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Thomas raised an eyebrow and looked in my direction. “You’re probably the first that’s ever used that definition to describe him.”
Cassidy seemed unsure what to say.
“Any update on the log blocking the road?” I asked Lori, purposefully ignoring him, although I kept an uneasy eye on Thomas and Cassidy. It irked me how well they already seemed to get along. Thomas always had been charismatic in that way, probably the type she was used to fawning over.
“Yea about that,” Lori said as she poured hot water over a tea bag into a mug. “They’re not going to be able to get rid of it for another day or so. Apparently, we’ve got some heavy snowfall on its way. Most of the locals are preparing for it.”
I frowned; most mornings I’d usually check the reports to see what the weather was doing but this morning I’d been distracted. I eyed the reason for that. Cassidy was absentmindedly brushing through Shadow’s fur as she laughed at a joke Thomas had made at my expense.
I wasn’t at all comfortable with the way Shadow sat at her feet, in that protective way he had always and only ever done with me. Why had Shadow chosen this woman? He didn’t get along with anyone other than me. Traitor, I glumly thought.
“Did you hear that, hun?” Lori asked as she handed Cassidy the mug of green tea. “You’re not going to be able to head out today either. We have a bit of a nasty snowstorm on its way so no one can drive from the neighboring town to chop it down.
“Oh.” Cassidy frowned. She stared at her tea.
“Don’t worry you don’t have to stay with this grump,” Thomas jokingly said. “If you want you can crash with me?”
“Absolutely not,” I growled. They all looked at me, surprised. A playful smile jerked at Thomas’s expression which pissed me off even more.
“Why not? Don’t think I’m dependable enough?” he asked, leaning back in his chair. He and Lori were enjoying this way too much, and it was grating on me.
“She’ll be staying with me,” I growled out. Taking in her startled reaction, I felt the need to add, “I don’t think she wants to stay with you and the twins keeping her up all night.”
Thomas offered a sly knowing smile.
“The twins?” Cassidy asked.
“Our other brothers. Worse than this one, those two are.” Lori pointed a finger at Thomas, who seemed affronted by her accusing finger. “And maybe she doesn’t want to stay at all. She could still go back.”
“Not if the snow will be picking up shortly,” I piped up. All eyes were on me again.
“Sounding a bit bossy and possessive there, Ricky boy,” Thomas teased.
My jaw tightened. “I’m not. It’s just in Cassidy’s best interests. That car isn’t the safest on these roads and we all know it.”
A silence fell over the room. Especially on the back roads; lives had been lost with even the most experienced drivers losing grip and crashing.
“Um, if it’s okay and safer, I’d rather stay the night,” Cassidy said quietly. “I’m not the most confident driver.” A protective tug in my stomach. Maybe it was because of all those we’d lost previously, and I didn’t want the same thing for her. “But would it be possible if I could call my friend off someone’s cell to let her know I might be a few days late?”
Before Thomas could scoop his cell out of his pocket, I offered her mine. “You can call off this.”
I could feel Lori’s and Thomas’s gazes burning into me. Why wasn’t I letting Thomas help her? Wouldn’t that make it easier for me to go back to my daily routine and be free of her? But I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of trying to hook up with her either. His arrogance in that way annoyed me.
“Thank you,” Cassidy said carefully as she plucked it out of my hand and glanced around at the interested onlookers. They were making it damn uncomfortable, but that was to piss me off and had nothing to do with her. Comparatively her hand was half the size of mine. Delicate, was the best description. I mean she was easily half my size, after all. She’d be like throwing around the weight of a shoulder bag. I cleared my throat, pushing away the thought of throwing her around in anyway.
“Why don’t you show her around the town today before we get snowed in?” Lori suggested as she put a few utensils away. “Thomas and I have got it covered here. I don’t think it’ll be much of a busy day anyway.”
“If we’re going to be snowed in, I should cut some more wood for the locals.”
Lori rolled her eyes. “Please I think everyone has enough wood to last them the month.”
“Or if you’re busy, I can take her?” Thomas suggested with a nonchalant shrug. I could feel the muscle at my temple pick up in tempo. He was purposefully pushing me today.
“I think they have enough wood,” I gritted out, agreeing with Lori.
I could sense Lori’s smirk as she turned around and through to the kitchen. I didn’t much like what these two were up to.
Not that there was a lot in Rosefield to show her, but I certainly wasn’t going to let Thomas sweet talk her for his own amusement. But didn’t that make more sense? They were around the same age. A hot irritation ran through me. This wasn’t like me. This was meant to be my escapism from everything, so why was I creating a busier schedule to accommodate this strange woman who’d randomly found herself stranded in our town? And yet I wanted to wipe that smug expression off my younger brother’s face immediately. Man, my family knew how to get under my skin.
