by Lori Wick
“I’m sorry, Cassie. I’m sorry you have to go through this.”
“It’s okay,” Cassidy ended up comforting her friend. “I’m learning a lot. I’m sad and I’m hurting, but I’m learning a lot.”
“Don’t mind me,” Meg said, taking a swipe at her eyes. “I just miss Brad, and I hurt for you. It’s a double blow.”
“How many times have I sobbed all over you?” Cassidy teased gently. “I think you’re allowed a turn.”
“But I’m not the one losing my business over a bunch of lies!” Meg said, knowing she could be outraged very easily.
Cassidy shrugged. “Edson said he would do it, and he did.”
“Well, there are some people who are fighting for you,” Meg said. “If Jessie hears things, she sets people straight, and so does Jeb when he’s at the store and around town.”
“Thanks for telling me,” Cassidy offered sincerely, but she wasn’t sure it would do any good. Even folks who had ordered things had not come back to pick them up. And since she was paid after the fact, she was stuck with some clothing she could probably do nothing with.
“I’d better go,” Meg said.
“Thanks for stopping, and kiss that baby for me.”
The women hugged again, and Cassidy saw Meg out the door. She smiled as she waved her off but knew that Wednesday was going to be slow in coming.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CASSIDY HAD GOTTEN OUT HER QUILTS, even the one she was working on upstairs. She chose the one she wanted to work on depending on the colors she was enjoying just then. She displayed them in the shop window and also inside, draped over an old steamer trunk she’d placed in a corner.
She had just settled in to work on the one she was putting together with rags, completely mismatched, when the door opened. Cassidy looked up to find Halston entering.
“Good morning,” Cassidy said quietly.
“Good morning, Miss Norton. I’m here with a message.”
“All right.”
“Mr. Brickel would like to order another pair of pants, but he’d like to see a sample of your fabrics.”
“That’s no problem. I can cut those for you right now,” Cassidy said, heading toward her fabric with a pair of scissors.
“He wants you to bring them.”
The weight that landed on Cassidy’s shoulders with these words made her stop and close her eyes. She needed this order. She needed any order, but she was not going to even discuss marriage with this man and knew that this was the only reason he wanted to see fabric.
Gathering herself, Cassidy turned to Halston and spoke. “I can’t do that,” she said. “Tell Mr. Brickel I’m sorry, but the answer is no.”
Her face bothered Halston. He didn’t speak but nodded in respect and slipped back out the door. He didn’t hurry, but his mind was busy. Approaching the house and slipping in the kitchen in his usual fashion, Halston was not surprised to find his employer waiting.
“What did she say?”
“She said no, she will not come here.”
Frustration covered the older man’s features, but he was already coming up with a new scheme. “Go back and tell her—” he began, but for the first time Halston cut him off.
“No.”
“What did you say?” The rich man had stopped to stare.
“I said no.”
“No to what?” Hiram said, his face starting to look like a thundercloud.
“I won’t go back and ask Miss Norton again. She’s given you her answer, and she’s very upset about other things right now.”
“Did you tell her that I don’t care who her brother is?” Hiram demanded. “Did you tell her I’ll marry her no matter what?”
“I told her you wanted her to bring pants fabric, just as you requested. She’s pale and thin, and I’m done tormenting the girl with your requests for marriage.”
Hiram Brickel exploded in anger over this, but Halston ignored him. He turned his back on the man and began working on dinner. He listened for the word that he was fired, but it did not come. Halston did, however, eventually hear the front door open and slam. He turned from the bread he’d been slicing, stunned with the realization that his employer had actually left the house.
“I thought you needed business,” Hiram said the minute he stepped inside Cassidy’s shop.
“And I thought you were old enough to know what the word no meant,” Cassidy said, a little bit ready for a fight. She had been discouraged after Halston left but soon got over that.
Hiram stared at her, his eyes narrowing a bit, and then began to walk around the shop. Cassidy watched him, not rising or moving the quilt from her lap, and not speaking either.
“This is nice,” he said. “Feminine, but nice.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you think you’ll have a business to sit in a month from now?”
“I would guess not, but I don’t know.”
Hiram wanted to repeat his offer, but Halston was right, she was thinner.
“Do you have enough to live on?” he surprised her by asking.
“Yes, thank you.”
“I could look at that fabric while I’m here.”
Cassidy stared at him, gauging what her answer should be and deciding she had nothing to lose. “Do you need pants, or are you looking for ways to keep asking a question I’ve already answered?”
“I do need the pants, but I can also see that you need a husband. It’s perfectly clear that it should be me.”
Hiram had a glimpse of what Halston had seen. Cassidy’s eyes looked weary, almost desperate, as though she couldn’t take any more. He didn’t have the heart to press her.
“I’ll look at that fabric now,” Hiram said before Cassidy could frame a reply, “and leave you to get the pants to me when they’re done.”
Cassidy nodded and went to get the bolts of material. She had four that would be excellent for pants, and Hiram selected three of them.
“If things remain slow,” Cassidy said in her honest way, “there’s no reason I can’t have these done for you by the end of the week.”
“Do you mind delivering them?”
“I think I can do that,” Cassidy said, “just as long as that’s not misunderstood.”
Hiram inclined his head in understanding, but his eyes were still watchful. He thanked Cassidy before going on his way, still certain he could persuade her to marry him. And because he was a man who liked a challenge, he was sure he was up for the job.
“Savanna…” Meg said her daughter’s name in a sing-song voice, stepping into her kitchen. “We’re home.”
Savanna smiled at her mother, something the two-month-old did often, not caring where she was.
“Shall we open some windows?” Jeb offered, Patience coming behind him.
“Yes. It’s stale in here.”
A neighbor had checked on things every few days, but the house had not been opened.
With Savanna in her basket, the three adults worked until all of Meg’s and the baby’s trappings were inside. Patience was returning her niece with all clean clothing and a pot of stew that would last at least two days.
Meg’s thanks to her family were heartfelt and, glad as she was to be home, just a little bit sad.
“Thank you for everything,” Meg said while giving her uncle a long embrace. “We had a wonderful time.”
“So did we, honey,” he said before moving aside so Patience could hug her as well.
They both held the baby again, laughing in delight at the way she smiled up at them, and then took their leave. Meg waved them off from the porch and then went back inside. It felt as though she’d been gone much longer than two weeks, and even with dinner done and clothes clean, she could think of plenty she could do.
Meg ignored it all, sat with Savanna in the living room, and just enjoyed the feeling of being home.
“Hello, Missy,” Rylan greeted Abi’s friend, even as he was surprised to see her come to the livery. She had lingered in the wide alley between th
e stalls until Rylan had noticed her
“Hello, Pastor,” she said in return, and then just stood still.
“How are you?” Rylan asked next.
“Fine.”
“How is Abi doing?” Rylan asked, sure that’s why she’d come and not wanting to force her to say the words.
“She’s sore but moving around some.”
“Did she send you to find me?” Rylan asked.
“She just wants you to know she’s not ready yet. Her head still hurts, and she can’t think straight.”
Rylan nodded with compassion. “Tell her that I haven’t forgotten, and that I’m still praying for her.”
Missy, who was a rather shy creature, smiled sweetly at him and went on her way without another word. Rylan wondered if Abi knew what a special neighbor she had. He might have gone on thinking about it for a while, but there was a man waiting for his horse to be shod, and Rylan had to get back to work.
It was almost nine o’clock when Meg heard horse’s hooves. Had they come earlier, she might not have gotten her hopes up, but at this hour she was sure it was Brad. She hit the front door at a run and kept right on running down the porch steps, across the twenty feet of yard that separated them, and into her husband’s arms.
Brad had all he could do not to squeeze the life out of her. He could not believe how much he’d missed this woman. He kissed her, keeping it brief and allowing Meg to hug Trace too.
“How are you?” Trace asked.
“I’m fine,” she said, her gaze taking in both men, “but it’s been the longest two weeks of my life.”
“We’ll put the horses away and be right in,” Brad said.
“I can do it,” Trace offered, wanting to give Brad some time with his wife, but Meg surprised him.
“A lot has gone on, Trace, and you’re going to want to hear everything.”
Trace only nodded, forcing himself not to ask the questions that ran through his mind. Brad did go with him to the barn, and the two worked swiftly so they could get inside. Brad held a sleeping Savanna just to be close to her, and the four of them sat in the living room so Meg could explain. Not surprisingly, no one went to bed for a very long time.
The pants Hiram Brickel ordered were a blessing in more than one way. Cassidy was tired of quilting, and she’d cleaned everything she could lay her hands on. Having pants to work on gave her something to keep her mind and hands busy. So busy in fact that Trace was in the shop almost a minute before Cassidy realized someone was standing inside the door.
“Hello,” Trace said quietly, not wanting to startle her.
“Oh, Trace.” Cassidy couldn’t stop her smile. She stood, wishing she could hug him but making herself stay by the sewing machine. “Welcome home,” she said, her smile still in place. “Was it a good trip?”
“It was, thank you,” Trace answered with a smile of his own.
“Everyone was safe?”
“Yes, nothing major.”
“And the auction was a success?”
“Our best yet.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You look good, but you’ve lost weight.”
“So have you.”
Cassidy’s smile failed a little, but she worked to keep her voice light. “It’s been an interesting two weeks. I suppose Meg filled you in.”
“Yes, she did.”
Silence fell for just a moment, and suddenly Cassidy felt afraid. Without thinking, she asked, “We’re still friends, aren’t we, Trace?”
Every vulnerable feeling inside her suddenly showed on her face, and Trace had all he could do not to react. He worked to keep his voice calm.
“Why would you even ask that?”
“I’m sorry, Trace.” Cassidy could have bit her tongue out. She fiddled with the fabric in the machine and said, “Just ignore me.”
“Ignoring you is the last thing I would do. Why did you say that?”
Stark pain crossed Cassidy’s features before she admitted, “Chandler is pretty upset with me.”
“Meg didn’t tell me that.”
“She doesn’t know. I haven’t told anyone.”
“What did he say?”
“Oh, a lot of things.” Cassidy looked around in frustration. “But it all boiled down to the fact that he believed my brother.”
“That must have hurt.”
“It did. I didn’t know what to say.”
“Does he have any idea that you’re in love with him?” Trace asked, voicing his feelings to her for the first time.
“What now?” Cassidy asked, really looking at Trace this time, sure she’d heard him wrong.
“The way Chandler talked to you, it must have hurt more because you love him.”
Cassidy finally heard what Trace said. She frowned at him in confusion before saying, “No, I’m not. Not at all.”
Trace moved a little closer. “You’re not in love with Chandler Di Fiore?”
“No.”
Almost before Cassidy could see him move, Trace had stepped directly in front of her. His hat landed on the floor as he took her by the upper arms and said, “I should have done this a long time ago.”
He bent his head and kissed her softly on the mouth. When he moved back, Cassidy was the first to speak.
“Why didn’t you do that a long time ago?”
“Because I thought you had feelings for Chandler.”
Cassidy’s eyes closed in pain, and Trace simply put his arms around her. Cassidy held him right back, fighting the tears that threatened and losing the battle.
“It’s okay,” Trace said quietly when a sob escaped her.
Cassidy found that his tenderness was more emotionally draining than Meg’s. Not able to say a word, she cried for a time. Trace’s undemanding hold and quiet words were simply too much for her heart.
“Better?” he asked after a time, and Cassidy nodded. Trace had given her his handkerchief, and after Cassidy used it she looked up at him.
“I have so much to tell you,” she said.
“We have time,” Trace said. “It doesn’t all have to be said in one day.”
Cassidy had always known Trace was special, but to have it directed at her in this way, almost started her tears again.
“I’m headed to see Chandler,” Trace said, surprising all thoughts of crying right out of her.
“Right now?”
“Yep.” Trace sounded very sure.
“Why, Trace?”
“I want him to hear from me that I’ve thrown my hat in the ring where Cassidy Norton is concerned. I also want to hear from him why he talked to you the way he did.”
Cassidy looked into his face, her heart a mix of comfort and concern. She didn’t think that she would have the guts to do this, but this was who Trace Holden was. He liked things on the table and not simmering under the surface.
“I’ll check in with you later,” he said, stepping away just a bit.
“All right.”
“Are you okay?” he asked before he moved very far away.
“I think so,” she said, still trying to take it all in.
Trace reached with one finger and stroked down her cheek. Cassidy’s gaze softened instantly, all worry leaving her eyes, and Trace smiled at her. Repeating that he would check in with her later, he went back out the door.
Trace was not angry or in a hurry, but Chandler had seen him coming. The banker had been nothing short of miserable for days now, and he didn’t know if he was glad to see his friend or not.
“Welcome back, Trace,” Chandler greeted, but with none of his normal cheer.
“Thank you. Are you free for dinner today?”
“I am,” Chandler said, surprised but not put off. “What’s up?”
“We need to talk about some things.”
Chandler knew he’d seen Cassidy, and he was relieved. He found he wanted to talk to someone about it, and it never once occurred to him to go back to Cassidy herself.
“I’ll come back about noon,” Trace said.
<
br /> “I’ll plan on it,” Chandler agreed as he watched the cowboy walk away. Once Trace left, Chandler tried to get some work done, but there was too much on his mind. He opened the other teller’s window and hoped that working with customers would get his mind back onto banking.
“Were you a good girl?” Brad asked his daughter, who was still trying to place this “stranger” who held her. Eventually she smiled at Brad, something that delighted the returning father. “I can see that you must have been,” he murmured, continuing to speak quietly to her.
Meg didn’t interrupt. She was snuggled under Brad’s free arm, just quietly watching him get reacquainted with his daughter.
“How about you take a nap pretty soon?” Brad asked Savanna next. “Then I can have your mother all to myself.”
“Don’t say those things in front of her,” Meg chided him quietly.
“You would object?” he asked, turning to her with brows raised.
“No,” Meg said, not able to stop smiling, “but I don’t want Savanna knowing about such things already.”
Brad smiled at her, but he was serious. He continued to enjoy his daughter, but the moment Savanna showed signs of fatigue, he suggested they tuck her into bed and have some time to themselves. Meg wasted not a moment settling the baby down in her bed and getting her arms around her husband.
Trace stopped only long enough to tell Cassidy he had a dinner appointment with Chandler and then took himself to Jeanette’s. He found that lady working at her desk and gladly returned her warm hug.
“I missed you,” she told him, her hands still touching him, her eyes studying his face.
“I missed you too. How are you?”
Jeanette sighed. “It’s been a time, Trace,” she said as the two got comfortable. “I’m sure Meg told you.”
“Yes, and Cassie.”
“You’ve seen her? How’s she doing?”
“She’s going to be all right,” Trace said with a confidence Jeanette loved.
“You’re going to see to that yourself?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jeanette smiled. “It’s about time.”
Trace smiled a slow, satisfied smile but didn’t share any more.