Chapter 5 (Promises and Silence )

Elsie told me that Jay was single, didn't she? Or was it that he had no wife yet? Maybe this woman was a girlfriend, a coworker, a fiancée. 

I forced myself to look away. My glass felt too small to hide behind, and the wine tasted like sour jealousy on my tongue.

Was it a diversion? Holding the woman? Did Jay want to send a message so he came with arm-candy just to keep me away?

Or was I just reading too much into this? I felt worse for what I did. No, it wasn't my fault. Jay kissed me! But I asked for it.

I didn’t realize how stiff I had gone until Arthur’s voice rang behind me. “Cassandra, my dear!”

He always called me by my full name. I smiled and turned to face him, letting the polite daughter-in-law mask slip into place.

“Arthur, you look dashing today.” It was true. He had on a cotton green suit and silk paisley tie. 

He held both my hands, warm and familiar, and planted a kiss on my cheek. “And you look like a gem in a treasure chest. Where is that son of mine? Didn’t you two come together?”

“No,” I said, glancing quickly over his shoulder. “He came ahead of me. I haven’t seen him yet.”

Arthur chuckled. “That one is always making the rounds. Probably cornering some retired CEO for a pitch.”

I laughed softly, and just then, a breeze swept past us, carrying Jay’s voice. I didn’t catch what he said, but I didn’t need to. I could feel it ripple under my skin.

Arthur was a little man beside his second son. I hesitated to turn and look at Jay. 

“My son.” The old man smiled. “Have you met Cassandra Raymond, Don's wife?”

A side smile played with the corner of his lips. “No. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Raymond.” He was teasing me.

I took his hand. “Likewise.”

“Jay is just returning from Morocco on a business trip. He was unable to attend the wedding.”

“My apologies.”

“It’s fine,” I said. 

“I’ll have to leave you two now, I have newly arriving guests.” Arthur turned to greet the new arrivals, giving me the perfect moment I had been waiting for.

Just as I opened my mouth, I heard my name.

“Cassie.”

I turned.

Don.

There was something about seeing him without the corporate armor, no suit jacket, just his shirt sleeves rolled and collar slightly open. His eyes scanned my face. His hand was in his pocket.

I straightened. “Don.”

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said. His voice was quieter than usual, and it threw me off. “Dad just told me you were here.”

I wanted to apologize, I should have apologized but I didn’t. “I was just asking your brother where you were.”

Don’s eyes took me in from top to bottom. “Good.” Good? Not ravishing? Not stunning? I was practically swathed in European royalty level clothing and all he could say was good.

“Thank you,” I choked out. “I was looking for you but Arthur said you were probably busy.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I raised the corner of my eye to glance at Jay. 

Don nodded once. “I get that.”

There was a silence between us, heavy but not hostile.

Jay took his chance. “Nice choice of outfit, brother. I am sure father will be pleased with how you look in his event.” Jay was mocking. I didn't know how Don would take it but I could feel the tense air rising in Don.

He took a breath, glanced toward the main house like he wanted to be anywhere but here, then looked back at me. “Why don't we head in. I was doing some work before I came out to find you.”

Typical Don. The party pooper. Working during a gala. Swooping into my moment just to ruin it.

I knew I should not argue with him right in front of his brother so I bent my head and followed him like a dog with its tail between its legs.

When we got inside, he was taking me up the stairs. “Don…”

“Cassandra?”

“Everyone calls me Cassie,” I said too quickly.

He studied me without blinking. “I will call you Cassandra. I am not everyone. I am your husband.”

Then should I call him Donovan? “I am actually feeling a little faint. I do not want to be indoors. You know I like the flowers and the garden is so beautiful—”

“You are saying you want to go back?”

It was the first time I stood up to Don. “Yes.” I nodded. 

He looked at his watch and then looked up at me. “Theo will come find you when it is time to go. We will leave together.” And with that, Don turned to leave. 

Great. Now I have to find Jay again and hope I can speak with him in private. He was not at the spot where we left him but he was not far off either. I could only see the back of his head over some tall hedges. It was only when I got nearer that I noticed that a small group of distinguished people were gathered around him. But the words were already out of my mind before I could stop them.

“Hey, we need to talk.” And the award for worst opening sentence goes to me. What were we? A couple?

I turned to the people around him with an apologetic, almost embarrassed look. I waited for Jay to say that he was having a serious conversation or that I should wait a few minutes but he promptly gestures to the small group to disperse. They quickly left his side with immediate effect.

Jay turned to me with those focused eyes that made me feel like the singular interest of his universe for the time that they were on me. How could I speak when he looked at me with that much intensity? 

“You keep getting prettier.” He mused.

I could not believe he led with that. I almost slapped his arm. How could he say that when we have only met on two occasions. And this was a dilemma he was in with a married woman and what he did was flirt? I should have been disgusted but the redness of my cheeks betrayed me. A smile broke out.

“How can you say that when you have seen me only twice?”

“I got the wedding pictures too,” he said with a pointed tone. “I was glad that my brother would finally have some light in his life. So what is it that we need to talk about?”

I blinked, not wanting to be the one to bring it up. Jay didn’t flinch. He waited with his hands on his waist, outlining his structure. Could this man make it any easier for me? 

“It is about what happened in the garden that night,” I blurted.

“What happened?” Was he being serious? This guy. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“The kiss, Jay. It was not supposed to happen. It was careless and irresponsible and it was wrong. I should never have let it happen.”

“So why did you?” Oh he was having fun with this.

“Because I was out of my mind. We were having drinks, my senses kind of faded. I would never do that if I was sober.” I did not believe the words coming out of my mouth because the two of us standing there in the garden made me crave to feel it again. The dangerous kiss. I would totally do it sober. But it was wrong.

It could never happen again.

“So what I am saying, Jay,” I continued. “Is that since it was a mistake? Could you please keep this away from your brother?”

Jay’s smirk slowly faded and a more serious expression took its place like storm clouds appearing in the sky. He took a breath, stepped closer—closer than he should have—and tilted his head just slightly, studying me like I’d just turned into a riddle he didn’t know how to solve.

“Is that what you think it was?” he asked, voice low, no longer teasing. “A mistake?”

I hated how my pulse jumped. I crossed my arms, holding myself like I could press the truth back into my chest. “I have to think that.”

“Because of Don.”

“Because of everything.”

Jay looked away for a beat, as if trying to collect something scattered in his thoughts. His gaze settled on the distance, somewhere behind me, and then drifted back, quieter now. “Don doesn’t see you.”

I froze. “Don is my husband.”

“And you’re his possession,” he said sharply, eyes darkening. “I saw the way he paraded you around like a trophy. Tell people how ‘tame’ you are. Is that what you want? To spend the rest of your life being displayed?”

“You don’t know anything about our marriage,” I said, but my voice cracked halfway through. Because I wanted him to know. I wanted someone to see how trapped I was.

Jay stepped closer again, just enough that I could smell his cologne — dark, woodsy, familiar. “I know you kissed me back. Why did you?” It was not a question. It was a confrontation.

The words lodged in my throat. Heat rushed to my face.

He leaned down, his voice brushing my ear. “And I know you’re scared of what it means.”

My arms dropped to my sides. I wanted to deny it, but nothing came. The silence stretched between us like a thread pulled too tight.

“B- but you called me the light in his life. I am your brother’s wife!”

Jay exhaled, stepping back before the moment swallowed us whole. “Fine. I’ll keep it to myself. But don’t insult me by calling it a mistake.” He turned, walked a few steps, then paused. “And Cassie?”

I looked up.

“You’re going to think about that kiss every time you look at him.”

Then he walked away, leaving the garden feeling smaller, and my heart racing faster. Louder than ever.