The darkness fell suddenly. Cassie sat in her room and wondered why all this had happened. She had only been looking for an escape from thoughts of Hart and what she had lost. She really didn't want some romantic interlude. She knew better. What happened last night was more than that, it was an awakening of feelings she thought were gone forever. Trust.. that was a loss she regretted. She had just learned the feeling again and then Hart was taken from her. She had watched Blake break her trust with a man far superior to Ben. She had wondered then how Blake could do that.. turn her back on Ross for something so fleeting as lust. Now she wondered about herself. What had she thought when they ended up in his room." Sure, we were just going to talk. Oh, how we fool ourselves, "she thought.
Ray sat in his room wondering if he should fly home tomorrow. He knew that Danny and Michelle had invited him to the Santos summer home. It would be the first time it had been opened in years and they intended to share it with everyone. He remembered as a child playing on the beach with his cousins. Carmen had been the overprotective aunt, always hovering over all of them. She gave them every toy and experience that summer that any child would want. They went horseback riding on the beach, had swimming lessons from an old German man who used to teach Olympic swimmers. He forced them to all become excellent swimmers. It would save their lives many times that summer. Mick was always so daring ... always going out too far. He smiled thinking about the innocence of their youth. No mob, no bad dreams then, everything was sunlight and laughter. There were other wonderful memories but his only thought now was how to escape what he had done.
There was a knock at Cassie's door. Reva stuck her head in and said," Cassie are you all right.. you really scared us."
"Yes, I guess it's just the weather.. seemed kind of warm this morning. I'll get a good nights sleep and I'll be fine in the morning."
"O.K., because you know Michelle and Danny invited us to the summer house and I hear it is a great place.. nice pool too.. be sure and bring your suit.. "
Cassie wondered how she would ever get out of this. What if Danny's cousin was there.. she said a silent prayer that she could think of a way out.
Reva told her to get a good nights sleep and she would see her in the morning.
Ray called Danny and told him that he thought he probably wouldn't be going tomorrow. He thought perhaps he should go home. Danny asked him "What is wrong with you.. you just got here.. we have great plans for tomorrow. Don't worry Michelle isn't cooking , we have cook for that.." Her heard Michelle say something and Danny laughed. He loved to hear his cousin laugh. It had been far to long since he heard that sound. Danny begged him to stay saying that this was a chance for all of them to be together. Pilar and Bill had arrived today. He said that if he could find any more relatives willing to drop everything and fly to San Cristobel he would have, he was looking forward to this.." please please.. stay." He could never refuse Danny anything.
Morning came like every other had on San Cristobel. Birds singing , sun shining. Soft warm breezes. Ray turned on his side and looked out the window toward the sea. The horizon seemed endless. He sat up and suddenly everything that had happened came in a torrent to his brain.
Her touch and his words.. how could he ever face anyone again. What would she say if she saw him at Danny's. Would they have to avoid each others eyes and hope no one would notice. Would she tell her sister.,the usual Santos stories.. what liars and murderers they are, a priest who pretends to be pious and is anything but in bed. He felt his face burning in shame at what he had done. There had been an immediate attraction between them. He had not planned on feeling that way.. it just happened. He tortured himself for a few minutes more and then decided to be a man and go to the summer house anyway.
Cassie woke up. . half asleep she heard the pounding of the sea. It almost lulled her back to sleep and then suddenly she remembered what day it was.. the summer house. She groaned and silently wished she were anywhere but in San Cristobel. How could she walk around at the summer house , laughing and acting as though she was having a wonderful time.
The Santos summer house. How in the world did this happen. She sat up and almost laughed. It was so sad it was funny. A mobster's house. All that time as a stripper she never even really met an actual mobster. Here she was about to go to the home of one. She knew that Michelle believed Danny to be nothing but a business man. She was not so sure. His cousin appeared to be a priest . He sure didn't act like one.
When she had finished dressing she called Reva.
"Hi, what time is the big party?" she asked
"Oh not until two o'clock, plenty of time to shop for a thong.. " Reva laughed.
"No thanks, "
Danny and Michelle were up and about early. Michelle was instructing the staff. She wanted this day to be perfect. This time she was mistress of the house and she was loving it.. no Carmen. She was thousands of miles away. Nothing could have made Michelle happier.
Pilar and Bill were in the pool and acting like four year olds according to Danny. However, he was smiling broadly when he said it. Michelle had never seen him happier. He loved the idea that Reva and Josh had accepted the invitation and seemed comfortable around him.
Ray arrived and Danny noticed immediately that he seemed upset about something. They sat out by the pool. Danny made him a drink and said" O.K. what is your problem , Ray. First you can't wait to get here and then you can't wait to go home?"
Ray assured him it was nothing. He looked up and saw Reva and Josh walking toward them. He hoped against hope that Cassie was not with them. Maybe today would go well after all. Then he saw her. His heart went to his throat. She was looking straight at him. It was not the way she looked at him that night. She was furious and it was written all over her face.
