by Unknown
It was Adelynn who giggled this time. “You named a horse Glitter?”
“Not really. Her real name is Cider. But not long after she was born, we found my little cousin leaning over the fence, giving her a shower of silver glitter. It took us forever to get her clean again, and even after all the washings, every once in a while, you could still catch a flash of glitter when the sun hit her just right. We started calling her Glitter after that, and the nickname stuck.”
“Cider’s a pretty name too,” said Kajsa.
“I agree.” He finished off his cookie. “I gave her that name.”
Cassie watched the exchange from the corner of her eye, wishing Noah could be there to see Kajsa in her element. The smile hadn’t left her face since they’d driven under the McCoy Ranch sign.
Colton pushed his chair back and stood. “Who’s ready to ride some horses?”
“Me, me, me!” Kajsa was out of her seat before she’d said the last “me.”
Adelynn eyed the beasts with a nervous expression. “Can I watch from the fence?”
“Sure,” said Colton. “Just let me know if you change your mind and want to give it a try. Honey is the sweetest animal since… well, honey. And that’s who we’re going to saddle up for you gals today.”
“Can I ride Maverick?” Kajsa asked as she bounded after him.
“I like you’re spirit, Kajsa.” Colton patted her hair as they strode outside. “But no, Maverick is a horse for a little more advanced riders. Someday you’ll be ready to ride her, but not today.”
“Okay.”
Cassie remained with Adelynn on the sidelines while Colton showed Kajsa how to catch Honey with her favorite treat—a carrot—and how to lead her to the barn and saddle her. The chestnut quarter horse was smaller in size and appeared sweet and docile—the perfect beginning mount. Adelynn snapped picture after picture, constantly calling out for Kajsa to smile or look her way. At first, Kajsa complied, but after a while, she finally glared at her sister.
“Can’t you see I’m busy, Adi?”
“But Daddy says he wants lots of pictures.”
“You’ve taken lots of pictures.”
Cassie placed a hand on Adi’s arm. “What about taking some candid shots now?”
“What’s candid?”
“The informal kind, where Kajsa doesn’t have to look and smile at the camera. You can take pictures of her profile or the natural expressions on her face when she first mounts the horse or the way she touches the animal without any fear. Candid shots can be some of the most beautiful pictures because they capture real emotion.”
Adelynn slowly nodded. “Okay. I’ll take some candid shots then.”
“That’s my girl.”
Cassie leaned on the fence and watched as Colton taught Kajsa how to put one foot in the stirrup and hold on to the saddle. Then he gave her a small boost, and Kajsa was on the horse. The radiant smile that lit her face was something Cassie could only hope Adi had captured. Her sister had never looked more beautiful.
In no time at all, Kajsa went from being led around by Colton to walking and then trotting on her own. She was a natural.
Adelynn finally handed the camera back to Cassie with a sigh. “I’m getting bored,” she said. “When can we go?”
Truth be told, Cassie was starting to get a little bored herself. But Kajsa didn’t look like she’d be ready to quit anytime soon. “Are you sure you don’t want to try riding Honey? She looks sweet.”
Adelynn pursed her lips in thought then shook her head. “Maybe next time.”
“Okay.” Cassie held out her hand. “What do you say we see if Aunt Jane has any more of those yummy cookies?”
The little girl nodded, and together they walked back to the house. They found Aunt Jane setting out the makings for sub sandwiches for lunch. “I hope you’re hungry,” she said.
“Aunt Jane, you don’t need to do this,” said Cassie.
“Of course I do.” She smiled. “It’s not every day a favorite niece comes to visit, bringing two darling girls along. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
Adelynn glanced out the side window where a wooden swing hung from a giant maple tree. She pointed. “Can I go swing until it’s ready?”
“Sure,” said Cassie. “Do you need a push?”
“No, I can do it.” She stole a cookie from the counter and was gone in a flash.
“What can I do to help?” Cassie asked. “And where’s Uncle Mike and Dustin and Spencer?”
“They went to meet with someone about a mare that they’re considering breeding with Maverick. They probably won’t be back until tonight.” Jane pointed to a pitcher on the counter. “Mind filling that up with ice water?”
“Happy to.” As Cassie worked, she could feel her aunt’s gaze on her. She glanced over her shoulder and caught her watching.
“They’re adorable girls,” Jane said. “Mind if I ask how you came to know them?”
“They’re taking Irish dance lessons from me.” She left it at that.
Jane gave her a knowing nod. “I talked to your mom this morning. She mentioned you’re seeing someone. Are the girls any relation?”
Cassie laughed. “Are you sure she only ‘mentioned’ I was seeing someone?” After the grilling Cassie had gone through during the last Sunday dinner, her mother knew a lot more information than that. Tina hadn’t exactly kept her run in with Cassie and Noah a secret.
Jane poured water into two glasses and handed one to Cassie before she eased her petite body into a seat at the table, gesturing for Cassie to do the same.
“I’ve missed you,” said Jane. “We used to have such great talks, you and I.”
“I know.” Cassie looked at her glass, feeling the melancholy that always came whenever she thought about what she’d given up for her so-called marriage.
“Your mom did fill me in a little more than I implied.” Jane paused. “I’m sorry about what happened.”
Cassie nodded, remembering the few times she’d brought Landon to the ranch. When they were dating, he’d been charming and outgoing and seemingly interested in the ranch. But it was all for show. Aunt Jane had seen right through him. She’d even tried to warn Cassie in her sweet and subtle way, but Cassie had refused to listen.
Condensation had collected on the outside of her glass, and Cassie used her thumb to swipe some of it away. “I should have listened to you,” she said. “I shouldn’t have rushed into things as fast as I did.”
Aunt Jane’s hand came to rest on hers. “Oh, honey. Love is blind. He was handsome, suave, and wealthy. What girl wouldn’t be taken in by that?”
“You weren’t.” With the admission, something broke inside Cassie, and her eyes filled with tears. “How did I not see?”
Her aunt’s hand squeezed hers. “It’s in the past. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Oh, but he can,” said Cassie. “I let him take me away from everything I loved, and I lost two years.” Cassie gestured out the window. “I hardly recognized Colton. He looks so grown up, and I’m sure the younger boys will look even more so. I’ve missed out on two family rodeos, two mud football games, two Christmas parties, and a whole lot of talks. But what’s worse, I think I’ve lost myself. And the thought of ever trusting someone else scares me to death.”
Compassion shown in Jane’s eyes as she wiped one of Cassie’s tears away. “Oh, darlin’. You don’t see it, but you’ve gained so much too. You are older and wiser. You’ve learned things you probably don’t realize you’ve learned yet. I see a wonderful maturity in you that wasn’t there two and a half years ago, and that’s not something you can dismiss. There’s a price that has to be paid for experience and knowledge, and sometimes it’s a pretty steep price. But you’ve already paid it. So don’t regret the past. Never regret the past. Value it. Use it. Be grateful for it.”
The tears came more quickly now. How had Cassie gone two years without one of these talks, without the hope that her wonderful aunt always instilled
in her? “Thank you, Aunt Jane.” She sniffed.
“Now about the father of these girls,” said Jane with a subtle smile. “Do you trust him?”
“I’m beginning to. We haven’t been seeing each other very long, but he’s wonderful. He really is.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting him.” Aunt Jane grabbed a box of tissues from the sofa table and passed it to Cassie, who blew her nose.
“Can I ask you a question?” Cassie said.
“Shoot.”
“How long did you date Uncle Mike before you knew he was the one?”
Her aunt settled back in her seat, and a small smile played across her lips. “It took us a while. Two years, actually.”
“Two years? Wow. That’s a long time.” At least for Cassie. Her entire marriage had lasted about that long, and it had felt like an eternity.
Aunt Jane smiled. “Our first kiss came six months after our first date. Your uncle—he moved as slow as molasses. But it was a good thing. By the time he finally got around to popping the question, I knew exactly what I’d be getting into, and I was prepared for it. We both were.”
“And look at you now. Still happily married.”
“Yes. Yes, we are.” Aunt Jane leaned forward and gave Cassie’s hand a squeeze. “Slow and steady wins the race, right? Especially when it comes to relationships.”
“Exactly.”
Her aunt was right. Cassie had learned the hard way that racing to the finish line wasn’t the way to go. She and Noah needed to take their time and enjoy the journey. This go around, Cassie would be absolutely sure of the outcome before she ever said yes to anyone. And if it took two years to gain that confidence, then it would take two years.
When Noah’s name appeared on Cassie’s phone, her heart danced a little shuffle-hop-back. She placed her hand over her chest, willing it to calm down. After watching his girls for almost three days, Cassie should be used to hearing from Noah by now. He was constantly checking in with her, asking about the girls or telling her humorous things that had happened to him. And every time Noah’s name accompanied the chime of a new text, her heart danced. Every time.
Completely ridiculous, not to mention stupid.
Cassie didn’t want to be giddy. Giddy people did stupid things; they made rash decisions and eventually came to regret those decisions. Level-headed people, on the other hand, took their time, weighed out all the pros and cons, and made level-headed decisions.
That’s who Cassie wanted to be. Not this giddy, heart-skipping girl whose judgment was so easily clouded by emotions. And yet, try as she might, she couldn’t keep herself from reacting. Especially when Noah texted a question like,
Do you have plans tonight?
Cassie should have plans. She’d spent the past two days with the Mackie family. She had the girls during the day, and Noah joined them in the evenings. Last night, they’d played games, popped popcorn, and Noah hadn’t left until nine.
She needed to take a break from them. From him. That’s what rational, slow and steady people did. They took lots of breaks.
Who’s asking? she finally answered. A friend or a date? If he said “date,” she’d have plans. Lots of plans. Sorry-but-every-spare-minute-is-crammed-with-stuff-I-need-to-do plans.
Date, duh. Downgrading isn’t an option, remember?
Cassie bit her lip. He was right. They couldn’t exactly go back to being only friends. When it came to relationships, there was no going backward, only forward or nowhere at all. She would just have to make sure they took baby steps versus giant leaps.
No plans yet.
Want some?
Cassie hesitated only a moment. Sure.
Any chance you’d mind dropping by my house around 9:30?
His place? 9:30? After the girls were in bed? Cassie chewed harder on her lip. Great, now what? Why hadn’t she just stuck with telling him about all her nonexistent plans?
Because she was a stupid, emotionally driven person. That’s why.
Cassie was about to respond with a change of heart when another thought occurred. She needed to explain her slow and steady strategy to Noah. She needed to let him know that the rain check for the kiss couldn’t be collected anytime soon. And she couldn’t exactly do that with his daughters present.
So, it would actually be a good thing to meet up with him later. They could talk. Get on the same page. Become one with the page.
I’ll be there, she finally wrote back.
Wear your dancing shoes. The soft ones. Not the hard ones with metal on the bottom.
Great. Now he wanted to dance? Cassie gave her lip a break and started chewing on her nail instead, feeling like she’d stumbled into some quicksand and was too far in to get herself out. They would just have to talk while they danced. Cassie could keep a level head while in his arms, couldn’t she?
Oy vey. Yes, she was definitely deep in quicksand.
Another text chimed, and Cassie was almost afraid to look.
If you sing the wrong lyrics on any other songs, I want to know what they are.
But I don’t know they’re wrong until you start making fun of me.
TEASING, Cassie. Only teasing. CU soon.
Cassie’s hand clamped over her dancing heart one more time. Then she took a deep breath and set her phone down. She needed to get her mind on other things before she had a panic attack.
“Girls, how do you feel about going grocery shopping with me?”
The expressions on their faces told Cassie they weren’t thrilled by the prospect.
“I’ll let you pick out a doughnut for dessert.”
“Okay!” They dropped the markers they were using to color and went to find their shoes.
As Cassie watched them go, a melancholy settled around her heart. Over the past few days, they’d had so much fun together. Besides the ranch, they’d crafted, shopped, danced, played, and cooked together. Cassie felt like she’d been given a taste of what it would be like to be a mother, and she liked how it tasted. A lot.
Too much.
It was a good thing that after today, she’d go back to being just their teacher. It wouldn’t be wise for any of them to get used to being a family anytime soon.
Through the curtains hanging across Noah’s front window, Cassie could see the glow of what appeared to be little white lights framing the window. She hesitated on the front porch, pulling her jacket tighter around the long, flowing top she’d chosen to wear with her favorite charcoal leggings, thinking that she should have worn sweats instead.
What would happen if she knocked on the door and allowed herself to dance with Noah? What if he tried to kiss her? Would she be strong enough to say not yet? Two months ago, she only knew this man as the father of two little girls in one of her dance classes. Now she was about to spend the evening dancing with him.
A breeze whipped at her cheeks, and Cassie glanced at her car parked in the driveway. She should leave right now and send him a text that she’d changed her mind. He might be disappointed, but he’d understand.
Or—her gaze returned to the glowing window—she could knock and dance with Noah like they’d danced before.
No big deal.
Her mom used to tell her: “Don’t run toward a relationship, but don’t run away from it either. If it’s right, it’ll just happen.”
It had sounded so easy, so smart. And Cassie had thought she was doing just that when she’d dated Landon. But looking back, she’d not only run toward marriage, she’d full on sprinted. She’d let the fog of twitterpation, fairy tales and romance cloud her judgment. Cassie hadn’t really known Landon and he hadn’t known her. It was like they’d fallen in love on a reality dating show, where nothing had been real. She’d been romanced, schmoozed, and swept off her feet. But she’d never been loved.
Looking back, it was all so clear to her now.
A shadow crossed in front of the window—a tall shadow with strong shoulders, a confident gait, and a good heart. Yes, it had only been two months
since Cassie had met Noah. But in that short amount of time, he knew her better than Landon ever had—faults, quirks, Irish dancing, and all.
Maybe taking a small step forward wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Cassie lifted her hand and rapped on the door. A moment later, it opened, and the dark shadow became Noah. His face was freshly shaved, his hair was slightly damp, and he wore a fitted, button-down shirt that was as blue as his eyes. Her breath caught.
“Wow,” said Noah. “You look beautiful.”
“And you look… great.” Too great. Her physical reaction to him was so strong that she wanted to sprint forward and forget all about taking her time.
Not good.
Noah opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?”
Behind him, the soft glow of the lights created a sort of aura around him, and three beefy candles flickered on his bar. With the furniture pushed to the side, the room oozed romance. He probably smelled amazing too—just one more thing to sink her deeper into that quicksand.
Noah held out his hand. “Don’t be nervous, Cass. It’s just me.”
That was the problem. Noah wasn’t just anyone. He had the power to undo her. “Promise we won’t move too fast.” Her eyes pled with his.
“I promise,” he answered, wiggling his fingers. “I loaded a lot of slow songs, so we’ll be moving very slowly.”
Her lips twitched as she rested her hand in his. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“I know. But a guy can tease, can’t he? And your fingers are freezing.” He closed the door and enclosed both of her hands in his, rubbing to try to warm them. “Does your car not have a heater?”
“It does. I just… Well, it took me a few minutes to work up the nerve to knock on the door.”
“I’m glad you finally did. You would have turned into an ice sculpture if you’d stayed out there much longer.”