conversationally, all the while my heart is beating out of my chest with nerves. “If you want,” I add quickly when he stays silent.
“I would love that, Cassi. I plan on being a very active part of her life from here on out. I’ve missed far too much.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“What exactly do you do?” I ask. I know he runs a company, but I have no idea what the business is about.
“Basically, we buy properties dirt-cheap from vendors who are facing bankruptcy, usually. Then, we either demolish the property and rebuild, or we sink money into the existing premises, and then resell for the highest dollar. We have a few other smaller ventures, but that’s our main line of business,” he explains.
“That sounds like a rewarding and very skillful job.”
“It is. Luck plays a part as well. Being in the right place at the right time, so to speak.”
We sit in silence for a while. The kind of silence that is bordering on awkward, but not totally uncomfortable. I finish my coffee and set my mug down.
“Do you ever think about us? The way things were between us?” he asks, shocking me.
Do I be honest or do I lie? Screw it, be honest.
“Yes,” I answer softly.
“Me too. We can have that back, Cassidy. It’s still there between us, the electricity, the connection, I know you feel it too. Give us a chance.”
“Brock,” I start, shaking my head. “This is way more complicated than a connection. There’s a lot at stake, a lot to risk, and I’m not sure it’s all worth risking.”
“You want to be the kind of person who lives their life not experiencing everything to the fullest? That’s bullshit, Cassidy. Take a chance on me. Take a chance on us. ”
Do I want to be with Brock? The short answer is yes. Absolutely. But, there’s so much more to it than that. There are all these little facets of feelings and emotions that all stack up against my need to want to be with him. There is a complex range of issues that would require attending to before we even thought about embarking on a relationship. First and foremost the fact that he is, for all intents and purposes, my stepbrother. Even though we’re both adults and don’t live under the same roof, his father is married to my mother.
“Give us a chance at being a family, Cassidy,” Brock implores when I stay silent.
Elody would love that. More than anything in the world, she would want this. Can I do it?
“What about your family?” I ask. Since my mother kicked me out, I know longer think of her as my parent. Elody is the only family I have.
“Don’t worry about all of that, Cassi. Just worry about who is here, in the house, right now. Everything else can be worried about later, but for now, let’s concentrate on this, right here.”
“Don’t you think it’s too soon to be rushing into this sort of commitment?”
“Too soon?” he thunders.
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss.
“Too fucking soon? I’ve missed five goddamn years, Cassidy.”
“I realize that, Brock, and I’ve apologized. However, you don’t have to be with me to be a father to Elody. You’re free to spend as much time with her as you please.”
“No, you’re not hearing me. I’ve missed five years, Cassi. With both of you.”
Swoon.
“Okay,” I say hesitantly.
“Okay?” he asks hopefully.
“Okay,” I say, nodding and smiling. The heavy weight I’ve been carrying in my chest lightens and so does my overall mood. I feel…happy? Yes, I feel happy. And it feels freaking awesome.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NOW
“Is Daddy coming over today?” Elody asks as she shovels a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
“He sure is, baby. Are you excited?”
“Uh-huh,” she mumbles, smiling. A dribble of milk exits her mouth and she promptly wipes it off with the back of her hand.
“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” I chide. “What shall
“I would love that, Cassi. I plan on being a very active part of her life from here on out. I’ve missed far too much.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“What exactly do you do?” I ask. I know he runs a company, but I have no idea what the business is about.
“Basically, we buy properties dirt-cheap from vendors who are facing bankruptcy, usually. Then, we either demolish the property and rebuild, or we sink money into the existing premises, and then resell for the highest dollar. We have a few other smaller ventures, but that’s our main line of business,” he explains.
“That sounds like a rewarding and very skillful job.”
“It is. Luck plays a part as well. Being in the right place at the right time, so to speak.”
We sit in silence for a while. The kind of silence that is bordering on awkward, but not totally uncomfortable. I finish my coffee and set my mug down.
“Do you ever think about us? The way things were between us?” he asks, shocking me.
Do I be honest or do I lie? Screw it, be honest.
“Yes,” I answer softly.
“Me too. We can have that back, Cassidy. It’s still there between us, the electricity, the connection, I know you feel it too. Give us a chance.”
“Brock,” I start, shaking my head. “This is way more complicated than a connection. There’s a lot at stake, a lot to risk, and I’m not sure it’s all worth risking.”
“You want to be the kind of person who lives their life not experiencing everything to the fullest? That’s bullshit, Cassidy. Take a chance on me. Take a chance on us. ”
Do I want to be with Brock? The short answer is yes. Absolutely. But, there’s so much more to it than that. There are all these little facets of feelings and emotions that all stack up against my need to want to be with him. There is a complex range of issues that would require attending to before we even thought about embarking on a relationship. First and foremost the fact that he is, for all intents and purposes, my stepbrother. Even though we’re both adults and don’t live under the same roof, his father is married to my mother.
“Give us a chance at being a family, Cassidy,” Brock implores when I stay silent.
Elody would love that. More than anything in the world, she would want this. Can I do it?
“What about your family?” I ask. Since my mother kicked me out, I know longer think of her as my parent. Elody is the only family I have.
“Don’t worry about all of that, Cassi. Just worry about who is here, in the house, right now. Everything else can be worried about later, but for now, let’s concentrate on this, right here.”
“Don’t you think it’s too soon to be rushing into this sort of commitment?”
“Too soon?” he thunders.
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss.
“Too fucking soon? I’ve missed five goddamn years, Cassidy.”
“I realize that, Brock, and I’ve apologized. However, you don’t have to be with me to be a father to Elody. You’re free to spend as much time with her as you please.”
“No, you’re not hearing me. I’ve missed five years, Cassi. With both of you.”
Swoon.
“Okay,” I say hesitantly.
“Okay?” he asks hopefully.
“Okay,” I say, nodding and smiling. The heavy weight I’ve been carrying in my chest lightens and so does my overall mood. I feel…happy? Yes, I feel happy. And it feels freaking awesome.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NOW
“Is Daddy coming over today?” Elody asks as she shovels a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
“He sure is, baby. Are you excited?”
“Uh-huh,” she mumbles, smiling. A dribble of milk exits her mouth and she promptly wipes it off with the back of her hand.
“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” I chide. “What shall
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