How Cassie Got Her Grind Back [Divine Creek Ranch 23] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Heather Rainier

  “Are you sure?” Veronica asked as she pulled her dark auburn hair back into a tidy knot at the back of her head with an elastic band. “You said you wanted to do some holiday shopping this afternoon.”

  “I can still do that later, sweet girl. I’m not on a schedule, after all.”

  “Well, all right. I just don’t want you to wear yourself out.”

  The little white-haired sprite chuckled and flapped her hand. “I have on my comfy shoes,” she said, demonstrating by waggling a foot at all the naysayers. “And I still have excellent vision and faculties. Now, who’s staying to help me?”

  Chuckling through tears, Cassie gave her a hug and handed Ivan her keys to the shop. “You’re sure about this?”

  Ivan grinned. “It’s my time off, and I’d like to help, too.”

  Samson said, “I have to be at work by three, but I can stay for a while. I can take orders and run a cash register.”

  “I normally close at three anyway,” Cassie said. “That would be perfect—Oh no!”

  “What?” he asked at the horrified look on her face.

  “Violet’s cake! I was supposed to finish all the layers today. Crap! I’ll just have to do it later tonight.”

  “Nonsense,” Ivan said. “Let me finish it for you. You showed it to me already. And I’d have the pictures of the finished product to go by.”

  Cassie looked at him as if he was crazy, but he just grinned. Hank interrupted and said, “Eli told me she’s stable, but they want to transport her for observation. He said you can ride with him, Cassie.”

  “Okay.” She nodded and set her jaw, as if reminding herself she could handle this. “I appreciate all of your help…if you’re sure. Things are about to get busy,” she added as more people came in the side door.

  Grandma Kate returned to the group with her white curls done up in a red kerchief, Rosie the Riveter-style, a Divine Drip apron hung around her neck, and a paper towel in her hands, drying them. She quickly hugged Cassie and made a shooing gesture. “Let us know how she is. I’ll be praying, honey.”

  “Don’t overdo it, Grandma Kate,” she said as Ivan brought her purse to her.

  “We won’t let her,” he said. “And you let me know when you’re ready to be picked up. I can stay in the area as long as need be today.”

  Grandma Kate was already behind the counter, chatting with folks waiting in line as she tied up her apron strings and then picked up her order pad and pencil. “What can I get for you, sweetie?” she asked the first person in line. Veronica joined her behind the counter and spoke to the first person in the other line.

  Cassie looked up at Ivan, who kissed her forehead as the waitress brought him an apron, too. “We’ve got this, baby. You go take care of your mom. Keep in touch as you’re able so we know what’s going on.”

  She nodded, her eyes bright with unshed tears and then hugged and kissed them both. It was a fast kiss, but intense, before she rushed out the door.

  For the next hour, Ivan and the two coffee shop employees kept them on the right track. He discovered Kate really did have a little experience with restaurant work because several members of her extended family worked at a café in her hometown of Lusty, Texas.

  Once the rush had slowed just a bit, Ivan went into the back and began working on the wedding cake. Samson left to go to work, but not before Grandma Kate gave him a kiss on the cheek and pressed a cup of hot, strong coffee in his hand. “You go be there for all the souls who may need help, Samson. It was a pleasure meeting and working with you today.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He wasn’t sure how much good he did, but he’d learned the difference between a grande and a tall and served pastries and kolaches. And while he could pour a mean cup of old-fashioned drip coffee, he’d left the running of the espresso machine to the experts. He hoped the results had been acceptable to the customers. He didn’t want to mess up her following in the community.

  On the way back to Morehead, Samson grinned as he took a sip of the coffee Grandma Kate had made for him. The perfect amount of sugar. It was like he’d always said, Moms, and Grandmas, had magic in their fingers and everything they made tasted good.

  “Speaking of which,” he said as he hit the hands-free calling button on his steering wheel. “Call home.”

  “Calling,” intoned the voice-activated system.

  “Hello?” said the sweet voice over the speaker system of the truck.

  “Mom! How’re you doin’?”

  “Samson! I’m just fine. It’s been a week or two since I last talked to you. How have you been?”

  “Great. Hey, do you remember Cassie Villalobos?”

  “I sure do,” she murmured, her tone a little more cautious. “I always thought she was a sweet thing. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, we went to the high school reunion recently,” he said and began to get her caught up.

  Chapter Ten

  Cassie joined Dr. Emma Rivers in the hallway outside her mom’s hospital room and focused on Emma’s explanation of the emergency room physician’s diagnosis.

  “An anxiety attack? Thank goodness—I mean that’s awful, but I was terrified she’d had a heart attack.”

  Emma patted her arm, understanding in her eyes. “I know what you meant. That’s what the tests indicate so far. Symptom-wise, a person having an anxiety attack often feels as though they’re having a heart attack, which serves to increase their panic, resulting in a snowball effect. Her blood pressure is still on the low side. They’ll keep an eye on her for the next several hours until she’s had some IV fluids and keep her overnight, which I agree is a good idea. Once we get her over this bump in the road, bring her to see me for a follow-up. Did she say anything about feeling under the weather lately?”

  “The last thing she told me, several days ago, was that she felt tired out. I’ve been thinking about having her come to live with me instead of in her little apartment in the retirement village so I could keep an eye on her.”

  Emma smiled. “It might be good for her, if you can handle it. I know she likes helping you at the restaurant. I’m interested to see her blood work when it comes back. It could be she’s anemic.”

  “She’s had trouble with anemia in years past, I remember.”

  “We’ll keep an eye on it, then. Did anything happen that might’ve triggered the panic attack?”

  Anger flared anew at the thought of her father. “Yeah, Dad came by the coffee shop. He wanted to see Mom, but I wouldn’t let him. He’d just give her a hard time. Who knows what would’ve happened if—never mind.”

  Emma pursed her lips and then patted Cassie’s arm consolingly. “How’s he doing? I remember you mentioning he’d had some car accidents.”

  “Incorrigible,” Cassie replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “He won’t listen to reason and, as usual, he’s angry at me.”

  He’d taken out someone’s fence and their gazebo—and totaled his car a few months before. When the EMTs came, they insisted on taking him to the ER for stitches. Emergency room physicians had examined him, and after listening to him tell his story, they’d consulted with Cassie about not allowing him to drive anymore.

  The next incident had involved an outbuilding he’d struck on someone’s property while driving a borrowed vehicle, and then he’d driven away from the incident. Judge Woody Porter had gotten involved then and ordered him to stay out from the behind the steering wheel from then on. It’d made life more complicated since he lived alone, but he’d enlisted his brothers to help him get around. Since they were all retired now, it seemed to work out all right. Except now he was claiming he planned to go car shopping again.

  She’d told him if he did she’d go to his house, take his keys, inform the insurance company he wasn’t supposed to be driving—and then call Woody if she had to.

  “Hon, you can only help as much as they will allow.”

  Trying to see the bright side, Cassie said, “Well, at least he walked in and out of the coffee shop on his
own steam, instead of driving into it.” Then she told her about Dad’s other bright idea—that she should take Bill back.

  Emma snorted. “I’m speaking as your friend and not your doctor when I say, if you do take that jerk back, I will band with Grace, Charity, Lily, Leah, Lucy, and all the others in kicking your butt.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s bad enough I have him in my life on an all-too-regular basis because of the kids. I’d never let him move back into my house or my personal life. Cheating bastard.” She glanced up and down the hall, hoping nobody had heard her use such language.

  “Good girl. And you know, hon…it’s none of my business how you and he make the whole family dynamic work, but with the kids out of the house and, for all intents and purposes, grown and gone, you don’t need to allow him access to your life anymore.”

  Emma’s words brought the key he still had in his possession to mind, and Cassie thought maybe it was time she’d done something about it. He could keep the key. She’d just have all the locks changed.

  “Let her rest for tonight and in the morning talk with her about moving in with you if you’re seriously considering that option. I think it might help Delicia’s stress level to have company and to feel as if she’s contributing, as long as it won’t interfere with your personal life.” Emma stopped speaking and looked her straight in the eye.

  “What?”

  “You know what. Just because you have aging parents doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to getting your needs met. A little birdie told me a pair of sexy, silver twin woobies are a-courting you. Is that true?”

  “‘Courting’?” she asked with a giggle. “Woobies? You must’ve talked to Grace. But yeah, I guess you could say that. Samson and Ivan and I knew each other in high school, when I dated Samson. We recently reconnected.”

  “Do they have any potential for the future?”

  Cassie chuckled. “We keep trying to work out the answer to that question.”

  Emma nodded. “Well, if you have any questions, my experience as the center in a totally hot geek sandwich is at your disposal.” She waggled her eyebrows, and the two of them both broke into laughter. “Seriously, if you need answers, I’m happy to help.”

  Cassie beckoned her closer and whispered, “Just one question.”

  Emma leaned forward, her face totally deadpan. “Hmm?”

  “Don’t they wear you out with their libidos? All I can think is how exhausting it would be. I mean no one is complaining of their vaginas wearing out or…”

  Emma started cackling and couldn’t stop except to gasp and say, “Or falling out? No, not hardly. They’re very careful with me, and I get the impression they’d change the way we do things if they got the idea it was too much for me. You know, take it easy on me. Not that I want them to.”

  Cassie pointed at herself. “Middle-aged, here.”

  Emma smirked. “Middle-aged, my ass. You’re a renaissance woman.”

  “Funny, one of the guys used that very expression.”

  “Hon, don’t buy into the stereotypes. Lots of women maintain vibrant sex lives late into life. You’re in excellent physical shape. Your hormones are well balanced. I’d just invest in some good lubricants and let your freak flag fly.”

  “Thank you!” Cassie said as she returned Emma’s hug. “I’m surrounded by happy ménage “middles” but just wasn’t sure how to ask about that. Of course, they all want to see me happy and settled again, but…”

  “Hey, you’ve got to decide what’s right for you. And just because you get involved in a relationship doesn’t mean it’s your responsibility to do all their laundry and cook all the meals. Let them take care of you, too. I want to meet these men some time.”

  “Okay.”

  After Emma departed, Cassie peeked in on her mom, who was asleep, and then slipped down the hall to the empty waiting room and dialed the shop’s phone number.

  “Thank you for calling Divine Drip today. How may I help you?” the distinct voice said over the line.

  “Grandma Kate?”

  “This is Kate Benedict. Is this Cassie?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “How’s your mama, honey?”

  “Dr. Rivers said it was an anxiety attack. She’s sleeping now.”

  “Oh, bless her heart!”

  “Thanks. How are things at the shop?”

  “Couldn’t be better! Marissa and Tilly have been absolute sweethearts to work with. You have good workers, honey. The time flew right by, and we’re just cleaning up now that the rush is over with. Samson left about an hour ago, and Ivan is working on your cake. That man has a fair hand with cake decorating.”

  “I imagine he does. Could I talk to him?”

  “Sure thing, honey. Hold the line for me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Cassie said, unable to keep from smiling, despite the circumstances. If it hadn’t been for Grandma Kate and her gang, and the guys, she would’ve had to shut down the shop right at her busiest time of day, and that wasn’t the kind of headline she wanted for her business.

  * * * *

  Ivan put the phone to his ear after Grandma Kate told him who was calling and said, “Ivan’s House of Buttercream Baddassery.”

  Her giggle-snorting was music to his ears. “What?”

  “Hey, if Hermione Jones can name her restaurant after herself in the non-possessive form, I can call my cake decorating business any damned thing I want, right?”

  “Can I hire you?”

  Ivan chuckled. “That depends. What’s the benefits package like?”

  The line went quiet, and he was afraid she’d been cut off, but then she started giggling again. The sound made him smile, and if her sense of humor was intact, then things must not be too bad with her mom.

  “Is your mom okay?”

  “Yes.” After filling in the details, she said, “How’s the cake?”

  “Just about finished. It’s almost three. Want me to come and get you?”

  “No, I can walk to the shop from the hospital.”

  “Not in this wind, you’re not. I’ll come and get you. If you’d like, we can finish the cake together, and then I can take you for supper.”

  “I have absolutely no appetite after this afternoon at the hospital. I don’t mind walking over there. I could use the exercise.”

  “No. Stay there, and I’ll come get you.”

  There was a longer pause on the line, but he heard the smile in her voice as she said, “You know, I’m not used to being told what to do anymore.”

  “Maybe not, baby. But you’re also not used to having someone around who enjoys taking care of you. Wait in the main entry, and I’ll be there in just a few minutes. Then we can come back here and play in the leftover frosting.”

  “Okay.” Her reply was a chuckle with a slightly suggestive edge, and it was his turn to blink and be silent.

  “Woman, I’m going to enjoy learning all your facets. I’ll call Samson so he knows what our plan is.”

  “Okay. See you in a few. Don’t rush on my account though.”

  Wild horses couldn’t keep me away, baby.

  The wind buffeted his truck as he rounded the circular drive a few minutes later and pulled up to the automatic doors. Cassie was right there waiting, with a big smile on her face. She stepped back into the vestibule when a nurse came through the doorway, pushing an empty wheelchair. By the time she made it to his vehicle, he was out and had her door open and waiting.

  “Wow. Curb service,” she said softly. Instead of climbing into the vehicle, she turned and leaned against him when he opened his arms for her.

  “Hey, now. She’s all right, right? She’s gonna be okay?”

  “Yes. I was worried it was her heart.”

  “She’s in good hands here.” He helped her into the truck and closed her door and then came around on the other side and got buckled in. As he turned the key in the ignition, he said, “What do you need right now? Food? Something to drink? They should be finished at the
shop by now.” She was the type who took care of everyone else, and the urge to take care of her for once was strong.

  “Let’s stop by there. I need to get my car, and I want to thank everyone.”

  “Sure. Kate, Veronica, and Travis stayed while Hank went on to work after you left and Samson stayed through the lunch rush before taking off for Morehead. Marissa and Tilly were great. By the time the crowd died down, the customers were asking Grandma Kate if she was going to be working there regularly. I think she had a lot of fun manning the drive-thru.”

  Cassie laughed, and some of the tension seemed to drain out of her. At the shop, she thanked them all and marveled out loud that the coffee shop had worked like a well-oiled machine in her absence.

  “Take it as a sign you’ve done a good job training your employees, honey,” Grandma said as she folded her kerchief and slipped it in her purse and then patted at her white curls. “Oh, and will you pass on my thanks to your mama for the carnitas this afternoon? They were marvelous.”

  “I will.”

  Marissa and Tilly reported all she might need to know, and her shoulders slumped wearily as she locked the door with just the two of them inside.

  “Show me the cake?”

  He took her hand and led her back to the walk-in refrigerator and did the unveiling.

  “It’s perfect!’ she exclaimed as she leaned in and scrutinized each layer under their protective wrappings. “Violet is sure to love this! You’re amazing,” she said as she turned and kissed him.

  Not so easily satisfied, Ivan leaned in for another longer kiss, stroking her jaw and her throat until gooseflesh broke out on her skin and she shivered. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had a dazed, sleepy quality to their brown depths as she blinked.

  “You were the one who laid a scrumptious foundation. I have to admit to eating a couple of your roses. I like that teeny-tiny pinch of ground cardamom you added to the frosting,” he said, smiling as he recalled sitting there letting the confection melt in his mouth while trying to place the subtle hint of exotic spice.