The Forgotten Night Read online

Cassidy knew Andrew was here somewhere and her heart still beat wildly at the thought. She hated herself for still loving Andrew Winbright, but at the same time knew she would never get over her feelings. She had accepted her fate but would build a wall around her heart that would help her to ignore the sensations he caused every time she even thought of him. She was about to start looking around the room for him when someone touched her forearm.

  “Cassidy!”

  Cassidy turned to see her boyfriend, Robert Stokes, looking at her with adoring eyes. She tried to mimic his look but thought she probably looked like she was in pain. She didn’t love this man, so why was she with him? Because he took her mind off of Andrew. After Andrew and Rachel had left on their cruise, she’d been determined to find someone else, and Robert had seemed perfect.

  Robert bent down to kiss her but before his lips touched hers she turned her head and his lips grazed her cheek.

  Andrew felt his insides ignite as he watched Cassidy with someone else. He wanted to rush to Cassidy and push away the guy hovering over her. He watched as the man bent down to bestow a kiss, and almost left the room until he saw her turn her head.

  He wanted to smile, but he wouldn’t allow himself to. He had to know. Was this man her boyfriend? Did she love him?

  Andrew stalked over to her. “Cassie,” he said, interrupting their conversation.

  “Hello, Andrew. Andrew this is my boyfriend Robert. Robert this is my best friend’s brother,” Cassidy said coldly, making the introductions.

  Best friend’s brother? Was that all he was to her now? He looked into her eyes. “Your boyfriend?”

  “Yes, Robert and I met this summer. Every day, I would walk into the local coffee shop and order something before classes, and Robert would always be there too. So one day he asked to join me and well, here we are today,” she said, averting her gaze from his.

  “I have a phone call, I'll be back soon,” Robert said, glancing between them before turning and walking away.

  As Andrew’s mind raced, he looked down and noticed she wasn’t wearing the necklace he’d given her all those years ago. She always wore it around the holidays. “Cassie, your necklace? The one I gave you, where is it?”

  “I—I—” Cassidy couldn’t think. She had promised never to take the necklace off, but Robert had surprised her tonight with his Christmas gift for her. It was a simple diamond necklace. He had insisted she wear it to the party and how was she supposed to refuse?

  “Robert, I can’t wear your necklace because I promised my best friend’s brother—my friend—who I happen to be madly in love with—that I would never take it off.” No, that wouldn’t have worked, so Cassidy was forced to take off the necklace. Her neck felt bare, like a part of her was missing. She had worn it for so long, it had become a part of her, a reminder of Andrew.

  “I thought you said you’d never take it off?” Andrew asked, looking visibly hurt.

  Cassidy felt the lump rise in her throat and struggled to keep the tears from building up in her eyes. The last thing she needed was to cry in front of Andrew Winbright.

  “Robert gave me this as a gift tonight,” she said, fingering the new necklace. “He wanted me to wear it.”

  “Whatever, Cassie, you don’t have to wear the other necklace anymore, it was just some stupid promise we made when we were younger, it didn’t mean anything,” he said.

  At his words, her heart felt like he had ripped it out for the second time.

  Andrew looked down at Cassidy and saw tears rise to the brim of her eyes and knew immediately he had made a mistake. Why didn’t he think before he spoke? “I mean—it meant something to me, but obviously it wasn’t that important to you, so you don’t have to wear it anymore,” he added.

  “It meant something to me,” she choked out. “I have to go to the bathroom,” she said and walked out of the room without looking back.

  Andrew walked off toward the bar and got a beer, feeling like the biggest idiot who’d ever lived. He’d had such hopes for tonight, had been so sure he could get her to forgive him. If anything, he’d only made matters worse.

  “What’s wrong? You see her yet?”

  Andrew whirled around and faced his sister. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “What?” Rachel asked, looking confused.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Cassidy had a boyfriend? You didn’t think it would be a smart idea to tell me?”

  “Calm down, Drew. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think it was serious. I didn’t think she would actually invite him here, for winter break, I mean. She didn’t seem that happy, even after she started dating him. I know she doesn’t love him. I don’t even think she really even likes the guy. There's something about him that makes me feel very uncomfortable too. If you ask me, he’s just another way to get her mind off you,” Rachel said.

  “You think so?”

  “Yes, now don’t drink anything else. I need you fully sober tonight. We have to figure out what happened last year and for that you must play the fool—well okay, I just need you to pretend to be drunk. I’ll tell you when to start laying it on thick,” Rachel said.

  “You have a plan?”

  “Yeah, sort of, just go with me on this one.”

  “Of course.”

  Rachel hit her brother’s fist with hers—something they did often—and walked out of the room in search of Ashley.

  It didn’t take her long to find the blonde Barbie plastered over one of her father’s rich clients. “Ashley, I need to speak with you, privately,” Rachel said sternly.

  “I’m kind of in the middle of something, Rachel,” Ashley said, turning around.

  “This can’t wait,” she said, pulling Ashley behind her into the kitchen.

  “What are you doing? I was just about to—”

  “I don’t care. Now tell me why you lied to my brother.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Why did you lie to my brother last year? You said you two slept—”

  “We did!”

  “Stop lying and tell me the truth,” Rachel fumed.

  Ashley paused a moment and then gave an exasperated sigh. “Fine, I lied, I heard you two talking in the kitchen last year and thought that if Drew believed I was the woman he slept with when he was drunk, he would go out with me.”

  “You’re a piece of work, you know that? I can’t believe you would do that.”

  “Well, it was only because they lied to me.”

  “They? Who’s they?”

  “The guys, Brian and the rest of Drew’s friends. They said that they would get him all drunk so I could have a go at him.”

  Rachel’s mouth dropped open. “What! I can’t believe them!”

  “Well, they didn’t fulfill their deal. I mean, when I went to help Cassidy, he still knew who I was. I waited for Cassidy to come downstairs—I waited by the front door—but she never came. I figured she went around the back to avoid the crowd but I didn't want to risk it without knowing. That’s all I know, honest.”

  “You were waiting for Cassidy to leave so you could go up to Drew’s room?”

  “Well, I was, but then as I was waiting for her to come down, Brian came by and well, one thing led to another. Since I couldn’t have Drew, I thought I’d take Brian.”

  “Are you serious?” Rachel said under her breath.

  “Whatever, can I go now?” Ashley asked and walked out.

  Rachel went over what Ashley had just told her and slowly things began to fit together.

  “Did you find out anything?” Andrew asked, walking into the kitchen.

  “Uh, yeah. Well, one thing I do know is that you did not sleep with Ashley,” she said.

  “I knew it! Why did she say it in the first place?”

  “She liked you, still kind of does, I think, but she thought that if you believed it was her you slept with, you would go out with her.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Um, you should know—”


  “Drew!” Brian Fisher called out. He and the other guys walked inside. “Ready for some fun and games, buddy?”

  “I’ll meet you guys outside, give me a sec.”

  “Yeah sure,” they said and stepped outside onto the deck.

  “What were you going to say?”

  “Just be careful, and don’t get drunk. Pretend. You have to be sober. I’m going to get Cass to take you upstairs tonight. So in a little bit, start playing the part and get a little rough, make her want to help you, or at least get you out of trouble,” Rachel said as she walked toward the hallway that led back to the party.

  “Rach?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Thanks.”

  * * *

  Cassidy was dancing with Robert when Rachel interrupted, pulling her aside. “Hey, Cass, I need you to take Drew upstairs.”

  “I can’t do that, Rach,” she said.

  “Why not?”

  “I’m with Robert.”

  “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Cass, Anthony needs you, he’s drunk and starting to get a little violent with the other guys. It’s not a good combination.”

  Cassidy sighed, wishing she didn’t care, wishing she could just say no and leave it at that. “All right, fine, where is he?”

  “Usual place, I’ll tell him you’re coming.”

  “I’ll be right there. I just have to tell Robert.”

  Rachel nodded and walked off.

  Cassidy turned around and found Robert hovering at her side.

  “Everything all right?” he asked her.

  “Uh, not quite. Listen, would it be all right if I said goodnight now? My friend needs me, I might be awhile,”

  “Do you need me to wait for you? I can take you home,” Robert offered.

  “No, it’s fine. Go back to the hotel, I’ll see you later,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

  “Bye, Cassidy.” He frowned, then walked toward the entrance to retrieve his coat as Cassidy went onto the deck outside and found Andrew throwing the cards in his hand at the other guys.

  “You’re a fucking cheater, Fisher!” he yelled.

  “I’m not a cheater, Winbright, and I’m not drunk either,” Brian yelled back.

  “Andy!” Cassidy yelled over both of them.

  Andrew turned, looking happy to see her, and she realized she’d called him by her nickname for him, something she hadn’t done since last year.

  “Cassie!” he called, giving her a wide, drunken grin.

  She shook her head. “Come on, I’m taking you upstairs.”

  “Wait a minute, I’m not finished with him,” Brian said before she could help him out of the chair.

  “He didn’t mean it, Brian, let me just take him upstairs,” Cassidy said.

  “Fucking bitch, you’re always in the way. This is between me and him. Don’t you have a boyfriend you have to get back to?” Brian snarled.

  “Don’t call her that.” Andrew pushed suddenly to his feet, towering over Brian and pinning him with a furious gaze. “Don’t you ever call her that again.”

  Brian sat back down and said nothing else.

  Cassidy helped Andrew inside the house and up the stairs as usual, her heart racing. She had known Brian didn’t like her much, but had never expected him to call her names or act like that at the Winbright’s party. But Andrew had come to her defense, and she couldn’t deny his terse words had thrilled her.

  Cassidy opened his bedroom door, turned on his light and sat him down on the sofa like she always had done. However this time instead of taking his jacket first, she positioned his trashcan by his bed and pulled out a change of clothes and put them in the bathroom. She took the aspirin from his medicine cabinet and filled a glass with water and placed both on his nightstand.

  Andrew watched her silently as she moved around his room. She walked back over to him. “Let me have your jacket,” she said and helped him out of it. “And your shirt too,” she said, and he clumsily began to unbutton it.

  Cassidy sighed and pushed his hands out of the way and sat down on the coffee table, the same exact place she had sat the previous year. She started from the bottom and worked her way up to the top and found it hard to concentrate when she kept remembering how he’d felt on top of her, remembering how his skin felt under her hands.

  She closed her eyes then cleared her throat. She opened them and found herself staring into Andrew’s blue ones. Cassidy stood up before she did something she regretted. “Shirt?” she said, holding out her hands. Andrew took off the dress shirt and handed it to her. She held out her hands. “Come on, you need your sleep.”

  Andrew let her help him up and into his bed, and then she pushed the covers over him and walked into his closet.

  Cassidy threw his shirt into his hamper and hung up his suit jacket, causing the jacket next to it to fall. She picked it up and noticed something inside one of the pockets. She reached in and took it out then gasped.

  “Oh my god, this is where it was! I forgot about this,” she said as she hung up the jacket. She walked out of the closet and found Andrew passed out on the bed. She chuckled to herself, “I thought I lost this book, but I forgot you put it in your jacket pocket,” she said, staring down at him. “You know what, you can keep it, as a reminder of that night. Actually never mind, I’ll keep it. It doesn’t mean anything to you anyway,” she said bitterly.

  She turned to go, then stopped with her forehead against the door. “You know, you really hurt me, Andy, yet I still find myself in your bedroom, helping you in your drunken stupor. You might have fooled me once last year, but not tonight. Not this year. Thank God you’re passed out drunk and won’t remember any of this in the morning, I hate to say this, but it’s as true now as it always has been. Even though you broke my heart last year, I…I still love you, Andy, always have…always will,” she whispered.

  She walked out of the room and turned the light off, shutting the door behind her.

  * * *

  Andrew waited for her footsteps to retreat before he turned on the lamp beside his bed. He couldn’t believe what he had heard. She loved him, still did. He wanted to run after her and tell her he loved her too, but he still had no idea what had happened last year or how he’d broken her heart. He kicked himself mentally for hurting her and knew he would never be so stupid to get drunk at his parent’s party again.

  He sighed with happiness and frustration. She loved him, but he still had to find a way to tell her he loved her too. He had to find a way of explaining his actions last year, the actions he still couldn’t remember. Andrew yawned and turned off his lamp, letting himself succumb to sleep.

  The woman grasped the front of his clothing and slowly began to unbutton his dress shirt. He kissed her and she sighed. He wrapped his arms around her and slowly unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the ground. They looked at each other and smiled in pleasure. He scooped her in his arms and placed her on the bed and straddled her slim hips. Her face was still blurry—he couldn’t make out her features.

  He bent down and she moaned and arched into him. He ran his hands up and down her body until he slipped his fingertips inside of her. She moaned and he could hear her cry out, but couldn’t tell what she was saying. When she could take it no longer, he removed his hand and positioned himself over her and entered her. They were both crying out, climaxing with pleasure and he fell on top of her. They rested together a moment longer before he pulled away.

  “I love you, Andy,” she whispered.

  “I love you too, Cassidy Alyssa Ames.” He smiled back at her.

  Andrew sat up in his bed, not sure what time it was but one thing he did know was that one year ago, he and Cassidy Ames had made love together and he had completely forgotten. The images and sensations all came flooding back to him. She had asked him why he wanted her and he told her the truth. In his drunken stupor, he had admitted he loved her. Then one thing led to another and they ended up in bed, but in the morning his stupid brain had made him forget.
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  Andrew looked at the clock and groaned. 4:30. He rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, though the excitement at learning what had happened and his anger at himself for forgetting how amazing and wonderful that night had been made it hard.

  Andrew sat at the table with the guys as Brian shuffled the cards. “So what are we playing tonight?” Andrew asked.

  “I thought we’d play the good ol’ Kings,” Brian said. “With Vodka.”

  “Man, you know about me and Vodka—” Andrew protested.

  “You scared, Winbright?”

  “You wish, Fisher.” Andrew laughed at his friends. “Besides, you know I’ll whip your asses.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Brian smiled. He and the other guys picked up the bottles of vodka they had brought outside and passed one to each person. “A bottle?” Andrew asked skeptically.

  “It’s easier than a cup and no need to refill,” Brian said as he placed a large plastic cup in the middle for the final king drawn. Andrew didn’t think too much about the vodka, he was usually pretty good at Kings, even though it required no strategy and was basically pure luck. He wasn’t worried.

  They started the first round and pretty soon Andrew was drinking more and more from his bottle. There was one king left and the cup was almost completely filled. Andrew could feel himself slowly drifting away as he continued to drink more. It was like the guys had it out for them, but that wasn’t possible. Andrew drew his card and took a double look before placing it down.

  “Bottoms up, buddy,” Brian said, pushing the glass toward him.

  Andrew took the glass. He hated this game. Seconds later, he was downing the contents of the cup and knew he was a goner. They played a few more rounds and if Andrew hadn’t known better, he would have suspected the guys of cheating. Every round they played he ended up with the last king and every time the cup was completely filled.

  He vaguely remembered the guys talking. “Do you think he’s drunk enough? Do you think he’d sleep with Ash like this?”

  “I hope so. It’s about time he gets laid and stops waiting for that bitch, she’ll never come around.”

  “Do you think he’d recognize her?”