Page 72 of Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“Excuse me, guys,” Del said to the men at the bar before coming around to her.

“Hey, man. We’re good,” the guy with sandy blond hair spoke.

“Yeah, we got what we need.” The man in the middle with dark hair lifted his drink to his lips but didn’t take a sip. “And it looks like you’re gonna get what you need.”

The guy on the right, the biggest of all of them, elbowed middle-man. “Stop being an immature prick, Jon.”

“Ow! That hurt.”

Ignoring the three stooges, Cassie breathed deeply through her nose, letting it out as Del came to a stop in front of her.

“Hi.” Wow, winning him over with words already.

He gazed at her with concern, and his hand reached out to brush her cheek. “Have you been crying?”

Dammit! Had one of her tears escaped? She didn’t want to go into this apology seeming weak. She wanted to be strong and sure and…oh my, the way he caressed her.

Sparks flew from his fingertips, igniting a storm of need and craving within. The fact that he cared about her emotional well-being when she’d practically destroyed him the other day let her know, deep in her heart, that she was right. She really did love this man. He’s the one. And she wasn’t leaving until he knew it.

“I was wrong,” she blurted.

Del stopped stroking her cheek, his hand falling to his side as his brow rose. “Come again?”

“I was wrong, and I’m sorry.” Her body quaked as she breathed fast and hard, trying to stem the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Gathering all the courage she had, she tilted up her chin to stare directly into Delta’s eyes. “I don’t need Gran’s house to be happy. You were right, Del, it’s just a thing. A thing can’t hold you in its arms. It can’t commiserate with you over a crappy day or celebrate with you over good news. A thing can’t drive away the loneliness in the dark of the night.”

When he continued to stare at her, she started to reach for a curl, but then dropped her hand when she remembered she’d ironed them out today.

“I know my words were cruel, and if I could take them back, I would. God, Del I would a thousand times. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I never meant for that to happen. I never meant for any of this to happen—”

Suddenly R.E.M.’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ came blasting from the jukebox.

Jaw dropping open, Cassie turned her head to stare at the man there with utter shock. “Seriously?”

“What?” He shrugged as if he hadn’t just given her apology a soundtrack. “It’s a good song.”

Shaking her head, she turned back to see Del fighting a smile. At least one of them found this funny.

“As I was saying,” she continued to the morose tones of Michael Stipe. “I’m sorry. We started this thing as pretend, but you were right. It stopped being pretend a long time ago. I like spending time with you Del. You’re funny and kind and much smarter than anyone gives you credit for.”

His jaw worked at that, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he had his own eye-sheen going on.

“I don’t know when it exactly happened, but somewhere along the way I…I came to care very deeply for you. I never meant for it to happen, but it did. And it scared the shit out of me.”

He chuckled, giving her that classic Del wink she’d come to love so much. “Me too, Sassy. Me too. But I’m not afraid anymore.”

“Me either.”

“Really?”

“Really, and I’m going to move out of the house.”

His smile turned into a frown at her words. “I said I’d marry you. You don’t have to give up your dream.”

“If he won’t marry you, I will!” Middle-man called from the bar.

“Jon, I swear to God do not make me regret inviting you on this trip,” Big Guy said with a growl.

Aware of their audience, Cassie stepped closer, lowering her voice. “The house isn’t my dream, Delta. You are. I don’t want our relationship to be built on a lie, but I’ll still give you the start-up cash for your restaurant. I really do believe it’s a great idea.”

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