Soul Mates (33 page)

They made plans to meet in the city before Trevor returned to Europe. Cassandra was glad to have more time to spend with the brother she adored, and she was thrilled to learn that she’d be meeting his partner, Maurice, who was joining him there. Right now, however, she was eager to return to Jace’s apartment.

JACE HUNG UP the phone and circled the living room a couple of times before flopping down in his worn recliner. He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face or keep from shaking his head in disbelief.

“It shouldn’t surprise you,” Sophie remarked. “You were a vibrational match to it.”

I know, but an inheritance from an uncle I’ve never met?
he laughed.
I couldn’t have imagined anything like that happening.

“The Universe is creative when it comes to your well-being,” she replied. “It’s not responding to your literal thoughts, it’s responding to the essence of your desire. Financial well-being can come in all sorts of ways. It’s fun to let the Universe take care of the details. It makes life much more interesting, doesn’t it?”

You can say that again
.
His future had exploded into a plethora of possibilities. Nothing was out of the question. Life felt limitless. It had become a carnival ride rather than a tedious trek. Everything seemed easy and effortless. The only thing causing him angst was the unavoidable meeting with his mom, later.

“Sophie,” he addressed the void in front of him. “I could use your advice. I’m not sure how to tell Mom about Cassandra.”

“How would you like it to play out?”

“Okay,” he nodded. “I see where you’re going with this. I need to imagine it the way I want it to be. Let’s see.” He closed his eyes and pictured his mom’s kitchen. He could smell bread fresh from the oven. He could see her smiling and hear her laugh as they joked about something. Then he thought about confessions he’d made in the past, like bad report cards or breaking a neighbor’s window. Without exception, she’d listened to his side of the story before responding. She’d let him know there were always consequences for his actions but was quick to remind him how much she loved him. She was a good mother. Suddenly love and appreciation outweighed apprehension. His news would come as a shock, but she’d be okay with it. More than that, she’d find a way to be happy for him.

I did it again!
Jace was ecstatic. With deliberate effort, he’d changed his emotional set point. This time he noticed something new. It was the movement itself that was exhilarating—not just the result it produced.

“Fun, isn’t it?”

“I could get addicted to this!” he laughed and then thought of a new question for his nonphysical mentor. “Is this why we come here? To experience this?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Desires change, manifestations vary, but the vibrational movement that brings us into alignment—that’s the main attraction.”

Jace contemplated the new ideas, while savoring the new high he’d achieved. When a knock on the door announced Cassandra’s return, he responded by jumping up and meeting her halfway across the room. He wrapped her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. Neither of them spoke. The joy and satisfaction of being together couldn’t be enhanced with words. After a moment, he led her to the sofa where the only sounds were those of passion being expressed.

Desire heightened, yet time seemed to slow as the perfection of their lovemaking revealed itself. Holding Jace’s gaze, Cassandra undid her blouse, exposing breasts barely covered by a lacy bra. In one easy motion, she removed her skirt to reveal more of the tantalizing lace. Jace wanted her, and quickly, but his need for her extended beyond the physical. He had never known passion so permeated with love. He wanted all of her—body, soul, and spirit—and he was willing to give all of himself in return.

With self-control he’d never known, he kissed every inch of her magnificent body, bringing her to delirium as her need for him reached a feverish height. He watched her crest with satisfaction. Only then did their bodies unite, taking them to an ecstasy beyond anything they’d ever experienced.

Even once they’d caught their breath, it was a few minutes before they punctured the pristine silence with words. A deeper communication was taking place. Their hearts were speaking to each other in a language no words could convey. Jace didn’t need to ask what Cassandra was thinking. The joy on her face, the smile on her lips, and the tears shimmering in her eyes echoed the powerful love that filled his heart and constricted his throat.

“If we have to be apart for five days…” Cassandra breathed, running her hand through Jace’s hair. “I’m going to replay this moment every time I think of you. I love you so much.”

“Me too.” He laced his fingers in hers. “When I was kissing your beautiful body, I was memorizing every part of you so I could have you with me…in my mind. You’re already in my soul. I think you’ve been there for a long time.”

“No one’s ever said anything like that to me, Jace.” She laughed as more tears escaped. “But then, I’ve never met anyone like you…at least not in this lifetime.”

“Did you tell them?” He didn’t have to say who, and she didn’t have to ask. His curiosity had been set aside momentarily, but now he really wanted to know how her parents had responded.

“Yeah,” she nodded.

Her smile told him the encounter hadn’t been too unpleasant. As she supplied the details, he was tangibly relieved to learn that her father had sanctioned their relationship.

“What about your mom? Will she be okay with this?”

“She’ll love you,” Jace assured her.

When it was time to go out for dinner, Cassandra smiled and handed him the keys to her rental car. He’d made a reservation at the restaurant he’d taken his mom to for her last birthday. As they pulled up, she proclaimed, “Celinos! I love this place. Good choice.”

The food was excellent, though pricey, and it gave Jace satisfaction just knowing he could afford to take Cassandra there. He’d yet to tell her about the money he was to receive. He waited until the main course was served before relaying the news, trying to sound casual. He’d come to the realization that while the amount seemed like a small fortune to him, for Cassandra it was a pittance. “I know it’s not a big deal,” he shrugged. “I figure between fifteen and twenty-thousand after taxes. But it’ll really help. I can finally do something with my life.”

“Oh my God, Jace!” she exclaimed, grasping his hand. “It
is
a big deal. You created this. You changed your reality by changing your thinking. Do you know what this means?”

He was taken aback by her response. His mind sought to analyze what had just taken place.
Why did I downplay it? Why did I feel I had to make it less significant for Cassandra’s sake?
By doing so, he’d removed the joy from it. Not only that but he’d let their differences, real or perceived, influence his behavior. What struck him the most, however, is that he’d made an assumption about Cassandra, about how she would react to his news, and he’d been wrong.
Sophie, I could really use your help here,
he petitioned.

“What is it?” Cassandra asked.

“You…us. This is going to be interesting,” he sighed, still trying to sum up his thoughts.

She waited for him to explain, but she looked uneasy.

He tried to put her mind at rest. “You’re amazing.”

A smile formed, but concern remained on her brow. “Jace, talk to me. What’s going on?”

“I thought…that amount of money wouldn’t mean much to you. I’m sorry,” he responded quickly to the look on her face. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. “I’ve judged you, and I don’t want to do that.”

“Jace, I know this may sound arrogant, but it’s not about the money.”

“I know.” He caressed her hand lovingly. “You reminded me of that. Your response…your excitement for me…You’re right. It is a big deal. I nearly went through the roof when I heard it. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. The money’s great. I mean, it’s fuckin’ incredible, but the power I feel knowing that I did this, knowing I can do it again…Finally feeling like I’m in control of my life…God, what a rush!” Jace was back to the high he’d been on earlier, and Cassandra was laughing.

“This
is
going to be interesting.” She sat back with a nod. “Aunt Sophia wanted us together for a reason, and I’m beginning to understand why.” Turning serious, she leaned forward again. “I think we’ve touched on something important here, Jace. If we can make money irrelevant, take it out of the equation…If we can focus on creating our reality and having fun, then we’ve found the secret to making this work.” With burgeoning excitement, she added, “We’ve both got dreams, and nothing can stop us from achieving them. There’s nothing we can’t be or do or have.”

“That’s what Sophie always says,” Jace grinned. “I guess somewhere along the line, I started believing it.”

CASSANDRA DIDN’T want the evening to end. They sat in the restaurant until she had to leave to catch her flight. As they drove to the airport, it occurred to her that they were setting the precedent for many Sunday evenings to come. She realized, too, that the city no longer held the attraction it had in the past. As much as she liked what she did and the people she worked with, her job no longer offered the seduction it once had.

As she thought about her desire to do more with her life, she realized that Port Hayden held the potential for the fulfillment of her dreams. She couldn’t stop thinking about the book she wanted to write. Ideas were forming; anticipation was growing. The woman she’d met at the funeral had inspired the vision. Rather than a biography or a self-help guide, it would be creative nonfiction, a genre that was becoming more common in her industry. It would be fact written in literary form, highlighting Sophia’s life as it intertwined with others, her own included.

Cassandra couldn’t wait to interview the woman, along with anyone else who would be willing to speak to her about their connection with Sophia Langdon. However, she wasn’t deceiving herself. Port Hayden held an appeal for another reason. Port Hayden meant being with Jace.

She kept her musings to herself. As much as she loved Jace and felt his love in return, they had yet to talk about their future together. She had no doubt she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but it was too soon to be talking of marriage. She was content, for now, to get to know him better and spend as much time with him as she could.

It isn’t the money or the stuff.

It is absolutely the amount of joy that you feel.”

--- Abraham-Hicks

CHAPTER 22

A LIGHT WAS flashing on his answering machine as Jace arrived home from work the next day. The message was from the law office of Harmon, Corruthers & Scott, requesting a meeting with him on Wednesday at six. His stomach tightened as he considered the possible reasons for the call.
Could this be about Sophie’s jewelry?
What if Cassandra’s family has changed their mind about her dating me and wants to make trouble?

Thoughts of Sophie reminded him that all was well. He had proof that he hadn’t taken the jewelry; there was no reason to worry. Nevertheless, he decided to pay a visit to the community center and get the name and number of the woman in charge of donations in case he needed to produce it for the lawyer.

When he arrived he was told that Mrs. Davidson, the woman organizing the fundraising, was in her office. He hadn’t anticipated talking to her, so he rehearsed a quick speech as he walked down the hallway. “Mrs. Davidson?” he asked, rapping lightly on her open door.