A Will and a Wedding

He looked smug, Cassie thought. As if he had swallowed a whole bowl of canaries. She stood in an attempt to bolster her bravado which was a little shaky after this afternoon.

“Well, did you come up with something?” she demanded, her low voice sharper than she had intended.

But Jeff merely stared at her curiously before answering.

“Depends,” he replied cryptically, head tipped to one side as he studied Boris. His dark eyes met hers. “Can we use that big empty room downstairs for a lab?”

“A lab,” she repeated, wondering what on earth they had concocted between them. “Why do you need a lab? It’s just a simple science project.”

Jeff stepped backward and pushed the door closed with his foot before speaking.

“That kid is very bright,” he told her seriously. “And mighty ambitious. But he hasn’t had much encouragement and he doesn’t know where or how to begin.” The muscled shoulders shrugged.

“I would have thought the teacher could have done a bit more explaining, but at any rate, I want to get him interested in some preliminary physics so that later on he won’t be overwhelmed by everything. He’s got a natural curiosity about things that hasn’t been stifled.”

Jeff studied her quizzically through those melting chocolate eyes. Cassie rushed into speech before he could say anything more.

“But what about when the house is sold and he can’t have his lab anymore?” She stood straight and tall in front of him, prepared to do battle for her child. “What about when you get tired of teaching him and want to go back to the playboy scene? What does David do then?”

Cassie could see the brown sheen change to black in Jeff’s darkening gaze. His eyes were like a sheet of the notorious black ice that covered Toronto highways in winter. You could sail along with no problems until you needed to put on the brakes. Then you were in big trouble.

When his hands tightened around her upper arms, Cassie was pretty sure this qualified as big trouble.

“Will you please get it through your head that I am not, nor have I ever been, a playboy.”

The words snarled out between lips so tightly pursed, Cassie wondered if they had ever been as softly caressing as she remembered.

“And this house only has to be vacated if you refuse to marry me.” His mouth was a straight line of disapproval. “I like the kid and I want to help him with this.” He stared down at her furiously.

“Or maybe you’re jealous because you wanted to do it?” he demanded suddenly.

Cassie tipped her head back and laughed. She fixed him with her own gaze.

“I’ll have you know that I hate anything to do with grade ten science projects.” She laughed again. “It’s a great relief not to have to help him with his homework.” She pushed his hands away before stepping backward. “I am concerned only for David and his welfare. I have to be sure that this will be a positive experience for him and not one where he’ll feel abandoned when it’s no longer convenient for you to help him out.”

The air crackled with tension as they stared each other down. Jeff was the first to move by thrusting out his hand toward her.

“Okay, truce,” he mumbled. “I know your primary duty is always to protect the kids’ interests. I promise I won’t leave him in the lurch regardless of what happens between us.” His black eyes sparkled down at her.

“Although, if you hate science that much and you’re going to opt for the artificial route to children of your own, I suppose someone will have to do some remedial work with you, too.” He grinned at her, obviously delighted with the flush of color that stained her cheeks.

“Close your mouth, Cassie,” he teased. One finger brushed down her tip-tilted nose. “It’s a part of life…grade eight health, in fact. Certainly nothing to be embarrassed about. And it’s something we do have to think about. I still want that son.”

Cassie was embarrassed. It was nice to know that he had given some thought to their future situation, she supposed. It was good that he was considering all the pros and cons. But how could he say such things out loud with absolutely no warning? And how could one touch of those long fingers make her all quivery and shaky inside. Could this be from God?

“You are a very lovely woman, Cassandra.”

And then she forgot everything. His arms surrounded her and hugged her against his muscular form. She could feel the silky brush of his mustache against her cheek, the smell of wood smoke on his clothes.

But most of all, she could feel his heart thudding just as quickly as hers. And she knew that Jefferson Haddon was no more immune to her than she was to him. Which should have been reassuring.

Shouldn’t it?

Moments later, when all Cassie wanted was more of his touch, Jeff pressed her gently away from himself, easing her arms down from his neck. She couldn’t even remember how they’d gotten there.

“Think about what I said,” he whispered in her ear.

Then, leaving her bemused and befuddled, he walked out of the room. Moments later Cassie heard the powerful roar of his car. But it was virtually impossible to think coherently as she carefully put Boris and his friends away. And if she listened, Cassie was sure she could hear Judith’s hearty laughter resounding through the room.

“Go for it,” she seemed to say and Cassie smiled as she fingered the portrait on the old desk of her benefactor.

“Perhaps I will, Judith,” she murmured. “Perhaps I will. But not before I get a second opinion.”

She picked up the phone and dialed, a faint smile tipping the corners of her lips.

“It said what?” Robyn’s voice squeaked with surprise. “You mean to say that if you marry the guy, you get to keep the house and a pile of dough besides, and you can’t decide what to do?” She snapped her fingers in Cassie’s face. “Earth to Cassie. Hello?”

“I know it sounds simple,” Cassie admitted. “Take the house and the money and go with it. It would solve a lot of problems.” She thrust away the thought of her own family. “But this is serious. I have to marry Jeff, as in forever. And that’s serious business. I can’t just go into it with a way out already prepared. I don’t believe in divorce any more than you do.”

“Yeah, that’s heavy stuff all right,” Robyn agreed. “But I wonder if you’re looking at this right.” She frowned, her blond head tipped to one side as she considered her friend.

“What do you mean?” Cassie frowned. “I’ve thought about nothing else for ages. I just can’t see a way through.”

“Think, Cass. Think about the book of Genesis. In those days there were arranged marriages all the time. In fact, that’s how they got started. Isaac needed a wife and Rebekah was the one that was chosen by God. They didn’t even know each other until after she’d already promised to marry the guy!”

“That was thousands of years ago,” Cassie protested. “We do things differently nowadays.”

Robyn laughed sourly.

“Yeah, we do,” she agreed. “And does the world seem any better for it? There are kids all across this country growing up in homes where the adults have separated because they’ve lost that love that seemed so wonderful when it first grabbed hold of them.”

Cassie nodded.

“I know, Rob. I know. But this is my future I’m deciding here. It’s not at all what I had planned.” Her voice died away as she let her mind roam.

“Cassie,” Robyn said, drawing her attention back to the present. “Wasn’t it you who told our entire grade nine class that you wanted to look after kids who needed help?”

“Yes, but.”

“And wasn’t it you, just last week,” Robyn continued unfazed, “who said that even though Judith had died, you still believed God would provide a way for you to do this work?” She waited for Cassie’s dark head to nod agreement. “Well, then. Maybe this is God’s way of providing for you.”

Cassie studied her friend as she thought about her work. She had always felt a connection with children; but she was especially drawn to the needy ones. They lacked so much that mere human kindness and a stable home could provide.

“I know you said Jeff’s not religious. I know he’s got a problem with his family. And I know you said he loved Judith.” Robyn’s face screwed up in thought. “Maybe that’s the key,” she muttered.

“What key? What are you talking about?”

“Yes, it makes sense. Don’t you see, Cass? Jeff likes what he sees in you.”