Just Let Me Love You (Judge Me Not #3)(28)

“No, I haven’t checked my phone for hours.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Kay says, waving her hand dismissively. “I was hoping to warn you ahead of time, but it’s too late.”

“Yeah,” I mumble. “Warn me of Will’s lies, built on Cassie’s secrets, huh?”

My eyes lock in on Kay’s caramels, filled with understanding. She’s well-aware of how sick to death I am of Will’s lies and secrets. In fact, I’m sick of deception all the way around, making me half-tempted to divulge to my mother—right here, right now—that Kay and I are married.

Kay, reading my intent so well, shakes her head, and whispers, “Not now, Chase.”

Discreetly, she glances at my mother, as do I.

Mom is pacing, trying to keep herself together. Kay’s right; now is definitely not the time to announce to my bereft mother I got married right under her nose and failed to include her in any way, shape, or form.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I say softly to Kay.

She and I can deal with only so much fallout at a time, and my brother has provided more than enough shit to wade through right now.

“So, what should we do?” my mother asks, suddenly turning to us.

Her eyes beseech mine, like I have all the answers. I wish, Mom, I wish.

I may not have all the answers, but I do have one. “I think I should head back over to Cassie’s. If Will is there, I’ll bring him back. And,” I add, deadly serious, “I am getting that gun out of his possession.”

Kay immediately offers, “I’ll go with you.”

I nod an assent while Mom bites her lip and frowns.

“Maybe I should go, too,” she murmurs.

“No!” Kay and I simultaneously reply.

All I need is for my hysterical mom to make things worse. Kay knows this, as well.

My mother’s face falls, and I say in a placating voice, “Look, Mom… Someone has to stay here. You know, in case Will is out with Cassie and she drops him off or something.”

It’s bullshit. Will’s not coming home. Not without some forceful encouragement. But Mom plays along and pretends to agree. “Yeah, you’re right, Chase. I’ll stay here.” Her tone is flat. She’s given up already.

And that is how we leave my mother—in the entry hall, wanting to be a good mother but not knowing how.

For as much as some things change, other things remain the same.

Out by the rental car, Kay stops me. Her arms go around me, comforting. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses my lips.

When she lowers herself to her diminutive size, she looks up at me, and says, “I love you, Chase.”

I reach out and caress her cheek with my knuckles. “I love you too, babe.”

I need this woman, always.

Fifteen minutes later, we are knocking on Cassie’s front door. There’s no sign of Mrs. Sutter’s car in the driveway. Home from work by four, my ass. The other thing I find odd is Cassie’s car is not here either.

Hmm…

I glance at Kay and find her staring over at the empty driveway, same as me.

“Maybe they went somewhere,” she offers.

“Yeah, maybe,” I respond. I sound unconvincing, even to my own ears.

Just then the front door swings open. Cassie, looking quite unlike how I’ve ever seen her before today, wavers uncertainly. She stares at us with heavy-lidded eyes. All she’s wearing is a long tee with boy shorts.

It’s pretty obvious to me the girl is f*cked up.

“Guys,” she slurs, giggling. “Come on in.” She steps aside and makes a sweeping motion with her arm before almost toppling over. “Oops,” she says, laughing.

Kay grabs hold of Cassie’s arm to steady her as we step into the house. “Where’s your mother?” she asks.

Cassie leans forward, directing her answer to me, not Kay. I get a good whiff of alcohol as she lazily breathes out, “Not here, obviously.”

“Clearly,” I murmur. And then, in a firmer voice, I inquire, “Where is Will?”

Cassie dances out of Kay’s grasp, ignoring my question. She spins in a little circle, singing, “Will, Will, Will. Oh, I love my beautiful boy.”

Kay looks at me and shakes her head. “What’s she on?”

“Jesus, I have no idea,” I reply. “She’s drunk, but maybe she took some pills, too.”

Cassie stumbles down two steps leading to a sunken living room with Kay and me following closely behind. It’s dimly lit in the living room, as all the blinds are drawn. There are empty liquor bottles strewn across the floor…among other things.

I pick up a couple of these items—a pill bottle belonging to Cassie’s mom, Cassie’s discarded jeans, a foil wrapper. All pieces to a puzzle that give me a story: Will and Cassie drank, took a few pills, and had sex.

Cassie picks up a bottle of booze and takes off the cap.

“Whoa, hold up there.” I swipe the bottle from her grasp. “I think you’ve had enough.” Handing her the pair of jeans still in my other hand, I say, “Here, put on some clothes.”

I get no argument. Cassie is not like Will. But when she tries to put on her jeans, she falls back on the couch.

Kay hurries over to help her. “What happened after Chase dropped Will off earlier?” she asks Cassie as she helps her into her jeans. “And where is Will now?”