by Erica Penrod
This must be a mistake, she thought. Mrs. Mason must have put someone else’s wardrobe in her closet. Picking up a pair of leather flats, she turned them over; size 7, same size as her sneakers. She shook her head as she set them back in place, careful not to disturb the other shoes displayed by color coordination.
Once she stood up, she noticed the other corner where a leather jacket hung above a fancy pair of ostrich cowboy boots. A beautiful hand-tooled leather belt sat coiled on a shelf next to the jacket. The color complemented the soft brown hues of the boots, and tiny rhinestones sparkled from the buckle.
“Do you like them?” a long-awaited voice asked.
Cassie took the boots in her hand and inhaled their fragrance. She couldn’t help but grin at the cowboy in her closet. “They’re amazing, but they’re not mine, and I don’t know whose clothes these—”
“I wanted to surprise you, sort of an early birthday present.”
Cassie eyed him dubiously. Kip was just as amazing as she remembered, dimples and all. “My birthday isn’t until January.”
“Like I said.” Kip walked in and took the boots from her hands. “An early birthday present.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She hesitated before relaxing into his chest.
“I missed you,” he said. Kip lifted her chin and smiled.
“I’ve missed you, too.” She stood on her toes and touched his lips with hers, satisfied by his startled expression.
With only a few stolen kisses between them and even with many texts and phone calls, it was still so new. A part of her felt like a schoolgirl hiding out behind a tree, and she didn’t want anyone to see.
“Kip!”
Cassie leaned her head around Kip’s arm and saw her boys running in.
“You’re home!” They threw themselves around both their mother’s and Kip’s legs, nearly knocking them all to the floor. Kip let go of Cassie, knelt, and took each boy in an arm.
“Can we ride horses?” Rhett asked, and seemed completely oblivious to his mother kissing Kip.
“Sure we can, in just a little while.”
Cassie remembered the new clothes. “I can’t keep these.” She pointed to the dress. “And besides, where would I ever wear that?”
“That’s the other part of your birthday surprise.”
“I told you, it’s not—”
Kip stood up and placed a finger on her lips. “I told you, it’s early. Or, if it makes you happy, just think of them as a belated gift.”
If it was anyone else, Cassie would’ve contemplated a swift kick to the shins, but curse those dimples. All she wanted to do was give him another kiss.
“Besides.” He pushed a wandering lock of hair back from her face. “It wasn’t all me. I took the girls shopping to get the dress, jacket, and boots. They decided to do a little online shopping of their own, with Mom’s permission of course.” He took her in his arms and swung her around. “And that’s how you ended up with all this.” He pointed to the array of clothing.
Once her head stopped spinning and Kip let her stand, she said, “The girls have way more fashion sense than I do, so maybe—” She touched the hem of the dress. “—I could reimburse your mother.”
“Sure, that sounds like a fantastic idea.” Kip folded his arms and laughed. “I’m sure my mom will go for that.”
“Then I’m not keeping them,” she said, and her hazel eyes turned dark.
“Easy.” He touched her shoulder softly and approached her like she was a skittish young filly. “Keep what you want, and I’ll have it put away for a Christmas present. The idea of a gift is to make you happy, not irritated.”
Cassie exhaled. She felt overwhelmed by everything. In one way, these were some of the most difficult days of her life—not knowing if she and her children were truly safe. Yet standing in this lavish closet with a man she didn’t want to be away from and surrounded by more clothes than she’d ever hoped to own made her feel giddy inside.
Rhett and Ryder were happy here, and that’s what she wanted more than anything: to give them a childhood where they felt loved and secure.
“Thank you,” she said, and kissed Kip on the cheek.
In this space, in his arms, she found peace.
* * *
Kip had returned from Texas on Wednesday and was back to work by Thursday, trying to solve pieces of Danny’s puzzle without raising Cassie’s suspicions... She wasn’t as scared as she’d been in Park City, but he didn’t want to send her back to that place where she looked right through him.
He spent a lot of time out on the horses with his phone on his shoulder. The PI found several leads, but nothing conclusive. Mr. Carter, through legal channels, secured as many personal loans as possible and a title loan on his car. A small paper trail tied Danny to several gambling debts, but nothing that would explain a death warrant.
After further investigation, a compliant manager of a wrecking yard allowed the investigators a private tour of Danny’s crashed Lexus IS. Someone had tampered with the brake line, and after closer inspection of the crash site, another set of tire tracks may have played first chair in the orchestra of Danny’s last song. The PI was convinced that the young father’s demise was not by accident.
Kip sat on a fence rail around the practice pen. He hung up his phone and put it in his shirt pocket as he contemplated the conversation in his mind. With the private investigators’ information combined with what Kip knew, his earlier assumption was correct: something underneath the surface—or rather, someone more deadly—was circling like a shark in dark waters. No doubt Sanders was part of the puzzle, but to what extent, Kip didn’t know. His chest tightened, remembering that day he’d stopped by Danny’s office unexpectedly. There was a picture of Cassie on the desk, and Danny’s face grimaced in fear as Sanders had him by the throat, pinned against the wall.
* * *
Cassie had just settled in to breakfast with the Morgans when Kip leaned over, handing her a card. “Happy birthday.”
Her cheeks warmed. “It’s not my birthday.”
He shrugged and pointed to the card. Cassie scanned the faces around the table, all expectant and alight with a secret. She leveled them with a playful glare before opening the envelope.
The front of the card had a colorful bouquet of balloons, and inside Kip had written, Pack your bags—it’s time to fly.
Cassie’s disbelieving stare was met with smug smiles all around. She seemed to be the only one unaware of the itinerary. “What are you talking about?” Cassie asked Kip, as she cut up scrambled eggs and doused them with ketchup.
“You know the jacket and boots I bought you?”
“Yeah.”
“Bring them with you.” He grabbed a piece of toast. Before he took a bite, he said, “Oh, and the red dress.”
“You’re leaving for somewhere … and I’m going?”
“Yes,” Elle and Skyler said at the same time. A look of exasperation managed to cover both of their faces.
“We’ve really appreciated everything you’ve done for us,” Grace said, “and I’m here for the next few weeks, so why don’t you take a break?”
“I don’t need—”
Grace reached out and touched Cassie’s hand. “The girls and I will keep the boys, and you’ll be back in a couple of days.”
“A couple of—”
“There’s no sense in arguing, princess.” Kip lifted the brim of his ball cap as he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll pick you up out front in …” He looked up at the clock. “Fifty-five minutes.”
Cassie touched her cheek and then looked at the girls. Their mischievous eyes matched their impish grins.
Kip opened the door to the backyard and gave Cassie one of his always going to get his way grins. “Vegas, here we come!” he said, throwing his head back in laughter when he saw Cassie’s expression.
“Vegas?” Cassie asked.
“You’ll have a great time. Besides, it’s for purel
y selfish reasons we’re sending you,” Grace said.
Ben walked into the kitchen and grabbed several pieces of bacon.
“Ben, tell her.”
“What?” Ben asked with hand gestures, his mouth full.
“Why Cassie’s doing us a favor by going to Vegas with Kip.”
He nodded and swallowed. “There’s a cutting held at South Point arena. A couple of horses will be showing, and there’s another horse up for sale that I want Kip to watch go.” He poured a glass of juice. “We also have a booth featuring our product line.”
Cassie was confused. “I don’t understand what that has to do with me.”
Ben chuckled. “I need you to go with him so I don’t have to.”
Grace got up from the table and stood next to her husband, who quickly held her captive in his arms.
Cassie shook her head in confusion. “But—”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cutting, but I can’t take another day of him without you. You should’ve seen him in Texas, moping around like a dog without a bone.”
Cassie looked bewildered.
“What he means,” Grace said, “is that everybody wins. You get a minute to yourself, we get some business taken care of, and best of all, no one has to put up with an ornery Kip.”
Cassie gave herself a good shake. Her gut reaction was to huddle close to home base and not put herself out there where she could bump into Sanders. But that wasn’t what she wanted for her life—for her children’s lives. She needed to be brave, strong, and fun. Yes, children needed to have an example of fun as much as they needed one for responsibility. The Morgans had shown her that.
“Thank you,” she said. “All of you.”
And that was how she found herself on the tarmac with a handsome cowboy at her side about to board a private jet for a quick flight to Nevada.
14
Once they arrived, a limousine chauffeured them to their hotel, and Kip enjoyed every second of Cassie’s discomfort, if it could be called that. They enjoyed sparkling water and chocolate-dipped strawberries while they relaxed in soft leather seats.
“I think I could just stay in the car,” Cassie said, leaning her head back into the soft headrest. “Forget a hotel room.”
“I think we’d be a little crowded,” Kip said. “And I promised my mother I’d be a perfect gentleman.” He lifted her chin and kissed her softly. “I don’t think I’d remember my manners this close to you all of the time.”
Smiling, she kissed him back. “You were raised by a good mother.”
“I know, and so are your boys.”
The moment the words left his lips, he regretted them. Her eyes cast a subtle sadness at the mention of her children.
“Don’t worry, I know they’re fine.” He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “In fact, I’m sure they’re being so spoiled that you won’t be able to tolerate their behavior for at least a week.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and she squeezed his hand. “I know.”
“When was the last time you left them overnight?” Kip asked.
“Never,” she said, and he saw her thoughts drift miles away from him.
Danny promised to take her on an anniversary trip or a weekend getaway, but it never happened. Her husband slipped away long before the accident took his body. Something was off, and she knew it, but she couldn’t get him to confide in her. The loving relationship they started a family with slowly eroded into a roommate lifestyle. Her twins required a lot of time and energy, but that was a blessing on one hand and a curse on the other. There wasn’t time to dwell on her marriage falling apart, and yet she blamed herself for Danny’s elusiveness.
What if she’d paid more attention to him or given him what he needed? Would he have turned to her instead of whatever or whomever he found solace in? All she knew was that turmoil plagued Danny until the end; there wasn’t any comfort to be found when you owed a man over two million dollars.
“Cassie?”
The car stopped and the door opened. She shook her head, forcing her thoughts to the present and took the hand waiting to help her out. Cassie stepped out onto the pavement. “Thank you,” she told the doorman.
Kip followed her out of the car. “Are you okay?” he asked, as they walked towards the front entrance of the hotel.
“I’m fine,” she said. Her eyes were full of emotion, yet he relaxed when he saw the warm hues of green grass, blue sky, and desert sand in their reflection.
“Good, because we’re going to have a great time.”
The hotel manager met them at the doors, escorting them to the private elevator. Cassie’s head spun in all directions, mesmerized by the colors, sounds, and variety of people. She didn’t miss the whispers as they passed—people loved Kip Morgan, the reality star—but if he noticed the attention, he didn’t show it. He kept her hand pressed to his and didn’t blink at the waitresses in their revealing attire.
Inside the elevator, the manger described South Point Casino, which was located south of the strip and boasted an indoor arena and equestrian center. Restaurants, a bowling alley, and a movie theater were also part of the experience. Once the doors opened, they stood in a secluded hallway with a set of double doors. The manager used his key card and welcomed his guests. Cassie’s stomach flipped, and it wasn’t from the long climb to the top floor.
Fresh yellow roses, coincidentally her favorite, adorned a beautiful mahogany table and eight upholstered chairs in rich fabrics, tying them to the taupe paint color on the walls. To the right, was a large sitting area with a sofa and love seat. A sleek coffee table dressed in fresh flowers sat in the middle. A television, or rather a small movie screen, covered one wall. A bar with marble countertops and tall stools with leather seats and claw legs complemented the dining table and rounded out the corner of the room.
“If you need anything, Mr. Morgan, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Of course,” Kip said, holding the doors. “Thank you, Mr. Reeves.” He closed the door and leaned against it. “So, what do you think?”
“I’m speechless,” Cassie said, running her hand along the back of the couch.
“Let me finish the tour,” Kip said, and took her hand.
The master suite held a king size-bed, two nightstands, and a dresser. Two chairs sat on either side of the balcony doors. A walk-in closet, just a shelf or two smaller than the one she’d left at home, was next to an oasis of a bathroom. Custom tile and crystal housed a Jacuzzi tub with a television mounted on a near wall. A separate shower with a waterfall feature took the other side of the room, along with a large vanity, also complete with its own screen.
“How many televisions are there?” Cassie asked.
“Umm … seven, I think.”
“Seven!” she said in astonishment. “What’s this?” A long padded mat lay across a section of counter facing the window.
“A massage table, and you can have one scheduled anytime.”
“Oh,” she said, lost in her own thoughts. “But wait …” She walked back into the bedroom. “This is all really beautiful, but where do I sleep?”
Kip followed, and then took her in his arms. “The sofa bed.”
Her brow furrowed. “Oh … okay.”
“I’m kidding.” He kissed her forehead. “We haven’t seen the other half.”
The other half?
* * *
Mild weather meant relaxing out on the deck with a book she’d tried to read for the last eight months. Distracted by the view, Cassie pinched herself every now and then, just to feel the sting of reality. The Morgans were wealthy, and she knew it, but she had a tendency to forget because they didn’t act rich. Their expensive furnishings and nice vehicles always reminded her, but Kip’s family seemed like her own.
Something about this trip made her see things in a different light: limelight. Kip wasn’t a celebrity to her until they stepped out into a crowd. Phones snapping photos, fans asking for autographs, and women blushing made it
difficult to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time. Mostly she was glad to be an average Jane, but sometimes when she got the “I can’t believe he’s with her” looks; she wished she stood out just enough to be good enough for Kip.
Setting her book down, she took a sip of diet cola, laid back in the chair, and thought about the evening to come. Dinner was at seven o’clock that evening, and Kip suggested Cassie stay in her room until then. She wasn’t about to argue with a couple hours all to herself. He made arrangements to dine in their suite and enjoy some privacy. A menu was planned and would be prepared by the hotel chef. Staff would arrive at six-thirty to prepare the setting.
Later, while soaking in the tub to prepare for her date, Cassie let the lavender aroma soothe her jittery nerves. It was just dinner, nothing new, but somehow tonight felt different. A palpable energy followed them to Vegas, and underneath the bright lights, it exploded. Spending time without interruptions brought familiarity, and she felt herself giving in to her feelings. Any apprehension she had about moving forward with her life had been left back in Utah.
Taking extra time, she applied makeup and wore her hair up, with soft tendrils falling around her face. Teardrop diamond earrings, which had magically appeared on her dressing table, hung from her ears, and she shuddered to think of the cost.
Slipping her feet into the high heels, she felt like Cinderella; this moment was temporary, and eventually the clock would chime time’s up. Shaking her head, she planned to enjoy every second, and she’d thank her fairy godmother, Grace, when she got home. One last look in the mirror and another spray of perfume concluded her primping. She smoothed her dress and opened the door …
The tablescape was its own travel destination, with exotic locations and savory moments to be enjoyed. Salads with tropical colors and breads twisted into sculptures garnished with small flowers of fresh butter looked like a secret garden. Golden liquid bubbled on ice, and she could only imagine what waited for her underneath the steaming silver platters. But the most delectable dish stood next to a chair and wore a cowboy hat. At the sight of Kip, her mouth began to water.
