Page 57

“Smooth,” Willamena winked.

“True,” Cass corrected. Then she narrowed her eyes at Aunt Wills. “Do you really have a session? You usually do those over Zoom.”

“Why would I lie?” Willamena handed Cass a bottle of pills. “Now, if a headache comes on, here are Rebecca’s pain meds. She hates to take them, but it’s better than her suffering. I’ll be at least a couple of hours, but feel free to spend as much time together as Rebecca can handle.”

“What am I not allowed to say to her?” Cass slipped the pills into her pocket, hoping Rebecca wouldn’t need them. Aunt Wills was right. Becca hated taking medicine. It would be a chore just to get her to agree to one if Cass thought she needed it.

“I haven’t mentioned you two being…” Willamena glanced toward the stairs. “Married, yet. That may be a subject for another day. But use your judgment, Cass. You love Rebecca. You know her. I think you’ll do just fine. Okay! I’m off! I will see you in a few hours!” Willamena winked, patted Cass on the shoulder, and took off.

Willamena took out her phone and pressed the call button. “Blaise? Tell the girls that Operation Cassecca… Rebass…” She rolled her eyes. Ship names were not something she was good at. “Anyway, tell them Cass is here and taking Rebecca out to lunch. We’re a go! I’ll see you in ten minutes. Break out the mimosas!”

Willamena didn’t even wait for Blaise to respond. She just shoved the phone back into her bag and trotted off with a smile fixed to her face. The more time Rebecca spent with Cass, the better. She loved her niece more than anything else in the world, but Rebecca wasn’t Rebecca without Cass. It was time to get the memory gears turning.

Cass tapped her fingertips on her thighs — a nervous tic — and wandered around the living room as she waited for Rebecca. It was… odd being nervous with her wife, but then again, this whole situation was odd, to say the least. She eyed a book on the coffee table and wondered what Rebecca was reading now. Had she finished the Joslyn Cohan book she had been reading previously? Cass picked up the book, turned it over to see the cover, and smiled.

“Sticking with the author,” she said quietly.

“She’s quite talented,” Rebecca said from the bottom of the stairs. She chuckled lightly when Cass bobbled the book before placing it carefully back on the table. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Nah, it’s all good.” Cass cleared her throat, studying the woman she’d known and loved for the past few years. Rebecca seemed… younger. Perhaps it was because Rebecca thought she was younger and carried herself that way. Or maybe it was the lack of stress in Rebecca’s life. Without her memory, Rebecca had nothing to worry about except herself. No clients, no club… no Cass. “Did, uh, did you finish the other one?”

Rebecca tilted her head and merely stared at Cass for a good long minute. “What were you just thinking?”

Cass shook her head. “I was just thinking how beautiful you look.” It was true. Rebecca was dressed in faded boyfriend jeans and a simple white t-shirt. Her hair was up in a ponytail, a usual occurrence these past few days. And her face was completely void of any enhancements.

“And that made you sad?”

Cass smiled softly. “I’d be lying to you if I said that you not remembering me doesn’t make me sad, Becca. But I have to admit, you look very… refreshed.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “That’s because I’m not allowed to do anything except rest. I swear, if I rest any more, I’m going to go into a coma.”

“Then we better get you outside and moving!” Cass chuckled. “Ready?”

“Totally.” Rebecca bumped her hip to Cass’s and winked. She slipped into her sneakers and made sure the front door was locked.

“You’re going to love the diner. The food is crazy good!”

“Are you always eating?” Rebecca teased.

Cass tried to stop herself but failed miserably. Her glance floated down Rebecca’s body and up again. “In one way or another.” Fucking word vomit.

Rebecca blushed. She tried to stop it, tried to pretend Cass meant something other than the obvious innuendo, but failed miserably. She decided it was best to ignore the comment — and what it did to her insides — for now.

Cass thought about kicking herself the entire way to the car. Smooth, Cassanova. Go ahead and run her off before she remembers who you are. Idiot.

Cass disengaged the locks of a very sleek, matte black SUV that nearly had Rebecca salivating. She had no clue what kind of car it was, but it was almost as sexy as Cass. “Beautiful car.”

Cass opened the passenger door for Rebecca, offering her hand to help Rebecca into the SUV. “It’s, uh, yours.” There was a slight hesitation before Cass held out the keys. “Would you like to drive it?”

Rebecca’s eyebrows shot up. “Mine? How? Why?” She stopped and took a breath. “This is mine?”

Cass nodded. “You ordered it before the surgery, and I just picked it up this morning. You traded in your Mercedes.”

“I… had a Mercedes?”

Cass winced. “This is too much, isn’t it? Am I overwhelming you? Would you like me to take you back inside?”

“Cass, relax.” Rebecca laid a calming hand on Cass’s arm. Yeah, she was surprised by all the information. At the same time, she appreciated Cass’s being forthcoming — something Aunt Wills had been reluctant to do. “I’m fine. I’m just trying to catch up.”