Seth (Casella Cousins #2) - Kathryn Shay

Chapter 1

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“Thanks, Mama.” Seth Casella squeezed his mother’s hand. “Another great breakfast.”

Carmella smiled. “I’ll miss these meals with you when you go back to your own place.”

Seth had stayed at his mother’s house to recover from a stabbing at Legal Aid by the disgruntled husband of a client, but he was healing well.

“I’ll miss them, too. I’m going to try not to work so much this time around and come to dinner when you’ll have me.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.” Neither had heard the woman come in through the garage and enter the kitchen until she spoke.

Seth swallowed hard. Julianne Ford had been visiting every day since his sojourn here. And her appearances were just about killing him. “Hi, Julianne.”

“Good morning, Seth.” A frown marred her brow. “How much longer are you going to be at your mom’s house?”

“I’m going home soon.”

Mama stood and hugged her. The two women had gotten close, even though Seth had blown his and Jules’ relationship more than one time—and now, for good.

“Hello, dear.” When Julianne sat at the table, they chatted some, then Mama asked, “Did you talk to Celia yesterday?” Celia Ford and Seth’s mother had been friends for decades and raised their families together.

“Yeah, Mom’s loving the hot weather in Florida. She said to say hi and she’ll call you soon.”

Seth stood. “Want some coffee?”

“Um, sure.” She addressed his mother. “Actually, I came over to ask you to go out to dinner, Carmella.”

“Not tonight, sweetie. I’m watching Tommy.” Seth’s oldest brother’s son.

“Some other time, then.”

Carmella’s phone rang. Her face brightened “I-I have to take this. I’m expecting a call. I’ll be back, darlings.”

His mother left, and Seth poured coffee in a cup labeled Julianne’s Mug. His hands were shaking, damn it, as he hadn’t quite recovered. Or was it Julianne’s proximity? “Here you are.”

She angled her chin to where his mom had gone. Her blond hair fell in one sweep at her shoulders and some slid over her forehead. “Think she has the power to make her phone ring?”

“No, she was waiting to hear from Rafe. I knew the call was coming.”

“Ah.” She studied him over the rim of her mug. He wanted to tuck that strand of hair behind her ear. “So, are you feeling better?”

“Physically, yes. I’m still not up to par, though.” He hesitated. Might as well tell the truth. “But I miss you, Julianne. Seeing you every day these two weeks makes me feel worse about our breakup.”

Her blue eyes darkened. The two of them pretty much had the same coloring. “For the record, our contact has made me feel bad about us, too.”

They’d grown up together. Playmates until junior high where they became friends, though it got awkward sometimes, like when they shared their first kiss. But in high school, they started going steady, and were a couple in college until they graduated. They’d stayed together when she went to Julliard for a master’s degree and he attended law school. How could she not miss him?

“So, how’s work going?” he asked to break the awkward silence.

Julianne had her own music therapy studio and was practically a violin virtuoso in her own right.

“Same as always. I still love teaching. Helping kids through music.”

“How’s Jordan?”

She smirked. “Do you really want to know?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“He’s fine. We see each other almost every day.”

“Funny, I haven’t noticed his car in your driveway that much.”

“Keeping tabs on me?”

Instead of answering, he asked, “So, it’s gotten serious?”

“Maybe.” She shook her head.

“What?”

“You’re like a dog with a bone, Casella. You break my heart by sleeping with other women, then we split, but you can’t stand to see me with another man.”

“I’ve always felt that way. Remember Colin Camp in high school? Jack Carroll in college? Watching you with them was torture.”

“Yet you slept with Sandy Baker junior year. And a teacher, for God’s sake, in college. More after that. You’re a serial adulterer.”

“I thought you had to be married to commit adultery.”

The joke fell flat.

She scraped back her chair. “You know exactly what I mean. Tell your mother that I’ll come back tomorrow.” Setting down her coffee with a thump, she stood and headed for the garage door.

Seth caught up with her in the mudroom. “Wait.”

Her back to him, she shook her head. But she’d stopped.

He moved in close so his body nearly aligned with hers. “Can’t we try again?”

She whirled on him then. Her face flushed and her eyes glittered. But not because she was turned on. Anger burned in her