“That’s not a crime,” Jenna pointed out, irritated that Josh and Cassie had obviously been discussing her relationship with Harrison.
“I know, but it’s just kind of…weird. I mean, how many spies do you know?” Cassie opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of yogurt.
“Maybe more than I’d guess, if they’re spies and sworn to secrecy,” she teased.
“I’m serious, Mom.”
“Okay, okay. I understand. Mr. Brennan’s never mentioned being with the CIA to me.”
“Even weirder.” Cassie found a spoon and pulled off the seal to her yogurt.
“Maybe it’s not true, Cassie,” Jenna said, but realized how little she really knew about her overprotective neighbor. She looked out the back window to the pump house, but Harrison had either gone back inside or was somewhere else on the grounds. That thought should make her feel safer, she thought, but it had the opposite effect, made her a little edgy.
Oh, for God’s sake! Now she was getting paranoid—make that more paranoid. What did she know of him she wondered as she slapped mustard on the bread she’d picked up at the bakery two days earlier. He’d told her he’d been married and had been divorced for quite a while, though she couldn’t remember how long or why. At the time he’d mentioned it, over dinner and drinks in Portland, he’d been evasive, as if it was a subject too painful to confide. Or had it been a matter of pride?
Cassie, too, was staring thoughtfully at the pump house as she stirred the fruit into her yogurt.
Maybe it was his upbringing, or the military, or whatever, but Harrison seemed too polite, almost as if he wanted to hold a woman high on a pedestal, but all the while keeping her directly under his thumb.
“Okay, I understand your point. But don’t worry. I’ve had dinner with him a couple of times, yes, and I’ve let him fix things around here and hang out, but I’m not really interested in him.”
“So you’re just stringing him along?” Cassie spooned a bite of yogurt into her mouth.
“No…I was just waiting to sort out all my feelings.” Again rummaging in the refrigerator, she found a package of sliced roast beef.
“And?”
“I really don’t have any feelings for him. At least not of the romantic nature.”
Cassie appeared relieved. “Are you going to tell him?” Another bite.
“Not today,” Jenna said. “But, yeah, I will. Soon.” She found a container of fat-free half-and-half in the refrigerator, sniffed it to make certain it was fresh, then poured it into a little pitcher. “So, Cassie, now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of my love life, why don’t we talk about yours?”
Cassie groaned. “I should never have said anything.”
“No…I’m glad you did.” At least her daughter was reaching out to her, communicating.
“Not now, okay?” Again Cassie glanced out the icy windowpane.
“Then later.”
“How about never?” She scooped out the rest of her yogurt.
“No way. You’re not getting off so easy.”
“Give me a break,” Cassie said as Allie, feet clomping wildly, barreled down the stairs. Behind her, taking the steps one at a time, Critter followed.
“We’re not having school tomorrow!” Allie announced gleefully. The kid who so recently had sworn her sore throat was killing her was now nearly doing cartwheels across the kitchen floor.
“How do you know?” Cassie demanded.
“It was on the television!” Allie acted like a condemned man who’d just heard he’d gotten a stay of execution.
“High school, too?”
“All schools! Can Dani come spend the night?” she asked, just as the lights flickered.
“Oh, great,” Cassie muttered under her breath and flipped on the small television in the built-in bookcase near the pantry, the set they watched at dinner.