by Jill Sanders
Cade had gone to school with Cal. He’d always liked the guy, since Cal had stuck up for the underdog in school. Maybe it was because Cal was one of them himself, being gay. Whatever the reason, he thought that the two siblings couldn’t have been more different from one another.
“Afternoon,” he said to Cal.
“I’d heard you were roaming the halls,” Cal said with a smile. “I hope Raven hasn’t worked you too hard.”
He smiled and shook his head. “No, just checking a few systems out before I have to go room by room. How are—” He saw Cal’s eyes grow large and move over to his sister. “Things?” he finished, remembering that Cal was keeping his job from his family.
It was strange. He was pretty sure everyone in town but his family knew the man worked part time down at the art studio.
“Things are going good,” Cal answered, relaxing a little. “Put out any fires lately?”
Cade smiled easily. “Nope.”
“Cal, can’t you see Cade and I are having a private…” Liza started but just then Raven came in and, seeing the three of them, walked towards them.
“Is this seat taken?” she asked, motioning to the chair Cade had set his binder in.
Quickly moving his binder to the floor, he motioned. “Please, be my guest.”
Raven smiled as she sat down. For the next few moments, more drinks and food orders were delivered while the chatter turned towards what had happened in Raven’s office earlier that morning.
Cal mentioned that his father was upstairs, packing his things and demanding that his family move with him.
“Of course, we won’t.” Liza chuckled. “Mom’s told him he just needs to move in with that slut that he’s been seeing for years.”
“Liza!” Cal scolded.
“What?” Liza rolled her eyes. “Everyone in town knows about their affair. Why Mom didn’t divorce Dad years ago is beyond me.”
“Because if she did, she wouldn’t have this place,” Cal answered and turned towards Raven. “Mom’s the one who has been trying to keep this place afloat over the years while Dad was busy…” He waved his hand. “Elsewhere.”
Cade watched Raven take in this news. He could see her thinking and found it even more sexy than the black-rimmed glasses she’d been wearing earlier when he’d walked into her office.
“Maybe it’s the reason this place has gone downhill,” Liza said, sounding bored. “Mom was never any good at figures. Its why Dad had to hire the slut.”
“She has a name,” Cal pointed out.
“Morgan Roche no longer works on the resort’s books,” Raven supplied.
“Oh?” Liza smiled. “So, both Dad and his…”—Cal cleared his throat to get his sister to stop calling the woman a slut— “lady friend,” she corrected as she narrowed her eyes at her brother, “are out of jobs. Plus, Dad has to move. This is rich.”
“How so?” Cal asked.
“Oh please. Dad’s finally getting what he deserves. He’s not only been cheating on Mom for all these years but cheating this place as well.”
“How so?” Raven asked.
Cal gave his sister a look that said enough. But Liza being Liza, she either didn’t see it or didn’t care.
“Oh please, you think that a small-town accountant like Morgan Roche has enough business that she can afford to have her offices in one of the swankiest buildings in town, drive a Mercedes, and take at least three trips a year to France?” She chuckled. “Especially in this small town. There’s not enough business in Cannon Falls for anyone to afford to drive a new Mercedes.”
“Maybe she gets her money from somewhere else?” Cade suggested, keeping his eyes on Raven. He hadn’t heard any rumors about the woman, other than she and Raven’s uncle were possibly having an affair.
“Did you know she was a washed-up soap opera actress before moving to Cannon Falls shortly after the fire?” Liza said as she finished her lunch.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Raven said, suddenly standing up.
As she walked away, Cade noticed that she’d barely touched her sandwich and soup.
“Excuse me,” he said after a moment. Taking his binder, he followed Raven back down the hallway to her office.
When he stepped in, she was on the phone, but waved him in. As with before, he shut the door behind him and waited.
Instantly, he could tell she was leaving a message. When she hung up, she glanced up at him.
“Was there something else?” she asked him.
“I’m sure it’s just Liza being… Liza.” He shrugged.
“No, it’s not.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair. She motioned for him to sit. When he did, she continued. “Shortly after returning, I rehired my father’s old accountant. Joe Ramsey is an old family friend. One that I trust. His initial findings show tens of thousands of dollars missing from the accounts this year alone.”
“Your uncle?” he asked.
“Joe was thinking it was just poor oversight by Morgan Roche’s company. Joe doesn’t live in Cannon Falls anymore. After the fire, he moved to Redding, so most of our communications has been over the phone or virtual.” She leaned back. “I have met with Joe on three occasions since my return, whenever he came to town. I hadn’t heard the rumors about my uncle and Morgan stealing from the resort until now. But I have to say, it makes sense. More than just slight accounting oversight.”
“I’m sure your guy will figure things out,” he suggested.
“Either way, the money is most likely long gone.” She shrugged. He could see the sorrow in her eyes and felt an overwhelming need to comfort her.
“Have dinner with me?” he blurted out.
Her eyebrows rose slightly. “Didn’t we just have dinner last night?”
He smiled. “This time, we can eat out, and I won’t bring my grandmother.”
Her curious look turned to a slight frown.
“I don’t think I have time—”
“It’s just dinner.” He stood up and walked behind the desk. Taking her arm, he pulled her up until they were eye to eye. “Are you afraid?” he asked, his eyes moving down to her lips.
He knew he was pushing it, pushing her, but part of him wanted to see how she would respond. What she would do.
She was stiff against him. Her hands moved to his shoulders, until he moved closer. Their bodies bumped together softly.
“I haven’t asked a woman out in a while. I may be rusty, but I’d really enjoy having dinner with you tonight,” he said a little more smoothly.
“Okay,” she answered after a moment.
He smiled. “I’ll pick you up at seven?”
She nodded and when her eyes moved to his lips, he knew that if he kissed her now, she wouldn’t pull away.
When he stepped back, dropping his hold on her, he noticed a slight look of shock cross her face.
“Tonight then,” he said, and he turned to leave.
He left the resort and headed towards his parents’ place before picking up Blue at his gran’s. He didn’t know why, but he needed his mother’s advice about what he was planning.
Fiona and Henry Stone had fallen in love when they’d been ten. Or so his mother had always claimed. Shortly after graduating from school, his father had entered the Marines. It had been rough on his childhood, always traveling and living different places. Not to mention having his father gone most of the time. When the man returned, they never knew which version they’d get—the loving, caring husband and father, or the soldier who jumped and lashed out at any little transgression. Then shortly after Cade’s tenth birthday, he’d been killed, and his mother had returned to Cannon Falls with her two young boys.
His mother hadn’t changed at all over the years, or so he felt. Her once-long dark hair was now cut in a shorter style. She still worked out twice a week at the local gym and did yoga with his gran three times a week in Gran’s garden.
Where Reggie had taken after their mother in the looks department, Cade was all their fath
er’s side of the family.
Growing up, he’d never really thought about the fact that he looked like his dad and uncle. But since returning home, it was sort of strange to see just how he’d look in twenty years. All he had to do was look at his uncle, Sean.
Some people in town confused them for one another. Of course, Sean had more grey hair and was usually in his police cruiser and uniform.
“This is a surprise,” his mother said, setting down a book she’d been reading when he stepped into the house.
Louie and Bentley, his mother’s French bulldogs, rustled over to greet him.
“Sorry, guys, Blue’s at Gran’s place,” he told the two brothers as he petted them. “Sorry to drop in on you like this.”
His mother waved him away and stood up to hug him. “It’s no problem. How about some tea? I was just sitting down, trying to recover from my yoga class. I swear my mother is trying to kill me.”
He chuckled. “You’ve been saying that for years and yet you still do yoga with her three times a week,” he pointed out as he sat down on one of the barstools to watch her put together some tea and the cookies that he knew she always had after yoga.
“I’ve got a date tonight,” he blurted out.
“Oh?” His mother stopped mid-stride. “With whom?”
“Raven Brooks,” he answered, hoping to rip the bandage off quickly so it wouldn’t sting his mother so much.
“That’s nice,” his mother surprised him by saying before returning to her task.
“That’s all you have to say?” he asked after a moment.
“Mom mentioned that you’d invited her to dinner last night,” his mother said over her shoulder. “I haven’t seen her around town yet and was thinking I would stop by the resort to say hello.”
“She kicked her uncle out today.” He looked down at his hands as they fisted. “I walked in on the man grabbing and threatening her this morning.”
“Was she okay?” His mother looked worried.
“Yeah,” he sighed. “It appears that the man has spent the last ten years stealing from the resort. Him and Morgan Roche.”
His mother moved over to stand directly across from him. “I never did like that woman. When she moved into town, I just knew there was something about her.” She shook her head. “Has Raven talked to your uncle about this yet?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I was hoping to talk to him about it myself. Raven claims that since most likely the money is all gone, it’s not worth it.”
“That’s bull.” His mother set the plate of cookies in front of him.
Since he was still hungry, he grabbed one and bit into it.
“It’s not my decision,” he added with a shrug.
“Does she have proof?” his mother asked, walking over and taking the kettle off the stove.
“I’m not sure. It sounds like her parents’ old accountant found some discrepancies. I don’t know if it’s proof.” He shrugged as she set a mug in front of him. Dipping another cookie into the tea, he finished, “She left a message for the man.”
“And kicked her uncle out. What about Roslyn? Liza and Cal?”
“She’s told them they can stay. For now,” he answered.
His mother’s eyes ran over him. “So, you asked her out?”
He nodded. “Does it bother you?”
“What?” His mother looked a little surprised. “Why would it?” When he shrugged and took another bite of cookie, she continued. “Do you think I pay any attention to the gossip that’s been going around town all these years?”
He nodded. “If the rumors are true, Raven is the reason Reggie and so many others are gone. The reason you lost your home, the reason so many others lost everything.”
“Son, if I paid attention to rumors, I would have never married your father.” She smiled. “If all rumors going around Cannon Falls were true, Sean is your father, not Henry.”
“What?” He set his teacup down a little hard and some of the amber liquid splashed out. “Who says that?”
His mother laughed. “See, we shouldn’t put any stock in rumors.” She motioned with her cookie. “Oh, and there’s one that your gran is a lesbian.” She laughed. “Gran loves that one. She claims that if she’d found anyone to put up with her after grandpa Burt died, she wouldn’t have cared what gender they were.”
He smiled. “I see what you mean.” He sighed. “So, you don’t think that Raven had anything to do with the fire?”
His mother grew silent and tilted her head slightly. “Whatever that girl and Reggie were doing out in the woods that night, I doubt it was their plan to start a fire that would wipe out Cannon Falls. Sometimes young people do stupid things. If I blame her, then I have to put some of that blame on Reggie. You have to ask yourself what kind of person Raven is now. Gran mentioned that Raven has spent the last ten years in counseling. That for the first five years after, she was on antidepressants. Now, I don’t know much about her since she’s returned, but I know that she’s hired a lot of good people. Put them back to work again. Not to mention that when the resort opens back up this winter, she’s going to bring a lot of tourists back into town. That’s a good thing. It means that Cannon Falls finally has a chance to recover. Ten years later. And it’s all because of her.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. He’d known all of that. Had thought the same thing. But somehow hearing it from his mother made it resonate. “I guess that’s why I asked her out.”
His mother smiled again and laid a hand over his. “You are an excellent judge of character. You deserve to be happy. Don’t let rumors stop you from finding happiness. I didn’t.” She sighed. “Now, where are you going to take her for dinner?”
Chapter Nine
Better a small fire that warms you than a big one that burns you. ~ French Proverb
Why in the hell had she agreed to go to dinner with Cade again? She’d had dinner with him last night, and lunch earlier. Okay, technically, she’d had lunch with him and her cousins, but still. That counted. Right?
The only reason she was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, trying on yet another outfit, was because she’d had a moment of weakness looking into his sexy brown eyes.
Deciding on the deep yellow off-the-shoulder flowing dress, she wrapped her black belt around her waist, found her favorite black cardigan and purse, and decided not to second-guess herself.
She still had so many things to do on her list, including moving out of the west building and into the east building until the new fire system could be installed. She would have to make time for it soon.
When the elevator swung open, her cousin was standing there, as if waiting for her.
“Going somewhere?” Liza’s eyes moved up and down her.
“Out,” she said and started to pass her. Liza moved in front of her and blocked her completely.
“With?” Liza asked, her eyes locking with her own.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” Raven began just as Cade turned the corner.
“There you are,” he said with a smile. “Ready?” His eyes moved to Liza and he gave her a quick nod before taking Raven’s hand in his.
“Seriously?” Liza called after them.
“Just keep walking,” Cade said between clenched teeth.
“Is there a problem between you and my cousin?” she asked once they’d stepped outside.
He turned to glance at her, then stopped. “You look beautiful,” he said with a smile.
“Changing the subject?”
He took her hand and started walking towards a parked car.
“That I know of, there is nothing between me and your cousin. Either of them,” he added with a wink. “Liza did, however, make me an offer before you and Cal stopped by the lunch table.”
“Oh?” she asked as he opened the car door. “What kind of offer?”
He shrugged. “The usual kind, I suppose. She wondered why we hadn’t… done it,” he finished with a smile.
“Seriou
sly?” Raven asked, a little appalled. He chuckled as an answer. “Why haven’t you?”
He rolled his eyes and took a step closer to her, and she felt the air in her lungs back up.
“Because she is not my type,” he said just under his breath.
“What is your type?” she asked before thinking about it.
His eyes moved to her lips quickly, then back to her eyes.
“I think you know that answer.” His hand moved to her waist. Just feeling him touching her, holding her with just one hand, made her knees go weak.
Before she made a fool of herself, she climbed into the car and watched him move around to get behind the wheel.
“I thought you had a truck?” she asked as he started to drive.
“I do, a work truck. This is my personal car.”
They rode in silence for a while. She was so nervous, and she suddenly realized she hadn’t even thought of a few topics to talk with him about.
When she’d dated Reggie, there hadn’t been a lot of talking. It was high school and, well, theirs was a more physical kind of thing.
She glanced sideways at him and hoped that he would start talking about something.
“Did you get everyone moved out of the west building?” he asked as he turned onto the highway.
“There isn’t anyone in it at the moment. Except me.”
He glanced over at her. “You’re staying in the west building?”
“Yes, it’s the newer building. I thought it would need the least amount of work.” She sighed. “I was wrong.”
“Oh?” he asked.
“My list says otherwise. It’s as if my uncle didn’t do any maintenance on the west side at all.” She relaxed back. She could easily talk about work. After all, it consumed her every waking thought and some of her thoughts while sleeping. Well, when she wasn’t dreaming of Cade or running from a fire.
“You grew quiet,” he said, breaking the silence.
She hadn’t realized she’d retreated into her thoughts.
“Sorry.” She cleared her mind. “Where are we going?”
“There’s an Italian restaurant just on the outskirts of Azalea. They have some really great meatballs, and their breadsticks are to die for.” He grinned.