“No. That’s true.” She took a bite of the last dumpling, pausing to chew and swallow before continuing. “Speaking of family, I ran into my brother after you dropped me off at the house this weekend.”
“Any chance he decided to leave you alone and let you stay in the guesthouse?” Derek asked.
She shook her head. “No, and I decided which apartment I want to move into. But we’ll get to that, okay?”
He nodded.
“I’m going to bring something up that’s bound to set you off. Except this time I want you to know I understand why.”
He narrowed his gaze, obviously unsure of where she was headed with the conversation.
“Spencer wanted to know who dropped me off, and I told him it was you. He told me your mother stole a necklace and my father fired her. I didn’t know. And I don’t believe it.”
She’d spent the weekend upset by the news. And no matter how many times she played out scenarios in her mind, she couldn’t come up with one where she believed his mother would take something that wasn’t hers.
Not the woman who had cookies and milk waiting for her in the kitchen after school—something the adult Cassie realized she must have wanted to do for her own son and daughter. But she’d had to work instead. Marie had been kind, caring, and giving. And Cassie considered herself a good judge of character.
Plus, she finally understood why Derek had such a difficult time putting the past behind them. Which meant it had to be discussed. Now, especially, that she knew he still wanted to be with her, despite their history.
Even if opening this dialogue led to more difficulties between her and Derek, she had to clear the air between them.
* * *
Derek paused, the water bottle halfway to his lips, as Cassie’s words bounced around in his brain. I didn’t know. And I don’t believe it.
He’d spent the weekend putting the past where it belonged, and she brought it up all over again. He searched for the words that would let him have this conversation and not be a jerk about her father or the past.
“Derek? I’m sorry to bring this up, but I thought you should know. My father told me your parents left and took new jobs. That’s all I knew until I asked you the other day.”
“What do you mean, you don’t believe it?” He grasped on to the most unlikely part of the scenario.
“I know I was young, but your mother was so good to me. The woman I knew wouldn’t steal. But … my father would lie. I just don’t know why.” Her wide-eyed, honest gaze met his, and he tumbled headlong into more than lust. This was the part of Cassie that called to him so deeply.
“I don’t know what to say but thank you. I don’t believe it either. I never did. I spent time with her this weekend. I guess I wanted to get her take on the past too. She’s a lot like you. She’s honest and she doesn’t hold a grudge.”
“I appreciate that,” she murmured. “It’s quite a compliment.”
“I blamed your family for my father’s death,” he said, unable to meet her gaze, so he began to close up the empty food cartons as he spoke. “After they were fired, they had no health insurance. By the time he saw a doctor, it was too late to save him. I hated your father for that.”
“And by extension, you hated me.”
He shook his head. “No. I misunderstood who you were, but we cleared that up pretty quickly. But the rest? I was shocked when my mother insisted she didn’t feel the same way. Because my dad was stubborn, and there was no certainty he’d have seen a doctor anyway.”
“She’s forgiving,” Cassie murmured. “And I’m so sorry about everything. I wish I could change it. At the very least, I wish I could give you answers as to why he accused Marie.”
“I’m not sure it matters anymore.” He’d felt lighter since leaving his mother’s house and unburdening himself. He was able to talk about their past today without rancor.
“My mother had only good things to say about you,” he told her.
She smiled at that.
“I take it your brother didn’t have great things to say about me though?”
“I take the Fifth.” She wriggled herself into a position where she could push herself up without flashing him in the process, and together they tossed the garbage into the trash can.
He decided to let the family issues go.
He lifted the blanket, folding it and placing it on the nearest chair. “So,” he said, turning to face her.