Page 84 of Cross + Catherine: The Companion

“Whatever, Ma.”

Catherine was already leaving her mother behind. She moved through the chatting people, and slipped into the back hallway at the same time she heard the backdoor close. A backdoor that led out to their porch.

Soon, Catherine had slipped into Cross’s music room, and was peering out the window to check on her daughter there. Cece and Juan were sitting on the porch swing—fingers woven tightly together, and swinging back and forth.

Still quite innocent.

Still closing distance.

That was enough for her, really.

Catherine stepped back away from the window, done with her spying. She really didn’t mean to intrude on her daughter, or anything like that. She was simply excited for Cece because she knew how long her daughter had been waiting for something like this to happen.

“Catty?”

Catherine nearly fell over her own two feet as she spun around. Cross stood in the music room’s doorway with a cocked brow. “Hi. Hey. Wh—”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

Cross gave her a look. “Right, okay.”

“Come on, let’s—”

Cross rocked back on his heels a bit, and peered out the back door. He probably had the perfect view of his daughter and Juan sitting together. Holding hands.

Catherine looked out her window.

Oh, wonderful.

They were kissing now.

A quick kiss.

Nothing more.

Cece initiated it, by the looks of things. And she quickly pulled away too with a sly little grin, and a laugh Catherine could only see, but not quite hear.

Oh.

“Spying, I think,” Cross murmured.

Catherine looked back to her husband. “Sorry.”

“You didn’t think to tell me?”

“I’m not even supposed to know, really.”

“Ah.”

Catherine moved away from the window lest the two outside notice her, and came closer to her husband. Cross, despite being very protective of Cece when it came to boys and dating, seemed to be doing okay at the moment.

Maybe that was the most surprising thing of all.

“How bad do you want to go out there?” she asked him.

Cross grinned. “I’m okay, actually.”