Free The Forgotten Night by Becky Andrews Page A

you see her face?” Rachel said, walking up to him.
    Andrew snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at his sister. “How could she do that, Rach? She doesn’t love him. What do you think is happening in there?” he asked, pointing to the study.
    “I don’t know, but you know as well as I do that she does not love—”
    “Her eyes weren’t sparkling. They normally do when she’s really happy. They weren’t though.”
    “See, you know, Drew. Besides, I think she’s in there kicking his ass for being a complete idiot.”
    Drew smiled slightly and hugged his sister. “Thanks, sis, you know I’d go crazy without you.”
    “I know.” She laughed and bumped fists with him before heading off in the direction of the bar.
     
    * * *
     
    “How could you do that?” Cassidy yelled when she shut her father’s study door behind Robert.
    “Do what?” he asked blankly.
    “You asked me to marry you in front of all those people. You didn’t even give me a chance to—”
    “To what? Why are you getting upset with me? I love you, Cassidy. I know you love me.”
    Cassidy huffed at this statement. “Robert, I don’t—”
    “It’s all right, Cassidy, we can take this slow, I know this is fast. I mean we’ve only been going out for five months. We’ll have a long engagement. We don’t have to rush into anything. You can learn to love me.”
    All she wanted was to tell him was she didn’t love him, that she wanted to break up, but looking at his sincerely happy face, she decided to hold off for tonight. She would speak to him when both their emotions had settled.
    “Fine, Robert. I’m sorry I made a big deal out of this,” she said.
    “Good, I’m going to go back out, do you want to join me?” he asked, kissing her cheek.
    Cassidy shook her head. “I think I’m going to stay in here for a little bit. I’m a little bit tired of the party scene right now.”
    Robert nodded then kissed her on the lips and walked out of the study.
    Cassidy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and walked over to her father’s desk. She searched in the top drawer for the key to the liquor cabinet and found it under the pad of sticky notes.
    “Gotcha,” she said to herself. She straightened and walked over to the locked cabinet door and opened it with the key. She pulled out the whiskey bottle and a small shot glass and poured herself a little. She took the glass in her hand and downed the strong liquor. Setting the glass on the table, she rubbed her face with her hands, wondering what she’d gotten herself into.
     
    * * *
     
    “Am I interrupting the pity party?” Andrew asked as he shut and locked the door behind him. Cassidy bolted up and turned around. She willed her mouth not to smile and for once in her life her body cooperated.
    “What do you want, Andy?” she asked.
    “I just want to talk to you,” he said simply.
    Cassidy eyed him warily but stepped away from the cabinet. “What about?”
    “Your obvious animosity toward me and the fact that you agreed to marry somebody you don’t love.”
    “That’s not true,” she protested as she walked over to one of the bay windows.
    Andrew slowly followed her. “What’s not true, the first or the second thing I said?”
    “The first…the second…both,” she said with a frustrated sigh.
    “So you don’t hate me?” Andrew asked, settling in beside her.
    Cassidy looked up at Andrew. “No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
    “You haven’t spoken more than a few words to me since last year.”
    “Well, okay, so maybe I was a little upset with you, but that doesn’t mean I hate you, Andy. I don’t hate you.”
    “That’s good to know, but I’m still a little upset that you agreed to marry this Robert guy when you clearly don’t love him.”
    “What are you talking about? How would you know who I do and do not love?”
    “Your eyes,” he said then walked over to the cabinet to pour himself a little whiskey.
    “My eyes? What about my