Love With A Stranger (38 page)

“That’s all, Cass,” Peter said. “You can leave, but I’ll be here for a while longer going over other business with Simon. I’ll see you again later this week.”

Cass said her farewells and departed. She knew why Peter lingered behind, to discuss contracts concerning the company sales he had mentioned to her on past dates. She reasoned that for those agreements to be at this final stage, Peter must have been working on the sly to obtain them for a long time. Of course, he had the power to sell those properties without her permission or vote, but she would have profited greatly from them if not for their settlement today, which explained why he wanted it a done deal as fast as possible.

Once Cass got inside her cashmere-beige BMW, she gave a huge sigh of relief and elation to have that strenuous meeting behind her. Before she set aside her purse, she opened it and gazed at the check with so many zeros following the number
five. On impulse, she kissed it, laughed merrily, and returned it to her bag. She had told Jason this morning she was going straight to the bank to deposit it for safety reasons and to place the papers in her rental box.

As Cass secured her seat belt and started the engine, her mind scoffed,
So, you and Tom thought you had me strapped over a barrel, did you? Well, you both were wrong, and I’ve outwitted you two. Now, Mr. Peter Grantham, as soon as I’m convinced everything is settled and there’s no loophole you can use against me, you’re in for receiving a nasty piece of my mind!

Cass could hardly wait until her meeting with Jason’s attorney next Monday morning to let him go over the papers she had signed so she could make certain her deal with Peter was legal and finalized and loophole free. She wished she could see the lawyer sooner, but he was out of town until Sunday evening. Even so, the timing was perfect: Jason’s office was closed on Monday for “spring cleaning” and for new carpet to be laid in the reception room, so the entire staff had the day off with pay.

Tonight, Cass planned her impending actions, she would lock her car in the garage and keep the lights out in the house to prevent Peter from coming over for a visit. She and Jason weren’t taking any unnecessary risks of having their romance exposed to him before next week, so they wouldn’t see each other privately until after Peter left for Los Angeles again on Friday.

Soon, my love, we won’t have to sneak around to see each other…

On Wednesday, Cass received her final instructions from the office receptionist on the woman’s last day for weeks, and
Jason treated his staff to a nice lunch at the King & Prince Restaurant.

After she reached home, Cass took a seat in the den to call Kristy to chat. Despite the renewal of their friendship and the restoration of their past rapport, Cass knew there were some things that she could not confide to Kristy for fear of her making an inadvertent slip to Brad or her parents. Those things included the dark and bitter truth about Tom, details about Tom’s restrictive will and her financial settlement with Peter yesterday, news of and the motive for her recent “mental illness,” and the plans to marry Jason. Except for what Linda and the people involved in certain matters knew, she would carry those remaining secrets to her grave.

“Hi, Kristy, it’s me again, your old and longlost friend. Can you talk now, or did I catch you at a busy time?” Cass heard Kristy squeal her name and take off like a verbal jet plane at high speed.

“Cassie! It’s so good to hear your voice. I’m glad you got back to me so soon. Actually your timing couldn’t be better. Jerry took the kids over to his parents’ house to see their new puppies. That dog is always spitting out litters faster than a bullet flies. I don’t know why they don’t get her fixed or keep her penned up when she’s in heat because she’s the horniest and most promiscuous bitch I know. Afterward they’re grabbing a bite to eat at the Golden Corral and bringing me a take-out plate, so I don’t have to cook supper tonight and have some free time for a change. In fact, I’m lazing in a warm bubble bath and sipping a glass of wine, Chablis to be exact, and glancing through magazines. I don’t know why I order them because I never have time to pleasure read during the school year. It’s a good thing you didn’t get to come last Saturday because all hell broke loose that day and our visit would have been ruined. I should say, what got broken was Billy’s arm.”
Kristy continued, omitting not one tiny detail of the incident. After many minutes, Cass heard her friend’s indrawn breath before she asked, “So, what have you been doing lately and how are you feeling? And how is that doctor friend of yours?”

Cass grinned at her friend’s rapid and gregarious roll, for which she was famous among her friends and social circle and at school. That trait had elicited Cass’s fears about Kristy making a slip, though the kind woman would never breach a confidence on purpose. “I’m feeling wonderful and doing great,” Cass revealed, “I’m back in church, making new friends, and working for Jason Burkman as his temporary receptionist.”

“Why did you go back to work now that you’re a rich widow?” Kristy was genuinely puzzled.

“Partly to get myself out of the house and back into the swing of things, and partly to do Jason a favor.”

“So, what does that job entail?” Kristy asked, then listened as Cass explained what her responsibilities were before she jested, “I bet it’s nice working for such a close friend and such a handsome and virile doctor, eh?”

Cass laughed. “Who told you he was handsome and virile?”

“You did.”

“I did?”

“In more than one way. I hear how your voice softens and how you purr your words like a just-fed kitten when you talk about him. Tell me true, is romance in the air? Come clean, woman, or I’ll die of suspense.”

“Well, we certainly can’t have you perishing over the phone. We like each other and get along well, and we’ve seen each other on occasion at church and with a mutual female friend. We’ve had lunch and a couple of dinners. I guess you could say a romance looks promising, but first I need to put more time between Tom’s death and serious dating. You know how we women have to work hard to protect our reputations and images. I’ve been keeping myself busy in other ways: I’ve done a little redecorating and gotten rid of Tom’s belongings
so I can get on with my life. I have a part-time, instead of fulltime, housekeeper now; so I have chores and grocery shopping and cooking to do myself.”

“So, you’ve laid Tom to rest for good?”

“Yes, I have. I even sold my company stocks to his son, so I’m no longer connected to any of those businesses, and was never involved in them. In fact, Peter is moving to Los Angeles soon and cutting my final tie to the Granthams. How are Jerry and your parents doing?”

“Jerry’s doing super; the real estate market has finally picked up and he’s making sales right and left. He’s so relieved and excited that he almost dances around the house when he comes home at night. He hasn’t changed at all since you last saw him; he hasn’t even gained weight or lost any hair like so many of his friends have. My parents are doing great, but they wouldn’t be if they knew about Brad’s visit to you. What happened there, Cassie? You didn’t have time to give me any details last week.”

Cass related the facts to her, and heard Kristy exhale in disgust.

“Even as well as I know my brother, Cassie, I find it almost incredible and totally despicable that Brad would come to your home and beg you for money. Sometimes it’s as if he doesn’t have a single brain cell in that head of his or an ounce of conscience. He makes me so mad I could strangle him. I can’t tell you how sorry and ashamed I am that happened. I haven’t told my parents; they would be humiliated to learn what he did to you.”

“Please
don’t
tell them, Kristy. Your parents were good to me; even after Brad and I were divorced, they came to Mom and Dad’s funeral, sent flowers, and brought food over to the house. I know our split-up pained them deeply and confused them. I just didn’t have the heart to tell them the reasons; it seemed wrong and cruel to exonerate myself by hurting them.”

“You always were a compassionate person, Cassie, and I’m glad you haven’t changed. But they know why you divorced
him: I told them after you left town and married Tom. I didn’t want them blaming you for Brad’s mistake, and they’ve certainly watched him make plenty more. I wish he would just leave you alone.”

“I doubt I’ll ever see him again; if I do, I’ll handle him. After I got over my shock and anger, I felt sorry for him. I wish he would straighten himself out. Maybe something or somebody will change him one day.”

“I hope so, Cassie, I truly hope so, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen or I’ll probably expire first.”

They talked about other things and reminisced for a while until Kristy’s husband and two children returned home and summoned her.

“It was so good talking to you, Cassie, just like old times, except we’re so far apart.”

“It was good talking with you again, Kristy, and we’ll do it again soon.”

“Don’t forget, you’re coming up to visit before the end of May.”

“I won’t. Tell Jerry, Billy, Debbie, and your parents I said hello.”

“I will. ’Bye, girl, and you take excellent care of yourself.”

“The same to you, Kristy. Good-bye.”

The ensuing four days were busy and happy ones as Cass took Kristy’s good advice. On Thursday afternoon, she and Mary did housecleaning while Jason was in Savannah visiting with his daughter and twin grandsons and dropping hints about his budding romance with her so Traci could get used to the idea of her existence and future role in the Burkman family.

On Friday, Peter left for Los Angeles to finish preparations for his move there next week, an event Cass eagerly anticipated. After work, she and Jason visited his receptionist, who had come through her surgery without problems, in the hospital.
That night, she and Jason took a cruise on the
Emerald Princess
where they had a wonderful time dining, dancing, and partaking in casino-style gambling. They spent some time on deck watching the sights on shore, and finalized that splendid day by making love in her bed.

On Saturday morning, she and Jason took a lengthy trolley tour of the historical and picturesque sites on St. Simons Island. Following a delayed lunch, they enjoyed a salt marsh nature tour on a large and comfortable pontoon where they ventured through the tidal creeks to see its plants and observe its many creatures. The weather couldn’t have been nicer, nor the insects, more compassionate.

That evening, they had dinner at Chelsea’s, and watched a musical performance at the Ritz Theater in Brunswick where they had met seven months ago. Later at her home, they celebrated that eventful encounter with a glass of champagne and hours of torrid lovemaking.

On Sunday, they attended church, had lunch out, relaxed at his house, savored some more glorious lovemaking, and cooked and ate supper together before she reached home only minutes before Peter’s return that evening.

To her surprise and pleasure, Peter made no attempt to phone or visit her that night, as if he already had severed all of their connections.

On Monday while Peter waited for a local moving company to arrive to pack his possessions and prepare to load and transport them to Los Angeles the next day, Cass left the house as usual as if she were going to work. Instead, she and Jason went to the bank to collect the papers in her safe-deposit box, then met with his attorney in Brunswick.

After the lawyer read the papers which had been prepared by Simon Johnson, the man told them the settlement between her and Peter was legal and finalized. That news delighted Cass
and Jason, who both thanked the lawyer and departed in elated moods.

Over lunch in a quiet restaurant, Jason told Cass he would help her find a new financial adviser to assist her with investing her money. She agreed with him that it was foolish for the enormous amount to sit in a checking or regular savings account or in many bank certificates of deposit earning lower interest rates. By investing most of the cash, she would have continual income from and yearly growth in her multi-million dollar settlement.

Cass returned home alone afterward because there was one last deed she wanted to accomplish before Peter left town: a confrontation.

Cass phoned Peter and asked him to meet her on the terrace because she had something important to tell him. She didn’t want to be alone with him inside her house. If he gave her any problems, she was certain the moving crew at in his place would come to her aid if she screamed for help. She didn’t think that would happen, though, because Peter was too image conscious. Though he was leaving this area for good very soon, he wouldn’t want to create a scene that neighbors could witness and turn into gossip. She put on sunglasses and went outside to await him.

Peter greeted her five minutes later with a broad smile, squinted his gaze against the sun’s glare, and asked, “Did you get off early from work today?”

“The office is closed for spring cleaning and carpet replacement.”

Peter noted that she didn’t return his smile and that she appeared edgy. Her sunglasses had extra-dark lenses, so he couldn’t read her gaze. “Well, what did you want to tell me before I leave tomorrow?”

Cass kept her voice low and controlled as she responded, “After you move, Peter, I don’t want to ever see or hear from you again.”

Before she could continue, the astonished Peter asked,
“What?”

“You heard me correctly. Never again. I know your show of friendship was nothing more than a clever pretense for wicked purposes. I—”

Peter interrupted in a surly tone, “So, this is ‘the moment of truth,’ is it? How silly and dramatic for a cheap pot to be calling an expensive kettle black! You were doing the same thing, Cass, only pretending to be friends to benefit yourself.” He watched her expression tense. “Consider yourself lucky you’re walk-ing away with a fortune that rightfully belongs to me. I could have found a way to make sure you walked away with nothing.”

Cass straightened her shoulders and glared at him. “No, Peter, you should consider yourself lucky—damned lucky!—that you aren’t heading for prison instead of to a ritzy lifestyle in Los Angeles. I know all about your little drugging and blackmail schemes, and in case you didn’t know it, both are illegal, punishable crimes.” She saw him square his shoulders as he took a deep breath, and narrowed his hazel gaze after it had widened briefly—and revealingly—in surprise.

She didn’t give him time to interrupt again before she said, “That’s right, I know you provoked my recent condition by slipping drugs into my food and/or drink and aspirin capsules. I know Inez and Dr. Hines aided your little misdeed. I know about the changes in the phone lines and mailing address so you could screen my calls and intercept my letters and cut me off from the outside world so I’d think nobody cared about me. I know you blackmailed Dr. Hines into helping you and supplying you with drugs to use on me, then had him keep me drugged senseless for weeks.”

“Is that a fact, or have you gone stark raving mad?”

“All of those statements are facts, Peter; and I’m completely sane, no thanks to you and what you tried to do to me, you sorry bastard.”

“You can wallow in that bed of suspicions all you like, Cass, but you can’t prove such absurd bullshit to the authorities. They’ll think—”

“Oh, but you’re totally wrong, Peter. You see, before Dr. Hines killed himself, he sent me a special delivery letter telling me all about what he did for you and why. He wanted revenge on you for blackmailing him and because he thought—in his unbalanced mental state—that you provided the leaks to the press that were going to destroy him. I have the letter locked away in my safe-deposit box.”
You actually look as if your face blanched white for a moment and sheer terror registered in your eyes!

While she had him shocked speechless, Cass hurried on with, “As to Inez, before she left town, she exposed her part in your dirty little scheme. She even provided me with samples of those mystery pills that Hines labeled A and B, and a tainted aspirin capsule as proof of her claims. I know you met with her last week and not only refused to pay for her silence but also infuriated her with your behavior and threats. Before she left this area, she took fifty thousand dollars with her for her cooperation with me. That evidence against you is also locked away safely. If I had a mind to, I could turn all of it over to the police and press charges against you.”

“Why haven’t you carried out that threat?” Peter asked gruffly.

“It isn’t a threat, and I have my reasons for handling it this way.”

“If you have such…facts and evidence in your possession, why did you settle with me last week when you could have demanded more money? Is that it, you’re trying to squeeze more money out of me on the sly? I’m not the man you want
to threaten, or blackmail, Cass. So why the settlement and long wait to confront me?”

“First off, I don’t want to create a scandal for myself by exposing you. Secondly, Dr. Hines is no longer in a position to harm other patients. Thirdly, I didn’t marry Tom for his money, but I felt that he owed me for his many cruel and dangerous betrayals and because I was a good wife to him. Contrary to what you believe, Peter, I’m not a greedy, conniving, or wicked person like you are. I only wanted what I felt I deserved from Tom; you set the amount, and I agreed with it. You might find this amusing and flattering, but I actually believed you had softened toward me after his death and we were becoming real friends.”

“Let me get this straight in my head: knowing the truth, you gave up that much money and holdings, and you don’t intend to do anything with that so-called evidence against me?”

“That’s right, Peter, because I’m not a vindictive person and I don’t want my life and name dragged through the courts and over media coals. If you agree to forget I exist, I’ll do the same for you. Do we have a deal?”

“What’s the catch?”

“There isn’t one.”

Peter stared at her for a long time in utter bewilderment.

“Yes, there is another catch beside forgetting I exist.”

Peter scowled. “I thought so. What is it, if not more money?”

Cass removed her glasses so he could see her eyes. “Tell me why you drugged me and we’ll call it even.”

He studied her again. “You’re actually telling the truth, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Peter, I am. So, why did you do it? I need to know.”

His gaze swept over her from head to feet. “Have you got a recorder taped to that lovely body with hopes of capturing a confession?”

“No, Peter, and you and I are the only ones who know we’re
having this talk right now. I just want to know the truth for my own peace of mind.”

“All right, Cass, I’ll trust you this time. I had to keep you out of the way for a few weeks while I got to Dad’s will and companies. I was afraid he had left you either everything or most of it, and I was uncertain about the companies’ financial states. I needed answers before I dealt with you. I worked hard to help make those companies successful and profitable, and I’m the only Grantham left in our bloodline, so I didn’t want you holding a vengeful gun to my head. I never intended to keep you drugged for long, never intended to make you an addict or mental case, and never intended to kill you even if you got it all. I would have handled the matter legally by contesting his will.”

“Thank you, Peter; I thought that was your motive. Now, from this day forth, all doors are closed between us. I just didn’t want you to leave without knowing you didn’t have me fooled. Since I wasn’t harmed by your little scheme, I’ll forget about it. But I want you to know, I think it was one of the lowest things one person could do to another person, and it was totally unnecessary. Even if Tom had left everything to me, I would never have taken it all whether or not we ever became friends. In fact, I would have insisted on a one-third/two-thirds split in your favor as his son. I never tried to get Tom to leave me everything, and I had no idea what was in his will until you and Simon Johnson told me.” To her astonishment, Cass saw Peter’s expression soften, and he even sent her what appeared to be his first genuine smile. Even so, his ensuing words came as a shock to her, and they sounded sincere.

“I should have yielded to your potent temptation and gone after you myself instead of letting Jason snare you; that was a big mistake. What man could ask for a better woman than you, Cassandra Grantham?”

“I’m not the right woman for you; nor you, the right man forme.”

“I suppose Jason Burkman is the right man for you?”

Since Peter didn’t say those words in a sarcastic tone, she replied, “Perhaps. At least he’s nothing like your father or my first husband.”

“I never thought I’d hear myself say this, Cass, but I’m sorry.”

“You’ve lied to me and tricked me so many times, Peter, that I don’t know if that’s true.”

“Maybe for the first time in my life, I’m telling a woman the truth. It would have been easy to love you, but it’s too late for that.”

“Yes, Peter, it is. As soon as I get my life settled and I’m convinced we’ve parted ways forever, I promise I’ll destroy those things Dr. Hines and Inez gave to me.”

“Thank you, Cass, and I won’t ever trouble you again; I swear it.”

“Keep that promise, Peter, and I’ll keep mine.”

“Without knowing it at that time, I was right about one thing: my father didn’t deserve a good woman like you and he was crazy to betray you. Now that I know the dirty truth about him, he probably did the same thing to my mother and that’s why she left him. She was wrong and selfish to leave me behind with that bastard, but that has nothing to do with us. If I had known the truth about you and played my cards smarter, I could be a lucky man today, but I misjudged you and I folded my hand too soon.”

Cass dropped that sensitive subject and went to another one that intrigued her. “Now that we’ve settled our business and you have nothing to lose, would you mind telling me the truth about your affair with Brenda?”

“Why?”

“So I’ll know if Jason Burkman has an honest motive to hate and spite you, and to have wanted to use me for that
purpose. You owe me the truth, Peter, so I won’t get involved with him if he’s an unworthy man.”

“All right, Cass. Since she made a fool of me, it’s tempting to say I knew the truth all along, but I didn’t, contrary to what Jason believes. Oh, I suspected something wasn’t quite right about her and her job, but I let it ride because…to put it bluntly, she was great in bed. I have to give Brenda credit for being smart; she even had phony pictures of her alleged family in that apartment. And that day we were caught together at her house, she had removed any signs of her and Jason living there and being married. I guess he was too furious to notice her deceitful preparations before he stormed out, and she probably put everything back in order before his return, or he would have known I told him the truth. As to the money for affording her little ruse, it didn’t come from me. Oh, I did buy her things and pay for food and booze and such, but not her monthly rent and other expenses. I didn’t trust her or love her or ever plan to marry her, but I was enjoying our relationship too much to rock the boat with demands for explanations. Actually, I’m grateful to Jason for halting her ruse and for sweeping the matter under the rug and preventing a scandal for both of us. I would have fought him like a tiger if he’d named me corespondent in a divorce because I wasn’t guilty. Believe it or not, Cass, but that’s the truth. Jason and I were both used.”

“Thank you, Peter, and I’ll tell him what you said one day.”

“Well, I’d better get back over there and keep that crew working so they can pull out in the morning. They’re transporting my Porsche, too. I’ll be flying out in my jet about ten. When I have to return to finalize the sales for the two companies here, I won’t bother you. We’ll make this our final good-bye, Cass. I’m sorry and I was wrong, and I hope you’ll find true happiness the next time you marry; you deserve it.”

I’ve won a major battle, and I got what I wanted,
she told herself.
He’ll be out of my life forever very soon, so I must be compassionate and not gloat. Everything is settled, so despite
his guilt, let it end peacefully.
“Thank you, Peter, and I hope things work out for you in LA.”

“I’ll leave the guest-house keys in that planter over there before I take off in the morning, so don’t forget to collect them tomorrow evening.”

Cass nodded, then put on her sunglasses to ward off the sun’s glare.

Peter looked at her for a minute, smiled in defeat, and said, “Good-bye, Cassandra Grantham; you’re one terrific lady.”
And I’ve been a complete and blind idiot to let you get away!

“Goodbye, Peter.”
And good riddance.

Instead of watching his departure, Cass went inside her house to unwind following the tense situation. There was one thing she could always count on with Peter Grantham, he was unpredictable! She could have ranted and raved at him, but that wouldn’t have accomplished anything, and it would have made her look like the bad person he had assumed she was for years. No, it was much better to have ended their stormy relationship in the sensible way she had.

You’re free of all Grantham ties now, and you’re a stronger and wiser person. The dark past is over and a bright future awaits you with Jason Burkman. This time, you won’t be loving and marrying a stranger, but the most wonderful man in the world.
Cass closed her misty brown eyes, bid her past farewell, and said a fervent prayer of thanks for her many blessings.

At five o’clock, she almost didn’t answer the knock at her back door when Peter came to see her, as she dreaded to discover the reason.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Cass, but the moving crew is finished. Two extra packers were sent over after we talked and they got everything boxed and loaded up faster. The truck is heading to their company warehouse for safe storage tonight and it’ll pull out for LA tomorrow. I’m going to a motel to
spend the night; then I’m turning my Porsche over to them for loading in the morning and taking off for LA. I wanted to return the keys and give you this check; it should be sufficient to pay a janitorial service to clean up over there and to have the place repainted and to have the drapes and carpets cleaned. That way, it’ll be ready for guests or to show when you put this property on the real estate market. Those expenses shouldn’t come out of your pocket since I was allowed to live there rent-free for years and you’ve been so kind and generous to me. I also wanted to give you this as a parting and friendship gift.” He handed her a small box, smiled, and said, “Goodbye, Cass. Take excellent care of yourself and be happy.”