Redemption by La Kuehlke Page B

the same one she pushed behind her ear nervously earlier. His brow creased, and he gently pushed it from her face. Before he could stop himself, Bryan was seated on the bed beside her, just watching as she slept. She looked so innocent, so pure. He scowled.
    Not like me.
    His added weight to the bed must have disturbed her, because she stirred, stretching, and opened one eye.
    The second quickly followed, along with a gasp.
    “Bryan? What are you doing here?” she asked, sitting up suddenly.
    She hastily wiped smudged mascara from beneath her eyes. He wished she’d left it alone; somehow, it made her even more endearing.
    What am I thinking?
    He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant and casual. “I figured I’d say goodbye, kid.”
    “Kid,” she smirked. “I’ll be thirty in a few days; I haven’t been a kid in a long time.”
    So I’ve noticed.
    “Yeah, well.” Lame comeback.
    She reclined against the pillow and pulled her knees to her chest. “I can’t help that I’m a few years younger than you, old man.”
    He laughed. “You always did like to follow us around. I remember that you and your parents used to visit for a few weeks each summer. Miranda always said -” His voice cracked. He couldn’t finish the sentence.
    Cassidy smiled warmly and pushed her bangs to the side. “You guys were the coolest. I just wanted to do whatever you were doing.”
    Her eyes bore into him, seeing deeper than he wanted. They were so blue. Against his chest, the stone burned. Under his skin, his body pulsed with the need for a drink, for distance. Anything to bring on the numbness.
    “I’m gonna go,” Bryan said, standing.
    She leaned forward and put a hand on his arm to stop him. “Wait.” Much to her surprise - and she suspected from the way he jumped at her touch, his own - he did. “Listen, Carrie’s busy with the wedding. You’re here, I’m here. Why don’t we hang a bit? You can keep me out of her hair.”
    “Oh, tagging along again?” he asked, smirking.
    “Why not? I’m good at it.” She relaxed when he sat back down beside her. “So, did she con you into this dinner cruise thing?”
    “You know about that?”
    “Yeah. She’s always got these big ideas, you know? I think my aunt and uncle also feel like they need to do something since my parents,” she paused and swallowed. “It should be a nice way to celebrate thirty, though.” Cassidy focused those blue eyes on him. “So, you coming?”
    Unfortunately. Against my will.
    “Yes.” Bryan wondered why it mattered to him that she not be disappointed. She wasn’t anything special to him.
    “Excellent.” She smiled again. “Then it’s a date.”
    Bryan raised his eyebrows and gave her a look.
    “Okay, maybe not a date , exactly,” she continued, nervous again, “but we’ll have fun.”
    Those words again.
    “If you say so, kid,” he said, standing. “I’m going this time. I need Nick to take me to get a rental car.”
    “Oh, I could do that,” Cassidy offered. “If you don’t mind going with a tag-along kid, that is.”
    “You sure? I don’t want to impose.”
    “Bryan,” she began, “I was asleep when you came up here. It’s not exactly like I was in the middle of anything earth-shatteringly important. I can spare some time. Besides, if I know my cousin, she’s got a list of things she needs Nick to get done.”
    He held up a piece of paper. “Like the one she gave me?” He smiled. It was easier this time, and more genuine.
    “Probably,” she agreed. Cassidy walked across the room to the mirror. “Give me a few minutes to get my bag and fix my hair. You can wait here or go back by Nick and Carrie, whatever you want.” She looked at him over her shoulder.
    “I think I’ll stay up here, if you don’t mind.”
    She didn’t. “Okay.”
    He studied her while she fussed with her brush, arranging her hair and neatly scooping it into a ponytail. Every movement seemed delicate; her hands gracefully moving through each