Page 83 of Courting Trouble

James nodded. ‘Yeah, you definitely said…’

Lena nodded and shrugged, amused. ‘Why not?’

Delilah stole a glance toward the bathroom door, hoping Cassie was back. She could have done with her calming presence right now.

James clapped his hands lightly. ‘Alright, let’s go.’

Delilah swallowed, hoping none of her panic showed. ‘Now?’

‘Why not?’ James asked. ‘They’ve got tennis clothes ready to go in the back if you can’t play in that?’

Delilah nodded. ‘I’ll go grab something then, shall I?’

Lena smiled. ‘I can play in this,’ she said, gesturing at her dress. While loose, it wasn’t really sporty. Lena was clearly not expecting much of a challenge.

That pissed Delilah right off.

James clapped his hands together again. ‘Excellent.’

Delilah walked inside to find something to wear, eyes out for Cassie. Where the hell was she?

***

As they walked toward the court, Delilah, now in tennis whites, felt the weight of this moment heavy on her shoulders. She still didn’t know what had become of Cassie. What the hell was going on? Delilahneededher!

Eighty

Cassie pushed open the bathroom door, drying her hands on a paper towel. She was still considering when she should make her move.

And how could she put it? What could she ask that wouldn’t be slightly alarming? She couldn’t exactly propose. She couldn’t even mention the G word yet; it was way too soon. Butplease date me officially,was crap.

How did you ask someone tobewith you? How did you let them know you were really in it, that being with them had brought you back to life? That you were halfway in love with them already?

Yeah, that sounded fucking crazy.

As she rounded the corner back toward the reception, she saw Delilah out on the patio, turned away, chatting to her agent, and Cassie headed her way. A faint thread of conversation floated toward her, just audible over the murmuring crowd.

‘…Yeah, something is happening with me and Cassie,’ Delilah said.

Cassie’s stomach fluttered. She paused, pretending to check her phone, but her ears were attuned to every word. Delilah didn’t know she was being overheard, and Cassie wanted to keep it that way.

‘And… where’s it going? Is it… serious?’ came Ashley’s conspiratorial whisper.

Cassie stopped breathing, awaiting the response that would tell her everything.

‘I don’t have time for that right now,’ Delilah said.

The words landed like a punch. Her heart thudded painfully.That’s it. She doesn’t have time for it. For me.

She forced herself to turn away, trying to shove the disappointment down.

Cassie slipped through the crowd, weaving past clusters of guests. She needed a corner where she could think.

Finally, she found a quiet corridor leading away from the reception, the murmur of laughter and conversation fading behind her. She leaned against the wall, exhaling slowly.

And there, alone, she felt Delilah’s words, repeating over and over in her head. And they made absolute sense to Cassie. This was only what she’d been expecting. The only part of her that had given her trouble was the part that hoped it might be real. That stupid, stupid part.

Eighty-One