7. Cassie

CHAPTER 7

CASSIE

I needto forget about my stepbrother.

I’ve told myself that very thing for the past two days, but here I am, daydreaming yet again. He’s coming to dinner tonight.

My stepdad dropped that little bombshell on me last night, and I’ve been anticipating it ever since.

“What can I do to help, Mom?”

She gives me that look, and I grit my teeth. “I mean Brandi.” I don’t know what her thing is, but she has it in her head that she looks more like my sister than my mom and that it will confuse people if I call her Mom. The truth is, it confuses people when I call her Brandi. Everyone knows she’s my mom.

She swats her hand at me. “You know I don’t like help in the kitchen. Why don’t you set the table.”

I grab a stack of plates, and she reminds me, “Set an extra place setting.”

I try not to blush. “Okay, yeah, Ryan said that Baker is coming.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well, I’ve invited a guest too. So set another one.”

I don’t like the way she said it. I know when my mom is up to something, and she definitely is right now. “Who’s coming to dinner?”

She shrugs. “You’re so nosy.”

I’m not worried about upsetting her now. “Mom, what have you done?”

I wouldn’t put it past her to have invited my ex. She was extremely upset that I broke up with him, and let’s face it, inviting him to dinner would be something that she would do.

The doorbell rings, and I move in front of my mom. “Who did you invite to dinner?”

She’s not intimidated, though. She walks past me. “Well, let’s just go see.”

I follow behind her, trembling mad. I don’t have a clue who it is, but I’m guessing I’m not going to like it. She knows I won’t cause a scene. I always just bite my tongue and go with the flow.

When she opens the door, I go into the dining room and start putting plates out, fuming mad. I hear their voices and the surprise in my stepdad’s voice. Obviously, he didn’t have anything to do with this. I listen intently, and I hear my mom call him Roger. I start wracking my brain trying figure it out, and it hits me. My gynecologist. She invited my gynecologist to dinner. Oh my God!

They all come into the dining room as I finish setting out the plates. Roger comes over to me, and I can’t even look him in the eye. Mom stops next to me, pinching me on the fat of my arm. “Cassie, you know Roger O’Dell. I thought it would be nice for you two to meet since you’re so close in age and local professionals.”

I’m shocked at how my mother would think this is a good idea. “Mom, uh, I know Dr. O’Dell. I’d say he knows me really well. He’s my gynecologist.” I sigh and can’t keep it in. “He’s seen my hoo-haa.”

Ryan barks out a laugh but stops when Brandi silences him with a look. Roger pulls at the collar on his shirt, and my mom pinches my arm again. Fuck me, how is this happening? I hold my hand out. “It’s nice to see you again, Dr. O’Dell.”

He laughs and shakes my hand. “You too. You can call me Roger.”

I pull out of his hold, and without glancing at anyone, I say, “I’ll be right back. I need to grab another place setting.”

Ryan stops me. “This is fine, Cassie. Baker called and said there was some kind of emergency, and he wasn’t sure if he’d make it.”

I nod and try not to let my disappointment show. “Okay, well, I’ll go and help Mom bring food in.”

I walk into the kitchen, and when my mom comes in, I turn on her. “Mom, what are you thinking? I do not want to be fixed up with my gynecologist.”

She hisses back at me, “You ungrateful little…” Before she finishes, she pulls herself together and puts a smile on her face. It’s almost scary how she can be a crazy woman one second and then switch to smiling “mom of the year” next. Not that her words match, though. “Look, you can’t live here forever.”

I shake my head. “Mom, I’ve been here for the summer. I’m saving up to get my own place. I should be able to get something by my next payday.”

“You wouldn’t have to work if you married a doctor.”

I’m shocked. “Mother, you honestly don’t think I’d want to date someone because they’re a doctor, do you?’

She points at the serving dishes on the counter. “Not date… marry.”

“Mom, this is ridiculous. I’m not going in there.”

She gets that look in her eyes. “You will too. You live in my house, so you live by my rules.”

She grabs a plate of chicken. “Now pull yourself together, daughter. The men are waiting for us.”

And just like that, she puts a smile on her face and walks out of the kitchen. I wish my sister didn’t live in a two-bedroom apartment with three other women. She’s offered for me to stay anyway, but I thought by living at home I would be able to save money quicker. I didn’t realize it would be hell, though.

Ticked off, I grab the bowl of mashed potatoes as Ryan walks into the kitchen. “You can do better.”

I laugh. I’m not sure how my mom convinced Ryan to go out with her because he is amazing. “Thank you. Too bad my mom doesn’t think so.” I point toward the other room. “Did you know Mom was setting me up on a blind date today?”

He shakes his head and sighs. “No, I didn’t.”

I lift my shoulder. “You know I don’t plan on sponging off you forever. I almost have enough money saved to get a place.”

“Honey, you can stay here as long as you want. Take your time. If you move out now, you’d have to pay rent, and that would just be a waste of money. Wait, save up some money, and then you can buy the house you want.”

My mouth drops. “You mean that, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. Now we’d better get out there. Come on, I’ll help run interference.”

He grabs the bowl of green beans and plate of rolls, and I follow him to the dining room. My mom laughs when we walk in. “I thought you all got lost or something.”

Ryan goes to set the food on the table. “Just making sure we got everything. Everything looks great, Brandi.”

She takes the mashed potatoes from me. “Quit standing there like a lump on a log, sit down.” I take the seat across from Roger and wait for my mom to tell me to move or something.

Plates get passed around the table, and I keep reminding myself that it’s one meal. After we eat, I’ll have a talk with my mom about the whole blind date thing.

We eat and talk, and I want to hug Ryan as he keeps Roger talking so I don’t feel any pressure.

Roger is in the middle of talking about some new golf clubs he got when the doorbell rings. Ryan turns to me. “I bet that’s Baker. I tell him to use his key, but he won’t anymore. Do you mind getting it?”

I’m out of my seat in an instant. I don’t know why, but I’m a nervous wreck the whole way to the front door. I take a deep breath and open it.

He looks tired, but his face lights up when he sees me. “Hey, baby.”

I gasp and look behind me. “Baker, you can’t call me that.”

I move back so he can come in. “They’re in the dining room. Go sit down and I’ll grab you a plate.”

I move toward the kitchen and am surprised that Baker followed me instead of going to the dining room. I’m not going to argue with him, it will be pointless. “Your dad said there was an emergency. Are you okay?”

He leans against the counter and brushes my hair off my shoulder. “Were you worried about me?”

I shrug. “I’m glad you were able to come to dinner.” It’s then I remember. “Oh yeah, I should probably tell you something.”

“What’s that?”

I grab a plate and busy myself getting a cloth napkin and some silverware. When I have it all, I walk toward the door. “Uh, my mom fixed me up on a blind date. He’s… uh, here now.”

He’s not happy. His jaw tightens, and his lips flatten. “Did you want to be fixed up on a blind date?”

I scrunch my nose up. “Uh, no. Of course not.”

He nods and comes to stand next to me. “That’s right. Because you’re mine.” He leans down and kisses me briefly on the lips. “Come on. Let’s go meet this date.”

Shocked by that kiss, I just follow behind him. “Look who showed up.”

I catch my mom’s eye, and she’s obviously not happy. Baker isn’t fazed, though. He waits until I sit down and then sits down next to me. I start passing him bowls so he can plate his food. The table is quiet, and I realize that Baker is giving Roger a dirty look. “Uh, Baker, this is Roger. Roger, this is Baker.”

Brandi interjects, “Yes, Baker is Cassie’s brother.”

I can’t help it. My nose scrunches up, and I insist, “STEPbrother.”

Baker reaches under the table and squeezes my knee. I jerk in shock, and he nods at me approvingly before smirking at Roger. “So, Roger, do you live in Whiskey Run?”

He nods. “I do. I’m a gynecologist over at the new medical offices at the edge of town.”

My mom starts to laugh. “He’s Cassie’s gynecologist.”

I don’t even have to look at Baker, I know he’s not happy with this news. I look at my stepdad, pleading with my eyes to help out, but he’s just smiling ear to ear, looking between Roger and his son.

“Soooo…” I start, hoping to change the subject.

Baker points at the man across the table with his knife. “He’s your… doctor.”

I nod. “Yep.”

His knuckles are white as he holds the knife, and I’m starting to fear for Roger’s life right now. “Yeah, so what happened at work, Baker?” I ask him, trying to change the subject.

He searches my eyes, and I plead with him silently. He sets his knife down, reaches under the table, and puts his hand on my leg again. He’s holding on to me and doesn’t let go while he talks. “There was a wreck out on the highway to Jasper.”

I suck in a gasp. “Is everyone okay?”

He squeezes my leg. “There were injuries, but they’re going to be okay.”

“Good, that’s good.”

He reassures me, “I just had to help direct traffic. They’ll be fine, though.”

I nod, and everyone starts talking. I breathe a sigh of relief since the topic of Roger being my gynecologist is no longer being discussed. However, I stay on high alert. I have no idea what my mom will say at any given moment, so I need to be mentally ready.

“Cassie.”

I realize that Roger is trying to get my attention. “Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, Roger?”

He clears his throat and looks around the table before settling his gaze back on me. “I was thinking after dinner we could go catch a movie.”

I open my mouth to respond, but Baker beats me to it. “She can’t.”

I jerk my eyes from across the table to Baker next to me. “Uh…”

I can feel my mom glaring at me. Everyone is looking at me. The old Cassie would just do what my mom wanted. I don’t know what it is or why I’m always wanting her approval, but as I look into Baker’s eyes, I know I can’t do it. There’s no part of me that wants to. “He’s right. I’m sorry, Roger. I can’t.”