love affair, just as he’d told her. Maybe she didn’t care about what had happened back then, but he did. God help him.
In fact, he was so anxious to get the difficult conversation over with that he got to the gym the next night before seven, while the reunion committee was still setting up its tables outside the doors. Mimi Frances Lawson took one look at him and latched on to his arm with a death grip.
“I need you inside, Cole,” she announced, dragging him along behind her. “The streamers are falling down around us, and I don’t have time to deal with it. Theladder’s over there.” She pointed it out. “Here’s a roll of tape. I don’t know what Hallie used when she put them up, but it’s not holding.”
She leveled a look straight into his eyes, the somber look of a general sending troops into battle. “I’m counting on you to fix it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, amused and somewhat relieved to have a task that was actually within his capabilities and not fraught with the emotional repercussions of his anticipated confrontation with Cassie.
“I mean it,” Mimi Frances said with an authority that came from being class president for three years running, or maybe from being the mother of five rambunctious boys. “I’m counting on you, Cole.”
“These streamers won’t budge before next Christmas, Mimi Frances,” he assured her. “Now go on with whatever you need to be doing and leave this to me.”
She nodded. “I’ll send someone in to help as soon as I can spare them.”
The fact that she thought he needed help rankled a bit, but Cole ignored it and went to work. He was at the top of a ladder, balanced precariously, when he realized he was no longer alone. He looked straight down into Cassie’s familiar green eyes. She stared back unhappily.
“So, Mimi Frances recruited you, too,” he said mildly, all too aware that she wasn’t one bit happy about being stuck with him, even in this very public setting.
“That woman could run the entire U.S. government without breaking a sweat,” Cassie muttered. “I’m fairly certain I told her I was not climbing any ladders.”
“Then it’s fortunate she paired you up with me. I’mnot scared of heights,” Cole said, trying not to stare too hard at the sexy little black dress that revealed way too much cleavage, at least from this angle.
“I’m not scared of heights, either,” Cassie retorted, indignant patches of color promptly flaring in her cheeks. “I beat you to the top of the town water tower, if I remember correctly.”
“So you did,” he agreed, grinning. “Then what’s the problem?”
“I’d like to see you climb anything in this dress.”
“Honey, if I were in that dress, we’d have bigger problems at this reunion than the falling streamers.”
A chuckle erupted, just as he’d intended, but she was quick to choke it back. Clearly, she wasn’t quite ready for a thaw in the icy distance between them.
He gazed down at her. “Don’t stop. I always liked hearing you laugh.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Don’t go there, Cole.”
“Go where?”
“You know.”
“To the past? Isn’t that what this reunion is all about? Can you think of a better time to think about what used to be?”
“I suspect you and I have very different memories about what used to be.”
He nodded. “Based on our conversation yesterday, I’d say you’re right about that.”
He was about to use the opening to pursue the topic, when Mimi Frances bustled up.
“Stop chatting,” she ordered briskly. “We only have a few more minutes.”
“Everything is going to go beautifully,” Cassie reassured her. “The gym looks sensational. And Cole only has one or two more streamers to secure. Go outside, Mimi Frances, and take a deep breath, then sit back and enjoy yourself. You’ve outdone yourself. It looks prettier in here than it did on prom night—and that’s saying a lot.”
“I don’t have time to enjoy myself,” Mimi Frances
In fact, he was so anxious to get the difficult conversation over with that he got to the gym the next night before seven, while the reunion committee was still setting up its tables outside the doors. Mimi Frances Lawson took one look at him and latched on to his arm with a death grip.
“I need you inside, Cole,” she announced, dragging him along behind her. “The streamers are falling down around us, and I don’t have time to deal with it. Theladder’s over there.” She pointed it out. “Here’s a roll of tape. I don’t know what Hallie used when she put them up, but it’s not holding.”
She leveled a look straight into his eyes, the somber look of a general sending troops into battle. “I’m counting on you to fix it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, amused and somewhat relieved to have a task that was actually within his capabilities and not fraught with the emotional repercussions of his anticipated confrontation with Cassie.
“I mean it,” Mimi Frances said with an authority that came from being class president for three years running, or maybe from being the mother of five rambunctious boys. “I’m counting on you, Cole.”
“These streamers won’t budge before next Christmas, Mimi Frances,” he assured her. “Now go on with whatever you need to be doing and leave this to me.”
She nodded. “I’ll send someone in to help as soon as I can spare them.”
The fact that she thought he needed help rankled a bit, but Cole ignored it and went to work. He was at the top of a ladder, balanced precariously, when he realized he was no longer alone. He looked straight down into Cassie’s familiar green eyes. She stared back unhappily.
“So, Mimi Frances recruited you, too,” he said mildly, all too aware that she wasn’t one bit happy about being stuck with him, even in this very public setting.
“That woman could run the entire U.S. government without breaking a sweat,” Cassie muttered. “I’m fairly certain I told her I was not climbing any ladders.”
“Then it’s fortunate she paired you up with me. I’mnot scared of heights,” Cole said, trying not to stare too hard at the sexy little black dress that revealed way too much cleavage, at least from this angle.
“I’m not scared of heights, either,” Cassie retorted, indignant patches of color promptly flaring in her cheeks. “I beat you to the top of the town water tower, if I remember correctly.”
“So you did,” he agreed, grinning. “Then what’s the problem?”
“I’d like to see you climb anything in this dress.”
“Honey, if I were in that dress, we’d have bigger problems at this reunion than the falling streamers.”
A chuckle erupted, just as he’d intended, but she was quick to choke it back. Clearly, she wasn’t quite ready for a thaw in the icy distance between them.
He gazed down at her. “Don’t stop. I always liked hearing you laugh.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Don’t go there, Cole.”
“Go where?”
“You know.”
“To the past? Isn’t that what this reunion is all about? Can you think of a better time to think about what used to be?”
“I suspect you and I have very different memories about what used to be.”
He nodded. “Based on our conversation yesterday, I’d say you’re right about that.”
He was about to use the opening to pursue the topic, when Mimi Frances bustled up.
“Stop chatting,” she ordered briskly. “We only have a few more minutes.”
“Everything is going to go beautifully,” Cassie reassured her. “The gym looks sensational. And Cole only has one or two more streamers to secure. Go outside, Mimi Frances, and take a deep breath, then sit back and enjoy yourself. You’ve outdone yourself. It looks prettier in here than it did on prom night—and that’s saying a lot.”
“I don’t have time to enjoy myself,” Mimi Frances
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