Page 201 of Taeja

Damon nodded as he sat beside her. “Who were you talking to?”

“Myself,” Cassedi said, chuckling. “I’m not going crazy, I promise.”

Damon laughed. “I understand. I do that a lot when my employees act like they can’t follow simple instructions.”

“I imagine it must be hard being the head of an entire department.”

“No. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like a job.”

Cassedi smiled sadly. “That’s how I used to feel when I was a therapist. Now I have so many problems of my own, I can’t imagine helping anyone anymore.”

“Cassedi, don’t say that.”

“What? It’s true,” she said, a tired smile on her face as she looked at the phone.

Damon glanced at Taeja’s phone, and his brows furrowed. “What’s bothering you?” he asked, looking at Cassedi, whose brows pulled together.

“Oh, Damon, I don’t want to bother you,” Cassedi said, some light returning to her eyes. “Go grab the newspaper and let’s finish playing Sudoku.”

Damon shook his head. “We haven’t known each other for long, but I do care for you, Cassedi. Something’s clearly bothering you, and I think you’re hiding it from Taeja.”

Cassedi chuckled. “You’re good at reading people?”

“No, not really. But over-analyzing is a part of my job description.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you. But you can’t tell Taeja.”

“I’m not so sure about that… I don’t like keeping things from her.”

“That’s fine. I’ll tell her. Eventually. I just want to be the one to do it.”

Damon smiled. “Do you want to go outside and get some fresh air?”

“That would be nice. Thanks.” Cassedi smiled at Damon as he helped her out of the chair. She allowed him to lead her outside, and they sat on the lounge chairs by the pool. “I don’t know where to start,” Cassedi said. “So much happened back then and so much is happening right now.”

“Start wherever is easiest for you.”

“Hmm…” Cassedi trailed off. “I think where’s easiest would be when I met Jerry. He was good to me, you know? Even though I couldn’t breathe, eat, or sleep without him being there, we were good. I guess I found it charming back then. Which woman wouldn’t want to get pampered by the person they’re in a relationship with? But the older I got, it became too stifling, and when you’reused to something, it’s hard to step away from it.

“I’ve been free for the past years, and now Taeja is saying I should call him and I—” She sighed. “It sounds like he hasn’t changed. I feel like such a terrible parent because I wasn’t there when my only child was going through what I did. Especially because there’s still a part of me that really loves Jerry, you know? Like how people say your first love stays with you forever.”

Damon nodded, that familiar coldness seeping into his being. “I know what you mean.”

“That’s good. I mean, it’s not good,” she added quickly. “But it’s good that you understand what I mean. Anyway, like I was saying. I love him to the point I would always look past his controlling behavior. Over the years, I’ve had a lot of time to think, and I still find myself wondering about all the what-ifs instead of focusing on moving on.”

“Do you want to move on?”

“I have. I mean, I haven’t. No, I have. Kinda.”

“I know the feeling…”

Cassedi sighed. “Oh, Damon. It’s so easy to talk to you. You’re like the son I never had. I wish Wayne could be more like you.”

Damon chuckled. “It’s easy to talk to you, too. Taeja’s been complaining that I’m spending more time with you than her.”

Cassedi chuckled. “But she has a whole other boyfriend to keep her time. Don’t you get jealous?”

“Of my brother?” Damon asked, and Cassedi nodded. “No. Never.”

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