Dream Wedding(148)

His words combined with his brisk tone to make her feel as if she’d been doused by ice water. She blinked twice, certain she hadn’t heard him correctly. He was sending her to bed? Alone?

“Um, sure,” she said. She set her wine on the coffee table and awkwardly rose to her feet. She felt like a child being sent away so the grown-ups could enjoy their evening.

“Good night,” she murmured as she made her way to the stairs.

Despite her wishes to the contrary, Ryan didn’t know she was alive. At least not as a woman. He knew she existed as Sasha’s nanny, and no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise, that wasn’t enough for her. She wanted more. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a clue as to how to get more.

When she reached her bedroom, she closed the door behind her, then leaned against the cool wood. Letting go of Joel had been incredibly easy. Despite the fact that she’d known Ryan less than two months she had a bad feeling that letting go of him was going to take at least a lifetime.



CHAPTER THIRTEEN

RYAN LOOKED OUT the front window for the third time in as many minutes. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this nervous. Telling himself he was doing the right thing for the right reason wasn’t helping. If only he’d had more time to talk to Joel. But their conversation had been rushed and he’d only had a chance to issue the invitation.

Actually, “issue” wasn’t a strong enough word. Joel had practically required a summons to agree to show up for dinner tonight. No doubt the young man was still suffering, Ryan reminded himself. It wasn’t every day that a man had to get over someone as terrific as Cassie. And if Ryan had his way, by the end of the evening, Cassie and Joel would once again be back together.

He dropped the curtain in place and checked his watch. Joel wasn’t due for about ten more minutes. This was going to be great, he told himself. Sure, Cassie acted as if everything was fine, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t really admit that she’d made a huge mistake. Still, Ryan didn’t doubt that she had. She and Joel had been together for years. They obviously belonged together. Even if Cassie insisted otherwise. If he hadn’t lost control of himself and kissed her, then none of this would have happened. She wouldn’t have gotten it into her head that Joel was the wrong man for her. It was his fault they’d broken up and he was going to see they got back together.

But the thought of her with another man, even Joel, annoyed him. Images of them together ripped through his brain, making him want to do some ripping of his own. Like maybe taking Joel apart, limb by limb. He drew in a deep breath and reminded himself of his higher purpose in all this. While he might want Cassie, he couldn’t have her. He was emotionally incapable of providing her with all that she needed and deserved. However, Joel could give her that. So they belonged together.

He walked into the kitchen to check on Cassie. Before he got there, he reminded himself he had to act casual about the whole thing. While she knew that he’d invited Joel to dinner, she didn’t know that he planned to disappear right after the meal, leaving the two lovebirds to work things out.

Cassie looked up from the pot she was stirring. “I hope you like spaghetti,” she said. “Charity dropped off some sauce when she was here a couple of weeks ago, and I defrosted it for tonight’s meal. It’s the famous Wright family recipe.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

He studied Cassie’s face, but as usual, she looked calm and incredibly attractive. Her soft pink sweater hugged her torso, outlining her breasts and making his skin twitch. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to hold her and be with her and…

Stop it! he ordered himself. This wasn’t about him. He had to remember what was important.

“It was very nice of you to invite Joel for dinner,” Cassie said. “I’d been worried that he wasn’t getting out much since we broke up. Joel isn’t the most social guy on the planet. Work was always his whole life.”

“He seemed a little subdued,” Ryan said. “I could tell he hadn’t been sleeping much.”

At least that part of it was true. Joel had looked exhausted, although he’d been plenty cheerful.

“You never did say what you were doing over at Bradley Discount,” Cassie said, setting down her spoon and facing him. “Had you been there before?”

“I was checking out toys for Sasha. Christmas is less than two months away.” It was a pitiful excuse, but the best he could come up with under the circumstances. No way was he going to tell her he’d gone to the store expressly to see Joel and had spent nearly an hour tracking the man down. Nor was he going to mention Joel’s reluctance to join them for dinner.