Page 63 of One Kind Hand

Cassandra pointed at her. “Oh, I like you.” She extended a hand. “Cassandra Wood.”

“Charlie Moyen.”

“Charlie will be piloting her chopper in our movie,” Austin said.

“I sincerely hope you forgive me for crashing your date then,” Cassandra said. “I don’t usually behave like this. It’s just that my birthday was last week and I’m feeling a little . . . I don’t know . . . old.”

“And Chadhole poked at that feeling.” Charlie shook her head. “Nice guy.”

“Charlie is Team Austin.”

“Clearly.” Cassandra smiled. “She was ready to actually fistfight me.”

Charlie held up her fists. “Guess I’ll save these for Chad.” She lowered her hands. “Now let’s order dessert so we can all feel better.”

“I should go,” Cassandra said.

“Nonsense.” Austin handed her a menu. “We need to properly celebrate your birthday.”

Cassandra arched an eyebrow. “With Adrienne’s Styx Cake?”

“Styx Cake?” Charlie picked up the dessert menu, searching for it. “Dark chocolate cake with a river of hot fudge flowing through it.” She closed the menu. “I fully support this decision.”

Austin waved Peter over. “Can we get three pieces of Styx Cake, one with a candle for Cassandra’s birthday?”

Peter’s eyebrows rose. “Why of course! Happy Birthday, Cassandra.”

“Thank you, Peter.”

“Coffee as well?”

They all nodded and Peter jetted off to the kitchen. After singing “Happy Birthday,” they enjoyed the cake—which ruined Charlie for all other cakes—then spent about an hour chatting about movie stuff and a variety of other topics.

Finally, Cassandra pushed back from the table. “Okay, kids. Thank you both for turning my mood around completely. Again, my apologies for my behavior, Austin. I should have asked questions first instead of leading with a slap. I’ll remember that in the future.”

“No worries,” Austin said. “As long as we solved it and can still work together on the movie.”

“Definitely. You know I love working with you, Austin. I think that’s why what Chad had said hurt me so much. You’re one of the good guys in this crazy business. To think you’d make a comment like that about me felt like a knife stab.”

Austin stood and held out his hands. “No knives here.” Then he hugged her. “I’ll see you on the set tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Cassandra turned to Charlie when she stood as well. “And I look forward to seeing more of you too.” She embraced Charlie then whispered, “Hang on to this one. He’s one of a kind.” When she backed up, her gaze roved over Charlie. “Awesome dress. Is that a Heather Danahy?”

“It is. She’s a good friend of mine.”

“Splendid. I recently read an article about her designs. I’d love to get some of her work in my collection. Tell her to call me.” Cassandra fished in her purse and produced a business card that she handed to Charlie then she looked at each of them. “Have a good night.”

Her white dress was easy to track as she walked away.

“At least I don’t want to punch her anymore,” Charlie said.

Austin pulled her into a hug. “I still love that you would have.” He leaned back so he could see her face. “You ready to get out of here?”

“That depends on what you have planned next.” She gestured to the remnants of that amazing cake in their plates. “It’s going to be tough to top that Styx Cake.”

“I’m up for the challenge.”

He edged her away from the table and into a walk toward the coat check area. After retrieving her coat, he helped her into it and ushered her outside where the limo was waiting for them. They settled in the back seat and Charlie was happy to be alone with Austin again. Wicked Gates had been . . . interesting, but her body hadn’t been able to tamp down the desire to have her hands all over a naked Austin.