Page 46 of Whispers of Redemption

CHAPTER 18

Cassie flipped her long, wavy hair over one shoulder. Then the other. Examining the effect in the mirror. She’d brushed it till the copper and honey-colored highlights danced with every turn of her head. She wore a pale green sundress with a sunflower pattern. The hemline fell to mid-thigh, which she knew showed off her long legs. She rarely wore dresses, but she wanted to tonight.

“What do you think?”

Angel sat beside the mirror, gazing up at her.

“Will I do?”

Angel gave a short bark and Cassie laughed.

Meeting over coffee and the beach party was one thing, but tonight she and Wade were going on a real date. She actually felt a little nervous, and turning away from the mirror, she started pacing in an attempt to shake it off.

She still had a hard time believing she’d agreed to go on a date with a cop. But in reality, she’d stopped thinking of him that way. Through her interactions with him, and hearing the stories from his grandfather, Wade had transformed into a real person for her. A kind-hearted, caring man. And a very, very good-looking man, Cassie noted, watching from the window as the object of her thoughts got out of the car he’d just parked in the Wainwright’s driveway. The loose curls of his sunlit golden-brown hair were combed neatly back from his face. And his muscular frame was out of uniform. Instead, he wore nice-fitting khakis and a dark blue short-sleeved shirt that fit snug against the well-defined six-pack she’d had the pleasure of witnessing at the beach party.

He had a bouquet of brightly colored flowers gripped tightly in one hand and a small brown bag in the other. He bounded up the staircase to her door and knocked.

Angel trotted straight to the door. But Cassie made herself slowly count to ten before swinging it wide.

“Well, hello!” she said.

“Hello, yourself.” He grinned back at her.

“You clean up pretty nice there, Riley.” He was clean-shaven, and Cassie admired the strong line of his jaw.

“So do you.” His gaze swept over her in appreciation, lingering on her legs. She let him in and turned her face slightly so he wouldn’t notice the self-satisfied smile on her face.

Once inside, he thrust the blooms toward her. “These are for you!” he said.

“Uh...thank you!” She reached out a tentative hand to accept them. Then buried her nose in the bouquet of purple hyacinths, burnt-orange tulips, and creamy white daffodils, breathing in their light, sweet perfume. Never before in her life had anyone brought her flowers.

She walked over to her kitchen area and rooted around in a cupboard for something to put the flowers in, finally settling on an oversized drinking glass.

“And this is for you.” Wade looked down at Angel, who was prancing around excitedly at his feet. “You can already smell it, can’t you?” He smiled and pulled a large frosted cookie out of the brown paper bag. It was in the shape of an ice cream cone, with colorful chips on top of the “ice cream” frosting.

“Oh no!” Cassie cried out. “I know we let Angel sample your treats at the beach party. But I read that it’s not great to give a dog too much people food.”

Since nobody had stepped up yet to claim Angel, Cassie felt a greater responsibility for taking good care of the pup.

“No worries,” Wade replied, squatting down to let Angel sniff the cookie.

“I made it myself and the ingredients are all doggie safe. Stuff like peanut butter, whole wheat flour, and the chips are made from yogurt.”

Cassie watched as Angel gave Wade’s hand an appreciative lick before taking the treat and lying down right there to enjoy it. She held it between her paws and made them both laugh when she started licking the top of the ice cream cone.

Cassie marveled at how much Angel’s attitude toward Wade had shifted from their first encounter. Somehow, he’d managed to worm his way into the little dog’s heart. Cassie was aware that there was a relevant metaphor lying in there somewhere with regard to herself, but she gave herself a mental slap to stop from analyzing it too deeply.

“Your place is great,” he said as he stood back up, looking around the tiny light-filled space. A ceiling fan circled slowly overhead. And although the studio apartment was really one giant room, she’d artfully used furniture to divide the space up.

“Thanks, I like it,” she said, filling the makeshift vase with water. It was the very first place she’d ever been able to call her own, and she was proud of it. “I’m grateful that Rachel and Mark were willing to rent it to me at such a low price. That’s how I’ve been able to afford the classes I’m taking at the community college.” She set the glass in the center of her small dining table and adjusted the blossoms. “Speaking of Rachel and Mark, would you be willing to meet them for a minute before we leave?”

She felt a little strange asking, but both Rachel and Mark had expressed a strong interest in meeting Wade. And they rarely asked for anything. So Cassie had acquiesced. Besides, they’d agreed to watch Angel while she was out.

“Sure!” he said. “I’d love to meet the people who helped transform you from your old life of crime,” he said with a grin.

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