After he’d given them time to settle in, Nick phoned to find out how they were doing, and if they needed help with anything. “I noticed your vehicle when you pulled onto the dirt road, and thought I’d call and ask how your trip went.”
“It was certainly far better than the last time,” she answered. “After being trapped up here in the snow, we played it safe and stayed away for a few months. We were also very busy with the prom, and then graduation.”
“So how do the twins feel? I can imagine that graduating lifted a big load off their shoulders.”
“Only temporarily,” she said, and sat down in the recliner next to the fireplace. “In September they’ll be leaving for Colorado; they’ve been accepted into UCCS. In fact, so have Adam and Sherry. They’re very excited that they’ll all be together, while so far away from home.”
“How long are you planning to stay this time?”
“We’ll be here for a couple of weeks.”
“That’s sounds great. Would you like to go out for dinner next weekend? We could run over to The Rancher’s Roost in Huntington.”
“Let me check with the kids. I want to make sure they haven’t made any plans. I’ll let you know. Right now, I have some reading to do. I stopped by Auntie Em’s and picked up the first draft of the novel she’d begun to write. I’d like to read through it, and then decide if I want to make an attempt at finishing it.”
“Well, have a good night and be sure to tell the kids they’re more than welcome to stop by to visit tomorrow. Make sure you let them know that the horses could use a couple of riders.”
“Okay, I’ll tell them. I’m sure they’ll be over as soon as they’re awake.” She hung up and stared out the window. It looked different, without the snow that had fallen during their last visit. I’ll have to think of a gentle way to let him know that I’m seeing someone else.
She went to the kitchen and grabbed a can of pop, then returned to the recliner with the envelope that held the beginning of Auntie Em’s novel.
Deeply into the story, she barely heard the twins return from Nick’s, only nodded her head at them, and continued reading.
*
The twins noticed that their mom was deeply engrossed in her book and didn’t want to disturb her.
“Let’s make some sandwiches,” Kayla said quietly.
Kyle nodded, and while Kayla set the sandwich items on the kitchen table, he fed the dog.
When they finished eating, Kayla washed the few dishes they’d used and Kyle took Mandy outside. Mandy quickly completed her usual walk around the cabin. Kyle brought her back in and locked the door behind him.
He and Kayla immediately headed to their rooms for time to themselves. Still quite tired from the all-night party, they both turned in early.
*
Auntie Em’s mystery novels had made her very well known, but this one was different. This had been a first, for her to have suspense with a bit of romance-turn-ugly plot. It had a bit of similarity to the incident that she’d been through with Jeff. She was so engrossed in the story, that when she reached the point where Auntie Em had come to a halt, she was shaking in fear. She tried to weigh the structure of events, to no avail.
Her mind reeled with confusion when she stood from the chair and looked around the room. She was surprised to see that it was already midnight.
When she climbed into bed, she had great difficulty falling asleep, as strange and disquieting thoughts raced through her mind. After she’d tossed and turned for what seemed to be an hour or so, she finally fell into an uneasy and restless sleep.
Suddenly she sat up in alarm, her heart thundering. She looked at the clock. It was three a.m.
Mandy raised and tipped her head, then looked at her strangely.
She shook her head and finally convinced herself that Mandy would have at least growled if there’d been a prowler. She must have been having a nightmare.
She crawled back under the covers and dozed off, this time into a deep, comfortable sleep.
Chapter Twenty-nine
“Mom,” Kayla said softly, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, Mom, wake up.”
She rolled over, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Kayla. “Hi honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Mom. We just wanted to let you know that we’re going over to Nick’s.”
“Oh, you found the note I left you? What time is it?”
“Yes, we found the note, and it’s almost ten o’clock.”
“For heaven’s sake, Kayla, why didn’t you wake me? I’ll make you some breakfast before you leave.” She tossed her blanket to the side and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
“Just relax, Mom.” She lightly pushed her back down on the bed. “We both had a bowl of cereal, and I fed Mandy. We’ve taken care of everything. Mandy went outside. We knew that you were up pretty late last night, reading Auntie Em’s book, so we let you sleep in.”
“Thank you, honey,” she said and patted Kayla’s hand. “I do have to get up and get moving, though. I have things I’d like to get done today.”
“Well, Kyle and I are heading over to Nick’s to go riding. Then we’ll probably help him brush the horses.”
“That sounds fine, honey. You have fun, and Mandy and I will keep each other company.”
When the twins left, she quickly washed up, and then dressed in a pair of burgundy jeans with a matching sweatshirt. She went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, and discovered a full pot already made. That was sweet of them.
She filled a mug and carried it into the living room, picked up the pages of Auntie Em’s novel and sat down to look them over again. She reread the last few pages. A prowler was stalking a young woman whose husband had recently left town for a business convention in Los Angeles. The chapter ended with the woman sitting in the den. The night had been hot and humid, and the woman sat at her computer wearing only a nightgown made of satin and lace. The stalker was staring through the window, where a light breeze had blown a partial edge of the curtain away from the screen. That was where Auntie Em stopped.
She’d been extremely tired by the time she climbed into bed. The novel had given her the jitters. That must have been why she had a hard time falling asleep.
She slid the pages into the envelope and began cleaning up the cabin. When she finished inside, she took Mandy for a walk but stopped outside the door. “Just a minute, girl,” she told Mandy. Out of curiosity, she grabbed a small ladder from the shed, and went to each corner of the cabin to check the security lights. She found that all four of the bulbs were screwed in tightly and working. She brought the ladder back to the shed, and went up the porch steps to make sure she’d locked the cabin door then finally set out on a hike with Mandy.
When she strolled up Nick’s driveway, she spotted him as he entered the barn on the north side. She let Mandy run loose and headed toward the doorway.
“Nick?” she called out, and stepped into the barn. Nick leaned his head out of a stall, then grinned and waved at her.
“Kyle and Kayla are riding with Gus,” he said, and walked toward her.
“Would you mind sending them home when they return?”
“Sure will. How are you? The twins told me you were up late last night. Was anything wrong?”
“No, everything’s fine. This weather is beautiful. I love the springtime here,” she said with a smile. “I decided to take Mandy for a walk.”
He pulled off his brown cowboy hat, brushed off the hay and dust, and placed it back on his head. “Well, I'd better get back to work.”
“Okay,” she said, and turned to leave.
“By the way, have you decided if you’d like to go into Huntington for dinner Saturday night?”
“Sure, that would be nice. I’ll see you then.” She turned and walked out the barn door, called for Mandy and quickly headed back to the cabin. Coward, she thought. Maybe she could let him down lightly over dinner.
*
Cassandra kn
ew that The Rancher’s Roost was nothing fancy. It was a bar and grill, so she wore jeans and a white long-sleeve shirt with a leather vest. When they stepped through the entrance, the host led them to a table in the back, which Nick had requested when he made the reservation. He held a chair out for her, and she smiled with a slight nod and sat down. He sat across the table from her, and the waiter handed them menus, then asked what they’d like to drink. Nick ordered a bottle of Budweiser for himself and a pina colada for Cassandra. He told them he’d return in a moment.
“Their prime rib dinner is delicious,” he told her. “That’s what I’m having.”
“That sounds good. I’ll have the same,” she replied with a smile.
After the waiter returned with their drinks and took their order, Nick leaned toward her and gazed into her eyes. He reached across the table and took her hands in his, then softly moved his thumbs back and forth over her palms. “It sure feels good to have you back. It made me happy to hear that you’ll be staying for two weeks. I’ve missed you.”
Her emotions were in turmoil, wanting to tell him, but not knowing how to do it with kindness... She gently removed her hands. “Yes, well… I had a short period between jobs and decided to come up for a couple of weeks. Also, the twins only have until fall, and then they’ll be leaving for Colorado.”
“You’ll still be coming up here without them, won’t you?”
Her mouth felt dry, but she didn’t want a drink. She lowered her head and studied her hands.
“Cassandra, is something wrong?” His hand covered hers possessively, and hastily, she again drew her hands away and she slowly raised her eyes.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his expression grim, and he watched her as she flushed miserably.
“There’s someone else, Nick,” she said.
His mouth opened in dismay, and she looked at him with mixed emotions.
“Why did you lead me on, when all along you were seeing someone else?”
“I wasn’t leading you on. I hadn’t been seeing him when I met you. He’s someone I went with over twenty years ago. We just happened to run into each other. I’m sorry, Nick; I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’ve been trying to come up with a way to let you know gently.”
“You call this gently? I take you out to dinner, and while we sit here waiting for our orders to arrive, you announce that you’re seeing someone else?”
“I’m sorry. I think maybe we should leave.”
“Sure, sure thing, honey.”
He stood and shook his head in anger then placed a hundred dollar bill on the table. He led the way out of the restaurant, and she followed, blinking away tears. He didn’t stop to hold the door open for her. He headed for his truck without even looking back. He climbed in, not bothering to help her into the passenger’s side. She climbed in, feeling terrible. She hadn’t just spoiled their evening; she’d lost a good friend.
They were both silent during the ride. Cassandra was thankful that it was only a twenty-minute drive. She watched as they passed row after row of cornfields, all of them a blur, and she wished this had never happened. She shouldn’t have accepted his invitation. What kind of response did she expect?
He started down the long dirt road leading to her cabin, and she glanced over at him. He kept his eyes on the road, the lines of his face hard, clearly refusing to look at her. She let out a sigh and lifted her eyes toward the sky, where she focused on the full moon, beaming brightly against the glass. He was a good man and she’d let him down badly.
When he pulled up to the cabin, she turned and looked at him. He stopped the truck, settled back in the seat, and kept his eyes straight ahead while he waited for her to get out.
She spoke calmly, saying, “I’m so sorry, Nick. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I never thought I’d see Sean again. We found that we’re still in love. I hope someday you’ll understand. I’m sorry.” His expression looked as though she’d slapped him in the face, which in a way she had. She looked away hastily, and reached for the door handle.
“Goodbye, Cassandra,” he said, his tone relatively civil in spite of his evident anger. His eyes remained straight ahead.
“Goodbye, Nick,” she murmured. She climbed out and hurried toward the door. When she turned around to wave, he’d already pulled out of the driveway. She unlocked the door and sadly let herself in. Even though the children were here, asleep, she felt terribly lonely, and her stomach ached, groaning with hunger.
*
The following day the twins took the dog for a walk while she completed her packing. They’d be leaving early in the morning. She placed her suitcase on the floor along with the others, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. She headed for the living room, and when she passed by the window, she could see Nick waiting on the porch. He was sitting on the porch rail, facing the door with his arms folded across his chest, his legs stretched out casually. He wore his cowboy hat hung down, as though deep in thought.
Her mind tumbled with confused feelings. She didn’t know what else she could say. She knew there was nothing that could make things better between them. To lose one of your best friends is very hard. She felt the tears build in her eyes, as she opened the screen door, and tried to subdue her emotions.
He looked up when she stepped onto the porch, and he hesitated in the silence that overwhelmed them. His soft smile displayed his ruggedly handsome face and oddly eased her anxiety.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” he said, taking off his hat. “I just wanted to stop by before you leave, to tell you that I’m sorry. I want to apologize for acting the way that I did last night.” His hands fumbled with the hat brim. “I was a boor – a jealous boor.”
“No, I should have told you sooner,” she whispered.
The tension between them faded when he stepped forward, holding his arms out to her.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” he said, “and I want us to part on good terms.”
She slowly moved into his embrace, and he let out a long, audible breath. “I just want to wish you the best, Cassandra. And if you ever change your mind, or if things don’t work out, you know where to find me,” he added in a low, composed voice.
She stepped back, and their arms fell away. She nodded and looked up at him, and her eyes misted with tears. “Would you like me to find someone else to care for my property when I’m not around?”
“No, I love this property. I enjoy taking care of it. I also wanted to ask that if you ever decided to sell the property, would you mind asking me first? I definitely would want to buy it.”
“Yes, I’d ask you first. Although I really doubt that I’d ever care to let it go. It’s too beautiful up here, and I enjoy having a place to come to, where it’s so peaceful and quiet, to get away from the city life.”
“Okay then, thanks Cassandra.” He put his hat on. “I know you plan to leave early in the morning. Drive carefully.”
Nick tipped his hat at her, gave her a soft smile, stepped down from the porch, and headed toward the open meadow.
She watched as he strode through the tall grass, and hot tears trickled down her cheeks.
When she turned and reached for the door, she noticed the twins walking along the creek, Mandy leading the way. They looked up at her and waved. She smiled and waved back, then entered the cabin and wiped her eyes and cheeks.
Chapter Thirty
“Come on over, Shannon, I could use some company.”
“I’ll be right there, and I want a complete update on everything.”
A short while later, Shannon tapped on the screen door and let herself into the kitchen.
Cassandra turned with a smile. “Would you like coffee or tea?”
“If the coffee is already made, that would be fine,” she said, grabbed a chair and sat down. She patiently waited while Cassandra poured their coffee, placed their cups on the table and finally sat across from Shannon. “Okay, now spill it. I want to hear everything that happened with Nick.”
She added sugar to her coffee. When she reached for more, Shannon placed her hand on top of Cassandra’s to stop her. “I think you have enough sugar, honey, now what’s on your mind?”
Between sips of coffee, she told her everything that happened with Nick. “And then on Sunday morning he came over and apologized. I felt so bad; I didn’t mean to hurt him.”
“I’m sure he realized that, which was probably the reason he came back to apologize. Most men wouldn’t have gone that far.”
“I know. He’d been so good to me. He protected me and the twins when we needed help.”
“Well, I’m sure he’ll meet some nice woman. He’s a very good man.”
“Yes, he is.” She stared out the window while she swirled the remainder of her coffee in the bottom of her cup.
“I’m going to have to get back home. The kids should be returning soon.”
Adam passed his driver’s test last month and Shannon let him drive the four of them to the mall to purchase new clothes for college. They received notice one week ago that they’d be roommates, and Kayla and Sherry were excited to shop and plan.
Shannon stood and gave her a hug. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll get over it.”
She remained at the table after Shannon left. She still hadn’t decided if she’d try to complete Auntie Em’s novel. She needed more time to give it some deep thought. When she stood to wash the coffee cups, she heard a car drive up. Two car doors slammed shut and the twins came running up the steps. They both had so many packages she didn’t know how they’d be able to pack everything in one trip to UCCS. Dan had mentioned that he might pull a small trailer behind their SUV. She thought he’d been joking, but maybe he wasn’t.
While they pulled everything out of their bags to show her, the phone rang.
“Hi Cassie,” Sean said. The joy in her laugh and the sparkle in her eyes caught both Kyle and Kayla’s attention. They motioned for her to go, and whispered that they’d show her later. A warm feeling filled her as she realized that they enjoyed seeing their mom so happy. It’d never been that way when their dad had been around. They both gathered up their bags and took them to their rooms.
The Sunny Side of the Mountain Page 15