by Erica Penrod
The waiter returned and took their order. Sanders went with the prime rib while Austyn decided on the peppered salmon. Salads were served, and both he and his date passed on the hot rolls. Minutes later, his plate was empty and hers was missing only a few bites. He asked her if she’d had any luck locating Kip.
“Yes and no,” she replied, rolling a cherry tomato to the side of her plate. “I found him,” she said, stabbing the fruit, “but he wasn’t alone.” She placed the tomato in her mouth.
“Oh?” Sanders asked, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “Who was with him?”
Austyn finished chewing and swallowed. “I don’t know.” She took a sip of her wine. “Just some blonde woman dressed in last year’s style.” She chuckled, then set her glass down. “As if I needed to be worried about a woman driving an old red Honda with two car seats. By the time I left, I’m sure Kip couldn’t remember her name.”
“Cassie,” Sanders muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” she asked.
“Nothing.” He smiled. “Just agreeing with you.”
“He said he would meet me tomorrow and show me around.”
Sanders straightened the napkin across his lap while thinking about Cassie. For a moment he considered telling Austyn he knew the young woman with Kip, but decided against it. He would get more information if she didn’t feel threatened by another woman. After a few more glasses of wine, he knew she’d be very forthcoming on where and when she was going to meet Kip.
He wondered when Kip was introduced to Cassie. Sanders had referred Kip to Danny for investment advice, helping the young man procure a healthy return. Of course, this all took place before Sanders knew about his accountant’s divided loyalty. But he had no idea Kip knew Danny’s wife and was intrigued by their connection.
Danny Carter had once been a valuable employee. However, news of his untimely death didn’t create any discomfort for the firm. That is, until Sanders found out that several of his most valuable accounts were no longer accessible, and money procured through every conceivable and inconceivable avenue had disappeared.
At that point, Carter’s death left him feeling like he’d lost his most trusted ally—not the man, of course, but the money. The day he showed up at the Carter residence, Sanders was sure it was just a matter of time and persuasion before the currency was located. But after meeting Cassie, he couldn’t be sure how soon his money would surface. He couldn’t tell whether she honestly had no idea about her husband’s extracurricular activity, or she planned to use the money for herself. He knew through their brief conversation that she was an intelligent woman, and it wasn’t going to be easy either way.
His men had turned the office upside down and hacked Danny’s computer, expecting to have the matter resolved within twenty-four hours. The accountant knew his numbers, but he wasn’t a genius with a computer. Sanders’ best computer techs couldn’t find any leads, and that was when Sanders knew Carter had help. Legally, it wasn’t Sanders’ money, but he’d earned it one way or the other, and now someone was making a fool out of him. Danny had had it coming, and if his young widow didn’t soon cooperate, she would too.
“Michael?”
Sanders attacked his meat, sawing back and forth. “Yeah?” he answered, placing a piece of medium rare delicacy in his mouth.
“It’s already dead, you know.”
He swallowed. “What?” he asked, wondering if his thoughts were transparent. If they were, he was losing his edge.
* * *
“The meat,” Austyn teased. “You don’t need to kill it.” She leaned back in her chair and set her napkin to the side of her plate. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
Sanders stood as the woman rose and left the table. She walked away like she did it for a living. He chuckled while every male and female head turned as she paraded by. From his table, he could see new patrons as they were seated, and as far as he could tell, all the tables were full. He sipped from his glass, looking up as Kip and Cassie entered the restaurant.
He forced the liquid down as he heard the hostess say, “Right this way, Mr. Morgan.”
* * *
Cassie surveyed the room and immediately craved a cheeseburger and milkshake. The night hadn’t gone as she’d intended. Her plans didn’t include slapping Kip after seeing him kiss another woman, nor did she intend to continue the date after such a fiasco. But there was something in Kip’s eyes that had soothed her beaten ego. He told her he could explain everything if she’d only give him the chance. She told him she would. After all, there were two sides to every story. She could imagine what Austyn’s side was: women fell all over themselves for Kip’s dimples every day. Kip’s side of the story needed some depth to it if she was going to stick around.
Kip offered to take her jacket, and once again she wondered what she had gotten herself into. If one of her girlfriends had been in this situation, Cassie would’ve duct taped her to a chair for her own good. Cowboy Romeo could twist his words, smile so sweet, and Juliet might actually believe she was his one true love. That’s where the best friend comes in. Cassie would grab Juliet by the shoulders and give her a shake to wake her from a trance, and then she’d point out that nowhere in the fairy tale does the prince kiss another woman moments before he rides off into the sunset with his princess.
Cassie’s problem was that her best friend happened to be Kip Morgan’s biggest fan.
She thanked Kip as he helped her out of her coat. A younger Cassie would have stayed in her room. But, she’d been through enough to know that even the best intentions went awry sometimes, and that people were nice to those they didn’t like. Ugh! It was all a mixed up like a broken bale of hay in a mud patch.
The crowded room closed in on Cassie as she followed the hostess who was dressed in a white shirt and black tie and whose auburn hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swayed when she walked. Watching the woman wade through the maze of tables, she almost missed the familiar face in the back corner. She stopped abruptly and felt Kip bump into her.
“Sorry,” she said as she turned around to face him. “Can we leave?” she asked. “I’m not feeling very well.”
“What’s wrong?” He touched her cheek. She pulled his hand down.
“Can we go?”
“Sure, if—”
The Texas vixen came from the other direction, and Cassie’s stomach dropped to the floor.
“Kip? What on earth are you doing?” Austyn asked, glaring at Cassie.
Cassie didn’t find her accent nearly as cute as she had on the television show.
Kip turned around, but as he did, he took Cassie’s hand. The movement didn’t go unnoticed by Austyn.
Austyn’s voice lowered. “I see you’ve brought someone.” She glared down at Cassie, which Cassie took as a compliment. Then she looked back up at Kip. “Well, since we’re all here, why don’t you join us?” She pointed, and Kip followed her finger to an obscure table in the back. “I’m sure Mr. Sanders would love to say hello.”
Cassie squeezed Kip’s hand, feeling like she’d been tricked into the lion’s den for dinner—medium rare mommy of two coming right up.
* * *
At the table set for two, Kip pulled out the chair for Cassie while the staff hustled to bring two more place settings. Her shoulders trembled under his touch as he tried to reassure her without drawing attention. It was clear that Cassie understood she was about to share a meal with the devil himself.
He would have taken Cassie home, except he didn’t want to give Sanders any reason to believe anything had changed between them—at least on Kip’s end. He planned to keep Sanders focused on him, ask monotonous questions requiring long answers, then follow up with more rhetorical questions to make this the most boring professional dinner in history.
“It looks like you’ve already finished your meal,” Kip said as he took a seat for himself.
Cassie sat directly across from him, and he wished she were c
loser, although the space was far too intimate for four people. This wasn’t the romantic table he’d reserved, but his agenda had changed. Getting her away from Sanders as quickly as possible was his top priority.
“We have,” Sanders said, “but please join us. I hear this place has a marvelous dessert menu.”
Austyn sat directly to Kip’s left. She smiled coyly, and he supposed maybe she was a good actress after all. She’d mentioned Sanders to him at the house, but played off his involvement in finding Kip. If he was here, if she’d brought him here … Kip’s head spun with the possible connections.
Sanders exhibited a commanding expression. “I’m sure Miss Macoy would love to finish with something sweet.”
“Sure,” she said directly to Kip.
“It’s settled, then,” Sanders said, just as the waiter removed his plate. “We’d like to see the dessert menu while our friends order their dinner.” Sanders looked over at Cassie. “I recommend you try the prime rib; it was delicious.”
“So,” Kip intervened, “I’ve heard this place is known for its steaks.”
“This is my first time here, but yes, my piece was very tender.” Sanders turned his attention back to Cassie. “It’s so nice to see you again and under better circumstances.” His indistinguishable pupils gave him a fiendish aura. “Although, I had no idea you knew Mr. Morgan.”
Cassie ducked her head. “Yes,” was all she managed.
Kip knew he had to do something. Cassie wasn’t feeling well, and this shark was about to eat her for dessert.
Luckily, he didn’t need to worry; Austyn shifted in her seat and began talking. “I can’t believe we all met up like this.” She pointed to the peach cobbler listed on the menu, and the waiter committed it to memory. Once everyone placed their order, she continued, “I was just telling Michael about our date for tomorrow.”
Kip kept from coughing out an inappropriate response. Normally, he would’ve been worried about his future explanation, but Cassie stared right through him. He’d never seen her this way.
Sanders didn’t miss his cue. “Yes, Austyn just told me of your plans. I didn’t recall your family having a home in Utah. And tell me …” He sipped his drink and returned it to the table. “Just how do you and Mrs. Carter know each other?”
“Our mothers were roommates in college,” Cassie said, surprising Kip. The girl he recognized pulled herself from within. She straightened her back and took her glass from the table, holding it in the air. “We’re just old family friends,” she said, and took a gulp of her lemon water.
Kip followed her lead. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“That’s strange.” Sanders stroked his goatee. “I don’t remember the late Mr. Carter ever mentioning you were so close to his wife.”
“I’m sure it just never came up,” Kip said. At this point he’d tell Sanders anything he wanted to hear.
“Well, that explains things,” Austyn said. “I knew it must have been something like that.”
She gently tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I mean,” she said to Cassie, “Kip hasn’t mentioned you.” Cassie maintained a cool exterior, and Austyn proceeded, “We have spent a lot of time together, and I’m sure he’d tell me if there was any competition.” She glanced at Kip. “Isn’t that right?”
Kip didn’t want to dignify her delusional comments with a response.
She laughed. “After all, you’re an honest cowboy, right?”
Kip would rather haul three wagonloads of manure by hand than take any more of her crap, but he looked at Cassie and replied to Austyn with a big grin, “Would I ever lie to you?”
* * *
As soon as they cleared the street in front of the steak house, Cassie broke into a run, racing all the way to the truck. Kip’s boots pounded right behind her. Leaning against the door, the adrenaline seeped from her pores and left her weak and shaky.
Kip leaned forward, his hands on his knees as he worked to catch his breath. “Were you a track star in high school or something?”
The tears she’d swallowed in order to hold a semi-intelligent conversation with Michael Sanders spilled down her cheeks.
“Hey.” Kip took her face in his hands. “Hey, it’s okay.” He wiped her cheekbone with his thumb.
“No it’s not.” She shook her head, and he loosened his hold.
“We’ll figure it out, okay?” He lifted her chin. “I promise. I’ll never let that creep anywhere near you again.”
She pulled away from him. “You don’t get it. I never thought he’d come all the way to Utah, and now he has.”
Kip’s eyebrows lowered. “Cassie, you need to talk to me. What exactly does he want from you?”
She stood there, wondering whether to trust him or not. Her parents had already risked everything, and now she needed to do this without them. Maybe Kip could help. Closing her eyes, because she didn’t want to see the look on his face, couldn’t face the judgment that would happen, she confessed, “He wants the money Danny took from him.”
“Danny was embezzling money from the company?”
She turned to the side, staring at the truck’s giant wheel. “I’m not exactly sure what was going on, but I know that Danny was in trouble and that he’d taken loans out all over town; he had a weakness for gambling. Sanders came to my house after the funeral asking me if I knew what Danny had done with it. I didn’t know, and I told him so.” She finally met his gaze. “But now … I think I do.”
12
Cassie closed the hatch door, walked around, then climbed into the driver’s seat of the Morgans’ SUV. Moving again was the last thing she expected to do only a few months after their arrival in Utah. But here she was, ready to make her way down south. This time, she wasn’t headed home to Arizona, and she wasn’t going alone. The Morgan family was headed to their winter ranch in southern Utah.
Although they would be closer to Sanders geographically, Cassie knew it didn’t matter. It wasn’t like she intended to hide from Sanders in the first place; she just wanted to start over somewhere new, to take care of her children on her own, and nothing had changed in that regard. She didn’t intend to hide, since Sanders knew where she was, but she needed to proceed with more caution than before.
Grace suggested that Cassie and the boys should fly in their private plane, but she wanted to drive. She wanted time to think about what her next step should be. She was naïve to think she could run away from her problems, that the distance would dampen Sanders’ determination. In the mountains of Park City, she believed she could ignore the past, but Sanders popped her imaginary bubble.
Once Skyler and Elle heard about a road trip, they wanted in. A few employees would be around to watch over things and tend to the animals while the family enjoyed milder temperatures.
After the night they shared a meal with Sanders, Kip stayed close to Cassie and the boys, and it made her feel better. She knew Sanders wanted the missing money and believed she knew its whereabouts. The knowledge was dangerous, and she didn’t want to underestimate him again. Kip’s time with them gave him a chance to explain the situation with Austyn. For whatever reason, she believed Kip had good intentions. She just wished they didn’t include kissing a beautiful woman on her behalf.
He’d left a few days ago to help his father with work so that Ben could spend the better part of November in Utah. He had said he didn’t want to leave her, and if she could admit the truth, she didn’t want him to go, either. It felt good to not carry Danny’s burden all by herself. Her parents had done the best they could, but there was something different with Kip. His protectiveness over her and the boys made her believe he’d do anything to help her, and then there was the kiss goodbye …
She put a finger to her lips and felt a memory tingle across her mouth.
“Everybody buckled?” she asked, as she clicked her belt.
Skyler and Elle nodded when she glanced at them. She smiled at her boys who already had headphones on and were watchi
ng a cartoon on the screen in front of them.
“What are you thinking about?” Elle asked from the front passenger seat.
Cassie’s brow furrowed. “I’m worried about everybody’s safety.”
“Not that.” Skyler rolled her eyes. “I mean before that. You got a funny look on your face, and your cheeks looked like Elle got a hold of you with a blush brush.”
“Very funny,” Elle said from the back. “It’s Kip,” Elle continued. “You’re thinking about that big goodbye smooch you shared before he left.”
Cassie turned towards her, trying to keep a steady shade of calm. “How do you—”
Skyler interrupted. “Nothing gets past us.” Her pixie nose turned up in the air as she laughed.
“I’m finding that out the hard way,” Cassie said. “So,” she said, and pulled around the circular drive, “tell me what the house is like. Is it as big as this one?”
The house’s reflection of stone and timber glistened in the rearview mirror. A lump lodged in her throat. Her mother was right: this job and this house were exactly what she’d needed at this particular time in her life. It surprised her how quickly it had felt like home, and once again she needed to leave. A proverbial ache settled in her middle, like she’d always be moving, trying to find security in a world where it didn’t exist—at least, not for her.
There was some comfort knowing that, regardless of her situation, the Morgans headed south every year. The timing wasn’t a coincidence; it was a blessing.