Page 5 of Cass

“Do you have any children of your own?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t. It wasn’t in the cards for me. I love Darian’s girls like they’re my own though. I’ve always been in their lives. They’re each extremely special to me.”

“So, now it’s like my boys are defacto stepsonsto you?”

“Something like that.” This woman is relentless. Though I suppose I don’t blame her.

“Do you all spend a lot of time together? I mean you with Darian, Jackson, and their collective group of kids.”

“We do. I’m included in pretty much every family event. We all have dinner together just about every Sunday night. I’m not always in town. I travel for work a decent amount, but I join their family meals when I’m in town.”

“What is it that you do for a living?”

“I’m an attorney. Would you like to conduct a cavity search too? I can bend over.”

She gives me a fake smile at my joke. “Forgive me for being blunt,Cassandra, but what is the nature of your relationship with Trevor? You two seemed close back there. I’m frankly a little shocked and confused by what I saw.”

I laugh. “Oh. Trevor and I are just kindred spirits. We get along really well. We have very similar personalities.”

“That’s an odd thing to say, given the way Trevor behaves. You’re telling me that you, a nearly fifty-year-old woman, has the personality of a sixteen-year-old boy?”

I laugh. “Pretty much. Darian and her girls will confirm that for you.”

We stare at one another for a few seconds but eventually move to do our business and head back to the table.

Darian looks at me with a face asking if everything’s okay. I smile that it is, even though it isn’t.

Darian turns back toward the table. “Who’s coming for our Memorial Day pool party and barbecue? I just want to know how much food to get.” She turns to Melissa. “Melissa, you’re more than welcome to join us as well.” Weirdest dynamic ever.

Melissa smiles at Darian. “Thank you, Darian, but I won’t be in town. I really appreciate the offer though.”

Everyone else, myself included, indicates that they will attend.

I won’t let Trevor make a mistake for me. I think I know what I need to do.

I pull out my phone to send a text.

Me: Hey. Want to go to a Memorial Day pool party and barbecue with me?

Dennis: Hey beautiful. Long time, no fuck. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not in a bed (or a bathroom, or an alley, or the back seat of my patrol car), but I’ll take you in a bikini. Sounds good. I’m in.

Me: There will be plenty of time for everything.

Reagan turns to me. “Aunt Cass, we haven’t heard any good dating stories from you in a while. Anything exciting and out of the ordinary to report?”

I know they rely on me for funny dating stories, but it’s not like I’ve been on a date with a new man in a while. I’m certainly not going to reveal any of the craziness that goes on with Trevor, and it does get crazy. He’s as adventurous as I am.

I dig deep in my memory bank, not wanting to disappoint. “Hmmm, have you heard of Peyronie’s Syndrome?” Harley and Brody spit out their food.

Reagan looks at them and smiles. “No, I haven’t. What’s that?”

I nod at Harley to tell everyone what it is. She gives an embarrassed smile. “Clinically speaking, it’s when scar tissue forms in and around the penis, causing it to curve pretty severely, more so during an erection. It’s treatable though, but when…”

I interrupt. “I don’t recommend treating it. It feels pretty freaking awesome.”

Darian smacks my thigh under the table and moves her eyes toward Melissa, indicating that I need to behave myself. That’s not really my style though.

I turn back to the girls. “Sometimes a little curve can go a long way to hit the rightspot, ladies, if you know what I mean.” I wink at them.

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