Cloud Riders (Lord of the Planets) (11 page)

Squaring her shoulders and holding her head up, she put out her hand and began to beg for a lift as car after car drove straight past her. She was only walking now and she had lost all motivation when she heard a car slow down. She stopped and looked inside the window, finding a kindly elderly couple inside.

They introduced themselves as Ruby and Jim. Both seemed very sweet and told Cassie they were on their way to the city of Perth, right where she wanted to be. Jumping in, she pushed the last of her past behind her. Cassie confided that she had come to Western Australia for a holiday and even though thugs had mugged her of all belongings, she loved this part of the country and had decided to stay. She was on her way to Perth to get a job and make a better life for herself.

Her story moved Ruby and Jim. They felt sorry for the young woman they had befriended and offered her lodging in their home.

Ruby was a grandma. The silvery-grey hair that she had pulled firmly back into a bun highlighted a weathered face, imprinted from a hard-working life. Yet there was a kindness in her eyes. It was new to Cassie and it drew her in, making her feel very special. Jim was a jovial gentleman who opened the door for Ruby and always held her arm when they moved anywhere. They were the perfect couple who told Cassie they were up for their fortieth wedding anniversary. Cassie pushed the thought away that they could have been Kayden and her, many years from now. She reminded herself that love—his love—was something she had left at the river with that terrified girl she had once been.

Ruby and Jim lived in a suburb called Belmont within walking distance of a shopping centre. The next day Cassie headed off, determined to get work in one of the many stores. To her surprise the first shop she walked into had a vacancy and she began full time work in a stylish dress shop. It was okay, although there was always a constant nagging inside her that she should be somewhere else. Where though, she didn’t know.

Ruby and Jim had a grandson named Alex who came to the house quite regularly. Ruby told Cassie she thought he had a thing for her but no man was ever going to enter her heart again so she kept her distance. Alex was your tall, dark and handsome stereotypical male who probably had women swarming all over him and as far as Cassie was concerned, they could have him.

One night after dinner he asked Cassie if she was interested in a job where he worked. Alex was the floor manager at the casino and an opening had come up that he felt would suit her. She smiled politely and asked him for details. She figured anything would be better than watching people dress all day while telling them how great they looked, hoping to snag a sale. She shuddered at the thought of doing it too much longer. Alex told Cassie they were looking for a games manager. All she had to do was organise the staff on the gaming tables and sometimes help the events manager with the casino entertainment.

‘You seem to have a flair for enjoyment,’ he said. ‘You’re always so bright and cheery that it would be refreshing to have someone happy around the office. The job is yours if you want it but no pressure. I’ll give you a couple of days to think about it.’

She chuckled. ‘I hardly need a couple of days to think about getting out of that dress shop. Washing dishes would be more exciting than turning up there every day. When do I start?’ Cassie asked, flattered he had thought to offer it to her.

Fate Meeting

Cassie had been working at the casino for a few months and had a good rapport with her work mates and the regulars, even knowing them all by name. Towards the end of the shift her instincts alerted her that she was being watched, yet detected nobody unusual as she glanced around the noisy crowd. Being used to overzealous drunks perving on her, she shrugged it off and continued with her walk of the floor.

It was a good night with the casino in full swing and the room packed with gambling patrons. Flitting from one game table to the next, Cassie made sure the dealers were handling players tactfully and that they had their game faces on.

She stopped at one of her favourite tables. The patrons there were having a good night. She kidded around with a couple of the big players, soaking in their good mood before moving on. Then she felt the eyes on her again.

Why is it bothering me?
Cassie was used to others watching her and she normally relied on the bouncers to keep a lookout for troublemakers and move them along for her. However, the eyes she felt on her were becoming disturbing. Scanning the gaming floor more carefully this time, she gasped as her eyes rested on a man from her past. Leaning against the railing with a drink in his hand and a slight grin on his face was Woody.

Oh my God!
That was the only immediate thought Cassie’s brain could manage as she stood frozen to the spot, her hand up to her mouth, not taking her eyes off him as all the memories flooded back to her. Pain ripped across her chest, squeezing her fragile heart as if it were in a vice. The colour drained from her face and the room began to spin. An agonizing electric shock surged through her as all the emotions she had squashed deep inside her surfaced. She felt herself fighting her way through blackness, then nothing.

When she came around, Alex was talking to her. ‘Are you hurt anywhere, sweetie?’

Cassie frowned. The raw memories were tumbling into her new world while she fought to reseal the opened door within. She tried to get up, pushing everyone away from her. With one quick movement Alex had Cassie in his arms, looking overly worried as he carried her into the office and laid her on the couch.

‘You’ve just passed out and until I get you checked, Cassie, you do as you are told and rest,’ he said, getting a cold cloth and dabbing her forehead.

Cassie was being ungrateful so she let him fuss, glad there was no Woody in sight when she woke up. Facing him again just now would be unbearable to say the least. She didn’t like it that Alex seemed a little too concerned about her and realised his feelings for her were more than those of just a workmate.

‘I’ve called an ambulance, Cassie. Can you hear me?’ Cassie heard Alex say. She slowly opened the eyes that wanted to stay closed to hide her embarrassment over collapsing in front of everyone.

‘Please, no ambulance. I’ll be fine. I just need to rest a minute.’

Alex rinsed out the cloth in cold water again and let the coolness of it sit on her forehead. ‘I just want them to look at you. They’re here now. Please do not fight me on this, Cass,’ he said, still troubled.

The ambulance team came in with a bag and checked her vitals. They agreed that Cassie had just fainted and suggested that she should visit her local doctor for some tests as soon as it was convenient.

After they left, Cassie wondered if she really saw Woody or if she had just imagined it. She sat up, drinking the coffee Alex made for her and apologising for the embarrassing display in front of his patrons. ‘Sorry to scare you, Alex, I just …’ And it was then that Cassie realised how she still held her secret past sacred, as her voice even now would not allow her to whisper his name.

Alex sat next to her. ‘Did it have anything to do with that guy with the red hair who caught you before you fell? He put up a hell of a stink. He wanted to stay with you but I had him removed from the premises.’

Cassie couldn’t talk about it even to Alex who she considered to be a good friend. So she did what she had to and lied. ‘No, I don’t know who he was, I just felt dizzy. My fault totally. Not been sleeping well lately.’ She stood up. ‘I really would prefer to go home now. My shift’s over and I think I just need an early night.’

Alex smiled sweetly and patted her hand. ‘At least let me take you home so I know you got there safely.’

Cassie nodded, not really wanting to face walking outside alone and maybe running into any more of her past tonight. They walked out to the car park together and Alex kindly opened the car door for her and even did up the seat belt. Cassie lay back, letting him buckle her in. She was so exhausted she didn’t even protest when he insisted on walking her to the door and laid a goodnight kiss on her cheek before he headed back to work.

He was very sweet, she thought as she walked inside and flopped on her bed. He even offered to sit with her for a while. She frowned.
Yes, sweet, but does he have ulterior motives?
Unable to deal with thoughts of a future with any man Cassie had politely rejected his offer, preferring him to leave her alone to think.

Her cover was blown and the memories were now tearing her heart apart. All these months later she had to face up to the fact that she had not run away from him at all. She still kept her love for him deep inside and it was now killing her to even think his name.
Kayden,
the love of my life! How am I going to do it again?

She groaned, knowing how hard it was to forget the first time. Now, just seeing a friend of his had set her world upside down. What would she be like if it had been Kayden himself? She groaned again, punching her pillow.
Damn him!
Tossing herself over onto her stomach, she started to sob. She cried all night until there were no more tears left to cry, not getting out of bed until around midday when she felt a bit better.

Cassie rationalised the whole situation and decided that just because she had seen his mate, Woody, didn’t mean that Kayden would look for her. She kicked herself again as these memories alone showed her how innocent she had been, unable to see until now just how one-sided the relationship had been. She had practically thrown herself at him and today could almost feel sorry for the guy for having such a wimpy puppy begging for his love.

Cassie stood in front of the full-length mirror.
If he never came to you before, girl, he won’t now. Get it together and forget him.
She scowled at herself.
Now, stop being stupid. He never loved you and it’s time you faced up to it and started a new life
. Cassie smiled at her grumpy face and knew this time she had no intentions of squashing the memories she held. She was older, more self-assured and deserved respect.
It is time you opened up your heart, woman, and found a new love.
Cassie kissed her fingers and pressed them to her reflection in the mirror. ‘You deserve better than to allow yourself to be treated so poorly,’ she whispered, feeling energised with the talk she had given to herself.
Yes, today I may give Alex a chance to fill the emptiness I carry.

Cassie picked up her jacket and handbag and headed for the door with a new spring in her step. She had been just an immature girl when Kayden found her and she had let him be mean to her, just as she had allowed her parents to be mean to her. But not anymore! She had friends now, a good job and a nice place to live with a loving couple who genuinely cared for her. Thinking this, she felt strong as she set off for work. If she was ever to see them again she would be polite but that was all they deserved from her.
My time living with hurt is over.

Alex was happy to see Cassie although he frowned at the dark rings under her eyes. ‘Maybe you should take a couple of days off, Cassie. We can manage around here.’

Cassie opened her purse and dotted powder around her eyes. ‘There, good as new. I’ll be fine.’

He shook his head and laughed. ‘You’re worse than me. Just remember the job’s not worth your health. If you change your mind, just come see me.’

Over the next few weeks Cassie worked hard and for many hours a day. It took her mind off the reality that had finally sunk in: she realised she had been right in her thinking that if Kayden had any feelings for her he would have come for her long before this. She viewed her options: one being to go and face him, kick him in the shins, maybe yell at him for being so damned hard to forget. The more level-headed option was to settle contently back into her job and the new world she had created for herself. She chose the second as the more sensible.

Cassie relaxed a little more around Alex, allowing him to be more attentive than usual. One night after work as Alex walked her to the car she let her guard down and threw caution to the wind. They had become very good friends over the months and walking arm-in-arm with him felt very natural to Cassie. She started to think that maybe giving Alex a go wasn’t such a bad idea. She certainly felt comfortable around him. Cassie chattered and laughed with him and knew that tonight, if he asked her on a date, she had every intention of accepting. They stood by the car against which Alex would usually lean, talking to her. Only tonight without warning, he took her in his arms and kissed her.

It was unexpected and at first, Cassie tensed. He nearly pulled away but she put her arms around him so he would stay. His lips were warm and the kiss was different from what she remembered a kiss felt like but she didn’t hate it. She lingered, letting herself relax to give him every opportunity to make her feel the passion she had once felt. After a few minutes it felt sweet: not passionate, just sweet. He pulled away and looked at her through loving eyes and she felt sad, knowing her feelings weren’t the same. She wondered if she would ever feel true emotion again.

‘Alex, please,’ she said. ‘I just can’t. I’m not ready yet.’ Tears sprang to her eyes.

His heart sunk because she didn’t feel the same way he did. But he felt worse because he had upset her. ‘I’m sorry, Cassie. I shouldn’t have forced you.’

She blushed. ‘We won’t act all funny next time we see each other, will we? I’d hate this to change things between us. You’re my best friend.’

Alex kissed her forehead. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get over the rejection.’ He grinned, trying to lighten the moment.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow. However, I won’t be wiping it from my memory banks, Cassie. If you think I’m giving up on us any time soon you’d better think again. Just the fact you let me kiss you makes me know you care about me and that’s enough for now,’ he said, sounding like he always did and making her grin. He stuck his hands in his pockets and headed back to the casino.

Cassie watched him walk away and wiped more tears from her face. ‘What is wrong with you, girl?’ she said, annoyed with herself. She went to open the car door when a hand closed it and a familiar arm wrapped around her waist.