Home is Where the Heart is (28 page)

Nick sat up into a sitting position, scratching his head with a half-dazed look still planted on his face. “Well, after Jake went to bed, she didn’t see any point in both of us being here, so she went home.”

Cassie could swear she detected a hint of disappointment hidden in her friend’s voice.

Nick looked her up and down.

“How was your night? Did you have fun?” Then he peered past her as if he was looking for Jordan.

“Where’s Jordan?”

“He’s gone... I suspect back to your place.” Cassie bent down and slipped her boots off, placing them in the hall next to the table where she kept notes, pens, and odd and ends. She then took a seat on the couch next to Nick. “My night was good.”

“That’s all?”

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. “What? I had fun. How was your night? Was he a good boy for you?” She changed the subject.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Date night between you and Jordan is probably the same as it was when we were in high school, except for the fact when you said it wasn’t a date—even though we both know it was.”

Not really
, Cassie felt like saying, but she kept it to herself and instead, bit down on her bottom lip.

“Jake was an absolute champ, like always. He’s a pleasure to babysit and be able to call him my godson. He’s a great kid. Besides, he gives me the opportunity to unleash the inner-child inside me and play video games with him—which he is awesome at, by the way.”

Cassie laughed. She certainly didn’t know where her son got his gaming skills. They weren’t from her; that was for sure.

Cassie nudged Nick playfully in the arm. “Oh, but you’re just a big kid at heart anyway. That wouldn’t be hard for you to do.”

She rose to her feet to make her way in to see her son before she too headed off to bed, ready to sleep off the events she experienced tonight.

Cassie laid one hand on Nick’s knee as she got to her feet, whispering “Thank you.”

She really was grateful for everything her friends did to help her out. She couldn’t have wished for better friends than Nick, Gabby, and even Gabby’s parents.

“Anytime. Like I said, he’s no trouble. I’ll see myself out. Goodnight.”

With her back turned, she waved goodbye as she walked toward Jake’s bedroom, entering softly to stand at the foot of his bed.

Her motherly instincts kicked into overdrive, and she couldn’t help but gently brush the top of his forehead with her hand knowing she would be okay without Jordan as her boyfriend. She had made it this far without him. She just knew she could make it even more, because Jake’s life depended on her being as strong as she could possibly be as a single parent.

T
wo weeks had passed since Cassie rejected the idea of a possible reunion between her and Jordan. Since then, though not by choice, he had quietly retreated back to Miami for training camp before football season officially began—which the entire town of Yellow Valley was ecstatic about. Cassie hadn’t realized she resided in such a football-crazed town until now, but thankfully, Jordan hadn’t just bailed without saying goodbye to Jake or spending some quality father-son time with him, which—Cassie knew—Jordan and Jake now cherished, telling him how he would return, just as soon as he was able to come back.

Summer vacation was on the verge of winding down, and school would resume very soon, but in the meantime, on the days when Cassie had to go to work—despite being the boss now, which was still very new to her—she made arrangements for Jake to either play with his friends or spend the day with his surrogate grandparents, otherwise known as Gabby’s parents, which was where he was today.

Since Jordan’s departure from town, things were finally going back to the way they once were, despite his obvious presence in Jake’s life with his frequent phone calls, texts, and e-mails. Cassie was now free to move on with her life without the extra pressure she knew Jordan put on her heart.

Today was a good day too, preparing for a couple of functions she was baking cakes and cupcakes for. Her work certainly allowed for a great distraction in her personal life.

Later that morning, while fighting with the old coffee machine she was in desperate need of replacing as soon as she could afford to, Cassie was caught by surprise when the bells above the door jingled and in walked Jesse. She hadn’t talked to him since she cancelled their date the night Jake fell ill with appendicitis.

Chills were sent up and down Cassie’s arm as she tried not to notice Jesse walking toward her. She wondered if there was any bad blood between them, hoping he wasn’t upset she’d had to cancel on their date before it even happened.

Then she saw a smile appeared on his face as he approached the counter, and she realized she had nothing to worry about at all.

“Good morning. Would you like your usual order?” she asked him without taking her eyes off the coffee machine.

Jesse leaned one arm against the counter, his dazzling blue eyes looked straight at her.

“Yes, please. Am I really that predictable?”

Cassie laughed. “Well, you’re not, but your boss is,” she pointed out, referring to Nick. “Besides, I make it my mission to get to know my customers’ regular orders if I want to keep them as my customers. Your coffee and donuts will be ready shortly. I’m just finishing them off now.”

Jesse winked at her, making Cassie blush. “There’s no rush. Nick was on his phone with a client as I was leaving. He will probably be busy for a while."

His wink sent shivers through Cassie’s body, and these feelings inspired her to make his order a whole lot faster.

“So how’s Jake?” he casually asked, making small talk as he waited.

“He’s good now, back to his bright and persistent self again, thank God. After our ordeal, I think I actually like the boisterous side of my son.”

“I bet.”

“Sorry about our date. I never did get to apologize in person.”

“It’s okay. We’ve both been busy, and your child had to come first that night. If I had a kid who was sick, I wouldn’t have left him to go out either. You did the right thing.”

Cassie whipped a plastic to-go lid onto the cup of coffee before placing another empty mug under the spouts and pressing buttons so coffee was released into the cup.

Cassie mouthed a thanks to him as she returned to battling with the coffee machine as she tried to simultaneously fight the alluring attraction she shared with Jesse. Of course, it wasn’t as strong as the one she shared with Jordan, but there was a definite spark felt between her and Jesse, and she couldn’t deny it, even if she wanted to.

When Cassie handed him his order, along with a cardboard box containing the homemade donuts she had made last night after Jake had gone to bed because there was nothing good on television, she surprised herself when she spontaneously asked him a question she, and even Jesse, wasn’t expecting.

“So is that date still saved for another day?” Her lips formed a smile.

“It is if you want it to be. I don’t want to push you into going out on a date if you’re not interested. I’m not forcing you to say yes or anything, although it would be nice.” Plus, Jesse had learned of the date Cassie went on with Jordan before he left town. He knew they shared a long history together, not to mention a child. He didn’t want to be the guy standing in the way of the former couple rekindling their love. Jesse didn’t know Jordan that well, but he knew Nick and he were best friends, and he respected their friendship and his job too much to jeopardize it.

His sexy charm and charisma snuck out, along with his Texan accent Cassie loved as he handed her a twenty-dollar bill. She slipped over to the register, hit keys until the drawer opened, and she popped the money in, and her fingers grazed his as she handed him the change.

Did she really want to go out with him? She wasn’t so sure of her answer, but she couldn’t tell him that and risk hurting his feelings. He was a gentleman and didn’t deserve the kind of broken heart she had struggled with for six years.

“Of course I want to go out with you. I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise,” she said instead, “but do you mind if I just meet you there instead? For me, it’s easier than facing an awkward meeting with Jake. I’d rather leave that to another time.” She wiped her hands on her hot pink apron.

When I know it’s actually going to make it to that point
, Cassie thought.

“Oh, that’s fine. That decision is completely up to you.”

They made plans to meet tomorrow night at Mike’s Tavern at seven o’clock, and when she watched Jesse leave the bakery, Cassie was beginning to think a ruggedly handsome man like him was exactly what she needed to give her the courage to stop struggling over her feelings for an ex-boyfriend she knew she couldn’t be with again. Now she just needed to start believing it.

Forty-eight hours after arriving back in Miami from Texas, training camp had officially begun for Jordan and the rest of the Miami Dolphins leading up to the NFL season.

Today was like any other training session, grueling but tactical, and crucial if they were to place anywhere during the upcoming season. Jordan needed his coaches, teammates, agent, and also the sponsors and fans of the team to be aware that his head was in the game and ready to take on another year as quarterback. Despite suffering a couple of injuries last season, he wasn't ready to give it all up and retire just yet. He was only twenty-six years old, still in the prime of his career.

Practice had been excessively brutal today, and Jordan was glad to finally get home and sleep his aches and pain off so he was ready for another day of training tomorrow.

Home. His luxurious Miami penthouse apartment never sounded as good as it did right now. He couldn't wait to kick off his shoes, crack open a beer, and just relax in front of the TV before hitting the hay in his big king-size bed with one of the meals his housekeeper stored in his refrigerator for him. Because of his hectic schedule, there was rarely a time when Jordan was able to cook an actual meal for himself using the kitchen he'd barely used since he moved in almost two years ago. Instead, his housekeeper kindly went above and beyond to prepare delicious and satisfying health-conscious meals for him, and Jordan was very grateful for the services she provided to him.

What he wasn't expecting was a phone call from Nick.

Jordan rolled over onto his side and picked up his iPhone from his bedside table, reading his hometown friend’s name scrawled across the screen.

He slid the bar across, put the phone to his ear, and groggily said hello. Anyone would think he had been drinking all day, instead of just opening a beer now. He was beat from an extensive and very robust day.

“Hey, man!” Worry and concern was hinted in Nick's voice. Jordan wondered what the matter was. He hadn't been gone that long, and although he promised to keep in touch more often than last time, he couldn't help but wonder what Nick could possibly be calling for.

“Did I wake you? You sound tired.”

“No, not yet, but you would have had you waited another hour or so to call me. I just got home from practice. I'm lying in bed with a beer and watching television, chilling out before I pass out.” Jordan used his upper-body strength to push himself up, leaning his head back against the headboard of the bed. “What's up? Is something wrong?”