Blaze's Second Chance (The Sinclair Men) (4 page)

Cassie licked her lips and stared at the floor. She couldn’t do this. Not now.

“I think you should leave,” she said and walked toward the door.

She heard him following her, and she reached out to the door knob. Blaze pressed a hand above her head and closed her front door. Her heart raced, and she turned to face him.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t leave without doing this.” Blaze kissed her.

Cassie hated herself for melting against his touch. Her arms wrapped around him, and she responded, opening her lips so he could seek entry. She pulled away first and forced the door open.

Blaze caressed her cheek and left.

Chapter Four

Three years later

“She wants the house and a hefty settlement, along with a monthly expense account open and available. Mrs. Sinclair has said that if you agree with her terms then she’ll not fight for custody, and you can have complete control of Blaze Junior.” Blaze listened to his divorce lawyer while watching his little boy playing in the garden with his nanny. He was a gorgeous boy, thick dark wavy hair, sweet delicious baby face and a sharp mind, too, his son, Blaze Sinclair Jr.

“Do whatever she wants. I want that woman out of my life. Make sure that I don’t have to deal with her directly.” Blaze nodded to his lawyer and left his home office. He and his son had a date with his father. Blaze was under strict instruction to take time off work and visit his father’s home by the sea.

Three years had been wasted. Besides the birth of his son, life with Francesca had been a nightmare. The woman was a manipulating, cheating bitch. He couldn’t stand her. Coming home to see her fucking the gardener in view of his son’s window had been the last straw. He thanked God that his little boy hadn’t been home that day.

“You don’t love me, Blaze. How can I ever be happy when you’re constantly thinking of someone else?” She had thrown the accusation at him. He couldn’t argue with her. He may have given her his name, his body and even his heir, but his heart and soul were owned by another, entirely different woman. A woman who called to the man and not just his money and position in life.

Cassie Walker. He thought about her often. What was she doing? Was she happy? He knew that Chris kept in touch with her regularly. Blaze never asked, and he couldn’t bear to go and see her. She tore his world apart with wishing and wanting. Some days it was all he did. Sat around and wondered what life would’ve been like if he’d gotten Cassie pregnant instead of Francesca. His relationship had been doomed from the start. While he’d been with Francesca, he’d fantasised about being with Cassie, and once during sex he’d screamed out Cassie’s name. The argument and the feud that succeeded had been horrendous. He stood on the patio, watching his son giggle as his young nanny tickled him.

“You little monster.” He listened to them both. They were more like brother and sister than nanny and charge.

“Daddy.” Blaze felt his heart lift as his little boy ran to him, beaming in happiness.

“Hey, little guy. You ready to go to Grandpa’s?” Blaze picked him up, holding him close.

“Yep, yep. Nanny Tracy, back when you need her.” His voice was so sweet and cute. His son melted his frozen heart. His words were all over the place for his age
,
but Blaze knew what his son meant.

“That’s right.” Blaze turned his attention to the nanny. “I’ll keep in touch. You’ve been a big help, Tracy.”

“Hey, what are neighbours for? And anyway I made some extra cash, so my dad won’t be driving me crazy when I ask.” She leaned up and kissed Blaze Jr. on the cheek. “Right, little monster, I will see you soon. Take care.”

“Bye, Nanny
Tracy
,” Blaze Jr. and Blaze said, following her to the door. They waved good bye. Blaze got his son’s attention with a little shake.

“Wanna go to Grandpa’s?”

“Yes. I wanna see Grandma Molly. She makes cookies.” Blaze Jr
.
smacked his lips.

Blaze chuckled. “Yep. Molly’s cookies are the best.”

Blaze strapped him into the car while his butler loaded the trunk with their suitcases. He waved off his butler and was on the road to his dad’s. It was a good three hour drive. Blaze spent his time singing kiddies songs and playing Simon Says.

No matter how often he sang, his mind would drift to one Christmas party where he had given his heart to the one woman who mattered.

****

Cassie was rushing around her apartment. Whiskers, who was now a lot fatter, just sat purring watching her.

“You know you could help me.” Cassie huffed at her incredibly fat cat. She would need to put him on a diet soon if he kept getting heavier.

Going away for three weeks shouldn’t be this stressful. Starting her first agency hadn’t been this stressful. She owned her own
agency
where high end companies paid for her and her staff to find, hire, and train staff. Much had happened in the three years since the disaster with Blaze Sinclair. She had managed to build up her own business, which she had thought she’d never be able to do. Due to all of her success, she had managed to buy her house. What she loved most about having her own business was the amount of time she had to spend attending to it. She didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on the past. There were times Blaze entered her mind, but the moment she began working his memory went right to the back. Owning her own home, a full-time working business, and having a substantial enough income for her to not worry about the future had been goals she never thought achievable. She had managed to conquer her own doubts. Her friendship with Chris Sinclair was the biggest shock of all. He was the best friend she’d ever had. She couldn’t regret a moment of it. Cassie Walker wasn’t the shy receptionist whom people saw walking into a building and forgot within five minutes. Now, she owned
an
office giving her the  independence she needed. Her small company had a sound reputation.

“Where have I put those bloody keys?” She turned around and around in circles, hoping they would jump out at her. She looked at her fluffy chair that Whiskers was seated on. “You little sneak. I know you hate riding in the car, but we, Mister, are going on vacation. We deserve it.” She picked the bulk of her cat up, and there, shining up at her, were her car keys.

Cassie packed the last suitcase into the car. She went back up one final time to collect Whiskers. The phone rang as she passed, and without thinking she picked it up.

“Hi, Cassie Walker speaking,” she said, her voice happy and chirpy.

“You should be on the road.” Chris Sinclair scolded  her.

“Listen, Mister.  I’m on my way out the door. I just got Whiskers.” The cat was killing her arm.

“Leave him. He’ll survive without food for well over a month,” Chris said.

“You miss him. I know you love little Whiskers,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just get on the road.”

“All right, all right. Going, going.” She slammed the phone down, leaving her apartment and locking the door. “Gone.” She smiled. She packed Whiskers into his box and made her way for the beach and relaxation.

****

At the house near the beach, Chris put the phone back into the cradle. “Cassie is on her way, and so is Blaze.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, son.” His father, David, did not like his son’s meddling schemes.

“Trust me, Dad. This will work. It’ll hurt, and there’ll be a few explosions, but in the end it will be happiness.” Chris could feel it.

“I hope you’re right.” Trent, the youngest brother, spoke from the doorway.

“Have a little faith, you two,” Chris said.

“I don’t want Molly upset anymore, Chris. This is supposed to be for us as well,” his father said.

Chris knew about the troubles in his father’s marriage. Molly had faced his father with divorce papers two months ago, saying she could no longer cope. His father had refused to sign them, being his usual bull self. This time was supposed to be for them to realise that marriage was good. It was part of the reason that his dad had asked his sons to come home, so Molly wouldn’t leave him. The rascal knew how much she loved his boys.

“I know, and this will help. Cassie and Blaze are supposed to be together. You didn’t see them three years ago. Francesca destroyed what they could have had. They can have it now.  They just need a little persuading.”

It was time for Cassie to have some happiness. Chris had stayed in touch, and they’d become good friends. Chris wanted to see his friend happy.

“I forgot to mention that Cassie is bringing her fat cat, Whiskers. Molly’s heart will melt.” Chris soothed his father.

“Luke and John will be arriving in a few days, so you boys be nice,” David said. Luke and John were the boys his dad had with Molly, his second and final wife.

“We’ve never had a problem with them before, Dad. What makes you think we’ll have one now?”
Trent
asked.
Trent
was the quiet one of all the children.

“Because it was Luke and John who told Molly to demand a divorce,” David growled.

Chris watched his father. He loved the old man, but he was stupid. He knew Molly suffered daily knowing that her husband would never love her. At least David thought he could never love another woman. Chris had loved his mother, but he knew the value of moving on. He hoped in time his father saw the same. 

“Stop your scheming, young men. It’s time for lunch.” Molly came into his father’s study wearing a stained apron. Chris watched as she smiled at Trent and himself, but nodded at their father, her eyes filled with pain and another emotion he had never seen there, hopelessness. Molly had finally given up hope. He watched as his father went to kiss Molly, but she turned away so he only grazed her cheek.

Seeing his dad and Molly struggling tugged at Chris.

It looked like his next mission would be to help his parents. That is what Molly was to him now, his parent.

Chapter Five

“Look, Daddy. There is Grandpa and Grandma.” Blaze Jr. squealed in delight.

Blaze parked the car his eyes on his Dad and Step-mum. There was something different about them, but he could not put his finger on it.

The car safely parked, Blaze Jr. jumped out of his seat and the car and ran over to his grandparents. In that instant, Blaze noticed the difference. They were on either side of his two brothers. They usually stood side by side, but they were separated by a huge gap. This gap startled the boy, who would usually just run to the centre and be shown attention by the two. Blaze Jr. stopped, hesitant.

“Uncle Trent and Uncle Chris,” he squealed moments later, running to the middle between them.

“Hiya, little guy,” they both said, roughing his hair.

Blaze Junior shook their hands, smiling at his uncles.

Blaze watched Molly take his son, leading him into the house, her face open and smiling.

“You guys going to help me get my cases?” Blaze asked, watching his father follow behind his wife, shoulders defeated.

Trent and Chris helped him with his stuff. “Jesus, Blaze. Is Francesca joining us with how much stuff you packed?”
Trent
mocked.

“Stop being a pussy. I’m a single father now,” Blaze said. “Anyway, what was with Molly and Dad? They’ve never been apart like that.”

Chris and Trent looked at each other. “You’re the match-maker. You tell him,”
Trent
said.

“Molly demanded a divorce a couple of months ago, and Dad refused,” Chris told Blaze while glaring at
Trent
.

“Dad must know the way she feels about him,” Blaze said, baffled.

“Luke and John were the bright ones who told Molly to do it,” Chris said.

“Those two bastards need to learn to keep their mouth shut.” Blaze was fuming.