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He laughed. “Dangerous? No. Spoilt? Definitely. We’re just playing a little cat and mouse, that’s all.” He charmed a smile as the bodyguard slid the cell back into his pocket.
He pulled out a slick card with a name, number, and a company logo plastered on it. He offered it to me but I simply eyed it. With a small grumble, Lori walked behind me, leant around my wide shoulders and plucked it out of his hand.
“Well, if we see her, we’ll let you know,” Lori said, flipping over the card to read it.
“Right,” he drawled, giving me an unimpressed look. “Well enjoy your day.” He turned and left as if he couldn’t get out of here any quicker.
Lori whistled behind him. Slowly, I feathered a hand through Shadow’s fur, easing the same tension that rippled through me. There was something not right about that man.
“He’s the CEO of Taylor Oils,” Lori said folding over the card. “Isn’t that one of the big ones? And why is he looking for Cassidy?”
“We’re not ratting her out” is all I said as I grabbed my coat with the intention to find her and make sure he didn’t first. I doubted he’d try any other places on the main street. This was the most central for most people passing through. But I didn’t like the threat walking through town either. People like him were not welcome here.
“Well of course not but,” Lori called out to me as I shuffled my coat on, “don’t you think you’re going out on a bit of a limb for a stranger?” I paused and looked over my shoulder. “I mean it was only a few days ago you were reluctant to even breathe the same air as her and hold her up in your cabin. Don’t you think it’s risky going up against something like this and for what?”
Not that I had to explain myself, but my sister was one of few who understood me. And her best interest would always lay in the safety of the town where our parents lived. As did mine. But nor was I going to hand Cassidy over like some bargaining chip. I was certain he had something to do with the reason she was running away in the first place. “Something wasn’t right about that man.”
Lori seemed to agree with a grimace. And she liked Cassidy, I could tell. But she was right; we didn’t know what kind of trouble she was caught up in either. “Where are you going now?” Lori asked.
“To make sure she’s safe and doesn’t leave Ann’s house without me.”
Lori’s arms folded over her chest, a mischievous sparkle twinkling in her eye. I ignored it, stepping out into the slow sprinkling snow and heading to Ann’s house with Shadow by my side. The two men had already driven off but I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.
Chapter 18
Cassidy
Ifelt like a human burrito that had been wrapped in different materials. Ann’s clever hands were gliding in and out as she positioned the layers differently in the dress I now wore.
“I haven’t been able to work on a model with a waist this small in years,” Ann said giddily. Patrice sat in a rocking chair nearby, reading a book and sipping a tea.
“These dresses are beautiful,” I gushed enthusiastically. Perhaps outdated but they were crafted beautifully. She’d brought out a rack of various dresses and I was as of forty minutes ago her real-life manikin.
“It’s only a hobby now,” Ann crooned in lust-filled wonder.
“She used to own a shop back in Philadelphia,” Patrice said fondly as she continued to read, gently rocking. She was reading some historical romance. There was something endearing about their setup, it flowed as if this was their everyday routine. Enjoying their own hobby amongst chatter and tea every day.
“What happened to it?” I asked.
Ann swatted a hand, as if embarrassed. “Well, I met Coots of course. We stayed in Philadelphia for a few years, traveled around some with our children and then ended up settling here fifty-odd years ago when Coots got a local mechanics job. Haven’t looked elsewhere since.”
My wildly-romantic heart swooned at their long-term marriage. Ann gestured a hand toward Patrice. “And Patrice and I were friends since high school. When she lost her husband who served in the military thirty years ago she moved out here as well. Didn’t want to get in her children’s way as they encouraged her to move close to them. She wanted a fresh start.”
My heart sunk, unable to even imagine her loss.
Patrice rolled her eyes. “Don’t want to burden the young ones? They’re running around in their own busy lives and although I appreciated the gesture there was no way I could keep up with them. My two sons both had young families then too. I didn’t want to become dependent on nobody.” She lifted her nose indignantly.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said sincerely. She looked over her book, a small and gentle smile marring her expression.
“You’re a sweet one with a good heart and I appreciate the gesture. We lived many years together and he was taken too soon. But I’m grateful for the years we had spent together. It took me a long time to come to that conclusion though, mark my words.”
I couldn’t imagine losing the love of my life. The thought paralyzed me. And yet I didn’t seem any closer to finding any kind of forever relationship to truly envision its magnitude. I’d watched all the Disney movies, read all the romance books, and advocated the dramas. I’d grown up on love stories despite my parents displaying none in their marriage. It was all I craved, and yet I couldn’t have been any further from it—despite actively searching for it in New York.
“That’s why it’s so enjoyable for us to watch you and Eric flutter about each other. I haven’t seen that man crack a smile in years,” Ann goaded.
“We thought he was a lost cause,” Patrice agreed as she took another sip of her tea.
I blushed. “Oh, there’s nothing happening between us. He’s very kind though offering me a place to stay.”
