“Go on,” she said, not exactly softening but her eyes warming slightly.
“I understand what you were telling me when I first came to work here—about Sarah. When I saw her with that migraine, it clicked. Everything you’d said.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry that I somehow contributed to this.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I know what she’s capable of. And she is capable of way more than anyone has given her credit for, including me. I need to make it up to her. I need to find a way to show her that I do trust her.”
She stood. “I don’t know how to help.”
“I love her,” he blurted out, standing. He didn’t care anymore whether or not he was good enough, if he had her approval, or what Sarah’s parents would have said. None of it mattered, because it was like Sarah had said—it was letting other people make decisions for him. She had been right about all of it. Even when he’d mentioned the reasons they couldn’t have a relationship, she had known that living to avoid other people’s gossip was no way to live.
Mrs. Casey didn’t say anything; she just gave him this long, evaluating stare that was almost worse than Martin Donnelly’s and practically made him squirm.
“I can’t really blame you for making the same mistake I did. I can’t blame you for loving her and wanting to keep her safe, either. I was also quite harsh when I told you about her condition, and that can’t have helped your worry about her.”
“There is something else,” he said, wanting to get it all out there. If Sarah actually did forgive him and they were together, he wanted Mrs. Casey to know about his background.
“Go on,” she said, her eyes clouding slightly.
“The other reason I told Sarah we couldn’t be together was because of my past. I don’t come from a good family. I didn’t have a dime to my name, and I dropped out of school and started working very young. I’ve always been a hard worker, but I’ve always worked for someone else. I…I know Sarah’s parents would have wanted her to marry someone with the same kind of wealth, and I felt insecure. I didn’t want people talking, and I wanted to bring something to the table.”
He felt a sense of relief once he got that out, even though Edna didn’t say anything for a long moment. She finally let out a long sigh and folded her hands. “I came from a situation similar to yours. But I made the mistake of marrying someone when I was far too young because I was desperate for love and for a real family. He turned out to be a rotten man, and I was grateful I never had children with him. I worked until my hands were blistered, and I was thin as a rail when he left me. I happened upon the Turner family and was immediately brought in as one of them. They were good people, treated me like I belonged. I knew them before their son died, and the man I knew Sarah’s father to be, before Joshua died, would have approved of you, Cade. I know it deep down. They changed, they destroyed themselves, and I witnessed all of it. But that girl held on when her entire world crumbled before her young eyes. It wasn’t fair the way we all sheltered her, and I feel responsible for that.
“Sarah always had a light about her, an inherent happiness, a uniqueness. Wherever she went, she lit up a room. That light went out the day her sweet brother died. I hadn’t seen that light again until you came into her life, Cade. And it worried me. It kept me up at night. Because I didn’t know if she’d survive if that light went out again. Or if I would, for that matter. I think you’ve proven yourself to be a good man, and I trust Sarah’s instincts. I know you haven’t taken advantage of her kindness or her feelings for you. I believe you were acting in Sarah’s best interests. So now, we find a way to get her back to you,” she said with a wink.
He cleared his throat past the lump that had formed there. “I have your blessing?”
She put a thin hand on his shoulder, giving it a pretty strong squeeze for someone her size. “You have my blessing and my support. Now, let me make us some tea and let’s get started with a plan.”
He followed her to the kitchen. “Mrs. Casey?”
“Yes?”
“I really hate tea.”
“I know, child. That’s why we add a little bit of whiskey to it. It makes it go down much smoother. Now, follow me and let’s figure out how to get your girl back.”
Chapter Eighteen
“I don’t see why we need to go out for breakfast. You know I love cooking, and really, you have no idea the types of ingredients that these places use,” Mrs. Casey groused as Sarah pulled her truck into an empty parking spot outside of Tilly’s Diner.
Sarah had wanted to do this for her ever since Lainey told her about the older ladies who came to the diner every morning. The only thing that was keeping her going after Cade’s rejection and lie were her friendships. She had no idea how she could have missed out on this part of life for so long. She wanted Mrs. Casey to have the same experience.
“I know you can cook. This isn’t about the food. But I do happen to know the owner, and I know she uses great local ingredients and has tons of options that I can eat. Now come on and try something new,” Sarah said, grabbing her purse and giving a pointed look before getting out of the car.
Mrs. Casey stood on the steps, not looking like she was planning on budging any time soon. Sarah opened the door and gave Mrs. Casey a gentle shove. The diner was bustling but not packed, and Lainey was smiling at them from behind the counter. “Good morning! I’m so glad you could make it,” she said.
Mrs. Casey gave her a strained smile, but her shoulders seemed a little more relaxed. “This is my friend Lainey. Lainey, this is Edna Casey.”
Mrs. Casey gave her a nod. “This looks like a fine establishment you have here, dear.”
Lainey smiled warmly. “Thank you so much. It was my grandmother’s, but I’m happy to be running it now. If you don’t mind, I’d love to introduce you to some regular customers of mine—they’re also friends,” she said, pointing to a table by the window that was filled with ladies who looked to be about Mrs. Casey’s age.
“Oh, well, that’s very kind of you, but I should sit with Sarah. And I’d hate to intrude on their conversation,” she said, her eyebrows raising as the ladies at the table erupted into a fit of laughter.
Sarah smiled at the sound. “They seem like a great group, Mrs. Casey. It looks like they’re having lots of fun.”
“They are,” Lainey said, rounding the counter. “They come here every morning after church.”
That piqued Mrs. Casey’s interest. “Church?”
Lainey nodded. “All different churches in town, but they all meet here after. Usually for pie. They’ve been coming for years, and their table gets bigger and bigger as they add new friends.”
Mrs. Casey stood a little straighter and smoothed her already impeccably ironed navy dress. “All right. Then maybe I should try and meet some of them.”
Lainey winked at Sarah and then linked her arm through Mrs. Casey’s. The three of them walked over to the table, and the chatter died slowly. All the women fixed their gazes on Lainey. “Ladies, I have someone very special for you to meet. This is Edna Casey, and she’s new to Tilly’s Diner.”
“Well now, come and sit with us, Edna. I’m Marjorie Busby and I’ll introduce you to all the girls. I hope you like pie,” she said, motioning for Mrs. Casey to sit in the chair that Lainey had brought over.
Mrs. Casey sat down gingerly and listened intently as Mrs. Busby rattled off the different types of pies. After she settled on the peach pie that Mrs. Busby highly recommended, Lainey and Sarah walked back to the main counter.
Sarah glanced over at Mrs. Casey and smiled as the ladies all burst into laughter again. She was relieved to see Mrs. Casey smiling along with them. It almost made her forget about Cade.
“I think you need one of my special mugs, filled to the brim with coffee,” Lainey said, “and a slice of that banana chocolate chip bread that…” Her vo
ice trailed off, and her cheeks went pink. She no doubt had been about to say that it was the one Cade had brought to the picnic.
“Don’t worry about it, Lainey. You can say his name. I’ll survive. And yeah, coffee and that banana bread sounds amazing.”
“Okay. Give me a minute to get pie over to that table, and I’ll be right back,” she said, quickly going about filling the order.
Sarah glanced at her phone while the chatter in the diner floated around her. Of course there were no missed calls or texts. It was silly to expect that there would be. It’s not like Cade would text her saying, Sorry I was such a jerk, want to spend the night with me at the Highwayman again?
A few minutes later, Lainey was back and placing a mug with the words Don’t Stop Believing on it, filled with a delicious-smelling coffee. She handed her a carton of dairy-free creamer and a plate with the banana bread on it. “Wow. If this isn’t comfort food, I don’t know what is. Thank you so much. This is exactly what I needed,” she said, touched. This was what real friends did. Real friends who she’d met through Cade.
Lainey poured herself a cup and added some of the dairy-free creamer, then leaned against the counter.
“You use that creamer, too?” Sarah asked.
Lainey scrunched up her nose. “I have a bit of an issue with dairy. I usually try and avoid it, but sometimes my love for cheese gets the better of me. Hope usually keeps me in line.”
Sarah broke off a piece of the banana bread. “I was thinking I might go and see Hope about my migraines.”
Lainey nodded. “She really is great at what she does. It’s worth a try.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I haven’t tried anything new in years.”
Lainey leaned forward. “So how are you doing?”
Sarah stirred her coffee, not that it really needed it. She wanted to place her head on the counter and moan like a dramatic teenager, but that would alarm Mrs. Casey, so she remained upright. “I’m pretty crappy, to be honest. Still a little blindsided. Cade was not the guy I’d ever expect to lie to me. It’s weird. The man I argued with on that last day and the man I fell in love with were two different people. I honestly don’t know how we could be further apart in how we think. He wanted to be the big man and shield me from my father’s problems. Ugh. I don’t want to get into all this.” She put her mug down and took a big bite of the banana bread. She could at least console herself with carbs.
“Okay, but what about hearing him out? Giving him another chance?”
Her stomach dropped, and she put the banana bread down. “He’s not asking for another chance. He’s not speaking to me. We’ve barely said five words to each other.”
Lainey tapped her finger against her chin. “He’s going to come around; I know he will. I’ve never seen Cade the way he is with you. He’s like a different man. He’s sweeter, softer. The way he looks at you. He made a mistake, and I’m sure he knows it.”
“Well, I’m not waiting around,” Sarah said, picking up her mug.
“Good for you. Just maybe wait a bit. How about getting your mind off things? Why don’t I call Hope and the three of us meet at River’s tomorrow night?”
River’s…Cade. “I don’t know if I can handle seeing Cade there.”
“I don’t think he’s going to be there. Tyler would have told me.”
Sarah took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Okay, then. What have I got to lose?”
Lainey glanced up as Martin Donnelly walked into the diner. Sarah waved at him as he slowly made his way to the counter.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said with a sparkle in his eye.
“Good morning,” they both said.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you this morning,” Lainey said, pouring him a mug of coffee and adding cream to it.
“Well, I needed to run an errand in town and thought I’d stop by and see my favorite daughter-in-law,” he said with a charming wink.
Lainey rounded the counter, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and held his coffee out for him. “Mrs. Busby is over at the table if you’d like to sit there?”
Martin glanced in the direction of the table. “Too many women. They’ll outnumber me,” he said.
Sarah and Lainey laughed.
“Actually, now that I see Sarah here, I think I’d like to chat a bit.”
Sarah was surprised but nodded. “Sure.”
He gestured to one of the tables on the opposite end of the diner. Sarah slid off the seat and followed him. Lainey gave her shoulder a squeeze once she set Martin’s coffee down and went back to the bar area.
Sarah sat opposite Martin and took a sip of her coffee, surprised that he wanted to talk to her.
“I hope you have a few minutes,” he said.
“Of course. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, yes. It wasn’t actually me I wanted to talk about. It’s Cade,” he said, lifting his cup slowly and taking a sip.
Sarah’s stomach dropped, and she forced herself to keep her expression neutral. She really did have a good poker face. “Oh, Mr. Donnelly, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
He patted her hand. “Well, now, you don’t have to agree with what I tell you, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d listen,” he said, in such a kind voice that she didn’t have the heart to shut him down. She knew there was nothing he could possibly say that could change what had happened between her and Cade. There was no going back after that. He’d had her groveling, in a weak and vulnerable position, and then she’d even been so stupid as to tell him she loved him only to have him coldly tell her it was over. Yeah, definitely not salvageable. “Fair enough,” she said finally.
“When did you first meet Cade?”
“Not that long ago. Two months.”
He folded a napkin and blotted his mouth. “I’ve known him since he was a boy. He was in pretty rough shape when he came to Wishing River. But in all the years I’ve known Cade Walker, I’ve never seen him like this.”
She tore her eyes from his, not wanting to see the concern for Cade in them. She didn’t want to hear what a good man he was or the reasons she had made a mistake.
“I’m not the kind of man who likes to pry into people’s personal affairs,” he began. She waited patiently for him to continue, even though dread was now pooling in her stomach.
“I first met Cade when he was sixteen. Seemed to come out of nowhere. Ty brought him home one day after school, and that boy was like a lost puppy. Sure, he was rough around the edges, tough as nails, but Ty’s mother and I saw something in that boy right away. Maybe it was my wife who saw it first, because I’ll admit I was a little worried about him hanging around Tyler. But, uh, Tyler hid him at our house for a couple of nights. It was Tyler’s mother who figured it out and told me. We sat down with Cade and asked him about his family. He was defensive, not unlike so many boys that age. But beneath that tough-guy act, we saw the hurt in his eyes, the fear. I asked him if he wanted a job as a ranch hand. I’d give him room and board and a chance to finish school.”
Sarah was trembling, and her throat was tight as she pictured the man she’d come to know and love as the young man Martin was describing. “He accepted?”
Martin shook his head, a slight smile appearing on one side of his mouth. “Nope. He politely thanked me for the job but told me he didn’t accept charity and that he’d find his own way.”
Sarah leaned forward, hanging on to his every word. “What happened?”
“Pride can ruin even the best of men, Sarah. But sometimes when a man has nothing, the only thing he can cling to is that pride.”
Her stomach twisted painfully, and she squeezed her eyes shut, her mind going back to her conversations with him, about his family, how he grew up…how he felt he had nothing to offer her. She hadn’t understood that. She had just accused him of being from another century, that kind
of thinking irrelevant now. But to him, it wasn’t. It was deeply relevant. It was part of who he was, the identity he’d grown up with.
She let out a shaky breath.
Martin placed his hands out in front of him, the stronger hand clasped over the one that hadn’t fully regained all its strength. “He left our house. Of course, Tyler was mad at me and blamed me. Tyler and Dean looked for him everywhere. I’ll admit I was afraid I’d been too hard on him, and Tyler’s mother was upset with me. Then, Saturday morning, we had a big storm raging, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay in the barn, so I walked over. Cade was standing there, looking like hell. He was all wet, thin, and holding a bag. He said, ‘Mr. Donnelly, if you still have that job open, I’ll take it. But no special treatment. Just consider me one of your employees.’”
Sarah covered her face for a moment, trying to get it together, uncomfortable with showing her feelings to someone she barely knew. She forced herself to draw a deep breath and drop her hands. “What happened?”
“I told him that yes, the job was still open, but that I had a condition, too. He’d start on Monday, but for the weekend, he was Tyler’s guest. I said my wife would divorce me if I didn’t bring him in, give him a bed in our home, and let her feed him like one of her own.”
Sarah wiped the tears that finally fell from her eyes.
“I got to know that boy over that year, and he became like a son to me. I’ve never seen a man work harder than he did. He worked himself to the bone, year after year. When Tyler’s mother died, we got into a really bad place, and old issues came to the surface. Tyler and I both made mistakes, and he left…for eight years.”
She sat on the edge of her seat, already knowing part of this story because of what Cade had told her. Martin’s eyes were teary, and she followed his gaze to the picture he pulled out of his wallet. It was of a younger version of himself, Tyler, and a woman.
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