Engaging (Alluring Book 2) Read Free Page A

un-Mase-like that Gage found himself paying careful attention to what he had to say.  "Go find Sam."  That was it, three simple words but full of meaning.
    Gage gave him a chin lift, then left.
    * * * * *
    Cassie knew as she stepped through the door of the ranch house that she would get shit from her aunt about being home so soon, and she wasn't wrong.
    "Cassandra Wagner, why the heck are you home so early?  You've only been gone a few hours."
    Logan sat, coloring at the coffee table and at the mention of her name his head snapped up.  He got to his feet shouting, "Momma," running at her full steam and wrapping his little arms around her thighs in a tight hug.
    "Hey, little man."  Cassie squatted and enfolded her son in her arms.  "I missed you."  She backed away and looked at him.  "Were you a good boy for Auntie?"
    He nodded his head, shouted, "Yes,"  then ran back to his coloring.
    Her aunt shook her head.  "I wish I had half his energy.  Now, tell me, young lady, why are you home so soon?"
    Cassie looked over at Logan, making sure he wasn't paying attention to their conversation.  "I ran into Logan's father." 
    She heard her aunt inhale a shocked breath.  She didn't know who Logan's father was, no one did, except Monica.  She still kept in touch with her college friend, but she moved back home to New Mexico after graduation so didn't see her as often as she once did.
    "Did you tell him about Logan?"
    Cassie gave her a sharp look.  "Of course, not.  I didn't say anything.  I just left.  That's why I'm home so early."
    "I know I've said this before," her aunt started, and Cassie already knew what she would say, "but, he has a right to know he has a son."
    Cassie sighed, she loved her aunt, truly.  She was the one person who had stuck by her when she had wanted to keep Logan and her parents had wanted her to put him up for adoption.  Let's just say, relations between her and her parents had been strained, actually, they had been nonexistent, for the past five years, but her aunt had always supported her.  Literally and figuratively.  "My reasoning is the same today as it was back then.  He broke up with me because he didn't want to be tied down.  I'm not going to tie him to me with a child."
    Laurie shook her head and sighed. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I am going to tell you that I think you're wrong.  The man has a right to know.  Now, I've said my piece, we won't talk about it anymore.  I want to know about Charlie.  Did he go to a good home?"
    And that was what Cassie loved about her aunt.  She spoke her mind, gave you her advice, but she didn't preach.  So Cassie let her change the subject and told her all about Charlie and his new home.
     
    Cassie lay in bed that night, unable to fall asleep.  Her thoughts were full of Gage.  She knew it was unhealthy to think of him.  It had taken a long time to mend her broken heart and it hadn't helped that Logan was the spitting image of his father.  Cassie had taken her aunt's words to heart.  Sometimes, she did wonder whether she had made the right decision all those years ago.  Especially, when she looked at Logan and worried she had cheated him out of the love of a father.  He didn't understand now but in a few years he would, and one day he would ask. 
    She honestly thought she had done the right thing, this afternoon, in not telling Gage about Logan.  She didn't want to trap Gage, make him feel obligated to a child he didn't want.  His career was important to him, and with him always out on tour, how often would he be around anyway? 
    But a small voice in the back of her head called her a liar.  Telling her the real reason she didn't share Logan with Gage was because, after so many years, if he ever found out, he would hate her.  In all honesty, she had been scared to tell him.  Even though she would most likely never see he again, she didn't want, if he ever thought of her, him thinking of her with bad feelings.