Page 72 of Cass

“We agree on this, Melissa. I know he would be an amazing father. I want that for him too.”

I take a deep a breath. “Melissa, I want to be straight with you. I have a lot of issues with regard to men. I have a long history of being mistreated. There’s no need to go into details, but know it’s made it very difficult for me to trust men, and for me to commit to men. Before Trevor, the only man who ever treated me well in my entire life was Darian’s first husband. That includes former spouses, boyfriends and my own father.”

“Telling me you have major issues is not really the way to win me over.”

“I’m fifty years old, Melissa. I’m not Jess who will sit here and kiss your ass to try to make you like me. No offense to Jess. I happen to like her. But I’m a grown woman, just like you. I’m not trying to win you over. I’m trying, as two people who care deeply for Trevor, to come to some sort of understanding. I value honesty in relationships. I want to shoot straight with you and try to find some middle ground.”

She nods her head in understanding.

“Our middle ground is Trevor. We both want him to have everything he wants in life. By some miracle, he seems to want me. He loves me in a way no man ever has.”

I take a breath at what I’m about to say next. “You should know, I do love him. I haven’t told him yet. In fact, you’re the first person I’ve admitted it to. I have my own shit to overcome before I tell him, but I do love him and I will always value his happiness for as long as we’re on this ride together.”

“Why are you telling me and not him?”

“Because I swore I’d never let myself love a man again. I know I’ve broken that promise, but I won’t completely cut open my heart unless I know the main obstacles are removed.”

I take another few sips of my wine. “I agree with you, he deserves to be a father. I want nothing more for him. Here’s what I’m proposing. If and when the time comes that we move in that direction, I will do everything in my power to see to it that he has children of his own. If foranyreason it can’t happen for us, I promise you, I will walk away. I know there will be tremendous pain involved with that, but I will do it to benefit him in the long term.”

Melissa looks shocked. “You’re telling me that you will walk away from the man you claim is the only man to ever truly love you?”

I look her in the eyes. “I love him, and that’s the type of sacrifices you make for those you love. You have my word.”

She thinks for a moment and then nods her head in agreement. “Okay. I will back off for Trevor’s sake.” She sips her wine. “You know, I’m not the bad guy here.”

“I know you’re not. I don’t think that. I know you’re looking out for him. We both are because we both love him.”

She leans back in her chair. “You know, Cassandra, under different circumstances, you and I could actually be friends.”

I inwardly laugh; she’s echoing my earlier thoughts. I smile at her. “On the bright side, at least you know I’m not with him for his money.”

She clinks her glass with mine as she nods her head. “To small victories.”

We both laugh, order another bottle of wine, and chat like old friends through most of Thursday afternoon.

* * *

I’mat my office on Friday in the early evening. Julia buzzes me. “Ms. Blackstone, Secretariat is here to see you. Can you come out to the lobby?” I smile and shake my head.

“Tell Trevor to come into my office.”

“It’s not Trevor. It’s Secretariat. He can’t fit into your office. Can you please come out here?”

What the hell is she talking about?

I get up and walk out my door into the lobby area. My jaw drops to the floor. It’s Trevor. On a real horse. There’s a horse in our law firm right now, and Trevor is on top of him. Few things truly shock me. I can now count this as one of them.

He smiles when he sees my stunned face. “Hey, Sexy. I want you to meet theotherSecretariat. He’s the second biggest thing between my legs right now.”

Oh my god, Trevor. Julia gasps. I hear both Beth and Alexandra behind me hysterically laughing.

Gradually, more of the attorneys from my office descend into our lobby. Steven walks in, and his eyes almost pop out of his head. “Cassandra, what in the world is going on here?”

“I don’t know, Steven. Trevor, can you pleaseeloquentlyshed some light on this situation?” I look up at Trevor, pleading for some sort of clean explanation for this.

Trevor smiles at Steven. “I’ve come by to see if Cassandra needs a lift home.” He says it completely nonchalantly as if he stopped by in his car.

I fake smile at everyone. “I’m just going to grab my stuff, and we’ll get out of here.” I practically sprint to my office to get my purse.

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