House of Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

that outfit, didn’t she? She is so beautiful.” Alyssa’s sigh was admiring and wistful.
    Cass heard herself sigh, also. How was she going to get through this evening now? Her headache intensified. It had not escaped her notice that Antonio was sleeping in Tracey’s bedroom. “She’s always stunning, sweetie. That is nothing new.”
    â€œI really like her new boyfriend.” Alyssa flushed. “I hope she marries him.”
    Cass just stared at her, her insides churning unpleasantly. “And why is that?”
    â€œHe has a son—I’d have a brother. And maybe we’d be a family again,” she said hopefully. “All of us, Aunt Cass. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? All of us together?”
    Cass could think of nothing worse. “Honey, if your mother marries, I don’t think I’ll be welcome in her new home. It just doesn’t work that way.” She was beginning to perspire, she realized.
    Alyssa was startled and dismayed. “But why not? I can’t live with them if you’re not there, too!”
    Cass had been about to open the closet; now she paused. She had never seen Tracey look at any of her other lovers the way she’d looked at de la Barca. Tracey was in love. And why not? De la Barca was a catch.
    Cass closed her eyes, ill. Men fell head over heels in love with Tracey—every single one of them. She was the one to walk away and
break their hearts. De la Barca was probably smitten at this very moment. Tracey could probably walk down the aisle with him tomorrow if she wanted to. And de la Barca was a family man—he loved children. Cass already knew he was a great father. It was so obvious. They would take Alyssa away from her …
    â€œAunt Cass? What’s wrong? Did I say something to upset you?”
    Cass fought for air. She knew she had to shut off her thoughts or she would never make it through the evening. She turned, opening her closet, but instead of seeing the clothes hanging inside, she kept seeing Tracey walking down the aisle in a wedding gown. Damn it. Maybe Catherine was right. Maybe Antonio and Tracey should not be together, because maybe that might lead him to a truth Catherine did not want revealed. A truth that could destroy her aunt, and even the entire family.
    Cass stared at the dress she held in her hands without seeing it. What was she thinking? If her aunt had killed a man, then she had committed a crime, hadn’t she? Had it been covered up? Had the police been involved? What about Antonio’s family? Did they know?
    But what if it had been self-defense?
    â€œAunt Cass!” Alyssa cried sharply.
    â€œI’m fine.” Her words sounded clipped and far too high in pitch to her own ears. She was losing it. She was allowing her incredibly fertile imagination to run away with her. She had to get a grip. She didn’t have the facts. She had one shocking confession—a confession that might not even be accurate.
    But how could her aunt make such a mistake?
    â€œYou’re not wearing that red dress Mother bought you?” Alyssa exclaimed as Cass pulled a knee-length black sheath off the hanger. “Aunt Cass, that dress is ugly.”
    Cass sat down hard on a royal blue damask ottoman. “Shit.” She had to speak with Aunt Catherine. Sooner, not later. The problem was, they had a house full of guests, and Cass couldn’t imagine finding a moment to speak with her before the next morning.
    â€œAunt Cass!” Alyssa was bug-eyed.
    â€œSorry. The American in me,” Cass apologized. Suddenly she felt despondent. “I’m too short to wear red. Too short, too curvy, too everything.” She didn’t tell Alyssa that, in the back of her mind, some stupidly vain and foolish part of her dreaded making a fool of herself in front of de la Barca. Not that it mattered. He was in love with her
sister. She could go to the black-tie affair stark naked and he