I Get A Kick Out of You

Chapter 24

Cassie's head shot up when she heard rapid knocks on the door. She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger go through her. This was not going to be a good night for Joel. As a matter of fact, he might just end up with a broken nose!

She stomped her way downstairs, angry tears running down her face. "Joel, I swear to god, I will—!" She swung the front door open to...well, not Joel. "Ben," she gasped. "What...what are you doing here?"

Before he could say anything, she smacked her forehead with her hand and said, "Dinner! Oh my God, I am so sorry! I'll make it up to you, I swear!" He didn't say anything, but he did slowly put his hands onto her shoulders, and then up to cup her face.

"Ethan called me," he said. "Cass...I am so sorry." Trying to contain more tears, she asked, "He knows? He saw?" Ben audibly gulped, then nodded. "Ben!" Ethan's voice called as he ran down the stairs. He ran past Cassie and hugged Ben around the waist.

Ben put his arms around him, then gave a small smile to Cassie. "Want me to stay?" He softly asked. She sniffled a couple of times before croaking out, "Yes. Please." He carefully picked up Ethan, who then buried his face into his neck, then walked inside.

"Why is this happening?" Ethan cried into Ben's neck. Cassie ran her fingers through his hair as she told him, "I don't know, baby. I'm so sorry, I didn't want you to hear any of that." Ben softly kissed his head, then gently patted his back. "Hey, bud, why don't get into your pajamas and I'll order us some food?"

Ethan slowly nodded, so Ben set him down. Before he could go upstairs, Cassie brought her son into a hug. He hugged her tighter than he ever has before. When she let him go, he trudged his way up the stairs.

"And now you," Ben sadly sighed as he opened up his arms. Cassie fell into them and let herself be comforted by the most caring man she's ever known. "I am truly sorry, Cass," he told her. "You don't deserve this. You of all people."

She cried into his chest, and balled up the back of his shirt into her fists. "I hate him," she cried. "I hate him so much!" Ben put his nose into her hair and breathed her in. "I wish I was here," he told her. "I would have given him more than just a good punch in the nose. I hate him for hurting you like this."

After a moment, she pulled back and looked up at him. "Thank you," she told him. He wiped her tears with his thumbs and placed a sweet kiss on her forehead. "I'll cook dinner for you both another night. I'll order something and we can just sit around and watch telly or play some games. Okay?"

She nodded, so he gave her forehead another kiss. "Go get comfy," he told her. "I'll be right here when you're done." He watched her slowly go up the stairs before taking out his phone and ordering from the best comfort food place he knew around here. He won't admit it, but he's ordered it more than a few times since his own divorce.

Unfortunately, they didn't deliver, so he would have to leave to go pick it up. Ethan didn't want him to go, but Ben promised he would be back as quickly as possible. When he left, it was dead quiet between Ethan and Cassie. It was almost awkward and that's never how it's been.

She refused for it to start now.

"Honey," she softly said, "why did you call Ben?" He crossed his arms and put his head down. "Because...because it's Ben," he told her. "He makes me happy and I know he makes you happy, too. I wish he was my dad."

Cassie tsk'd and brought him into a comforting hug. "Sweetie, I'm serious when I tell you how sorry I am that you've had to learn all of this about your dad. I wish I could shield you from all of this hurt. It's one thing to hurt me, but to hurt you? That's an entirely different pain for me. It's even worse than the pain he's caused me and I hate him for it."

She pressed several kisses to his head. "I love you, baby, and we're going to get through his. You and me, I promise." He nodded his head into her chest, then pulled away. "Can I eat in my room tonight? I feel like being alone."

Although it hurt her to hear that, she completely understood. "Of course," she told him. "If you need to talk or have any questions, please let me know. I'm here for you."

Ben came back about ten minutes later and set out everything he had ordered, which was a feast. Ethan hugged and thanked him before going to his room. "He said he needed to be alone," Cassie explained. "Thank you for this, Ben. You didn't have to."

After making sure the coast was clear, he brought her in for a soft kiss. "Of course I did," he told her. "Come on, let's go cuddle in your room." He took her hand to pull her along, but she didn't budge. "What's wrong?" He asked.

She let out a small scoff, then told him, "He had sex with that girl...in our bed. In our room. Where we have wedding photos and family portraits. I don't think I can be in there." He carefully pulled her towards the living room as he said, "The couch, then. How about I go with you this weekend to pick out a new bed? Will that make you feel better?"

It was impossible to not be in love with this man.

"It might," she admitted, "but it's the entire room, too, isn't it?" He pulled her down next to him on the couch. "Then, we'll repaint the room," he told her. "We'll take down the wedding photos the family portraits...actually, I think I saw those on the lawn on my way in. Anyways, we'll hang up new ones of just you and Ethan. It'll be like a new start."

"You...you would do that with me? For me?" She asked. He put his arm around her and had her lean into his side. "I thought I'd made it clear that I would do anything for you?" He asked. As her answer, she kissed his shoulder, then put her face into his sweet smelling neck.

Somehow, she knew that if he was with her...everything just might be okay.