.”

“You’re welcome, you were so good with Mark the last few weeks of his life. I really appreciate you being here. It was nice to see the headstone alongside his parents.”

“When did he lose them?” he asked.

“When he was a child. He practically brought Lauren up. They were really close.”

“Lauren’s great, she’s so much like Mark. I don’t have to know her well to see that.”

“She likes you a lot. She was most keen that I ask you to come down this weekend.”

He grinned. “Well while I think she’s great it’s not her I came here for.”

Their eyes locked for a moment, and she looked down at her drink, the blush slowly creeping up her face.

“I won’t lie Cassie, meeting you again and spending time together stirs up old memories.”

“I know. A lot of time has passed though, and our lives have taken such different paths. You’ve been a good friend, Patrick, I’m glad you’ve been around for us.”

“I thought I would have seen your parents, have they been around for you at all?”

She stared at him, and he wondered if he’d somehow put his foot in it. “I can’t believe we haven’t had this conversation. They died Patrick, not long after you left for Auckland.”

“What? What happened?”

“House fire, the house was gutted. I was the only one who got out.”

“Shit, Cassie, I had no idea. How did it start?”