His and Hers and Hers (13 page)

“Yes, Jordan, what do you have to say?” Kyla asked. Her eyes blazed with anger, but her lips were trembling.

“What kind of perverted relationship—”

Jordan and Kyla spoke simultaneously. “Dad—”

“It’s not perverted—”

“I can’t…I can’t do this.” Mrs. Brougham broke away and tried to escape through the huddle into the hallway. “I can’t listen to this anymore.”

“Mom…” someone murmured. Some of the siblings trailed her out of the room to comfort her. The rest remained rooted in the doorway, staring at Cassie and Kyla in openmouthed shock or tight-lipped anger.

“Jordan.” Kyla’s voice shook. “Tell them the truth.”

He gritted his teeth. “Ky, this isn’t the time.”

“Why won’t you for once in your life stand up to them?”

“What’s she talking about?” Mr. Brougham demanded.

Cassie shook her head, sick to her stomach. She must have been crazy, kissing Kyla here, with Jordan’s family on the other side of the door. And now not only was he in the shit with his family, he and Ky were at each other’s throats.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, unable to face any of them. She clutched her coat and tried to edge through the bedroom door.

Kyla spoke. “Cassie, wait. I’m coming with you.”

“Good.” Mr. Brougham’s voice sliced the air like a knife. “Both of you should go.”

Kyla ignored the man and locked gazes with Jordan. “What about you?”

He stood there, frozen.

“No,” said his father. “He’s staying with his family. The people who love him. Maybe he’ll come to his senses now and realize the truth about you.”

“Oh, really?” Kyla barked a laugh. “And what is the truth? Enlighten me, please.”

“I know you’re nothing but a—”

“Dad!” Jordan shouted. “Leave her alone.”

“You’re better off without her. Your mother and I knew she was trouble from the start—”

“Shut up, Dad. Just shut up.” His hands tightened into fists, and his lips thinned to a firm line. He drew a deep breath and spoke to Kyla. “Let me just talk to them.”

Kyla’s lip curled in derision, and her eyebrow lifted. “Sure thing, babe. Talk yourself blue.” Defiantly, she grabbed Cassie’s hand. “We’re going home.”

The women said nothing as they backed out of the driveway. Kyla sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead.

“I’m sorry,” Cassie murmured, glancing at Kyla’s stony face.

“Stop saying that!” Kyla shouted.

Cassie flinched, her fingers gripping the steering wheel until they cramped. Ky’s pinched features softened with remorse.

“Just don’t say you’re sorry. It’s like you think we’re a mistake.
I’m
not sorry.” Ky slumped against the seat, completely done in.

Cassie’s glance crept her way. “Don’t be angry at him.”

Kyla huffed a laugh. “At who?”

“Jordan.”

“Jordan.” Kyla crossed her arms in front of her chest as though she were freezing. “He’s supposed to love me, but when the time comes to prove it, he knuckles under to his family. As always.”

“He
does
love you.”

“He’s got some fucking way of showing it.” As though she’d shut down, Ky said no more. When they were almost to her place, she came to attention. “I don’t want to go home.”

“What?”

“Don’t take me home. Take me to your place.”

Cassie hesitated. “Ky—”

“Please. I’m just too angry right now. I can’t deal with him tonight.”

Cassie didn’t know what to do. It didn’t seem right to desert Jordan on Christmas, of all days. But maybe he and Kyla needed a little time apart, so they could both cool down. “All right.”

She only hoped she was doing the right thing.

* * * *

Later that evening, while Kyla took a shower and Cassie got ready for bed, her cell phone rang. It was Jordan.

“Hey, Cass. Ky’s not answering her phone, so I thought I’d try you.”

Cassie sat on the edge of her bed, overwhelmed with guilt and relief. “Jordan, I’m so sorry about today.”

“Yeah, well.” He sounded exhausted. “It’s quite the mess, isn’t it?”

She dreaded asking the next question, but knew she had to. “How are your parents?”

He gave a short laugh. “Pissed off. Confused. Threw about a million questions at me.”

She gripped the phone tighter. “What did you say?”

“I told them I was an adult and didn’t have to explain myself to anyone.”

“I’m so sorry you got caught in the middle of that. It wasn’t planned, I swear—”

Another sardonic laugh. “You just couldn’t keep your hands off each other.”

A hot rush of remorse hit her—not for kissing Kyla, but for leaving Jordan to deal with the aftermath.

“I could have handled it better,” he said. “But it all came at me at once, you know?” He sighed. “I don’t suppose you could convince Ky to talk to me.”

“Right now she’s in the shower. She’s staying here tonight. Why don’t you try her tomorrow?”

“She’s still pissed at me, huh? That’s my baby.” His tone was light, but Cassie knew he was hurt. “Look, I’m sorry you overheard all that crap my mother had to say. She was sorry too, and embarrassed. She meant to apologize when she…”

“When she saw me and Kyla.”

“Yeah. I knew you were in foster care, Kyla told me, but I had no idea—”

“It was a long time ago,” she told him. “It’s really not important.”

“Yes, it is.
You’re
important.”

Her chest tightened as she remembered that Kyla had said much the same thing earlier today. She cleared her throat. “It’s you I’m worried about, Jordan. You and Kyla.”

“Don’t worry, honey,” he told her. “We’ll work it out. If she ever speaks to me again.”

“She will. Just give her a little more time.”

“Guess I’ve got no choice.”

“She loves you, Jordan.”

“And how about you, Cass? Do you love me too?”

A suffocating sense of panic filled her. “I hear Kyla coming, Jordan. I have to go.” Cassie ended the call quickly and took a deep breath to calm herself while Kyla remained in the shower.

Chapter Eleven

They were seated in Cassie’s living room when Kyla’s phone buzzed. Ky glanced at it on the lamp table, then turned her attention back to the magazine on her lap.

“You’re not going to pick up?” Cassie asked.

Ky flipped the page. “Nope.”

Cassie clicked the television off with the remote and stared at Ky, who blinked back.

“What? Watch your movie.”

“I’ve seen it already. This is getting stupid, Ky. It’s been two days. You’ve got to talk to him sometime,” Cassie said.

“I will.” Kyla gazed down at the magazine. Though she tried to seem cool and collected, her jiggling leg and impatient shifting told a different story. “When he’s ready to tell me what I need to hear.”

“And what’s that?” Kyla’s self-righteousness was getting hard to handle. “That he’s disowned his family?”

“I want to know that he’s told them the truth. That he’s stood up to them. That he’s behaved like a man instead of a puppy that’s afraid of being kicked.”

“That’s not fair, Kyla. Everything’s not black and white, you know. You’re hiding from him here—”

Kyla tossed the magazine angrily onto the cushion beside her. “All right, I know I’m a pain in the ass, infringing on your privacy and all that. Fine. I’ll just get my things and leave.”

Hope surged through Cassie. “And go back home?”

“No. Not until Jordan gets his shit together. I’ll go to a motel or something.”

Cassie’s temper snapped like a dry twig. “Oh, cut the drama-queen crap, Kyla. You know I don’t mind you staying here, but what’s the point of this game you’re playing?”

Kyla’s eyes blazed. “I’m not playing. I’m sick of him always being
fair and balanced
when his family turns up their noses at me. I’ve put up with it for years. But you shouldn’t have to.
We
shouldn’t have to anymore. Well, the hell with it. This time I want him to pick a side.
Our side
.” She spoke through clenched teeth. “I’m tired of fighting battles on my own.”

Cassie realized that Kyla was talking about more than this recent argument with Jordan. “You’re not on your own, Ky.”

“I’ve always been on my own. Jordan doesn’t get it. Him and his big, happy family. Anything that goes wrong in the Brougham family gets settled with a few hugs and kisses. That’s not how it was at the Densters’. My father beat the crap out my mother for years. When the old man dropped dead, she married another guy who did the same thing. My sister and I had to look out for ourselves—Mom was too busy dodging somebody’s fists to pay us any mind. I fought like hell to get out of that lousy house, to get an education. A good job. To be able to take care of myself. I was
never
going to be like her.”

“And you’ve done that. You’re nothing like her. You’re strong.”

Kyla slumped back into the cushions. “I’m tired. Tired of always being strong. I need someone else to be strong for a while.”

Kyla was a fighter. She’d battled the selfishness of her parents and the indifference of an uncaring world. She’d pulled herself out of the muck with only guts and determination on her side. But even the toughest fighter could find herself on the ropes.

“I’d think you of anyone would understand.” Kyla spoke quietly. “You had it rough, coming up. You know how it is. You ought to be on my side.”

Cassie moved the magazine aside and slipped next to Kyla on the sofa. This was not the time to deliver any more lectures about Jordan. Kyla needed support, needed to know how important she was. “I am on your side. But can’t I be on Jordan’s side too? Why does there even have to be
sides
?”

Kyla gave a cynical snort. “I should have expected that from you.”

Cassie pulled back. “What’s that mean?”

“It means you’re just like Jordan. You won’t take a stand. You won’t make a commitment. Jordan and I ask you to move in with us, and what do you do? Give us a lot of lame excuses.
Let’s not rush things, it’s good the way it is
…when the truth is, you’re scared. Scared to be honest about your feelings. You know, I might be a bitch and a big mouth and a royal pain in the ass, but at least I’m truthful about who I am and what I want.”

Ky’s comments stung, so Cassie fought fire with fire. “And you get a big kick out of throwing the truth in everybody’s face, don’t you? You don’t care about being honest, Ky. You just like to start a ruckus.”

“I’m real. If other people don’t like it, that’s their problem.”

“If those
other people
are Jordan’s family, you better believe it’s your problem. You just dumped all that stuff about us on them and left him to clean up the mess.”

“He didn’t have to stay! He could have gone with us. But no, he had to make sure his mommy and daddy weren’t upset with him.”

“He loves them,” Cassie said. “Just because you and I had crappy childhoods, that doesn’t mean Jordan should have to sacrifice
his
family.”

“So you’re okay with being our dirty little secret, then.” Kyla flicked her fingers to end the argument. “Well, maybe you’re fine with that, but I’m not.”

“You know that’s not…” Then, as Kyla stormed from the room, “Where are you going?”

Kyla returned with a pillow and blanket from the bedroom.

“What are you doing?” Cassie demanded as Kyla tossed the items onto the sofa.

“I’m sleeping out here tonight.”

Cassie snatched them up. “Don’t be childish.”

Kyla grabbed the blanket, and the pillow fell to the floor as they tussled in a brief tug of war. Frustrated by Kyla’s stubbornness, Cassie suddenly let go, and Ky toppled back onto the sofa.

Cassie placed her hands on her hips. “If you’re determined not to share my bed, fine.
I’ll
sleep out here.”

“No, you won’t.” Ky stuffed the blanket behind her and picked up the pillow. “It’s your bed. I’m not gonna toss you out of it.”

The obstinate set of Kyla’s mouth let Cassie know there was no point in arguing. She wasn’t inclined to put up a fight, anyway, Kyla had her so angry.

But the anger faded as she lay sleepless in her lonely bed, tormented by Ky’s accusations. Only now, alone in the dark, could Cassie admit how true they were.

* * * *

When Cassie rose the next morning, Kyla had already left for work. The blanket had been folded neatly and left on the sofa along with the pillow. Cassie dressed and drank her coffee, but her comfortable morning routine was spoiled by the memory of last night’s argument. Fortunately it was a slow day at New Again, because Cassie had a hard time keeping her mind on the job. Kyla’s words kept haunting her.
You’re scared.

Kyla felt abandoned not just by Jordan, but by Cassie too. Cassie didn’t know how to fix that.

The front bell jingled, and when Cassie looked up she was surprised to see Walter standing in the doorway. He hovered there as though afraid he might not be welcome.

“Walter, hello.” She greeted him in her friendliest tone. He’d never come to the shop before. His eyes were clear today, not blurred by alcohol, and he smelled of soap rather than stale liquor.

He looked different today too. He was clean-shaven, and his hair had been cut and was now combed back from his forehead. Cassie had always suspected there was a handsome older man hidden beneath the stubbled whiskers and unkempt hair, and today she was proven right.

“What can I do for you?”

He moved a balled-up but clean handkerchief back and forth between his hands, as though to disguise their trembling. “Well, I was wondering if you could help me pick out a suit.”

She blinked quickly, trying to hide her astonishment. “A suit?”

“Yes. I have money,” he added quickly. “I could go down to the Salvation Army store, but I was thinking you might have some nicer things here. It’s important that I look good.”

“Of course, sure. We have some things here I think you might like.” She gestured for him to follow her to the back of the store, where there was a rack of men’s suits. “Can you tell me what size?”

“Well, I don’t… It’s been a while since I’ve… I think I’ve lost weight…”