Cassidy (Big Sky Dreams 1) (28 page)

"I'm glad Trace wasn't around to watch that," Cassidy said, thinking she would have to tell Rylan that he was not in danger of losing his job. She had managed fine, but it was obvious she didn't do it every day.

"It's all right," Meg comforted. "Trace is no good with a needle."

Cassidy liked this. She chuckled her way into the house, washed her hands, and then took Savanna from her mother. "Good morning," Cassidy said softly to the baby, kissing her cheek and holding her -close. "How is my Savanna today?"

"Grouchy," Meg said dryly. "All these smiles you're getting right now are an act."

"Is that right?" Cassidy asked the baby. "Were you cranky?" Both women laughed when Savanna smiled with pure contentment.

"Meg," Cassidy teased. "I don't think you should tell me these tales. This child is clearly an angel."

"Not ten minutes before your buggy came in the yard, that
angel
was howling as though I were pinching her."

"What did you do to make her stop?"

"I put her down and walked away. I let her cry for a little while.

232

When she stopped, I checked on her. She'd found a spot to look at on the crib and was fascinated by it."

As if to prove her mother's point about her mood, Savanna began to fuss again. Cassidy tried to talk her out of it, but she was having none of it. Meg took her and nursed her to sleep, the women talking all the while.

"How did things go for you on Sunday?" Meg asked. "Did you and Trace talk about getting married?"

"We didn't talk about a date-just that it will happen."

Meg nodded, not wanting to give her friend negative ideas but wondering if she was missing something.

"Does Trace tell you he loves you?"

"He did in a roundabout way on Sunday, and I liked hearing it, but I still want to talk to him about that."

"What exactly?"

"We spend so much time talking about my problems that we never get to discuss us. There are things I want to know about his feelings."

"I think he'll be able to tell you," Meg said, not afraid of giving anything away. "Brad was talking to him about noticing you a long time ago."

"What did Trace say?"

"He said he held back because of Chandler. I don't think it ever had anything to do with his lack of feelings."

Cassidy smiled, and Meg smiled with her.

"We're going to be neighbors," Cassidy said to her friend with a smile.

"Neighbors?" Meg said on a soft laugh. "Without money to build a house, you'll be living here."

Cassidy smile was huge when she said, "Jeanette's buying the

233building, and how much Cassidy wanted a large porch. They talked all the way through Savanna's nap and Meg's feeding her again. They didn't start to sew for almost two hours.

Trace spotted the extra horse in the barn the moment he returned. He didn't know Cassidy was coming early and swiftly headed to the house. He came through the kitchen, washed his hands, and then went to the living room. He found Meg alone but was not fooled.

"Where is she?" he asked his sister-in-law.

"Where is who?" Meg asked, almost looking convincing.

"Tell me something, Meg," Trace said, enjoying himself. "Did

she actually think I wouldn't notice the extra horse and the buggy

parked right outside the barn?"

Meg only smiled, and Trace began to look around. He skipped the upstairs and wandered into the office, back into the living room, and then into the kitchen. There was a rather deep pantry in the corner of that room, and Cassidy was just coming out. She shot around the back way, but Trace knew this house much too well. Darting through the door that led from the dining room, he caught her in the back hall before she could reach the stairs.

"How are you?" Trace asked when he cornered her, just keeping his distance and his hands to himself.

"I'm fine."

"I didn't know you would be herealready."

Cassidy looked pleased. "My sign now says 'Closed Wednesdays and Sundays."

Trace smiled into her eyes before his went to her hair.

234

"I have a lot to tell you," Cassidy said, thinking about Jeanette's offer, "but I want to talk about us today too."

"Okay. Where do you want to start?"

"You're not free now, are you?"

"I can be in about an hour. Will that work?"

Cassidy nodded and sighed a little, just pleased to be in the same room with him. She hadn't seen him since Sunday. Waiting one more hour would be no effort at all.

"Did you know Jeanette wanted to buy the business?" Cassidy asked, all of her plans to talk about just the two of them flying out of her head.

"Not until we got home on Sunday night and Brad told me." "I'm so excited, Trace. I think Token Creek can keep it going. I think it will work for Jeanette."

"Did you have orders today?"

"Between yesterday and today, I have five. And Jeanette went to see Hiram Brickel and got my money for me."

"How did that work out?"

Cassidy told him the story, and Trace knew no end of relief. He'd not been holding Cassidy's hand as they walked, but he took it now. The enormousness of his feelings told him he'd been more worried about that than he realized.

"Good," he said quietly, and Cassidy looked at him.

"Were you worried?"

"Yes," Trace admitted, looking back at her.

They didn't talk for a little while, both thinking about the past days and events they'd been through.

"I did something a little bit big yesterday," Cassidy said after a few minutes, and then explained about her note to Rylan. "This Sunday?" Trace asked.

"Yes. What do you think?"

235"I think it's a good idea. It might be hard on you, but I like the idea of folks being able to ask questions. Everyone will know all at one time what happened."

"That's what I thought. I'm glad you don't object."

"Did you think I would?"

"No, but Rylan asked me what you thought, and Irealized I hadn't had a chance to check with you. Rylan said I couldcancel if I needed."

"As long as you're up to it, I think you should plan on it." "I might not hear much of the sermon," Cassidy admitted.

"I'll fill you in later," Trace said, and Cassidy loved the way he

understood her.

Trace had some things he had to get done before supper, so they walked back to the house. Cassidy realized then that they hadn't talked about their own future. She tried to be patient and was happy to help Meg with supper, but she had plans. As soon as supper was over, she wanted more time alone with Trace Holden.

"You look tired," Brad said to Meg, finding her alone in the dining room. Trace, Cassidy, and Savanna were in the kitchen.

"Really?" She looked surprised. "I feel fine."

"I don't think so," Brad said, working hard not to smile even a little. "I think you need to turn in as soon as Trace leaves to take Cassidy back to town."

Meg caught it then. It had taken longer than usual but still had the usual effect. Her husband's warm gaze filled her with pleasure. She moved to his side of the table, pressing close to him in the guise of adjusting one of the plates.

"I think you're right," Meg agreed softly, enjoying the little flames that lit his gaze.

Brad kissed her before she could move away, telling himself to

236be patient. Trace and Cassidy would be on their way in just a few hours.

"When did you first realize you had special feelings for me?" Cassidy asked. Meg and Brad were doing dishes. Savanna was sleeping on Trace's shoulder, and Cassidy was sitting beside him on the living room sofa.

"That would have been in April, maybe May."

"What happened then?" Cassidy asked with a frown.

"You came with me to visit my mother for the first time." "I remember that happening but nothing special about it." "Well, you would have needed to know that I had been thinking

about getting to know Lilly Karlen."

Cassidy nodded. She knew Lilly but not well. She was a shy woman whom Philip Leffers was just starting to court.

"It's been a long time ago now, but one Sunday Jeanette had us over with the Karlen family. I don't hold this against Lilly, but she could not deal with even visiting my mother on the porch. Her parents and brothers went out and met her, but Lilly just about panicked. That changed the way I viewed her.

"When you came along and talked to my mother like you do everyone else, I started to see you differently. I didn't fall head-overheels in love right then, but I began to notice things about you. The more I watched, the more convinced I became that you were perfect for me."

"But you didn't want to say anything?"

"I couldn't tell what you felt about me. You were kind to everyone, including Chandler. I even wondered for a while if you might have feelings for Rylan. It wasn't that you did anything special, but you were warm and caring with everyone."

Cassidy looked at him. She had had no idea. Not a clue.

"Your turn," Trace said, but before Cassidy could get started,

237Meg and Brad came from the kitchen. Brad wanted to talk about Cassidy's business.

"How will you and Jeanette work this? Have you had a chance to discuss it?"

"As a matter of fact, she came to see me yesterday afternoon, and we talked about it. I've had enough orders the last few days to make me think the business will survive. Jeanette plans to take over from me all during this month. If that works, I'll just work for her until she no longer needs me."

"Have the two of you set a date?" Brad asked.

"Not yet," Trace said, taking that one.

"Are you anxious about that, Cass?" Brad wished to know.

"Not at all," she said. It was enough to know that her future was with Trace. There was no need to rush. Not until she and Trace were on the road back to town did she learn that he wasn't feeling quite so patient.

"The weather is changing fast. Without a lot of warning, we could be in deep snow. If the snow is on the ground, I can get to town in the sleigh without a problem. But if we're in a blizzard or a white out and I can't be with you on a day I normally would, that would be hard. A few weeks of that I could stand, but not a whole winter."

"So what are you thinking?"

"How does next month look to you?"

"You mean you want to get married in November?" Cassidy checked with him.

"Yes."

Cassidy was not expecting this. She wasn't doubtful about wanting to marry Trace, but next month was not what she'd had in mind. Cassidy was still working it through when the buggy came to a halt. She turned to find Trace watching her.

"Problems?"

"No," Cassidy said without thinking.

Trace's brows rose in unbelief. "You're sure?"

238This time Cassidy stayed quiet.

"You can tell me."

"Do you realize that I haven't even told you I love you?" she asked.
"And,"
she added with a bit of strength, "you haven't even officially asked to marry me?"

"I do realize that," Trace admitted.

"Those things might seem silly to you, Trace, but they're not to me."

"They're not silly to me either. I know you love me, and I'm looking forward to the time you're ready to tell me. I will ask for your hand, down on my knee, but I keep waiting for a special time when we won't be interrupted, and so far that's not happened."

There it was again-the softening of Cassidy's eyes that always got to Trace's heart.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"That you're wonderful. I didn't know you were planning that."

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly. "We need to keep our heads so we don't miss anything but not so much that this feels like a business arrangement."

Cassidy sighed a little and asked, "So what happens now?"

Trace looked out over the horse's head. "Why don't we stop in and see if Rylan is available to talk. We'll tell him what we're thinking and get his advice."

"What about Brad and Meg? Are they ready to have us living there as husband and wife?"

Trace smiled as he put the buggy back into motion. "Brad asked me right before I left what I was waiting for. I mentioned that very thing to him-that we'd be sharing the house for a while-and he dismissed it with three words."

"What were the words?"'

'What's the problem?'

Cassidy could not hold her laugh. Trace took that for a yes and headed for Rylan's.

239 "Jeanette?" Trace called to his aunt when he slipped in through her front door much later that night.

"Who is it?" she asked, coming from her parlor, a book in her hand and a small pair of spectacles perched on the end of her nose. "Trace?"