Engaging (Alluring Book 2) (10 page)

"I want to see.  You said it was sexy."

Cassie tried batting his hands away but was unsuccessful.  "I was being facetious."  He grabbed the waist of her jeans and tugged them down.  "Would you stop!"

Gage didn't answer, he was too busy examining her hips and stomach.  "They're so light you can barely see them."  He traced a thin white line.  "I wish I could have seen your belly swollen with Logan."  Her body stilled, and her breathing stopped.  He spoke so low, she could barely hear him.  He placed his hand on her stomach, stretching his fingers wide.  "You held life in here.  Every one of those marks, you should wear with pride."

He leaned his head forward and softly kissed her stomach.  "Now, let's go make French toast."  He snatched his T-shirt off the floor, threw it over his head, and left the bedroom.

Cassie lay where she was, immobile for a few minutes while everything Gage said sank in.  Then she stood, buttoned her jeans, and left the bedroom, smiling.

After breakfast, Gage gave her a kiss (he tasted of maple syrup and Gage, yum) and told her he needed to go home to clean himself up but would be back later in the afternoon to take her and Logan out to dinner.

Cassie was fine with that.  She had a bunch of stuff to do around the ranch, and Logan liked to help her on the weekends.  "Well, little man, let's get dressed and see how Rosie, Sally, and Hank are doing."

The three pit bulls she had taken in earlier in the week were doing well.  All the injuries from their last dog fight were mostly healed.  She let them out through a shoot that led to a secluded section of the yard.  She didn't trust them to intermingle with the other dogs, just yet, but as she worked with them, she hoped soon, they would become more social.

She and Logan opened all the kennel cages and ushered the dogs out into the large fenced in yard so they could run and play.  They went through the kennel, replaced old with fresh water, and filled all the food bowls with kibble.

When they finished, they played with the dogs for a while then headed back to the house.  Cassie paused when they reached the porch.  "Come sit with me on the swing a minute.  I want to talk to you before we go in for lunch."

Cassie held the swing steady while Logan climbed on, then sat beside him.  Now, what would be the best way to tell Logan, Gage was his father?

"Daddy!"  Logan shouted, as he flew down the porch stairs to meet Gage.

Gage sent Cassie a startled look right before Logan collided into him, wrapping his arms around Gage's legs.  Gage extracted himself, squatted, then pulled Logan into his arms for a tight hug.

Her talk with Logan had gone surprisingly well.  She had explained that Gage was his daddy and that he'd been away for a very long time because he was a famous rock star but was back now and didn't have to go away anymore.  She explained how much he loved Logan and how he wanted to be his daddy, and then took him inside and Googled, Engage, so he could see what a rock star was.  And like any four-year-old, he had taken it all in stride and had been beyond excited that his daddy was famous (well, he had been excited after Cassie explained what famous was).

Cassie watched Gage slowly open his eyes and look at her over the top of Logan's head.  His eyes, moist with tears, sparkled in the sunlight as he mouthed a silent, thank you.

Cassie didn't feel deserving of his gratitude.  In fact, she felt pretty crappy that she had kept them apart for so long. 

As she turned to go back into the house, wanting to give them a few minutes alone, she heard Logan say, "I love you, Daddy."  And then Gage's reply, delivered in a gravelly voice, broken with emotion, "I love you, too, Son."

She made her way back to her bedroom, feeling tears fill her own eyes.  She sat on the edge of the bed, realizing the magnitude of her deception and not feeling very good about herself.  She denied both Gage and Logan four wonderful years together, years they would never get back.

"I know what you're thinking."

Startled, Cassie looked up.  Gage had his shoulder propped against her doorjamb.

"Don't beat yourself up over what-might-have-been.  We have the now, and we have the future.  We both messed up.  If I hadn't let you go, I would have known about Logan.  It's just as much my fault as yours."  He walked fully into the room and sat next to her on the bed.  "Let's just be happy we're all together now.  Let's forget the past and start over."

Tears running down her face, Cassie looked at Gage.  God, he was so handsome it made her stomach hurt.  And when he looked at her, like he was now, with those incredible blue eyes, it was almost impossible to resist him.

She raised her hand and traced her finger over his eyebrow, down the side of his face, along his jaw, stopping when she reached his chin.  "I don't know if I can, Gage.  I'm scared I'm going to get hurt again."

Her captured her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm.  "Okay, Sunshine, we'll take this one day at a time, but know this, I promise you I'm not going anywhere.  I will fight for us," he waved his arm at the bedroom door, "fight for my family, and I'm fighting to win."  He stood from the bed and took her hand.  "Let's go eat."

Chapter Eight

Logan asked questions about Gage's band the whole way to the restaurant, and Gage (with some translation help from Cassie) answered every single one very patiently.  The two acted like they'd never missed a day in each other's lives.  It was heartwarming to see. 

Gage pulled into the parking lot of a large strip mall and drove to the far end.  As they neared the end building, Cassie saw in big neon letters the name, Engage.  She turned to him, clearly surprised.  "You own a restaurant?"

Gage gave her a nod.  "It's been open about a year."

How did she not know this?  Although, it's not as if she paid attention to anything related to Gage or Engage.

They walked into the restaurant, and Cassie looked around thoroughly impressed.  "Wow, this place is fantastic."  Guitars of every size, shape, and color decorated the ceiling, years worth of rock memorabilia lined the walls, and Engage could be heard playing in the background.

Gage walked up to the hostess.  She gave him a smile and showed them straight back to a corner booth.  "Do you need a booster seat for this handsome fellow?"  She asked, as she passed out menus.

"Please," Cassie said, giving her a smile.

She walked away and returned a few minutes later with the high, square cushion.  "Your waitress will be with you shortly."

Cassie opened her menu and went straight to the kid's section.  "What do you want to eat, little man?"

"Pizza!"  Logan said, coloring a picture on his place mat with some crayons he found on the table.

"You had pizza last night.  How about mac and cheese?"  Cassie asked, reading from the menu.

"Nope," Logan said, popping his P.

"Spaghetti?"

Logan shook his head.

"How about a hamburger?"

Logan looked up from his coloring.  "Pizza, Momma."

Cassie sighed.

Gage took her hand.  "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Their waitress arrived.  She was a cute, perky, little thing with straight, black hair in a high ponytail.  She had on a tight, white T-shirt with Engage written in black across the front and black, short-shorts. 

Cassie leaned into Gage and whispered in his ear.  "Can the outfits be any more sexist?"

Gage whispered back.  "I didn't pick them out.  A marketing team did everything.  The only thing I contributed was my name and my money."

"Are you ready to order?"  The poor girl looked petrified, having to serve the owner. 

Cassie gave her a big smile, trying to put her at ease.  "I haven't had a chance to decide yet.  Too busy worrying about what this little guy is going to have."

The waitress gave her a weak smile.  Oh well, she tried.

Gage pulled a wad of money from his front pocket and peeled off a fifty.  "Can you get a busboy to run a few doors down to the pizza place and bring back a small pepperoni pizza."  He handed the fifty to the waitress then turned to Cassie.  "Remind me to put pizza on the menu."

Cassie didn't know what to say about that whole exchange, so she just nodded then looked back at her menu.  Gage had been well known already when they had been together all those years ago. She remembered whenever they had gone out in public, he'd always had someone approach him to ask for his autograph or to take a picture, and after a while, Cassie just took it in stride.  But living the life of a nobody these last few years, she'd forgotten what it was like being out with someone famous.  Guess she would have to get used to it again.

She looked over at Logan.  She'd never really thought about it before, but she supposed being the son of a rock star would have its challenges.  He would have to take the bad along with the good.  He couldn't change who his father was.

"Do you know what you want?"  Gage asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Um... I think I'll have the Cobb salad."  She looked up from her menu.  Gage had a funny expression on his face.  "What?"  She said, with attitude.

"A salad, really?"

"I like salad," Cassie said defensively.

"Are you sure you're not trying to watch your weight?"  She felt his hand give her thigh a squeeze under the table.  "Because let me just say, I like you just the way you are."

Cassie huffed, "Believe me, by the time I get done drowning my salad in ranch dressing, it'll have more calories than any hamburger on this menu."

Gage chuckled.  "So noted, you like ranch dressing."

"No, I love ranch dressing.  I would eat it like a bowl of soup if I could."

Gage made an unpleasant face.  Cassie laughed, "And that's why I can't.  That look, right there, on your face." 

"I'll be sure to add ranch soup to the menu, as well."

They had just finished eating (Logan had gotten his pizza and had eaten two slices, a record for him) when a teenage couple stopped at their table and asked Gage for an autograph.

"Who should I make it out to?"  Gage asked, uncapping the pen the boy handed him.

"Jake and Katie," the teenage boy said.

After Gage had signed the autograph, Katie held up her phone.  "Do you mind if we get a picture with you?"

Gage started to look a little put-out, but he smiled and said, "No problem."

Katie looked at Cassie.  "Do you mind taking it?"

"Sure."  Cassie held her hand out for the phone. 

She snapped the picture and had just handed the phone back when Logan asked, "Daddy, why do they want your picture?"

Katie gushed, "Is that your little boy?  He's so cute."

"Thank you," Gage said, giving Logan a smile.

"Then, is this your wife?"  Katie went on to enthuse.

"Yes," Gage said, before Cassie could even open her mouth to speak.  She gave him a dirty look.  He gave her his cocky smile.  They would definitely have words later.

Gage said good-bye to the teenagers while Cassie wet a napkin to wash Logan's face and hands.  He had pizza sauce everywhere.

"I'll take him to the bathroom to wash up," Gage said, sliding from the booth.

"Oh, okay.  I guess that would be easier."  Cassie watched Gage and Logan walk hand-in-hand to the bathroom.  They looked so cute together.  She knew Gage wanted to be a part of his life, but he also wanted to be a part of hers, and she wasn't sure what to do about that. 

Did she trust that he really wanted her, had wanted her this whole time?  Did she give him a second chance or would that be giving him a second chance at breaking her heart?  She had loved Gage once, and if she were completely honest with herself, she knew deep down, she loved him still.  And that was why they could only remain friends.  With no expectations, there could be no heartache.

Well, friends who had sex.  She smiled to herself.  She had forgotten how much she enjoyed it.  She wasn't one to have one-night stands so having someone that she already knew intimately who was also a friend to have sex with would be great.  That way no one would get hurt.  And when they each found that special someone, they would still be friends because no one expected anything more.  And staying friendly was good for Logan's sake.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the boys return.  "You ready?"  Gage stood by the booth.

"Sure."  Cassie nodded and slid out. 

Gage pulled the wad of money out of his front pocket again, this time peeling off a hundred and left it on the table.

"Remind me, if I ever become a waitress, I want you for a customer."

Gage wrapped his arm around her shoulders.  "You won't ever be a waitress, Sunshine."

"I was, once."

"I remember.  Sam's Pizzeria."

Cassie laughed.  "How do you remember that?"

"I remember everything about you, Sunshine."

Logan piped in.  "Pizza?"

Cassie looked down at him.  "Yeah, your mommy used to work at a pizza place."