Page 44 of It Just Feels Right

He pulls at his collar. “It’s Richard. And I drive a yellow Trans Am.”

Of course he does. I take another bite of food, chew it slowly, and swallow. “I hope you don’t speed through town.”

“Uh… uh...” he starts to mutter, and I just stare at him, letting him know exactly what I think of him.

My dad is looking between Dick and me, and he knows something’s up.

Dick clears his throat. “Cassie, I was thinking after dinner, you and I could talk.”

I tense, and Cassie is already shaking her head. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”

He’s not giving up, though. He’s terrible at reading the room. “But we do. I wanted to apologize to you.”

Cassie laughs. “What exactly are you apologizing for? Pressuring me to have sex with you, cheating on me, or the fact that you got caught cheating on me? Which of those things are you actually wanting to apologize for?”

Brandi raises her voice. “Cassie, now, honey, everyone makes mistakes.”

My mouth drops, and I can’t hold it in any longer. “Are you for real right now?”

Cassie is looking at her mom like she doesn’t understand what’s happening, and I can’t say I blame her. I don’t understand this at all.

“Mom, if you think I want to sit across the dinner table from him, knowing what he did to me, then you’re crazy.”

“Crazy!” her mom screams. “I’m not crazy.”

Brook is sitting across the table with her eyes clenched tightly together. Dick looks as if he’s actually enjoying the show, and my dad stands up. “Cassie, is this true? Did he do that to you?”

Brandi stands up. “Now, Ryan—”

My dad cuts her off. “No, I won’t sit down and be silent anymore. She’s your daughter, Brandi. I don’t understand.”

He’s shaking his head, trying to wrap his thoughts around it. He straightens to his full height. “You hurt my daughter and then come to my table, my house… get the hell out of here.”

I jump up from my seat and make my way around to where Dick is sitting. He stands up, and I use my body to push him out of the room. My dad follows me, and we follow Dick all the way outside to his car.

CHAPTER 21

CASSIE

I’m sitting here speechless.When I hear the front door slam, I turn to my mom. “I told you what he did to me. I told you that he was pressuring me to have sex.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re twenty-two, Cassie. Grow up.”

I rear back as if she slapped me. “Grow up? You’re telling me to grow up! Mom, he cheated on me—”

She cuts me off. “Because you wouldn’t put out.”

Brook stands up from the table. “Mother!”

I shake my head and hold my hand up. “It’s fine, Brook. It’s not like we don’t know how she is.” I turn to my mom. “I just wish one time you’d be on our side.”

Her face twists in anger. “Your side? What have you always wanted, Cassie? A family. And now what? I gave you one, and you’re the one that’s screwing it all up.”

“Me? I’m going to screw it up?” I ask in outrage.

She puts her hands on her hip. “Yes. I know you’re fucking your stepbrother.”

I gasp in shock, but she’s not finished. “If anything, you’re the one that’s tearing this family apart.”

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