Pat Cromwell

Contracted by Red Rose Publishing

Memory Lane Series 4
Crown Mar's Cass

When Cassandra Rouilard left the small town of CrownMar, Tenn she swore she'd never return.  The town was full of small minded, hateful people and the bad boy that broke her heart and tossed her aside like the garbage, which by the way, the good folks of CrownMar likened her too. 

Chase CrownMar was glad to see her go. 

He was devastated the night he discovered that what everyone had said about Cassie was true.  For ten years the lovers existed without one another. 

But a death bed confession brought to light the truth of the events that led to Cassie's departure and Chase's knowledge that he had been lied too and that his eyes had deceived him. 

What he saw that night was just a charade planned by those who believed that Cass was not the woman for the heir to the throne of CrownMar Industries.

Now, Chase CrownMar's goal is to get back his Cass.  But when he finds her - and discover that she is the mother of the son he never knew existed - will he be able to forgive her?

Unedited Excerpt

So his game was off that evening.  He couldn’t concentrate worth a damn and it was because Cassie was sitting three seats from the game floor with that smooth talker Jimmy Rowland.  Shit, she looked good sitting there.  She wore a tight little t-shirt and the jeans.  He had noticed the jeans she wore immediately when she walked through the auditorium.  They were plastered to her fine ass as if she’d been born in them.  He knew as their eyes locked that whatever it was that she wanted he’d give her.  The thought of her being with anyone else made his stomach knot.  After the game, he told himself, after the game I will make it right.

He held the ball in his hands and searched for his cousin Thomas to throw off to.  He spotted Thomas and took one final look at Cassie as he raised the ball above his head and prepared to pass it to Thomas. That’s when he saw it, or rather them.  He froze and his blood rushed to his brain when he saw that hound dog Jimmy leaning into her. 

This mother fucker had better not kiss her!  He thought.  He heard his coach yell at him to take a shot, but he didn’t move.  He couldn’t because all he saw was Jimmy’s lips moving against her earlobe. 

“Son of a bitch!” he yelled, startling the audience, the players, even the referee, who paused midway with a whistle aimed for his month.  Chase reared back and slammed the ball into the crowd.  Pandemonium broke out and before Cassie knew what was happening, Chase was dragging her from her seat towards the gymnasium exit.

He yanked open the door to his car and flopped her in.  She quickly scooted into the car, thanking God that her reflexes were quicker than his because the door slammed with a resounding thump. 

“What the hell Chase!” she fumed.

“If you know what’s good for you Cass, you’ll shut the fuck up!  None of your smart mouth comments or you’ll regret it!”

“What the hell is your problem you Neanderthal?  You embarrassed me in there!  How dare you Chase.  You know I do not like being man handled!”

“Bullshit!  We both know that’s a fucking lie. The last thing you want baby is some  Dudley Fuckin Do Right!  Just what the hell were you doing with that mother fucker Cassie?” he spat her. He slammed his hand repeatedly against the steering wheel causing her to jump. He was screaming and yelling at her.  Someone was banging on his window.  Cassie covered her ears to drown out Chase’s rants.  She peered over his shoulder and saw that it was Thomas.  Thomas made his way to Cassie’s window and he too was screaming at her.

“Jesus Chase what the hell is going on?” she half whispered, on the verge of tears, but full of fury.  She slammed her fist into his arm and that brought him short.

“You tell me!” he caught her fist in his and held it, his face contorted in anger. “Just tell me what the hell were you doing in there? You let that son of a bitch touch you!” He tossed her hand aside, turned the key in the ignition and slammed the car into drive, causing his cousin to jump back.  Chase sped off leaving a cloud of dust behind him. The last thing Cassie heard was Thomas yelling, “I’ll get you for this bitch!