Cassidy (Big Sky Dreams 1) (29 page)

"Yes. Can I talk to you?"

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I need your help with a surprise," Trace started.

"For Cassie?" Jeanette guessed.

"She's the one," Trace answered with a smile.

Jeanette all but rubbed her hands together before saying, "Just tell me what I need to do."

"I've got a job," Abi said to Rylan, catching him on his way to the livery on Friday morning.

"Where are you working?" Rylan asked.

"I'm writing for the newspaper."

"How did that come up?"

"I took some of my stories to the publisher and he bought two." Rylan smiled and asked, "Will you still be able to use them in your book?"

"I'm not working on it just now."

"Why is that?"

Abi shook her head but didn't look agitated. "I don't know," she finally said. "I just don't want to right now."

"All right," Rylan said. He wasn't sure if the book was earning her any money as she wrote or how that all worked. He'd never asked, and she'd never shared. Instead he asked, "How are you doing with the verses I gave you?"

240"I memorized them."

"That's great. Are they making sense to you?"

Abi smiled a little and said quietly, "I have hope in the Lord now."

"Do you want to say those verses for me?" Rylan asked, knowing he had just about that much time.

Abi quoted two she had learned from the Psalms. "let Israel hope in the Lord: for with theLORDthere is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever."

"I think you just made my day."

Abi looked pleased without smiling. Rylan, however, didn't even attempt to hold his smile. He looked at the woman whose hunger for God was new but still very real and believed again in his heart that God could save the people of Token Creek.

Cassidy was on the verge of closing on Friday evening when

Timothy, the man who worked for Jeanette, came intothe shop. "Good evening," he spoke formally and looked serious.

"Hello," Cassidy greeted him, not having met him more than a

few times.

"I was asked to give you this," Timothy stated, handing a piece of paper to Cassidy.

"Thank you," she said automatically, not realizing until too late that Timothy was not staying around for anything else. "Goodbye," Cassidy called after him and then opened the letter.

241It was signed by Jeanette, and Cassidy had to laugh. That woman had just been there-they'd worked together all day-and not mentioned a thing about it. Cassidy wondered what she was up to but didn't give it great thought. Closing the shop, she went up to her apartment, taking some time to freshen up and change into one of her Sunday dresses before heading toward Jeanette's.

242

CASSIDY WAS ALMOST TO JEANETTE'S FRONT DOORwhen it opened.

Timothy was there yet again, bowing formally and bidding her to enter.

"If you'll come this way," he invited once Cassidy had laid aside her coat, making the seamstress think that Jeanette had lost her mind. She followed Timothy, however, watching him step aside as he neared the doorway of the small parlor. He told her to go right

in, and when Cassidy did, Trace was waiting inside.

"Trace," Cassidy said in soft surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting to dine with Cassidy Norton."

Not until that moment did Cassidy see that a small table, set for two, had been placed in the middle of the room, not far from the fire. Candles flickered from the table's center, fine plates and crystal gleaming in the light. Cassidy was looking around, still trying to find her bearings, when Trace came toward her.

"First things first," he said, taking her hand and leading her to stand with him in front of the mantel, the fire crackling beside them. Still holding her hand, Trace went down on one knee.

243"Oh, Trace," Cassidy said, her voice catching in her throat as she watched him.

"Cassie," he said, his voice deeper than usual, "will you marry me?"

"Yes," Cassidy whispered, not able to manage more.

Trace kissed the back of her hand before standing up again. He took her into his arms.

"I love you, Trace." Cassidy said the words she'd been longing to say, her own arms around his neck.

At the moment Trace couldn't say anything at all. He lowered his head and kissed her softly on the mouth.

"Forgive me?" he asked when he could breathe.

"Why do you need forgiving?"

"For setting a date before I'd proposed."

"I'm not sure there's anything to forgive, but if you need that, I'll say yes."

Trace could have gone right on holding her, but that would have to wait. With special care, he took Cassidy to-the table and held a chair for her. The moment she was seated, he excused himself and left the room.

Cassidy didn't hear anything, but Trace came back just a minute later, taking the seat across from her. Before Cassidy could ask what he was up to, food began to arrive. Becky had clearly outdone herself, and she and Heather began to wait on them, delighted with the whole idea.

Large bowls of black bean soup were set before Trace and Cassidy, along with biscuits that Becky had coaxed to an impossible height. Cassidy was still so surprised by the whole evening that she could only stare. Not until they were left alone could she find her voice, but then she heard piano music playing in the distance. Cassidy looked across at Trace, hardly able to believe he had done all of this.

"That's Jeanette, isn't it?"

"Yes."

244"You planned it all."

"With Jeanette's help."

"I won't ever forget this," Cassidy said, realizing it was true. "Shall we do it every year?" Trace asked.

"Yes, please."

"Try your soup," Trace invited, so pleased over her obvious enjoyment that he was having a hard time sitting still.

The soup was as delicious as it looked and smelled. And it was only the beginning. Pot roast followed, crowded all around by fat potatoes and carrots, with more of Becky's biscuits and a tub of fresh butter always at hand. Their coffee cups were not allowed to become empty, and when their plates were, chocolate cake, frosted between all three layers, came to the table.

Cassidy's skills in the kitchen were fine, and if she had a recipe she could make anything, but she never had time for special desserts, so this ended up being her favorite part of the meal. That was amazing," she said as it ended, thinking that to do this every year would be such a treat.

"I could eat another piece of cake," Trace admitted.

Cassidy groaned. "I don't know if I can even move."

Trace laughed before asking, "Shall we head to the ranch?" "I have work tomorrow," Cassidy hated to remind him.

"No, you don't," Trace said. "Jeanette's taking over for the day." Cassidy could not stop her smile. This might have been the

sweetest surprise of all.

"What do you think?" Trace asked.

"I think I love you," the future Mrs. Holden said.

Trace smiled and said, "Let's go home."

Cassidy had been right. She didn't hear more than a half-dozen words on Sunday morning, and long before she was ready, Rylan was wrapping up his sermon and preparing for her to come.

"As all of you must know," the pastor started, "Cassidy has had

245some difficulties in the last weeks, all resulting from a visit made to Token Creek by her brother. She asked me if she could share her story with you, the very reason she came to Token Creek, and I thought it a fine opportunity for you to hear from her what really happened. Cassidy," Rylan invited before taking a seat in the front pew.

Trace gave Cassidy's hand a squeeze before she moved to the front. She was not able to hide her nervousness. Many people smiled at her, and she knew she would simply have to start.

"My younger brother is Edson Sinclair. If you've not heard the name before, Edson is known all over the territory-especially by banks-for conning folks and rarely getting caught in the act. He has served jail time, but it was brief and for only one charge. He came here looking like himself, but he often uses disguises, and there are few accurate pictures of him.

"My family is from Billings. My late father was never around much. He gambled for a living but rarely brought any money home. My mother worked cleaning homes until she hurt her back and was forced to take in mending so we could live. Eventually she started her own dress shop, working out of a small bedroom in our home. That's where I learned to sew," Cassidy added, not sure if that was important or not.

"Even though Edson began playing card games and getting into trouble at a young age, he didn't involve my mother or me for many years. And when he did start to target the customers that came to the house, selling phony mine shares and such, we were not at first aware. When my mother became aware, she reported Edson."

Cassidy took a breath. History had so painfully repeated itself here in Token Creek that it was hard to talk about.

"My mother's business was nearly destroyed by Edson's actions. Folks who had trusted her now became suspicious. We had made a good business. We were working hard and supporting ourselves, but our church family was small, and they could not keep us going with just their patronage.

"My mother begged me to move away and try again. But then

246history repeated itself," Cassidy said, managing a smile that was very crooked before continuing.

"But that's not really what I wanted to explain to you today. My mother gave me money that her mother had left her, money that she'd kept tucked away for years. She sent that money with me, told me to take my great aunt's maiden name, and sent me off. We did not have contact until after Edson found me. Not since I came to Token Creek have I sent letters or tried to contact her for fear that Edson would find me.

"Changing my name was not done with the intent to deceive my church family or the folks of Token Creek. I didn't tell people the name I was born with so that Edson could not track me. Obviously it didn't work. I'm sorry if you have been hurt by Edson's presence and anything he might have said or done. I wonder if I should have handled things differently, but to speculate on that is fruitless."

Cassidy stopped and took another breath, feeling as though she could cry but fighting the urge.

"I don't know if I covered everything or not. I would be happy to take questions if you have them."

Chas Vick's hand went instantly into the air. Cassidy smiled at his kind expression, and he asked his question.

"How is business right now, Cassie? Are you going to make it?"

"Yes, I think the business will survive. Jeanette has offered to buy both the building and the business. Orders picked up this week, and folks seem to have forgotten or forgiven the things Edson said about me."

"Have you been in touch with your mother?" Patience Dorn wanted to know.

"I've written to her but not heard back. I'm working on a plan to visit her, but I don't know when."

The room fell quiet for a moment. Cassidy forced herself not to look at Trace. She thought his eyes might make her even more emotional.

247"What will you be doing when Jeanette buys your business?" Brad asked, and Cassidy had all she could do not to laugh. She looked at him a bit sternly, an effect that was spoiled by her smile.

"Last night Trace Holden asked me to marry him, and I said yes."

As might be expected, there was much laughter and applause. Cassidy felt her face going very red, and this time it did help to look at Trace, who winked at her.

For a while, there were no questions. Cassidy thought it might be time for her to sit down, but finally Philip Leffers raised his hand.

"What is something you wondered if you might have done differently?"

"I wonder if I should have contacted Sheriff Kaderly the moment I knew Edson was in town. And whether I should have told Chandler at the bank. I don't know if alerting folks would have worked. As it was," Cassidy's voice dropped a little, "someone was physically harmed because of Edson's presence in town. Had I raised the alarm, the physical violence might have come on me instead. To tell you the truth, I wish it had. I'll always wonder if I could have done a better job."

Listening to her, Chandler felt a jolt go through him. Such a thing had not occurred to him. He did wish that Cassidy had come to him, but her being harmed had not played into his thoughts. The idea made him slightly queasy.

"I don't want to cut things off," Rylan said, suddenly standing and going up front, "but I'm going to. It's past the time we usually let out, and I want to be sensitive to folks' plans and the needs of little ones.

"That doesn't change the fact that Cassidy would still answer your questions. Maybe hearing her story brought even more questions to your mind. You can see her or talk to me, and I'll make sure Cassidy hears your questions. Thank you, Cassie," Rylan said, turning to