Cassie stepped close and held up the midsection. “It’s not sticking out enough,” she said. “And the pocket for your tummy has to be lower. Let me rip out the center seam and insert about six more inches of the yellow cloth. Then we’ll use ribbing to give it a little more shape on the side.”
“Is that what’s wrong?” Chloe asked, then shook her head. “I should have asked for you to help me from the beginning. You always were better than me at this domestic stuff. I’ve been tearing up pieces for a week and getting nowhere.”
“We have different talents,” Cassie said as she started separating the layers of fabric.
Growing up, she and her sister had sometimes sewn dresses, but usually Chloe didn’t have the patience. She’d always been going and doing. Cassie was the one who liked to stay home and take care of things there. They were so different, Cassie thought. Probably because they had different biological parents. Being raised in the same home could only do so much.
As she worked, Chloe talked about her life. Cassie listened and tried to ignore the faint whisper of envy that drifted through her. She was glad for Chloe and her happiness, and she reminded herself there was still plenty of time for her own dreams to come true.
“Arizona is completely crazed about the plans for next summer,” Chloe was saying. “He’s received invitations from all over the world. Everyone wants him to come speak. The baby will be six months old, so I told him my requirements were for a relatively short flight, decent facilities and no luggage restriction.” She rolled her eyes. “Do you have any idea how much stuff babies require? The more I read about that, the more it amazes me.”
“So you’ll be staying in the country?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” She spread her arms so Cassie could pin on the modified front panel. “Two universities in England have made fabulous offers, so he’s talking about lecturing for a few days in New York or Washington so we get adjusted to the change in time and the plane ride isn’t too awful. Then we would take the Concorde to England and spend the summer there.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“I hope so.” She looked sheepish. “He’s already talking about a second baby, timing it and everything so that we’re always free to travel in the summer. He’s very concerned that I don’t get overwhelmed with all of it and—”
Chloe pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear about all this.”
Cassie stopped pinning and stared at her sister. “Why not? I want you to tell me about your plans. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean we’ve stopped being friends.”
“I know. It’s just I feel as if I’ve gotten everything and you don’t have…as much.”
Cassie knew the pause had been because Chloe had started to say “anything.”
“I appreciate your concern about my feelings,” she said. “But I do have a lot. Maybe it doesn’t seem like it to you, but you and I have never wanted the same things. You’re a great reporter and a terrific writer. You’ve always wanted to travel and you’ve married a wonderful man who adores you and wants to show you the world. Everything is working out. That makes me happy. But my path is different.”
“I know.” Chloe touched her arm. “I’m not being critical. In the past we’ve argued about your career choice, but I finally understand.” She rested her hand on her stomach. “When the baby kicks, I can feel the life growing inside of me. Until that happened I didn’t know why you would want to ‘waste’ your life with children. Now I see it’s the most amazing thing you can do with your time. I respect that and I admire you for realizing it before you had a child of your own.”
Cassie was a little embarrassed by the praise. “Wow, you make me sound like a saint or something. I’m not.”
“Hey, I know that—I’m your sister, remember. But you’re a good person who pays attention to what is right. I just wish…”
Her voice trailed off. She fingered the front of her costume. “I think this is going to work, don’t you?”
As subject changes went, it wasn’t a very smooth one. Cassie knew what her sister had been about to say. “You just wish I would break up with Joel.”
Chloe drew in a deep breath. Her mouth twisted down on one side. “You’ve tried to explain it to me a dozen times and I still don’t understand what you see in him. Yes, he’s very nice and he’s honest and hardworking, but Cass, you could do so much better. You’re bright and funny, you care.” Her tone softened. “I want you to find a man who understands that you’re an amazing prize and that he’s lucky as hell to have you. Not some guy who thinks of you as little more than a housekeeper and broodmare.”
“You’re not being fair to Joel,” Cassie said, but her reply was automatic. She was too conflicted about her feelings to try and explain them to her sister.
“Does he make you laugh?” Chloe asked. “Does he make your heart beat faster just by walking in the room? Does he have a certain way of looking or smiling or have a phrase that makes you realize that if you never heard it again or saw it that you would just die?” She caught her sister’s gaze. “Do you think about spending the rest of your life with him and know, deep down in your heart, that if something happened to him, you would be happier being alone rather than trying to find someone else?”
Cassie dropped the pins onto the table and sank into a chair. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I just don’t know anymore. I wish I could tell you yes to all of those questions, but I can’t.”
Chloe took the chair next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset, I’m confused. I used to be sure. I thought that Joel was exactly right for me, but something’s different. I don’t know if it’s him or me or circumstances.” She looked at her sister. She had to know. Of all the people in the world, she knew that Chloe would tell her the truth.
“Is passion real?” she asked. “Is it like in books and movies? Can it really sweep you away until you can’t imagine anything else ever being so wonderful?”
Chloe stared at her for a long time. Finally she nodded. “It’s exactly like that.”
Cassie hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until she released it. “I was afraid of that.” Her shoulders slumped forward. If passion was real, then she and Joel were doing something very wrong. Maybe they weren’t right for each other or meant to be together. As much as she wanted to believe otherwise, she doubted it was suddenly going to flare between them. So she had to decide if she could live her life without experiencing that kind of fire, or if she had to leave the security of the only man she’d ever dated.
“You have to be sure,” Chloe told her. “It’s been nine years, so it’s not going to hurt if you wait a little longer until you get engaged to Joel, but please promise me you won’t settle. If you think it over and believe in your heart that Joel is the man who is going to make you happy for the rest of your life, then I swear I’ll be the sweetest sister-in-law ever. But don’t make a mistake. Marriage is tough enough, even with love.”
Cassie looked at her sister, at the affection and concern on Chloe’s face. “I appreciate the kind words and the fact that you worry about me. You’re the best sister ever.”
“I know,” Chloe said and laughed. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Enough of this emotional nonsense. Let’s get this costume finished.”
“Absolutely.” Cassie picked up the pins and went back to work.
“How’s Ryan doing with Sasha?” Chloe asked as she raised her arms so Cassie could pin the front panel to the sleeves.
“Better. Obviously it’s going to take time, but our talk went really well. He seems to intuitively understand how Sasha needs him. They’re spending more time together. He joins us for breakfast, he’s reading to her before she goes to bed. Considering their shaky start, I’m impressed.
Ryan’s a quick study and the situation is helped by the fact that he’s bright and has a great sense of humor. All important factors for good parenting. Plus, he’s kind. He makes me feel like part of the family.”
Cassie finished pinning and stepped back. The top and bottom of the costume were unfinished, but there was definitely a crocodile-like shape to the strips of yellow and white down the front. “Maybe a clock,” she said, half to herself as she eyed her sister. “Hadn’t the crocodile in Peter Pan swallowed a clock? We could make the face of a clock out of fabric and sew it on in front. Or maybe you could find a pocket watch somewhere. There’s always…” Her voice trailed off as she realized her sister was staring at her.
“What?” Cassie asked. “You’ve got this weird look on your face.”
Chloe broke out into a smile. “Cassandra Bradley Wright, you have a thing for your boss! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Cassie desperately wanted to deny her sister’s claim, but she could already feel the heat crawling up her face. She ducked her head. “I do not.” The statement sounded lame, even to her.
“You do. I can’t believe I didn’t get this before. Is there anything going on?” Her teasing tone grew serious. “He’s not taking advantage of you or the situation, is he? Geez, Aunt Charity and I should have checked the guy out before letting you come stay here. Has he—”
Cassie raised her hand to cut off her sister. “Stop right there. Don’t get all worked up about nothing. I swear Ryan isn’t taking advantage of me.” Not that she would mind if he did, a little voice whispered in her head. Cassie tried to ignore it and the faint warmth that swept over her at the thought.
“Are you sure?” Chloe asked, sounding skeptical.
“Taking advantage of someone requires knowing that person is alive. While I don’t doubt that Ryan is aware of my existence, as far as he’s concerned, I’m just a helpful household appliance. He has no clue I’m female.”
Chloe looked at her and shook her head. “I can’t buy that. You’re very pretty.”
“Get real. I’m a good person, I’m amusing when I’m in a situation where I’m comfortable, I’m reasonably intelligent and I’m honest and have a way with kids. But I’m not his type. Why do you think Joel isn’t jealous, and please don’t say anything cruel about him. The truth is, a man like Ryan could never be interested in a woman like me.”
“Why on earth not?”
Cassie was so startled by the question it took her a minute to figure out how to answer. “There’s the age difference,” she said at last.
“What is it, five years?”
“Almost nine. He has a successful business, and as you so like to point out, I work in a preschool. What would we talk about?”
“What do you talk about now?”
“Sasha.”
“So you have something in common.”
Cassie reached for the bag and fished out the long length of fabric that would serve as Chloe’s tail. “You’re pushing this because you think it might be a good way to get me away from Joel.”
“Is that so terrible?”
It could be if the crush became something more, Cassie thought. She wasn’t looking to get her heart broken. “Maybe,” she said, then stopped when she heard footsteps in the hallway.
Chloe glanced toward the door and groaned. “This is not how I planned on meeting your boss.”
“You look cute,” Cassie told her and knew she was telling the truth. Chloe had pulled her dark red curls into a ponytail at the top of her head. Makeup accentuated her big eyes, while pregnancy added a glow to her cheeks. She looked like what she was—a radiantly beautiful woman in the prime of her life.
“Cassie, is there…” Ryan’s voice trailed off as he entered the kitchen and saw her company. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He glanced over the partially completed costume and raised his eyebrows. “So people do dress differently in Bradley than in other parts of the country.”
Cassie smiled. “Not exactly. Ryan, this is my sister, Chloe Smith. Chloe, this is Ryan.”
The two shook hands. “You have me at a disadvantage,” Chloe said, motioning to herself. “I don’t like making a first impression in costume.” She told him briefly about the party she and Arizona were to attend, then rested her hand on her stomach. “I figured my choices were limited if I didn’t want to spend the night as ‘pregnant’ Cleopatra and Mark Antony, or ‘pregnant’ Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler.”
“It’s very original. I suppose pregnant Wendy was out of the question.”
Chloe laughed. “I thought about it, but my husband refused to consider anything that involved wearing tights.”
“Smart man,” Ryan said. “I can’t say that I blame him.”
Cassie smoothed the tail to pin it in place, but Chloe stopped her. “I’ll have to do that at the last minute. Aunt Charity can help me. Otherwise, I’ll never fit everything in the car.”
“I hadn’t thought about that.” Cassie turned to Ryan. “My sister drives a little BMW Z3 roadster. Cute car, with absolutely no trunk.”
“Very little room for my tummy, either.” When Chloe indicated she needed to step out of the costume, Ryan politely turned his back. “I’m going to have to start trading cars with Arizona so that there’s room between me and my steering wheel.”
Cassie folded the fabric. “Are you sure we did enough? I don’t mind working on this some more.”
“It’s fine,” Chloe told her. “If I have any trouble, I’ll call you to come rescue me.” She waved goodbye to Ryan and left.
Ryan waited in the kitchen while Cassie walked her sister to the door. When she returned, he pointed to the scraps of material on the table and floor. “I didn’t know you could sew.”
“I used to do it more. When I was in high school, I made a lot of my clothes. Not because we couldn’t afford to buy them but because I couldn’t always find things I liked.” She shrugged. “I can handle most of the domestic arts. Cooking, child rearing, sewing. I’m a decent baker and pretty handy in the garden, but I don’t like cleaning. Given the choice, I would rather pay to have someone else do it.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. “Most women are well versed at several of these same activities. You don’t have to act surprised that I’ve conquered them.”
“It is surprising,” he told her as he leaned one hip against the kitchen counter. “At least for me. The women I date are more interested in their careers than what they plan to serve for dinner. I’m not saying either is right,” he added quickly, not wanting her to think he was judging.
“Agreed,” she said. She finished picking up the scraps and carried them to the trash. “Times have changed, but what about when you were growing up? Did your mom bake or sew?”
He shook his head. “She put on patches when we tore out the knees of our jeans, but that was about it. As for baking—” He tried to remember coming home to the smell of brownies or a cake. On birthdays she’d usually bought something day-old from the bakery. “She worked two jobs. There wasn’t a lot of extra time.”
Cassie’s expression softened with compassion. “It must have been really tough for her, having to work so much and still try to raise you and your brother. I’m sure she was really conflicted about the situation.”
Ryan couldn’t answer that. If his mother had had doubts, she’d kept them to herself. “She taught my brother and me to be hard workers, like she was. She always told us that rich was better than poor. That we were to get good educations and work hard. I’ve respected that.”
“You’ve done both,” Cassie told him.
“Agreed. On the down side, she never spent much time with us. Some of it was because of her long hours at work. For the rest of it, I’m not so sure.” He wasn’t about to tell Cassie that he’d always felt his mother had seen her children as getting in the w
ay of her goals. That if she’d been alone, she would have done much better. Still, he couldn’t fault her on her day-to-day care, or for inspiring John and him to get ahead. That had to count for something.
“There wasn’t much fun in our house,” he said at last. “No money and not enough time.”
“You can have fun with Sasha,” Cassie told him. “Little kids need lots of attention and lots of fun.”
Her smile was easy, her posture relaxed. She was completely comfortable with him, and very pretty, he thought, wondering for the thousandth time how he’d managed to not notice her for nearly a week. Now he was having trouble being in the same room without finding something new about her that appealed to him. Sometimes it was her laugh, sometimes a comment she made. Once he’d been caught up in the play of light on her thick, shiny hair.
Telling himself she was completely wrong for him didn’t help. Reminding himself that she was not only his employee—and therefore deserving of his respect—but also involved and committed to another man, only intrigued him. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had haunted his thoughts and he found he liked having something other than work on his mind.
Cassie glanced at the clock. “Sasha should be waking up soon,” she said. “I have just enough time to get the cookies in the oven.”
With that she walked over to the refrigerator and pulled open the door. Ryan was about to excuse himself when she bent over and retrieved a bowl sitting on the bottom shelf. He told himself he was worse than a kid in high school, but he couldn’t help looking. Her jeans tightened around her rear end, making him want to go over and pull her close against him. He could imagine how she would feel next to him, under him, naked and….
“Ryan?” Cassie asked as she straightened and caught him staring. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” he said, sounding only a little strangled. “I, um, I think I’ll go back to my office.” He turned away quickly, hoping she hadn’t noticed the rather obvious manifestation of his wayward thoughts.
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