Page 54 of Face Off
She stops abruptly in the entryway to the kitchen, eyeing the room suspiciously as Vince runs into the back of her, wrapping his arms around her waist, suddenly breaking her internal thoughts. The tension in the room is heated and stifling, growing as Cassidy’s eyes wander from Natasha, who is ogling the fuck out of Brooks, to Channing.
That vacation in Tahiti with my parents sounds better than ever right about now.
“Cass, thank you for the wine,” I say, walking to her and grabbing the bottle from her hand. “Vince, good to see you.” Not. “Well, now that we’re all here, I think it’s time to say that dinner is now served,” I say, gripping Brooks’ hand as a signal to follow my lead. “Camden. Buddy, time for dinner.” I move toward the entryway to call on him.
Cam comes into the dining room fist bumping Brooks and Channing before taking a seat on the opposite side of me. Food is passed back and forth around the table, to the sound of silver scrapping against plates. I look around the table, listening to the side conversations. How did this weird, dysfunctional group become my family? Well, everyone minus Natasha who looks like she’s about to be murdered by Cassidy. It’s weird. Camden and I used to spend Christmas alone mainly because I had towork. We never seemed to mind the absence of family, yet today, I can’t imagine another holiday without it.
“So, Halloway,” Cassidy says, clearing her throat. “Who’s the bunny you brought with you?” The words pour from her lips like venom as she narrows her eyes at him.
Natasha howls like a monkey, laughing as if the comment Cassidy had called her is the most hilarious thing she’s ever heard. I watch as she runs her hands up his arm and across his chest, pushing his hair back on his head. “This is Natasha. Natasha… Cassidy. Cassidy… Natasha.”
Natasha waves a little too eagerly at Cassidy. “And she’s not a puck bunny. She’s an aspiring sports reporter and model if you must know.”
Bunny.
“Pff,” Cassidy snorts as she takes a sip of her wine. “Is that what you’re calling women who sleep with multiple pro-athletes nowadays?”
“Cass—” I begin to say as I’m cut off by a loud laugh.
God, I swear she sounds like a howler monkey.
“Cassandra, was it?” Natasha smiles, showing off the white porcelain veneers I’m sure one of her flavors of the month paid for.
“Cassidy,” she snaps back.
“Whatever.” She waves her off. “Channing and I aren’t just a one-time thing. In fact, we know each other very well. He has had some big, BIG plans for us,” she says, placing her hand on Channing’s crotch, causing him to flinch and spit his drink halfway across the table.
“Big plans where you take advantage of him and all his money. Then leave him for someone else?” Cassidy says, slamming her hands down on the dinner table.
“Actually…”
“Enough,” I say, standing from my chair. “Channing, I think it’s time you take Tasha here home.” Natasha begins to interrupt me, but I cut her off before she can get a word in. “For Christ sakes, my son is here at the table and the entire time you’ve been here, you’ve done nothing but make sexual innuendos, flirt with my boyfriend, laughed like a goddamn howler monkey, and grab Channing inappropriately. Now if I were you, I would get the hell out of my house before I remove you myself, you underrated plastic barbie.”
Giving in to defeat, Channing gives me a solemn nod before standing and ushering Natasha to the door. I know Channing is doing this to only get a rise out of Cassidy. I get it. We all get it. One can’t notice how he looks at her as if she’s hung the moon and the stars. But he lollygagged for too long and ultimately lost her to Vince. Not an upgrade or prize-winning cow at the fair if you ask me.
Trying to lower my blood pressure, I excuse myself from the table, stepping onto the back deck, breathing in the fresh crisp air of December. ‘So much for a drama-free Christmas.’ I mumble to myself as I wrap my arms tightly to my chest.
“I’m sorry,” Cassidy’s voice says from behind me.
“What the fuck was that back in there, Cass?” I snap, pointing at the house behind her. “Camden is sitting at that table. My son. Your nephew.”
“I know. I’m sorry. “
“You’re engaged to Vince, so why the fucking witch hunt on Channing?” I pry.
She looks over her shoulder at Vince and Brooks sitting at the table in an intense stare off. “She was using him for his money.”
“She’s a puck bunny. That’s never bothered you before,” I say, walking up next to her and staring at the guys from the sliding doors. “You can’t bullshit a bullshitter. So, what’s the real reason you lost it on Channing?”
Cassidy has never been open about any feelings or relationships in general. It’s one of the main reasons I was so taken aback by her sudden engagement to Vince. I hadn’t even known that she was dating anyone until she showed up at Thanksgiving dinner looking like she snagged the last turkey from the supermarket shelves.
Something more happened between her and Channing. There’s a history there that for some unknown reason, she won’t open up to me about.
“Two years ago, when Channing was first traded to the team, I was smitten by him. One night after a game we won, I threw myself at him, and he walked away from me,” she says, taking a deep breath as if all the air has escaped from her lungs.
“You like him.”
“Liked,” she says, looking over at me. “Keyword there. I liked him. Now he’s just a… “
