Another Chance (23 page)

“The Fire Service say it was electrical. We’d been having problems with the smoke alarms, so they were disabled. Mum got trapped, and Dad made sure I got out before trying to save her. I got out my window but hurt myself badly.”

“You got out your window? But you were on the second floor, that was one hell of a drop.”

She nodded. “I broke my back and both my legs. Multiple surgeries, the lot. That’s how I ended up here, living with my grandmother as she was the only one I had left. It’s why I never went to university.’”

“I’m so sorry hon, I had no idea. To be honest, Cassie, if I’d known you were so close to me I would have found you sooner. I really wish I’d been there for you. It sucks about you not going on to study too, you have such a brilliant mind.”

She shrugged. “What’s done is done. That was one of the things I loved so much about Mark. I was so damaged by everything, and he saw past it, saw the real me under the sorrow and the scars. He made me feel human again.”

“Was the scarring bad?” he asked.

“Some of it. I hated him seeing it the first time, but he loved me scars and all.”

“You’re easy to love, that’s why. Show me the scars.”

She pulled a face. “I don’t think so.”

“Show me.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a bloody cosmetic surgeon, that’s why. There’s no reason for you to be badly scarred.”

“I saw plenty of surgeons, never went back to follow up though. I guess I always just thought they’d be a reminder of what happened, of what I went through.”

“Cassie, if it was that long ago maybe it’s time to get it looked at. I’d like to see to pass judgement on what could be done.”

“It’s not exactly easy to show you, they start from about halfway down my back and then down to nearly my knees.”

“Well lift up your nightgown and let me see. I promise I’m not trying anything, I just want to see if there’s anything I could do.”

Cassie blushed. “I’m not exactly wearing a nightgown.”

Patrick raised an eyebrow at her. “Is that right, Miss Warren?”

She laughed. “Mark and I slept naked, I just got used to it.”

“Then take your robe off.”

She shook her head. “Not with you looking at me like that.”

He stood up and moved behind her chair. “Come on you, just think of it as like being at the doctor. Maybe I can help heal some of those scars Cassie.”

She was breathing heavier now, knowing he wasn’t just talking about the ones on her back. She stood, moving slowly until she was standing in front of him. “Good girl,” he murmured.

Slowly she untied the robe and inch by inch dropped it down her back. Finally she got to the top of the scarring, and she heard him gasp behind her. “Oh sweetheart,” he said.

Cassie kept lowering the robe until it reached the base of her spine. “There should be enough for you to look at.”

At the touch of his fingertips, she closed her eyes as he traced the line down her back, his hands warm and gentle. “Oh, Cassie.” She could hear the pain in his voice as he saw what had happened to her after he’d left town. It took everything to stop herself from telling him that he’d left her heart as broken as her body had been.

“I could fix this,” he whispered, leaning towards her for a closer look. “Cassie, I could make it so much better.” His hand was in the small of her back, and she felt his lips brush her shoulder. “You’re so beautiful sweetheart, it hurts to see you left like this.”

“I’m fine, they don’t bother me.”

Gently he took hold of her bathrobe and lifted it back into place over her shoulders. She tied it back up and turned to face him. “I wish you’d let me take care of it, Cassie.”

“It’s not important, but I appreciate the thought, I really do. It’s a part of me, Patrick, something that’s been with me for so long it wouldn’t feel right to get rid of it now. It’s a reminder of the last day I had with my parents, the last moment I saw my father and the guilt I carry for being the only one who survived that night.”

He reached out and put his palm to her cheek. “You shouldn’t have guilt, Cassie. Your parents loved you, they would be so glad to see that you were all right even going through the pain you’ve gone through. They’d be so proud of the woman you’ve become and insanely proud of the daughter you are raising.”

Cassie grinned. “She is pretty cool.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “One day you will tell me all about her father and what sort of man he was.”

She chewed on her lower lip. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

“Now how about we finish this hot chocolate and go to bed.”

Patrick laughed at the sight of Cassie’s face. “To our own rooms sweetheart. Unless you want to…” She went red, struggling to find words and he wrapped his arms around her, burying her face in his chest. “I think, Cassie that you have some way to go before anything happens between us.”

Gently pushing her shoulders away, so she was facing him, he looked into her eyes. “I want to be with you, Cassie, I just want to put that on the table. After all these years apart, seeing you again stirred something in me I haven’t felt for so very long. I know you’re still mourning Mark. I know you’ll always mourn Mark, but I’m here and ready to love you.” He leaned over, kissing her gently on the cheek and she hugged him tight.

“Good night, Patrick.”

“You’re not going to finish your hot chocolate?”

“I’m tired, I just want to get some sleep.”

He grinned. “So no comment on my declaration of love?”

“It’s not that I didn’t hear it, it’s that I can’t react to it right now. As you said I’m still mourning Mark, and will be for a long time to come. It’s early days yet, Patrick, I can commit to friendship, but that’s it right now.”

“Then I’ll take what I can get sweetheart, just don’t expect me to leave it at that forever. The thought of being in bed with you, buried between your thighs does things to me I can’t even begin to explain.”

She took a step back, and this time the colour drained from her face, completely unable to deal with his words. He chuckled as she whispered, “good night then” and ran back to her bedroom.

Closing the door behind her, she stood for a moment, his words sinking in. A dull throb began between her legs and while her mind fought the thought of what he had said, her body responded. The urge to be touched, the memory of his fingertips on her back stirred her body as if it had woken from a long nap. The sensation she thought she had lost returned in a flood of longing.

It would be so easy to invite him to share her bed, but she still longed for Mark and she hugged his pillow tight as she lay down as if trying to get the last scent of him from it. It was long gone, but she closed her eyes and thought of him there, ready to kiss her, touch her, make her his again. Emotion overwhelmed her and she removed her bathrobe, sinking into the sheets on his side of the bed. They were cold against her skin, and she shivered as the drop in temperature cooled her ardour.

Finally, she drifted off to sleep to dream of Mark. That was if Patrick didn’t make a guest appearance in her dreams.

She sat in the car and watched for him, surely he would have to turn up sometime. Knowing he was studying medicine Cassie had found where the medical students attended their lectures and waited. Sophie slept peacefully in the back seat of the car. “Hold on baby girl, your daddy has to show up sooner or later.”

Finally she caught a glimpse of him, he was walking towards her, and her heart leapt at the sight of him. After everything surely he would at least like to see his daughter. She didn’t even care if he took no responsibility for her, with what Cassie had been through Sophie was her miracle, and she would happily care for the child by herself if she had to.

She waited until he drew closer before opening the car door and taking one last deep breath she exited the car and walked around to the other side. He saw her at once, and his face lit up. Breaking into a run, he was by her side in seconds and wrapped his arms around her before she had a chance to say a word.

“Cassie. I hope this means you are ready to talk to me.”

“I have some things I need to tell you,” she said breathlessly, excited at his greeting.

“It’s so good to see you. I can’t even begin to tell you how much. I’ve missed you.”

“There’s someone I want you to meet.”

He looked at her with curiosity written all over his face. “I’ve just finished for the day, we could go somewhere if you want. Maybe back to my place? Mum and Dad would love to see you.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that, is there a park we could go to?”

“Sure,” he said. She went back to the drivers side and opened the door for him. Instantly he saw Sophie. “Wait. Is this who you want me to meet?” he asked.

“Patrick, this is Sophie. Your daughter.”

His face changed to an expression she couldn’t easily recognise. “My daughter? We have a daughter?”

“Let’s go somewhere that we can get out of the car, and talk, I’ll explain everything.”

They went to a park nearby and sat on a blanket near the car. Sophie lay on her back and kicked her legs in the air, feeling the gentle breeze around them. “She’s beautiful, Cassie.”

“She is my whole life,” said Cassie.

Patrick picked up the baby gently, holding her in one arm while tickling her tummy with the other hand. Sophie was too young to giggle but stared at her father with those big blue eyes babies have. “She’s got my eyes.”

“They could change. I think she looks a lot like you.”

“Don’t look like me kid, try to take after your mother. She’s the good looking one.” Cassie blushed, and Patrick laughed. “I have missed you so much, Cassie.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Next was the wedding, Patrick held her hands and swore to love her forever, Sophie grew, and the there was another baby on the way. Patrick became a doctor, their home filled with love and laughter. Soon a third child was added, two girls and a boy the final result. Their family complete.

Patrick climbed into bed with Cassie and draped his arm over her. “I love how your body is so warm and soft beside me at night.”

“I love you, Patrick Cross. More than I can say.”

“I love you too, Cassie Cross,” he said, rolling her over, so she faced him. “I look forward to growing old with you.”

He kissed her, and as he pulled away she saw Mark’s face. “How could you, Cassie, how could you move on so fast?”

“Mark? Oh, Mark,” she said as she put her arm over him. He pushed her away.

Desperate she tried to reach for him, but he moved further and further away…

Cassie woke with a start. “I’m nowhere near ready to move on,” she murmured.

Patrick was in the kitchen when she went to get coffee. “Morning beautiful.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Uh oh, what’s going on?” he asked.

“I’m not ready for anything. My heart still belongs to Mark, and I can’t get that out of my head.”

He moved towards her, hugging her and kissing her forehead. “Cassie, however long I have to wait I will. Let’s work on this being friends thing for a while, see where it takes us.”

She nodded. “I can work with that.”

A few days later Ian turned up at Cassie’s work just as she was closing up the store. “Hey, Cassie,” he said brightly.

“Hi. What’s up?” She asked.

“Are you on your way home?”

“I sure am.” She wondered where this was going, he was fidgeting a lot.

“I just wondered if you wanted to go out with me sometime.”

“Go out with you?”

“On a date, I’d really like to start seeing you if you want that too.”

“Ian, I’m sorry. I’m really not ready for anything like that.”

“But you’re ready to spent time with that Patrick guy. He was all over you on Saturday, it was awful.”

“He’s a friend, Ian, an old friend and he has been there for me, Sophie and Mark. It’s nothing more than that, not that it’s any of your business.”

His face darkened. “Mark was one of my best mates, so it is my business what his missus gets up to.”

“So you want to stick your nose into my life because of your friendship with Mark, but also happy to hit on me yourself?”

She stepped into the car, closing the door behind her. “Goodbye, Ian.”

Cassie was fuming all the way home at Mark’s friend judging her. Even if she ended up with Patrick, it didn’t mean she loved him any less. There were still trust issues to work through with Patrick if they were going to be together. What she needed was time.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The phone call came as a complete surprise. “Why don’t you come down for a barbecue this weekend?”

It was Lauren and Patrick shook his head wondering how to tell her again that he wasn’t interested. Turned out he didn’t have to.

“It’s been months and Cassie misses you more than she’ll let on. She’s proud and needs a bit of a push.”

“Lauren, I told her I would be back when she was ready, she needs to tell me she’s ready.”