Page 85 of Growing Into Love

I’m not done with him yet either.

Not by a mile.

TWENTY-FOUR

JAZ

The next morning,Cass and I pack up our things and head downstairs to check out.

I can’t stop grinning. I feel like I’ve won the lottery—every time I look at Cass, I recall her legs wrapped around me in the jacuzzi, the heavy warmth of her breast in my mouth, the softness of her skin against mine. I think how goddamn lucky I am to be the man that gets to be with her—to make her laugh, to see her smile, to hold her close. I can’t wait to support her as she starts this new part of her life, building her sanctuary, making her own stamp on Oak Hill.

I find myself drawing up the same future I built at the bar two nights ago—was it only two nights? I imagine the wedding, the kids, all of it. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Cass and I need to have a chat about what this is, what we expect. What do we tell our families when we get home? We’ve known each other so long. There’s no awkward first date stage. But still…I don’t want to rush her. I might be leaping ahead to vows and diapers but that doesn’t mean Cass is there too. I can be patient.

“I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Fairview,” Betty says with a smile.

“It was tops,” Cass says. “We’ll definitely be back some day.”

“Cass Wright?” We turn to see the same driver from the airport.

“Oh, hi,” Cass says. “Um, what are you doing here?”

“Your sister-in-law hired me to take you to the city and then drive you out to Long Island,” he says. “I’m Jim, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” Cass says. “Gosh, that was nice of Autumn.”

“You deserve it,” I tell her.

“Let me take those bags for you,” Jim says.

He stows our luggage in the boot, and we get into the sleek black town car. Cass quickly slides across the seat to settle herself in my arms for the drive.

“Can you believe Declan’s going to be a dad?” she says.

“He told me they were trying before I left to come here with you.”

“What?” she cries. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“He asked me not to tell anyone.”

“Fair, I guess,” she says grumpily. “I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl.”

“Do you have a preference for niece or nephew?”

“No,” she says. “Just curious. Gran and Gramps are probably still crying. How fun will it be, having a little kid at the farm! I can teach her to ride a horse.”

“Ah, so she’s a niece then,” I say. Cass blushes and shrugs.

We spend the rest of the drive reliving Cass’s victory and discussing plans for New York. When we get to the city, Cass sits up and stares out the window like a little kid on Christmas morning, eye wide and eager.

“Look at all thepeople,” she says.

“Yeah,” I say, feeling a tad overwhelmed by it all. Buildings crowd around us, looming overhead, and the sidewalks are packed.

Cass checks her phone. “Oh, Isla texted me with some suggestions. Hey, Jim? Can we go to Bloomingdale’s first?”

“Which one?” Jim asks.

“There’s more than one?” she yelps.

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