Page 11 of Tangled With You

“I know. But I wanted to. It’s just a token,” she added ashe tugged off the ribbon and peered inside.

“A token? Cass, this is awesome.” He pulled out the small,blue-green bowl with free-form sides that gave the impression of the sea inmotion.

“I have a friend who does blown glass work. It’s a thank youand a housewarming gift.”

“I have the perfect place.” He led her to the fireplace andput it at the center of the mantle. “It even matches the wall. Not yet,” headded, pointing to the slash of blue. “But when I finish painting.”

“It’s coming along, though,” she said. “The place is huge.”

“It’s not as big as it looks from the outside. The illusionof building on a hill with multiple stories. But it’s got three bedrooms and anoffice, so a decent size.”

“Just you living here?”

For one awkward moment, a vision of Trevor hanging out inthe living area reading a magazine popped into his head. He felt his cheeksheat and hoped that Cass didn’t notice. “Yeah. Just me.”

“I miss working with you,” she said as he started to leadher on the tour. “But Jeff is great. Do you still keep in touch?”

“Every now and then.” Jeffery Slade had been a summerassociate assigned to Ollie the year that Nikki had moved to Los Angeles. He’daccepted the offer to join Bender, Twain & McGuire after he finished lawschool, and he and Ollie had worked together for about a year before Olliemoved to the firm’s New York office and, ultimately, left for the FBI. “He’s agood guy. Really sharp.”

He took her all the way down to the lowest level that hadbeen designed as a den, but that he was using as office space, then they movedupward, treading over the decrepit flooring, then moving past his fullyfinished bedroom and bath to the still-in-disrepair guest rooms.

“It’s going to be great,” she told him when they’d come fullcircle to the living area.

“It will,” he agreed, though the walk-through had onlyreiterated to him just how unfinished and empty the house still was.

Once again, Trevor filled his head.

Once again, he pushed the thoughts away.

He cleared his throat. “So how are things with you andSiobhan?”

She made a face, and he winced.

“Sorry. Touchy subject? I thought you two were backtogether.”

“Apparently that depends on Siobhan’s mood and whether Marsis in retrograde.” There was a harshness to her voice, and she waved a hand, asif pushing her thoughts away. “We’re done for good. Honestly, I think she’s Ollie and I’mCourtney.”

He grimaced. “On again, off again?”

“Sorry, dude, but yeah. We were even engaged like you andCourtney were. And now we’re permanently off. I don’t care if she comes backnaked on a barge bearing boxes of chocolate, I’m not going through that again.”

“What happened?” The truth was, he’d never been certain whyhe’d put poor Courtney through so much. They enjoyed each other, laughed allthe time, the sex was good, and they never lacked for conversation. Basically,she was perfect for him, and he’d asked her to marry him. Because that was whatpeople did.

Except every time it got down to the wire, he choked. He’dpush the wedding date, or he’d actually break up with her, though theyinevitably got back together. And then, finally, Courtney’dhad enough. She walked, and it had ripped him to shreds.

Except he still wasn’t sure if he’d been devastated fromlosing the woman he loved or if he hadn’t truly loved her, and the fact thathe’d been an asshole to keep her dangling for years was what had twisted hisgut.

Bullshit, McKee.

He knew the answer. He hadn’t loved her. Not like that,anyway. But she’d been safe and familiar. She’d been exactly what a man in hisposition was supposed to have. And so, he’d grabbed hold, held tight, and kepther trapped for too long.

God, he’d been a shit.

“I’m sorry,” he said, both to Cass and to the ghost ofCourtney.

“Thanks, but it’s okay,” Cass said. “Siobhan and I had somegood times, and I think she’s great. But she couldn’t get past her dad’s reactionto her being with a woman. So now I’ve locked the door tight. My heart can onlytake so much, right? I mean, in the end, you have to figure out who you want tobe with.”

Yeah. You damn sure did. “And who do youwant to be with?”