Table for Two (30 page)

"Good." She smiled at her friends. "It was nice seeing you again." She began to turn.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Nanj asked.

"Another time. We're in a hurry."

Drake challenged this by stepping from behind her and stretching out his hand. "The name's Drake." He shook both their hands.

"Nanj." She pointed to her companion. "And that's Tanya."

Tanya wiggled her fingers. "Pleased to meet you. We knew Cassie in college," she explained. Her eyes darted between them. "So are you two..." She trailed off, leaving them to fill in the blanks.

"We're just friends," Cassie said.

"That happen to sleep together," Drake added.

Cassie stared at him, horrified. Tanya laughed; Nanj grinned. "Well, that explains a lot," she said. "See you around. Hope to see you at the cleansing."

"How dare you!" Cassie said in an angry whisper once they were a good distance away.

"How dare I what?"

"Imply that we're sleeping together."

He blinked. "Hell. Have I been sleeping with another woman?"

"No, but that's none of their business." She jerked a thumb at the pair.

"At least I didn't say I planned to marry you."

"You're not marrying me and you can't change my mind about that. Not with your looks or your money, so don't even try."

"Is that all you think I have to offer?" he asked quietly.

She didn't reply. She didn't know how to.

They walked in silence until he asked, "Why didn't you want to introduce me to your friends?"

"It just didn't seem important. I wasn't thinking. We're not close anyway."

He didn't believe her, but would accept the explanation for now. "All right." He reached for her hand; she pulled away.

"I don't like being affectionate in public, remember?" she said.

He tightened his grip on the grocery bag. "I just want to hold your hand. I don't think that counts as a lewd act."

"I explained this to you before."

"You let me hold your hand last time."

"That's only because..." She stopped.

"Because you felt sorry for me," he finished grimly.

"Let's not ruin this day by arguing."

His jaw tensed. "Fine," he said in a clipped voice.

At home, they made the chocolate caramels as if they were two colleagues instead of lovers. Drake barely uttered words that required more than one syllable. Later, they watched a movie since the caramels had to sit overnight, then went to bed with the fight still between them. Cassie felt miserable, knowing he had felt slighted. She squeezed her eyes shut and swore as the truth hit her. She couldn't face anyone judging their relationship. It meant too much to her. Being friends was so much safer, it didn't allow for any scrutiny. But they'd passed that threshold long ago and she knew she could never go back. A deep part of her didn't want to. She had been trapped into what she had been running from. She had set out to befriend the sorcerer with his compelling eyes and tender heart and he had won. Damn him. She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" He sat up and turned on the lights. "What the hell was that for?"

"What you did was arrogant and inexcusable, but I apologize for not introducing you."

He was quiet for so long she wondered if he would continue to ignore her.

"Why didn't you want to introduce me?" he finally asked.

She rested her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. "I just like keeping you to myself, I guess."

He turned off the lights and she heard the sheets shifting as he turned away from her.

"I still feel awkward about us," she admitted in a rush. "You should have seen the look of shock on their faces when I married Timothy. They couldn't believe it. I just didn't want to see that expression again."

"Is that why you keep me at arm's length in public?"

"I don't keep you at arm's length."

"If I brush up against you, you snap at me."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not true."

He turned to her and rested on his elbow. "Except for our first night, I haven't been allowed to kiss you, hold your hand, or touch your face in public. I feel like I'm having an affair with a married woman."

"That would include dark hidden places," she teased.

"How many times have we gone to the movies, or sat in the dark corner of a cafe?"

She sighed. He had a point. "I'm still getting used to us," she said. "Being part of a couple again."

Drake lay down and gathered her close. She rested her head on his shoulder, glad the wall between them had crumbled. "My reunion is next week. You had better get used to ‘us’ fast."

"Why?" she asked sleepily.

"Because I plan on introducing you as my wife."

* * *

The woman was crying. He slipped on his shoes and tossed her a tissue. He'd learned early that some women liked to cry. Liked to find some man to give them grief. His sister had shown him that, choosing any bad boy with a trigger fist she could find.

He looked at the woman. Her dark frizzy hair covered her face; her skinny knees came together like a triangle over the side of the bed. She'd known he wasn't going to stay but she hadn't believed him. Too bad. He glanced at his watch. He had to go by Cassie's place. Being at a distance was beginning to get to him.

He was annoyed when she wasn't home. Where was she? She shouldn't be out this late. He heard 712 open. He shook his head. The old man was pathetic.

"You might as well leave her alone," he said.

He grimaced. The man's voice made his skin crawl.

Mr. Gianolo continued. "I tell her who's good and she doesn't need you or want you anymore. She's got a real man now."

He only smiled. He didn't want to upset him. The man was as harmless as a little barking dog tied up in a yard. But he had no idea the dangerous game he was playing.

* * *

She was going to be Drake's wife. It was even worse than being his girlfriend. She could just imagine the people's faces when he introduced her. She had argued with him in hopes of changing his mind, but he was adamant and she had ultimately succumbed. She was to be his support and if having a wife made him feel more comfortable at the reunion, then she would do it. Besides, it would be a role she would play in front of people she would never see again. The major question was, after the reunion where would they go from there?

"This is your last chance to change your mind," she warned as he parked the car in front of a crumbling cement barrier.

Drake shut off the car and unlatched his seat belt. "I don't plan to."

Cassie glanced at the ring that shone on her finger. "How were you able to guess my size?"

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "I suck them often enough, I should know them by now."

"Drake," she said, embarrassed by his honesty.

He shrugged and opened the door. "What? It's the truth."

They walked up to the building. It was formidable even in the warm glow of the setting sun—angry redbrick walls sported graffiti and dull windows stared sightless. Inside was no better, although clean. The lockers were a pale green against the peeling white walls.

"They've fixed the place up nicely," Drake said. "That was a joke."

"I sincerely hope so," Cassie said seeing something scurry into a hole in the wall.

He took her hand. "We're married now, remember?" he reminded her when she instinctively began to pull away.

"I remember."

They entered the gymnasium. Gold and black balloons complemented a stream of ribbons of the same colors. Drake received his badge and frowned at it.

"Do you recognize anyone?" Cassie asked, studying the crowd—a sea of love handles, receding hairlines, and cosmetic surgery.

He briefly looked up, then returned his gaze to the badge. "Yes."

"Aren't you going to say hello?"

He flipped the badge over. "No."

"Why not?"

He glanced up. "They wouldn't know who I am. What am I supposed to do, go up to them and say, 'Remember me? No, of course you don't, I was invisible'?"

"I doubt you could ever be invisible."

He held up his badge. There was a blank box with a line through it where a picture should have been.

Cassie smiled sheepishly. "At least you have nothing to hide. Point to someone you recognize. Or do they all look different?"

He surveyed the group for a moment, then nodded to a man near the wall with a model-like wife. "Voted Most Popular." He glanced to their right at a woman surrounded by men. "Voted Best Dressed."

"Not for long."

He smiled, then told her of others.

"You remember a lot," she said, surprised.

He pushed his badge in his pocket. "It's amazing what you notice as an outsider."

"You're supposed to wear your badge. It's only one night and people will be able to read your name. I'll pin it on."

He reluctantly handed it to her. "I hate badges."

"You'll survive. Do you see Brenda Timmons anywhere?"

He raised his brows, impressed. "You remembered her name?"

"Of course. Have you forgotten? I was an outsider too. She's why we're here, right?"

"Partly," he said absently. "Would you like a drink?"

Before she could respond, a woman with large glasses came up to them dressed in a green outfit with ruffles that threatened to choke her. She squinted at Drake's badge. "I don't believe it. Drake Henson?"

"Yes," he said cautiously.

She smiled. "You haven't changed a bit. You still look like you'd rather be somewhere else."

"Bad habit of mine."

"What's your name?" Cassie asked.

She touched her badge. "They misspelled my name. I'm Greta Rodgers. It's all right if you don't remember me."

"I remember you," he said, offering her a warm smile. He also remembered that Eric said she was his first. "Physics whiz and played the clarinet."

She blushed with pleasure. "That was me. I'm a physicist now. If the rumors are true, you're a successful restaurateur. Not too bad for our class."

"I didn't do it alone. Cassie's been my rock."

Greta's glow dimmed. "Cassie?"

He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, my wife," he said proudly. "She helps me with the recipes, design, and a number of other projects and she still keeps up her job as a speaker. You should attend one of her seminars. They are amazing. That's how we first met. Actually—"

Cassie nudged him to stop; Drake stared at her, confused.

"Nice to meet you," Greta said.

Cassie tried not to look sympathetic, understanding the woman's disappointment. "Likewise."

"Figures you would still be married. I'd hoped with all the divorces you'd be one of them. It was nice to see you again."

Drake frowned. "You don't have to leave. I could get you two ladies a drink and—"

"No, thanks. I'd better go see who else I can recognize."

He shrugged. "Okay." He turned to Cassie. "Why did you nudge me? I was trying to be sociable. Did I do something wrong?"

"You don't talk about your wife to a woman who is obviously attracted to you. It's bad enough you're married; you don't need to rub her nose in it."

He stared at her, amazed. "What are you talking about?"

"Why can't you tell when a woman is attracted to you?"

He cupped her chin. "I thought I was doing pretty well in that department."

She stepped back. "Someone besides me," she said, irritated.

"Well, you're the only one that counts."

For now, she thought. What would he be like when he saw Brenda? Cassie watched Greta, her heart heavy. She knew every emotion the woman was going through. "Poor woman, it must be dreadful to carry a crush this long."

"Sounds sick to me."

She poked him in the arm. "Hey, remember why we're here.
Her
name begins with a B." They ate some appetizers and Cassie continued to watch Greta, who was talking to someone near the punch bowl. "You know, if she changed her glasses and that ridiculous dress, she would be much more attractive. Maybe if she stood a little straighter and—"

"I see her," Drake interrupted.

Cassie’s heart began to pound at the eagerness in his voice. "Brenda?"

"Yes." He gestured to the main entrance. "She just walked in."

Cassie switched her gaze to the door. She expected to see an average woman in her late thirties—what she saw was a knockout. She was tall,
slender,
sophisticated,
slender
, striking, and of course slender. She had an air of confidence that could rival Drake's. A striking turquoise dress complemented her rich maple skin and devastating physique. No wonder he had been attracted to her.

"Let's go meet her." He was halfway to the door when he realized Cassie wasn't with him. He turned to her, frowning, as she tugged off his ring.

He seized her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"This is your big chance. She came in alone. This could be like the prom you never had."

Drake stared at her for a moment, his face unreadable. "If you don't stop being an adorable romantic, I'm going to have to kiss you." She gaped at him; he smiled. "That's better, let's go." He took her hand and dragged her to where Brenda stood talking with two other women. Their heated conversation stopped when Drake approached.

"Hi, Brenda, I'm—"

Gorgeous sable eyes drank him up. "I know who you are," she said in a smooth voice. "I just can't believe it." She hugged him, then drew back, her hand still on his arm. "You look almost the same."

"The gray gives me away."

"It works on you." She ran a hand through his hair. Cassie blinked at her boldness. They must have been closer than she thought.

He introduced Cassie and the women exchanged pleasantries, and then he and Brenda began talking about old times, work, and life. They were undoubtedly the most successful of their class. Brenda was a millionaire, having created her own weight-loss empire. She had a home on both coasts and traveled extensively. Cassie suddenly recognized her from one of the many workout tapes gathering dust on her bookshelf—
Brenda's Boot Camp
.

She watched the pair as the other two women left. She thought about how she could escape too, but Drake kept a solid grip on her hand. The two former classmates talked as if no one else existed, and she couldn't blame them. Seeing the dull building that was in stark contrast to the bright state-of-the-art design of her high school, proved that they had worked hard to achieve their goals. They had both come through life the hard way and succeeded.