pulled the door open and turned back around, her eyes meeting mine. “It's just drinks, Jack. Nothing more.”
The door closed with a soft click behind her, and I slumped back into my oversized chair. I let out a large breath and ran my hands through my hair, gripping it tightly for a moment as I tried to figure out exactly what I was thinking. Yes, my marriage wasn't ideal, but I couldn't cheat. Not ever. Cassie was my life.
Feeling the need for some fresh air, I picked up my briefcase and headed for the door. As I exited my office, I saw Sienna discussing something with Jill, and she shot me that dazzling smile she often did, raising her hand to wave. I simply nodded in response and kept walking toward the main doors.
Once I was in my car, I started it quickly and peeled out of the parking lot, suddenly in a hurry to get home to my family. I reached my parents' house in record time, and when I walked in, I found them in the kitchen with Charlie perched on the counter near my mom, licking a popsicle.
“Daddy!” she cried excitedly when I entered the room.
I kissed her temple and smiled. “Hey, bug. How was your day?”
With a big smile, she told me everything. “Gramma and me went to Denver today! She had to shop for work stuff and then she took me for lunch! We even drove by Mama's building!”
“You did?” I asked, looking up at my mom briefly.
Charlie nodded quickly. “Uh huh. I renembered that she worked in the city and I asked if we could see where.”
“I see,” I said. “Well, I'm glad you had a fun day. That's wonderful.”
Mom let out a short breath and smiled. “How was your day, Jack?”
I pulled out a stool and took a seat. “It was busy, which was good. Keeps me out of my own head. I'd hate to have to psychoanalyze exactly what goes on in there,” I chided. When my mother didn't laugh with me, I quickly changed the subject. “I actually had a pretty great idea before I left for the night.”
She lifted her gaze to meet mine, and my father turned from the stove to look at me as well. “You did?” he inquired.
“I thought maybe we could all go back out to the beach house for the last two weeks of summer,” I suggested. “I thought it would be fun to start doing the family summer trips again.”
My dad moved to my mother’s side, and they locked eyes for a moment before looking back to me. “Really?” he asked before a smile spread across his face. “Son, I think that's a wonderful idea.”
“I figured it was time to try and get back to old traditions.” Upon hearing this, my mom’s eyes glistened, and she came around the island to hug me tightly. “Relax, Mom. It's really not a big deal.”
She let go of me before cradling my face in her hands. “You may not think so, but I always enjoyed our family summers in California. So to hear that you’re ready to start going again after everything that’s happened…it makes me beyond happy.” She wiped the few tears of happiness that had fallen from her eyes. “Oh! I'll have to call Frank and Gayle and see if they would like to join us. You're staying for dinner tonight, right? I won't take no for an answer.”
The look of resolve on her face was hard to say no to, and I knew the chances of Cassie being home in time for dinner were slim since she never was. So, I smiled and nodded happily. “Of course we'll stay.”
“Wonderful,” she cheered as she took her place behind the counter again. “I think your father and I have everything under control out here. Why don't you take Charlie and go find something to do?” she suggested.
Charlie looked at me excitedly before her grandmother lifted her off the counter, whispering something in her ear. Whatever my mother had said caused Charlie to bob her head up and down exuberantly. “Daddy, can we go to the park? Gramma says we have an hour before dinner!”
“We sure can. Come on, let's go get your coat and shoes on.” I took Charlie by her free hand and led her to the
The door closed with a soft click behind her, and I slumped back into my oversized chair. I let out a large breath and ran my hands through my hair, gripping it tightly for a moment as I tried to figure out exactly what I was thinking. Yes, my marriage wasn't ideal, but I couldn't cheat. Not ever. Cassie was my life.
Feeling the need for some fresh air, I picked up my briefcase and headed for the door. As I exited my office, I saw Sienna discussing something with Jill, and she shot me that dazzling smile she often did, raising her hand to wave. I simply nodded in response and kept walking toward the main doors.
Once I was in my car, I started it quickly and peeled out of the parking lot, suddenly in a hurry to get home to my family. I reached my parents' house in record time, and when I walked in, I found them in the kitchen with Charlie perched on the counter near my mom, licking a popsicle.
“Daddy!” she cried excitedly when I entered the room.
I kissed her temple and smiled. “Hey, bug. How was your day?”
With a big smile, she told me everything. “Gramma and me went to Denver today! She had to shop for work stuff and then she took me for lunch! We even drove by Mama's building!”
“You did?” I asked, looking up at my mom briefly.
Charlie nodded quickly. “Uh huh. I renembered that she worked in the city and I asked if we could see where.”
“I see,” I said. “Well, I'm glad you had a fun day. That's wonderful.”
Mom let out a short breath and smiled. “How was your day, Jack?”
I pulled out a stool and took a seat. “It was busy, which was good. Keeps me out of my own head. I'd hate to have to psychoanalyze exactly what goes on in there,” I chided. When my mother didn't laugh with me, I quickly changed the subject. “I actually had a pretty great idea before I left for the night.”
She lifted her gaze to meet mine, and my father turned from the stove to look at me as well. “You did?” he inquired.
“I thought maybe we could all go back out to the beach house for the last two weeks of summer,” I suggested. “I thought it would be fun to start doing the family summer trips again.”
My dad moved to my mother’s side, and they locked eyes for a moment before looking back to me. “Really?” he asked before a smile spread across his face. “Son, I think that's a wonderful idea.”
“I figured it was time to try and get back to old traditions.” Upon hearing this, my mom’s eyes glistened, and she came around the island to hug me tightly. “Relax, Mom. It's really not a big deal.”
She let go of me before cradling my face in her hands. “You may not think so, but I always enjoyed our family summers in California. So to hear that you’re ready to start going again after everything that’s happened…it makes me beyond happy.” She wiped the few tears of happiness that had fallen from her eyes. “Oh! I'll have to call Frank and Gayle and see if they would like to join us. You're staying for dinner tonight, right? I won't take no for an answer.”
The look of resolve on her face was hard to say no to, and I knew the chances of Cassie being home in time for dinner were slim since she never was. So, I smiled and nodded happily. “Of course we'll stay.”
“Wonderful,” she cheered as she took her place behind the counter again. “I think your father and I have everything under control out here. Why don't you take Charlie and go find something to do?” she suggested.
Charlie looked at me excitedly before her grandmother lifted her off the counter, whispering something in her ear. Whatever my mother had said caused Charlie to bob her head up and down exuberantly. “Daddy, can we go to the park? Gramma says we have an hour before dinner!”
“We sure can. Come on, let's go get your coat and shoes on.” I took Charlie by her free hand and led her to the
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