by Elder, Jan;
His eyes glistened. “I’m sorry about your sister. She was well-loved in this town.”
Her own eyes grew moist. “Thanks. Did you know her personally?”
“Yes. My cousin’s the local vet and sometimes I’d see Savannah there with Gracey.”
Gracey? Cassidy slapped her forehead. Gracey. How could she have forgotten the cat? Savannah’s cat had been boarded at the vet’s for ages now, and she’d promised she’d pick up the bothersome critter this week. “Ah, yes, Gracey. Do you know what time the office closes?”
“Six o’clock. Two blocks up the street on your left. Dr. Kimberly Fischer at All Creatures Great and Small Animal Clinic.”
“OK. Thanks for the info. See you, Blake.” She fluttered her fingers and turned to leave.
What would she do with a cat? She was not a pet person. Fur made her sneeze. That had been one of her excuses for not visiting Savannah. She wasn’t altogether sure about the allergy part. She’d just been too busy—or too something—to make the trip to see her own sister. She contemplated the stinging shame and then pondered the tribulations of feline ownership.
Across the street, Hunter slid out of his car, held up a bakery box, and waved his hand. “If you could wait a sec, I’ll deliver Blake’s order and be right back.”
Great. She scanned the area. There was no place to hide.
6
Now what had he done? Hunter could swear Cassidy planned to slip away before he returned. She was glancing around as if looking for an escape route. He trotted into the newspaper office, delivered Blake’s order, and hustled back out the door. Cassidy still loitered on the sidewalk, but she seemed so jumpy he wouldn’t be surprised if she bolted any moment. He whistled a happy, calming tune and caught up with her. Lightly pressing a hand between her shoulder blades, he steered her toward his car.
“Where are you taking me? Don’t you have to get back to…what was the name of that place?” She veered away from his touch and broke into a fast walk. The physical contact, however slight, must not have been a good move. What was with her?
“Cakes, Cookies, and Cobblers. Blake mentioned you were picking up Savannah’s cat today. I suspect you’ll need a few cat related necessities.”
She stopped dead in the middle of the road. “Thanks, but I imagine you have better things to do.”
“Why don’t we discuss this on the sidewalk?” Once they’d made it to the curb he assessed her. This woman needed help. “It’s no trouble. To be honest, Blake said you blanched when he mentioned Gracey. You’re not a cat person, are you?”
“I’ll be fine. Which way is the pet supply store?”
“Barks and Meows is on the other end of town. You could start there, but I’m glad to help.”
“Barks and Meows? How quaint.” Cassidy made it three stubborn steps before she froze. Had it just occurred to her that she had no earthly idea what to buy?
Imminently patient—a trait he’d honed dealing with his sister—Hunter didn’t move a muscle. She pivoted and they locked gazes. His lips twitched before he could rein in his emotions. Cassidy’s skittishness puzzled him. If I help her buy cat stuff, might as well spend the day helping her kitty get used to her new owner. Poor cat might need me. “I’ll drive.”
“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
“Nope. I have the afternoon free. I have to get home at some point to milk the cows, but today I’m all yours.” Even if he hadn’t had the rest of the day off, he did now. Besides, he’d worked double-time this morning.
Silence.
Was she always this antsy?
“Well, OK, let’s get this done.”
Thirty minutes later, after buying enough food and litter to last her a month, Hunter drove Cassidy to Dr. Kimberly’s office.
Cassidy strode next to him, but not too close, as they walked up to the door. “Why do you know cat stuff? You have farm animals.”
He opened the door and ushered her into the office. “I have a cat of my own, but Dr. Kimberly, uh, Dr. Fischer treats large animals also. Thus the ‘great’ in All Creatures Great and Small.”
Cassidy grimaced. “Dumb question. I’m usually a tad brighter.” And then she smiled. A real smile. The sun broke through wooly clouds, and a shaft of light illuminated the waiting room. Or, at least, it seemed that way.
Linda, the receptionist, had a phone to her ear, her fingers on the computer keyboard, and a cockatoo making a nest in her hair. She finished her call and hung up the phone. “Hi, Hunter. Here to see Dr. Kimberly?”
“I do need to discuss one of my cows, but right now we’re here to pick up Gracey. This is Cassidy Cooper, Savannah Roland’s sister.”
As if on cue, a lithe gray cat sprang onto the counter, wiggled her haunches, and prepared a stealth bird attack. The cockatoo squawked and flew toward the safety of the nearby printer, rapping the cat on the head as she glided by. Undeterred, with eyes compressed into slits, the feline crouched and planned her next assault.
Linda reached over, shook a gentle finger in the little cat’s face, and stroked her fur. “Gracey, cut it out. Just because we allow you the run of the place doesn’t mean you have to make a pest of yourself. Leave Fluffy alone.”
“Fluffy?” Cassidy asked.
“The bird. Don’t worry. Fluffy knows how to take care of herself.”
“And the evil cat on your desk is Gracey?” Cassidy’s face fell.
Linda chuckled. “She’s not evil. She’s mischievous, and she sure knows how to liven up this place. Did you want to take her home today?”
Hunter picked up the cat and slung her over his right shoulder. She was a sweet thing, but indeed a handful. He’d watched her gallop through the vet’s office a time or two in hot pursuit of Fluffy the cockatoo. “Yes, we’ll take her today. OK with you, Cassidy?”
Cassidy gave him a reluctant nod.
Dr. Kimberly strolled into the room, accompanied by a client with a yellow lab. “I’d like to see Saffron back in two weeks. Try to keep her calm and give that wound a chance to heal. Linda will print out instructions as to how and when to administer the antibiotics.”
The doctor turned to him. “Hi, Hunter. What brings you here?”
“Hey, Dr. Kimberly.” He explained Cassidy’s presence. “She’s here to pick up Gracey. And could you stop by tomorrow and check on Petunia? Her foot is acting up again.”
The vet rested a hand on his shoulder. “Sure. How about first thing in the morning? Eight o’clock?”
~*~
Hunter lounged on Cassidy’s living room couch while Gracey crouched on Cassidy’s carpet, gray ears twitching, round glittery topaz eyes mirroring contentment. Cassidy’s eyes were as wide as the cat’s and a mite on the glassy side.
“Will you two be OK? You seem a little freaked out.”
“Me? Freaked out? OK, I’ll grant you that. I really need to hightail it back to help Gabby. Problem is, what’s that cat going to do when I leave? You want her? Cheap?”
“I’m betting she’ll nap. And I’d take her if I could, but Linus is sixteen, and I want his last days to be quiet ones.” He reached down to rub the cat’s ears. The submissive creature fell over in a heap, and then butted her head against his hand. She was doing her level best to win them over.
“Is she sick?”
He laughed. “No, my dear. She’s delighted to be home. Can’t you hear her purr? She a happy, healthy cat.”
Cassidy’s eyes narrowed. “In the car, you said ‘playful.’ Can you clarify a bit? Is she going to pounce on my feet? Scratch my furniture? Roam the house at all hours, caterwaul, and create havoc? I’ll have to remember to close my bedroom door.”
“She’s still a kitten, so yes, she’ll be playful for a long time to come. As to the sleeping arrangements, she’s probably not going to be too happy to be banished from your room. Most cats enjoy sleeping with their people.”
“She might enjoy it, but I won’t.” Cassidy grabbed her purse and started to rise.
Hunter hefted Gracey with one hand and cradled the furry creature on his lap. “Would you just relax, please? What’s your hurry?”
~*~
What was her hurry, she wondered. “Don’t you have cows to feed? And why aren’t you working at the bakery? And, come to think of it, how can you do both?”
“The cows are fine for a couple hours yet. Plus, I worked my butt off this morning, and it’s Hillary’s day to work late.”
Hillary. If Cassidy had the unfortunate experience of seeing Hunter’s sister in town, she’d walk the other way.
“And as to the bakery in general, I’m doing my best to break ties and work exclusively on the farm. That’s my dream, anyway. That’s the most you’ve said to me all day. Anything else you want to know? I’m rather enjoying a real conversation.” Hunter beamed her a dazzling grin, reached over, and grazed her hand with his fingertips.
When she was sixteen, what she wouldn’t have given to elicit that angelic smile. And to have felt the warm touch of his hand? Pure bliss. But he’d stomped her tender self-image as flat as her reflection in the mirror.
The lounging animal on his lap yawned at Cassidy, displaying a neon pink tongue and razor-sharp teeth. The crafty cat stretched her spine to an impossible length, amped up her reverberating purr to a soft roar, and rolled right off of Hunter’s knees and onto the carpet.
Cassidy huffed out a laugh and smirked at the cat’s obvious embarrassment.
The feline glared back, apparently unamused.
While it was great that Hunter had been here to interpret cat language, now she wanted him to leave. “Well, thanks for the talk. I should be taking off, though. Have lots to do at the shop.” She jumped to her feet, strode to the door, and peeked over her shoulder at the man who lived next door.
Hunter lifted Gracey with a gentle hand and carried the cat to her fuzzy bed in the corner. “Well then, since you’re in such a rush, I’ll escort you out.” He walked her to her car, cupping her elbow with his hand.
When he stepped past her to open the door, the scent of—was that gingerbread?—lingered in his hair. She couldn’t help herself. She inhaled discreetly as she sank into her seat. Before he clicked the car door shut, he leaned in.
“How about dinner tomorrow night?”
Dinner? With Hunter? A flash of heat shot up her back, sparking a chain reaction.
7
“Wait. You said ‘no’ when Mr. Dreamy asked you out?” Gabby dipped a slender fingertip in her chocolate sundae and licked off a dab of whipped cream.
With nothing else to do on a Saturday night, after a quick dinner in Gabby’s apartment, they’d ended up at the local ice cream shop. Not a blessed thing had changed since high school. Even the barstools were the same dreadful shade of puce. She turned her attention to the corner booth where her stepfather had proposed to her mother. Too bad their marriage hadn’t lasted longer than three years.
“Don’t you get tired of chocolate? We’ve been sampling an assortment of tastes and textures all week, and here you go and order more.” Cassidy scooped up another mouthful of her cherry vanilla ice cream and savored the bite of creamy goodness. The tart, sweet tang of her favorite fruit made her happy.
“You’re avoiding my question. If Hunter wasn’t like a much older brother, I’d be after him myself.”
“So you’re saying I’m old.”
Gabby’s face crumpled. Apparently, she didn’t know Cassidy well enough to value her sense of humor yet.
Cassidy tapped the back of Gabby’s hand. “I’m just kidding. And yeah, I told him I was busy. Is that a crime?”
Gabby studied her and played with an oversized earring swinging from her ear. “You don’t like him?”
“He’s hardly my type. Now can we change the subject?”
“All right, but he sure seems to be smitten with you. He asked me all kinds of questions about you when we were at church last week. And you should come with me sometime. Lots of people our age.” Gabby eyed her, slurped a blob of chocolate syrup off the back of her spoon, and dipped up another bite dripping with caramel.
He’d asked questions? What had Gabby told him?
“So, how long did you know Savannah? You probably know more about her than I do.”
Gabby sighed but accepted the change of subject. “Only for a few months. She interviewed me for the job in January. I gave her input on what type of place to buy and what equipment she’d need in order to open her own store. She was your stepsister, right?”
“Yep. My mom and Savannah’s dad married when I was not quite thirteen. Savannah is…was three-and-a-half years younger. After the divorce, Savannah stayed here. Mom and I moved back to Chicago.”
“After her grandmother died—”
“Wait. Her dad’s mother died?”
“Gee, you don’t know anything, do you? Her grandmother left her some trust money, and she got a wad when she turned twenty-one. That’s how she bought the house and had enough left over to start her business. Didn’t you guys communicate at all? I gather you two had a fight, but she never talked about it.”
Yeah, there’d been one heck of a fight. The tension around the house had been as thick and frosty as an old-fashioned milkshake. Migraines and stomach troubles became the new norm. She’d rejoiced at the great escape.
But here she was, and Savannah was…gone.
The waitress topped off their coffee and scurried off to attend to other customers.
Gabby graced her with a gaze overflowing with kindness. “Did you like living in the Midwest?”
“Yes, but when I left, Chicago had lost its charm. I needed to…” Cassidy’s chest heaved. “I needed to start over. So here I am.”
“Oh, yes. Bradley the octopus. Do you miss your job? What did you do before you came here?”
Did she miss her job? No. She’d been passed over for promotions one too many times, this last time for someone more…well-upholstered. Past time to move on. “I was a number cruncher at an advertising firm, and no, I don’t miss it.”
Cassidy saturated her coffee with cream and stirred, her spoon clinking the sides of the cup. “Is that enough to satisfy your curiosity?”
“For the moment, but I will expect part two at a later time. This is a nice town, though. I’m sure you’ll be happy here.”
Gabby radiated the “joy of the Lord.” Perhaps some of it would rub off. “So tell me more about you.”
Cassidy half-listened while Gabby chatted away, visions of young Savannah in Ike’s Ice Cream Shoppe flooding Cassidy’s memory. When she’d gotten her driver’s license, Mom had insisted she take the squirt along. For a while, her sister had idolized her. Before things turned ugly.
She was woolgathering when Gabby tapped her on the hand, piercing her reverie. “Cassie?”
Cassidy heaved a weary sigh. “Cassidy. Please.”
“Oops. I said, so when do we get more help? If you’re doing the books, ordering the supplies, drumming up business, and sampling the merchandise, who’ll work the register and sell the candy?”
Cassidy pushed shaggy bangs out of her eyes. Was there a good hairdresser in this town, or would she have to drive twenty-five miles to the nearest big city? She laid a hand on Gabby’s arm. She should have asked her if she knew anyone suitable. “Sorry. I’m hoping we have a good response from the ad in the paper, but it would be nice to hire someone as soon as possible. Got any ideas?”
“I have a friend who could use a part-time job.”
“Tell me about her. We need someone completely flexible, someone who’s an energetic people-person, and a real go-getter who can stay on her feet for long periods of time.”
Gabby fiddled with the sugar packets, sorting them by color. “Her name’s Kayla, and I’ve known her most of my life. She’s…sweet.”
There was a catch in there somewhere.
The chocolatier’s perpetual smile slipped, pearly teeth barely peeking behind sulky lips. “Please? I’m sure you’ll like her.”
&nb
sp; Cassidy opened her mouth to protest, she really meant to say “no”, but she ended up clamping her mouth tight shut. After all Gabby had done for her, how could she deny that pleading pout?
It seemed her hesitation implied assent, and Gabby tapped out a happy dance under the table with her feet. Gabby grabbed Cassidy’s hand and pumped. “Thanks. She’s waiting for your call.”
Cassidy closed her eyes and shook her head. She just knew she was going to regret this decision.
~*~
Hunter slapped the last box of fragrant bread and croissants on the counter at Katie’s Eats. Peals of soft female titters drifted from the dining room. He didn’t get nearly enough laughter in his life. He had to get out more and interact with real people instead of just cows. People like women. It had been such a long time since he’d been on a date. Too long.
He poked his head around the swinging kitchen door and surveyed the crowd. The sweet tinkle of laughter was coming from Cassidy and Gabby. He was about to go over and say hello when the sting of rejection tightened his jaw. He’d finally screwed up his courage and asked Cassidy out, and she’d said “no.” She hadn’t been unkind, but rather vague and non-committal.
He was turning to leave when Katie presented Cassidy with a custard cup full of maraschino cherries for her ice cream. She plucked a cherry from the bowl, popped it in her mouth, and chewed with relish. Her eyes lit up like the deep blue of the Chesapeake Bay on a sunny day, warming Hunter through and through. How could he get her to look at him like that?
Well, standing there gawking at her wasn’t getting him any closer to a date. He moseyed over to their table, slid into the booth next to Gabby, and propped his elbows on the table. He would have rather parked himself next to Cassidy, but this way he could see her expressions. Maybe he’d get a clue as to why she didn’t seem to like him much.
Gabby clapped him on the shoulder. “Hey there, Hunts. You should try one of these amazing sundaes. With extra chocolate jimmies. Yum.”
Hunter nodded and directed his gaze at Cassidy. “Anything chocolate is high on my list. Good to see you, Cassidy. How’s Gracey?”