Until we find her, p.1
Until We Find Her, page 1
Charleston, SC
www.PalmettoPublishing.com
Until We Find Her
Copyright © 2023 by C.G. Gates
All rights reserved
No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form by any means–electronic, mechanical,
photocopy, recording, or other–except for brief quotations in printed
reviews, without prior permission of the author.
First Edition
Paperback ISBN: 979-8-8229-1153-6
eBook ISBN: 979-8-8229-1154-3
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter One
Cassandra
S
ecrets have a way of eventually unraveling. A misstep in the telling of a story or forgetting some of the details. Time can start to erode the fine-tuning that was so carefully laid out. Maybe an illness starts to let slip things that have been locked away tight, but something starts loosening its grip. Maybe it’s just time.
For Cassandra, it began innocently in her sophomore year of college. A warm evening, bustling with students wandering with a purpose. A Friday night filled with excitement and anticipation of the parties scattered around campus, some guaranteed to warrant a visit from the police for noise violation or other infractions. Others would prove to be sedate enough that the guests would move on to another, more vibrant atmosphere.
The party Cassandra and her roommate Beth were heading toward was at a fraternity celebrating the upcoming graduation. Graduating students from around campus along with others not graduating, and some who were not even students, were drawn to the booming music blasting out through the open windows. But mostly, filtering through the front door were graduating seniors who had studied and worked hard to walk for their degree. A time to really let loose and enjoy one of the last few nights before embarking on a career path.
Cassandra was not graduating, but she joined Beth, her best friend, for an evening of fun, laughter, and innocent flirting. She wasn’t a heavy drinker or hard partier for that matter, but she loved Beth, and Beth did love to kick up her heels.
Cassandra was different than most sophomore girls. Her values were stricter and fiercely held on to, more so than most of her friends and it would set her apart when she was in a relationship. She was one of the few girls left who was saving herself for her husband.
It wasn’t a decision made for religious reasons or the rules engrained from overprotective parents. She simply looked forward to that night when she could present herself to the man she loved and show him that she was completely his.
She had dated a little and thought she might have been in love once, but when she wouldn’t veer from her standards, it had been a deal breaker.
It had taken a year to mend her broken heart, but in the end, she realized he was not the one. She complained to Beth, “There is not one good reason to save myself if the one I’m saving it for isn’t going to appreciate it.”
Her bruised heart moved on, but she couldn’t quite regain her confidence. She had accepted a few dates since but had found no one even remotely interesting.
They entered a party that was fully underway. The noise level was high, with ear-piercing conversations that tried to be heard above the commotion. Smoke wafted through the rooms, music was loud, laughter rang out. There were already a few girls up on the table dancing, and beer was freely flowing, among other things.
Cassandra felt a flutter in her stomach that was not unusual because she always felt slightly out of her league at these parties. She wanted to fit in, but her comfort zone was always with a paintbrush and easel in front of her, not screaming, drinking, and sometimes obscene things happening all around. As an artist, she preferred the peaceful fulfillment of art instead of the excitement of a party. Beth, however, loved a party, and Cassandra didn’t want to ruin her night.
Beth was two years older than Cassandra, so this was her graduation year. They were both from the same small town in northern California and met the summer before Beth left for college. Working at the same hamburger joint, Beth soon learned that with Cassandra around, she would always have boys swarming. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and sweet disposition were like a magnet. Beth wasn’t too shabby to look at, but she paled next to Cassandra.
She would never understand Cassandra’s utter commitment to remaining a virgin. She tried to convince her to change her mind but learned quickly that she wouldn’t budge. Oh well, to each their own. Beth loved Cassandra. Not in that way, but in the way that a friend knows no matter what, they will always be there for one another.
The summer before Beth left for school was spent together working, playing, and planning for the year that Cassandra would arrive and share a room with her. Both were excited for different reasons. Beth would have a younger freshman to show her the ropes, and Cassandra would have an older junior to show her around. Beth had the extra vision of boys. Cassandra couldn’t help it; she didn’t do anything to perpetuate the attention. She just possessed the type of beauty that when she walked into a room, everyone noticed.
This night was no different. With all the commotion going on when they entered, a slight lull filled the room as most eyes moved toward the front door. Beth loved it, but Cassandra always felt like she was walking in naked. She was not comfortable with the attention, but this night was for Beth, so she plastered a smile on her face, put her arm around her friend and said, “Let’s go have some fun.”
“Cass, let your hair down. I know this is hard for you, but just think. The next two years, you can lock yourself up in your room and paint. I won’t be around to torture you like this anymore. Maybe on an occasional weekend when I come visit but not too often.”
Just when Cassandra was about to answer her, a handsome young man approached and handed each a plastic cup full of beer. As he handed Beth her cup, his eyes never left Cassandra. Normally, she would look away so as not to encourage a flirtation, but this time, she found she couldn’t break the eye contact. She was drowning in his dark eyes and felt instantly that this man was about to change her life.
It was ridiculous really. He was good looking but so were many men who tried to lasso her in, but something about him made her stomach do flips. She guessed this was what people talked about, chemistry.
Beth looked at her friend and smiled. She figured the best thing right now would be to scram. She hugged Cassandra and said, “Oh look, there’s Jimmy. I’ll be right back.”
She left before Cassandra could protest. She was left holding a red cup of beer and a fear that meant she was going to be in over her head with this handsome stranger standing in front of her.
* * *
Cassandra had no desire to move around the room and have a conversation with anyone except the one she was having right now. He seemed to be at the party with a few of his buddies, and they were always close by but mostly left them alone. At one point, one of his friends brought him another beer and asked Cassandra if he could get her one, but she declined.
It occurred to her that he was there to score an easy female, but for some reason she wasn’t offended. Let him hope, she could have that conversation later. Right now, she was completely and unexpectedly enraptured with him. He shared that his name was Samuel.
With a twinkle in her eye, she asked, “Shall I call you Sammy?” She had never flirted so shamelessly but he drew something out in her that was unfamiliar. He made her comfortable, nervous, so many different emotions. All of them welcome.
“You can call me anything you want. Just call me.”
Corny, but cute.
She sat back further into the old beat-up sofa that probably had things growing on it, which she didn’t want to think about, and studied him for a moment.
“Sammy, you’re going to break my heart, aren’t you?”
He ran his finger slowly down the side of her cheek and traced her lips. He brought his face closer to hers. “I see you aren’t drinking much. How about we try a round of beer pong and see if I can convince you to have one more drink?”
She laughed. He was adorable. One thing she never did was move this fast, but she was feeling the disappointment of a lost kiss. “I’m not very good at beer pong.”
“I’m counting on that. Come on!”
As they were weaving in and ar ound the bodies that were blocking their way toward the back of the house where the ping-pong table was, she saw a couple of his friends setting up the table for a new match. He took her hand, and she followed without hesitation. She scanned the room and spotted Beth watching them with a grin on her face. She gave Cassandra a thumbs-up, which told her that Beth was just fine with the guy who now looked as if he was glued to her side.
As they approached the table, Samuel’s friends moved out of the way, turning the table over to him. Students formed around the perimeter to watch, and some started chanting.
“Samuel, Samuel, Samuel…”
Apparently, he was the champ at this house.
“Sammy, when I said I wasn’t very good, what I really meant was I have never played before. Be gentle!”
He chuckled. “You’ll be fine.”
“How do you start?” She noticed Beth enter the room and take a spot against the wall to watch.
Everyone was laughing at the prospect of someone enrolled in college who didn’t know how to play beer pong.
Samuel said, “Pick up the ball and look at me.” He picked up a ball without looking down at the table.
Cassandra placed a ball in the palm of her hand and locked eyes with him.
“Now when I say, toss the ball, try to land it in my cup. If you do, I will drink it.”
“That doesn’t seem very fair since you are obviously a favorite here.” Still, she didn’t look away.
“Are you afraid, Cass?” The use of her nickname somehow drew her closer.
“Yes, Sammy. I am very afraid.”
“Don’t be. Don’t look, and when I count to three, toss the ball. One…two…”
Cassandra couldn’t look away even if she wanted to. Something about Samuel, from the moment she laid eyes on him, told her he would be the man who would hold her heart for the rest of her life. At that moment, when she placed her trust in him over a game of beer pong, she looked forward to placing her trust and her heart in his care. She was excited to begin the journey ahead, the one that included getting to know each other. Learning what made him tick and what made him happy. They would have cute little nicknames for each other. They would argue over the names that each picked for their children. At least one of those children would have that sweet little swirl at their hairline to match his. They would argue over insignificant things and then make up over a glass of wine in front of a blazing fire. She knew it was crazy to daydream about these things when she had met him less than an hour ago, but the way he held her gaze made her think of more than just the name of their kids; it made her think how they would make those kids.
“Three! Cassandra…toss the ball.”
Hearing her name snapped her out of her fantasies. Still, she did not look down, but with a smile on her face, she tossed her ping-pong ball across the table and then looked. It bounced at the very edge and then off the table. She looked down to see a ball sitting in the cup directly in front of her.
“Drink up, beautiful.”
Cassandra fished out the ping-pong ball, glanced over the rim of the cup, and said, “Not fair!” She drank the beer. “Go again!”
* * *
After losing badly at beer pong, Samuel and Cassandra moved into the living room. It was a large fraternity that housed fifty young men. There were three different sitting rooms that were now full of party revelers that brought the noise to an eardrum-breaking level.
Some were engaging in a make-out session that would be better served up in a room. The library was also full. As they wandered around, Cassandra thought that maybe she should have bailed out of beer pong after a couple beers. The cups weren’t full, but it was more that she would usually drink.
As they wandered through the house, looking for a quiet place to talk, Cassandra excused herself to use the restroom. Too much beer. As she entered the closest door she could find, she ran straight into Beth.
“Cass! I have been dying to get you alone, but he won’t leave your side! What’s happening?”
“Beth, He’s gorgeous. I want to get to know him better. And he is sexy as hell! I get lost in his eyes.”
Beth laughed out loud. “Ha! Settle down, virgin Mary! Meet the parents first. What do you know about him? Where is he from?”
“I don’t know much about him at all, but I plan to find out. He has a slight accent. Just barely noticeable, and I asked him about it, but he was vague. I’ll work on more information as soon as I get out of here. Do you mind? I want to spend some time with him. Can you get home without me if I stay longer?”
“No problem. I’m happy you want to. You need to do this more often. Who is going to make sure you have some fun when I’m gone. Get out there, little bird. Fly! I want to make sure you know what to do when you don’t have me forcing you to walk away from your easel.”
They both laughed, remembering when Cassandra had walked down to the campus pond and set up her art supplies to paint the reflection in the water of the autumn leaves turning the brilliant colors of fall. The same scene that reappeared every year but was captured differently depending on the artist’s eye.
Cassandra was halfway done with the painting when Beth approached her, grabbed her hand, and drug her up to a coffeeshop where Matthew McConaughey was having coffee with a male student. Beth didn’t tell her where they were going, or why, only that it was an experiment.
They entered the small campus coffee shop, and as they entered, Matthew looked up and let his eyes rake over Cassandra. Not in a creepy way, but in a way that a man does who appreciates a beautiful woman. He took that moment to study her and then resumed his conversation with the student sitting across from him. Cassandra didn’t see him.
Beth said excitedly, “I knew it!” She pulled Cassandra toward a table and waved a hand to her friend behind the counter who approached the table with two lattes.
The barista set the drinks down carefully and started to chuckle. “You were right, Beth. He noticed.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Cass, Matthew McConaughey is here. We’ve been watching him, and he has hardly looked up at any of the girls walking in, so I placed a bet that he would if you walked in. It’s not his fault. It’s just hard to ignore you. Anyway, she owes me coffee.”
Her mouth dropped open as she looked toward Matthew. She and Beth had spent the previous summer binging on McConaughey movies. He was gorgeous!
At the same time, Matthew’s eyes moved in her direction, and she was caught staring.
Embarrassed, she shut her gaping mouth. “I am so sorry! I’m just a huge fan, so please ignore me and pretend I didn’t just get caught staring at you.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.”
That was her big claim to fame, when she had a short conversation with Matthew freaking McConaughey. The fact that none of them had a camera and didn’t get a picture with him were their biggest regrets. That, and when she returned to the pond, her half-finished picture was gone.
* * *
When she returned from the restroom to rejoin Samuel, he said, “Come with me, I have the perfect spot.” She placed her small hand in his larger one and marveled at how well they fit together.
He was darker than her. His heritage could have been South American. She knew, at some point in getting to know each other, she would find that out, and other things. Things that would start to build a relationship.
She wanted to tell him all about herself. Tell him in layers. One layer may have to be peeled back tonight, however, because she felt like the night was moving toward that. She hoped it wouldn’t be the deal breaker.
He led her up the stairs and down a long hall. There were noises coming from some of the rooms. Groups of people had moved to the upper floors, either to do illegal things or find a place for more privacy. Her heart started pounding when it looked like they were going to a private room.
“Sammy, I want you to know something.”
“Yes?”
“Well, if you think…well, that I am that kind of girl…”
“No, please don’t worry. I’m not that kind of guy.” He chuckled because they both knew that most guys were that kind of guy. “Cass, I’m serious. We won’t ever do anything you don’t want to do.”
She heard what he was saying, in his slight accent that made her feel warm all over, and let him lead her into his private room. It was larger than she would have imagined and furnished more extravagantly than most students would have the ability to afford. The bed was made, and everything was immaculate. He led her to the back of his room to a French door that opened onto a small balcony. It overlooked the front yard down below and up to the night sky that twinkled. With the lights off in the room and the full moon casting a soft glow on the balcony, they could see the stars clearly. It was beautiful.
