Do You Take This Rebel? by Sherryl Woods Page A

late.
     
    The Calamity Janes had spread a half dozen quilts across the grass. Each of them had brought a cooler filled with drinks, sandwiches and a variety of desserts. There was more than enough food for themselves and most of their class, but none of them had eaten a bite.
    “I can’t believe it,” Gina said. “Your mom was always such a skinny little thing. She looked as if a strong wind would blow her away, but she had this unmistakable strength.”
    “And that’s exactly what’s going to get her through this,” Karen said, giving Cassie’s hand a squeeze as she shot a warning glance at Gina. “No more talk of gloom and doom. I’m so glad you’re going to stay to help out. I know how much that must mean to your mom.”
    “She fought me on it,” Cassie admitted.
    “And we all know why that was,” Lauren chimed in. “Sweetie, I know you feel you need to be here, but let’s think about this. What about Jake and Cole?”
    “I’ll just have to do whatever I can to keep them apart,” Cassie said. It was going to be more easily said than done, given Cole’s determination to help out with her mom’s treatment in any way he could. She doubted that meant merely writing a check and steering clear of the house or whatever hospital she went to.
    “You’d barely been in town for a day, and they almost ran into each other,” Gina reminded her. “Howcan you help your mom if you’re worried every second about Cole figuring out that Jake is his?”
    “I think she should just tell Cole and get it over with,” Karen said.
    “Tell Cole what?” the very man in question inquired, making Cassie’s heart thump wildly.
    “Where did you come from?” she asked irritably. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people when they’re having private conversations.”
    “If you don’t want anyone to overhear, then you shouldn’t be having a private conversation in the middle of an event in a public park,” he retorted mildly. He sat down beside her, deliberately crowding her, deliberately ignoring her scowl.
    Her friends exchanged knowing looks, then one by one excused themselves to play badminton or horseshoes or baseball. Even Lauren, who’d never had an athletic bone in her body except when it came to horses, declared a sudden urge to join the women’s baseball team being formed to challenge the men.
    When they were all gone, Cassie looked Cole squarely in the eye. “Don’t you want to play? I’m sure the men could use you.”
    “I’m where I want to be,” he said, picking up an apple and taking a bite.
    Cassie was suddenly struck by an image of Adam in the garden of Eden, tempted into sin by a seductive Eve. “Cole, you aren’t imagining that you and I…” Her voice trailed off as color flooded her cheeks.
    He grinned. “That we’re going to have ourselves a fling for old-time’s sake?”
    “I wouldn’t have put it like that, but yes.”
    “Would it be so terrible?”
    “It would be a disaster,” she said with feeling.
    “Why? We’re consenting adults now. It would be nobody’s business but ours.”
    She knew he probably wasn’t even serious, that he was deliberately baiting her, but she couldn’t let it pass. “Do you actually think that would stop anyone from making it their business? You’re the one who said it last night. This is still a small town. People love to talk. Just seeing us sitting here together now will raise eyebrows. It won’t be five minutes before someone makes a call to your father to report the latest.”
    He seemed totally unconcerned. “Let them. My father doesn’t run my life.”
    “Since when?”
    “A lot’s changed since the last time we were together,” he said mildly. “We’ll get into it one of these days.”
    “No, we won’t. This is impossible.”
    “Nothing’s impossible if you want it badly enough.”
    She frowned at him. “My mother’s already been through enough. I won’t have her embarrassed by my actions ever again, especially not with