Embezzled Love Read Free Page A

the refrigerator, and despite all the childhood warnings issued by her mother, Cass took a big swig from the milk carton. Mom was snug in her own part of the house and would never know.
     "Haven't I taught you better than that?" Cassie turned to find her mom standing in the doorway, her lips drawn into a thin line.
    "Sorry, I didn't think I'd get caught." Cassie swiped the back of her hand across her wet lips.
    Her mother shuffled toward the counter, folded the wadded dishtowel Cassie had left there earlier, and hung it neatly on the sink's edge. She glanced at her daughter. "So, how was your day?"
    "Nothing out of the ordinary." Cassie wasn't about to share information about Evan. Her mother was old-fashioned and very set in her ways. Computer dating would send her into shock.
    "I've dusted and cleaned a little of the downstairs today, dear, but I didn't mess with your office." She moved to the pantry and removed a box of crackers.
    Once, her mom was a fair-sized woman, but age had curved her spine and hunched her back. Her voice still held that recognizable parental tone that warned Cassie something needed tending. Mom's living quarters were always spotless while Cassie's were never up to par. Thank goodness the older woman hadn't ventured upstairs. Talk about a shock to her system.
    Cassie hung her head like the chastised child with whom she identified. "I plan to give everything a good cleaning this weekend. I'd do it tonight, but I'm beat." She stretched her hands overhead for emphasis.
    Wearing a satisfied smile, her mother left the room. Cassie reached over the sink and switched off the overhead fixture. She headed for the bedroom, but passing through the living room, noticed the multi-colored blocks on her computer screensaver in her adjacent office.
    She sighed and walked to her desk, intending to switch everything off, but as she brushed the mouse, his profile appeared…Blue Eyes. Despite the alarm bells sounding in her head, she sat and started typing.
    Hello back,
    Glad you answered. This is my first time doing this, but then I bet everyone says that. I never thought I'd be corresponding with a mystery man.
    I read your profile and liked what little I read, but I'd like to know more about you, too. I consider myself an independent woman and, like most others out there, I'm looking to meet the right guy. I've been married once, but he certainly wasn't the one. What kind of business do you own, Evan? I'm in the insurance industry and live in the San Fernando Valley. Where are you? I think it's a little too soon for a phone number exchange. Do you mind if we just email one another for a bit?
    Hope to hear from you soon.
    Cheers,
    Cassie
    Before she changed her mind, she clicked send. Her hand on the off switch, she still wondered what possessed her to be so impulsive…so desperate. She shrugged.
    What harm could come from a simple email? He probably wouldn't answer anyhow.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    The constant buzz of the alarm invaded Cassie's sleep. She reached to the nightstand and slapped the button atop the clock, silencing the annoying noise. Although early, the sunlight filtering into the room forced her to squint until her eyes adjusted to the brightness. If changing the position of her home was humanly possibly, she would turn the whole house around. The lacey white curtains that matched her down comforter made her bedroom stylishly feminine but did little to darken the room. Perhaps lack of darkness caused her to always be an early riser.
    Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she slid her legs over the edge of the bed and curled her toes into the plush ecru carpet. Sleeping in just one morning would be nice, but work beckoned. She grimaced at the thought of another day at the office and wondered what it would be like to be married to someone rich and not have to work at all.
    She covered her mouth to mask a gaping yawn then stood and stretched. Her fingers came down into a gnarled mass, and she