Free Secrets by Jude Deveraux Page B

out?”
    â€œNo,” Thomas said angrily, “I’ve been complaining that you live with a woman who is equal to both our late wives but you’re too stubborn to see it.”
    Jeff’s face was just as angry. “Are you forgetting that the last woman I was in love with was killed because of me?”
    Thomas sat back in his seat, his anger leaving him. “No, I haven’t forgotten. Do you plan to go through your life without love?”
    â€œCome on, Dad,” Jeff said. “How’s your fish?”
    Thomas sighed. “Excellent, as always.” He lowered his voice. “It’s true that Cassie is an ‘innocent’ as you call her, but she’s only that way when you’re around. When she’s alone with Elsbeth and me, she’s…” Thomas searched for the word. “She’s a firecracker. She’s funny and smart and creative. It’s just when you come into the room that she becomes quiet and subdued.”
    â€œYou’ve said all this before,” Jeff said, “but it changes nothing. I don’t want Cassie to get hurt.”
    â€œYou’re no longer a field agent,” Thomas said, “so there wouldn’t be the danger that Lillian was in.”
    Jeff had heard every word before, so he couldn’t bring himself to listen. “Dad,” Jeff said slowly, “I know you’ve come to love Cassie and so do I, but not in the way you want me to. Sure, I’ve had some problems with…” He hesitated.
    â€œRaging desire?” Thomas asked.
    â€œI’m a firm believer that parents shouldn’t say such things to their children, but, yeah, raging desire. It wouldn’t work out between Cassie and me. I really hope that I like this woman, Skylar Beaumont. In spite of being a rich kid, she’s been around. Did you know that she used to go with Leo Norton? And she and Roger were nearly engaged when they were in college.”
    â€œIn my day, we had a name for girls like that,” Thomas said quietly.
    â€œI’m not going to argue with you,” Jeff said. “I know what I’m doing.”
    Thomas pushed his empty plate away. “I’ve never seen anyone who knew less what he was doing than you. Thank you for lunch.” He stood up. “By the way, when you saw your students’ eyes widen, you should have ducked.”
    â€œAnd let the bullet go over my head and hit one of them?”
    Thomas smiled. “Good boy. You look out for the people in your care. Now, if you just applied that to your home life and took care of—”
    Jeff cut his father off with a look, and Thomas went away, shaking his head.
    On his way to the bookstore, Thomas thought that the real problem was that Cassie made their home life so very easy. It had crossed his mind many times that what would help them all is if something happened to unsettle their lives. Lately, every time Cassie did something nice for Jeff, like buy him a new set of gym clothes or cook his favorite meal, Thomas wanted to tell her not to do it. Sometimes he wanted to shout “Don’t make him so damned comfortable!”
    But Thomas didn’t have the courage to upset their lives. The outcome could be good, but it could also mean that they’d lose Cassie, and he didn’t think that he or Elsbeth could stand that.
    He needed to think of something that would make his son see sense!

6
    I T WAS COOL BY THE WATER, and Jeff hadn’t brought a jacket. The little landing where he was to meet Roger was secluded but well lit with tall streetlamps. He shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for Roger, who came with his usual loud movements. “You’d never make an agent,” Jeff said, frowning. He wanted to be in his warm house, away from the mosquitoes, but one look at Roger’s face made him forget his complaints. “What’s happened?”
    â€œAfter you called, I made Althea tell me what she