Home is Where the Heart is(14)

“Well, I have, and when I asked him about it, he refused to tell me the whole reason why, but said he was simply not interested in playing those kinds of games anymore. He was ready to commit to one woman.”

Gabby’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “And you think that’s me? Oh God, I hope not. I had no idea he felt that way about me. I thought we were just friends, like we’ve been all our lives.”

“Yeah, but sometimes friendship can turn into something more. If you’ve known someone for as long as we’ve all known each other, you can start to see them in a different light.”

“Well, I know, but I just assumed he liked you and even confronted him about it. That’s when he kissed me.”

“Are you serious? Nick would never go there with me. He and Jordan may have a complicated friendship now, but he respects his long-time friendship with Jordan too much to act on something more with me. Besides, we’re not even compatible together.”

“Oh, but Nick and I are?”

Cassie grinned. “I think so, at least as compatible as Jordan and I were, and just because we didn’t work out doesn’t mean it wouldn’t for you. Nick is nothing like Jordan; he’s got different priorities in life. So tell me, what are your feelings toward Nick?”

“Why are you so interested in my life?” Gabby asked.

“I have no love life, so I’m living vicariously through you, and when I’m talking about your life, it means we’re not discussing the shambles of my complicated history with Jordan.”

Gabby tilted her head backwards, resting it on Cassie’s plush sofa cushion while swirling the wine around in her glass, and let out a long sigh.

“I honestly have no idea. I’m not sure how I really feel about him. The kiss changes the whole dynamic between us now, because he’s a huge part of my life already, and I cherish our friendship so much. By starting something with him, knowing my track record with guys and relationships, I think I’m afraid I will make a mess of it, and then our friendship will be completely destroyed. I can kiss it goodbye.”

“All those other times obviously ended wrong, because they weren’t right for you. I think you’d do great in a relationship; you just haven’t found someone you can actually be in a relationship with yet. But I completely understand where you’re coming from, and if that’s truly how you feel about Nick, then you have to tell him. I know you’re going to feel like you’re breaking his heart, but you’re going to break his heart even more if you’re not honest with him and string him along, just like Jordan did with me. Trust me—it’s not a nice feeling.”

“I know; you’re right.”

Gabby and Cassie’s heartfelt conversation ended when Cassie’s phone began ringing. She didn’t know the caller, reading Unknown on the screen, and she wondered who would be calling her so late into the evening, but she pressed answer anyway.

“Hello?”

“Cass? It’s Jordan.”

Of course, she knew it was Jordan; she recognized his voice, and obviously Nick had given him her number since they were hanging out tonight. She was going to have to thank him when she saw him, meaning—rip him a new one.

“How old is Jake?” Jordan asked her through the phone. His tone sounded serious, and she wondered if he had assumptions about Jake being his son.

“He’s five,” replied Cassie. She didn’t sugarcoat her response; there was no need to lie about the answer.

Without saying another word, she ended the phone call.

“Who was that?” asked Gabby.

“That was Jordan,” said Cassie, tossing her phone from hand to hand. “I’m guessing he’s had time to process the fact that I’m a mother, or he’s been talking to Nick, put two and two together, and come up with the conclusion Jake could be his child.”

“Good old Nick,” mumbled Gabby. “What are you going to do?”

For the first time, Cassie knew she had her answer. “Nothing. I don’t have anything to hide from Jordan. He is Jake’s father, but that doesn’t mean he has to be Jake’s dad if he doesn’t want to be. I'm not forcing him to be something he doesn't think he can handle. I've done okay on my own. I'm sure I can handle the next thirteen years of his life until he turns eighteen by myself."

Cassie had handled life as a single mother for five years already. She didn’t need Jordan co-parenting with her if he couldn’t handle taking on the role as a father. She was perfectly capable of doing it alone, and she would make certain Jordan knew it.





As soon as Cassie swung open the front door and revealed Jordan standing on her front porch at ten o’clock at night, she knew why he was there.