by SJ McCoy
Summer’s face crumpled as he turned and walked to his truck. The tears began to flow as he pulled away.
Cassidy exchanged a worried look with Shane. He sprang to his feet and went to Summer. Cassidy loved him all the more as he wrapped an arm around Summer’s shoulders and let her cry into his chest. He stroked her hair gently and made soothing noises as he looked over her head at Cassidy. He really was one of life’s good guys.
Cassidy joined them and put a hand on Summer’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay, sweetie.”
“It will,” said Shane. “Just you wait and see. I’m going to go after Carter and talk him down. He turned Summer over to Cassidy.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s talk it through. We can call Autumn and set her straight.”
Summer sniffed and looked at Shane. “Please bring him back. Let him know none of it’s his fault.”
“I’ll do my best.” The grim look on his face had Cassidy worried. She hoped he could talk Carter down. She knew he’d hate having his name plastered all over the paper, but more than that it would kill him to think that he had caused Summer pain—and trouble with her family. She knew how important family was to him.
Once Shane had gone, she made a fresh pot of coffee and sat Summer down out on the deck. “Tell me what Autumn said?” she began, then thought better of it. “On second thought, where’s your pad?”
Summer pulled it out of her purse and began to scribble. It was long time before she held the pad up.
She called me as soon as she read the piece. Said now she knew why I was being so shady with her. I wasn’t being shady Cass! I just didn’t want to say too much about Carter because I knew she wouldn’t like it. She believes everything in the story. That I’ve met a guy here and plan on buying a house and giving up my career. She thinks I’d dump her just like that—without a thought to what it would do to her. It’s so not fair! That’s all I’ve been thinking about. I wish the article was true! I wish I was that brave. But I’m not. It’s not true because I’m prepared to pass up a chance at happiness for myself just so I don’t let her down!
Cassidy read it and reread it before looking up at Summer. “Damn, chica! This is a fine old mess. You need to talk to her.”
“I know,” she croaked. “But now she won’t even take my calls!”
Cassidy sighed. “I’ll give her a try, shall I?”
Summer nodded.
She dialed Autumn’s number, feeling a little guilty herself. Summer was only here because of her, after all. But no. She couldn’t go down that road. Autumn’s phone went straight to voicemail. Cassidy left her a message and hoped that she would call back soon.
When her phone did ring a little while later, it was Shane.
“Did you find him?” she asked.
“Yeah, but you’re not going to like this.”
She looked at Summer who was watching her hopefully. “He’s packed up and gone.”
“Gone?” She regretted saying it out loud, but it was too late.
“Gone where?” asked Summer.
“I’m putting you on speaker.”
“Sorry, Summer,” said Shane. “Carter’s headed out. His way to resolve problems is to remove himself from the equation. He withdraws at the best of times. Family is the most important thing in the world to him and it’s killing him to think he’s caused problems for you with yours.”
“But he hasn’t! I just want to talk to him, I want to talk to Autumn. I want to sit down with the pair of them and talk all this through.”
Cassidy felt so bad for her friend as she croaked the words out. Shane sounded as though he felt terrible, too, but there was nothing either of them could do.
“When’s he coming back?” asked Summer.
Shane didn’t reply for a long time.
“Shane?”
“I’m sorry, but he said he’s not coming back until you’ve gone.”
Wow! Cassidy was shocked. But she also knew enough about Carter to know that he meant it.
“He said to tell you not to worry, Cassidy. His guys can finish up on the work at your place.”
“As if I care about that right now.”
“I know, but you know what he’s like.”
“He means it, doesn’t he?” asked Summer.
“I’m afraid he does. He can be pretty stubborn.”
Cassidy knew that Summer could, too. “Okay then. I’m going,” she said.
“What? When?” asked Cassidy.
“Just as soon as I can get hold of that pilot.”
Cassidy wasn’t at all surprised that Summer managed to get a flight lined up for herself for the next morning. She stayed the night with her—Shane was understanding about that. It seemed he was pretty good when a friend was in crisis. In the morning she followed her up to Livingston to return her rental car and then took her to the airport herself. Autumn still wasn’t taking calls or replying to voice mail from either of them and Carter may as well have disappeared into thin air.
Shane had said that he’d gotten in touch with their folks, so they wouldn’t worry. But other than that no one had heard from him. Shane seemed relieved that Summer was leaving so quickly. Cassidy had thought that it was just because he wanted his brother home but he’d surprised her. He still thought that things were somehow going to work out for Summer and Carter, but they wouldn’t stand a chance of doing so until Carter came back and Summer had talked things through with her sister. He was smarter than Cassidy had given him credit for. She was hopeful now that Summer would find the strength to leave her career if she really wanted to. And if she did, that would open the door of possibility for her and Carter.
But that was all a lot of ifs and buts. For now she was leaving. She’d been quiet on the drive back to Bozeman. When Cassidy pulled into the parking lot at the airport, Summer looked over at her. “I’m coming back you know.”
Cassidy smiled. “I believe it. I think Autumn will understand when you can sit down and talk it through with her.”
“I hope so.”
Cassidy carried the larger of Summer’s bags. She was pleased that there were fewer of them than she’d had when she arrived. As they entered the building, two by now familiar faces came to greet them.
“It’s a pleasure to be flying with you again today, Summer,” said Carl.
Cassidy scowled at him. She wished the jet charter had managed to find a different crew to take her back. Summer didn’t seem fazed at all though. She smiled and shook his hand. Of course he pulled her in for a hug.
The other guy, Justin, smiled at Cassidy. “Yet another near miss,” he said.
“Yeah. I think we should take the hint. Don’t you?”
“I don’t. I think I’m just going to have to put in more effort.”
Cassidy didn’t have time for him. She turned to Summer. “Call me as soon as you get there, okay? And call me when you talk to Autumn. Tell her she needs to start returning my calls or I’m going to be flying out there, too.”
“You should come,” said Justin with a smile. “We’ve got an empty leg on the return. We could have you back by tomorrow night.”
Cassidy shook her head. “I wish I could.” She meant she wished she could go with Summer for moral support, but he seemed to think she meant go with him. Idiot.
“We need to go,” said Carl.
Summer hugged Cassidy. “I’ll call you, and I’ll be back soon.”
As Cassidy watched her walk away flanked by the two guys, she wanted to go and grab her and take her home again. Take her back to Carter and help her get started on a life she might enjoy. She walked back to her car. Who’d have thought that she’d turn into a dumb romantic? She smiled. It was all Shane’s fault. He’d made her this way.
She was so glad to see him when she got home, she ran straight into his arms and wrapped herself around him. “I love you,” she said before she planted a kiss on his lips. “I love you so much.”
He laughed. “I love you, too. But you know acting like that w
hen you’ve been out gallivanting in Bozeman could make a guy suspicious.”
She stepped back, completely thrown by that. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged. “Like you might be trying to cover up for something?”
“What kind of something?” She couldn’t believe this, it was so out of the blue and so unlike Shane.
He shrugged. “Nothing. I’m sorry. Ignore me. I just missed you.”
Chapter Twenty
Shane left Cookie with the hands and headed up to the lodge. He’d enjoyed leading the picnic ride this afternoon. He was feeling as though he’d been neglecting the ranch and his guests for a while now. It was time to put some effort in. He wanted to get moving on the construction of the new cabins and he really needed to spend more time with the guests. He had a great team that could handle everything, but the business had thrived thus far because he was so hands on with it.
He headed back to his office. It was time to catch up on book work, too—his least favorite part of it all. He’d been working a couple of hours when his cell phone rang.
“This is Shane,” he answered.
“Shane. It’s Guy.”
What the hell did he want? “What can I do for you?”
“Nothing. I was calling to apologize.”
Bullshit! Shane knew this would be just one of the asshole’s tricks to wind him up or to get to him somehow. He mustn’t rise to it. “What for?”
“When I saw you the other day and talked about Cassidy, you know, about wanting to get between her legs…”
Shane bristled, but bit his tongue.
“I didn’t realize that the two of you were an item. That was pretty crass of me. I mean it’d suck to even think about another man doing your girl, wouldn’t it?”
Shane didn’t trust himself to reply.
“So, yeah. I wanted to apologize.”
Shane waited. No way was Guy Preston calling him simply to apologize. He was about to hit him with something else, Shane just knew it.
“And I’m sure the guy she was with over in Bozeman was just a friend.”
“What guy?”
“The one who was all over her in the cafe. I can’t stand public affection myself, that’s the only reason I noticed them. They were pawing at each other. Her friend was the same with the other guy, too. I guess it’s just me. Old-fashioned, I suppose. But then I was married for so long. I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about April, have you?”
Shane’s mind was reeling. He was just making shit up, right? Trying to cause trouble. He sounded too smug though. He must know something. He wasn’t about to let him know that it was getting to him though. “Well thanks for looking out for me. But you’re right, Cassidy went to see friends over in Bozeman. She’s an affectionate kind of girl, she’s always hugging on people.” What a lie! “Maybe April’s gone to see friends, too? Gone looking for someone who’ll show her some affection.”
Guy laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Yeah right. We both know your brother had something to do with her leaving. I’m better off without the little bitch anyway. But when I find her…”
The unspoken threat made Shane shudder. He was glad April was safe and a long, long way from here. He doubted Guy would ever find her in California.
“They’re all lying cheating bitches, Shane. You’d do well to remember that.” He hung up.
Shane stared at his phone. He could not let the doubts creep in. Cassidy loved him. She wouldn’t go cheating on him. He knew full well that it was just Guy trying to cause trouble the way he always did.
He called Cassidy’s cell. He wanted to hear her voice. It went straight to voice mail. He called the gallery.
“Moonstone Gallery, this is Gina speaking.”
“Hey G. Can I speak to Cassidy?”
“Oh, hi, Shane. She’s not here. Try her cell.”
“I already did; she’s not answering.”
“Oh. Shall I get her to call you back?”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Yeah, she’s gone to the Mint.”
“Why? Who with?”
Gina laughed. “You do realize you sound like the jealous boyfriend? Well, you might be right. Some guy came in and whisked her away for a drink.”
“What? Who?”
“Oh, Shane stop it. I’m just teasing you. I don’t know who he is, but I’m sure he’ll be good for business.”
Shane’s heart was pounding. That was it, right? It was just some guy who wanted to buy paintings. Not anything else.
“What’s gotten into you?” asked Gina.
Shane blew out a big sigh. “Sorry. I’m being an idiot. Guy-fucking-Preston has gotten to me—and the dumb thing is, I’m letting him. Ask her to call me when she gets back, would you?”
“I will. And in the meantime, you get your head straight. Do not let Guy screw things up for you. You know damn well what he’s trying to do. And if you let him, you’re a fool.”
“I know, I know. Thanks, G.”
He hung up. She was right. He’d be an idiot to let that asshole get inside his head. He tried to focus on his work again, but he couldn’t help wondering who Cassidy was off having a drink with.
~ ~ ~
Cassidy locked up the gallery and headed for her car. It had been quite an afternoon. Justin showing up like that had surprised her, and she’d fallen for it, too. He’d come into the gallery saying he was concerned about Summer. There were people in the gallery when he came in, tourists who were looking to buy prints of some of Gina’s photographs. Cassidy had wanted to get him out of there so Gina could make the sale. She’d taken him to the Mint for a drink so that he could tell her whatever it was he thought she should know. He’d said that Summer had been crying on the flight back to Nashville. That when they landed her sister had been waiting for her and they’d gotten into a fight. He seemed to be genuinely concerned. Though Cassidy doubted that if he would have come to tell her about her friend if he wasn’t hoping for a date. She’d thanked him and made very clear that she wasn’t interested. He’d been cool about it and that was the end of that. She was concerned that neither Summer nor Autumn had returned her calls though.
When she’d made it back to the gallery, she’d spent the rest of the afternoon talking on the phone with local retail distributors. She was on the verge of sealing a couple of deals that would get their new line into the local souvenir stores.
As she drove home she felt bad that she hadn’t found time to call Shane back. But she’d see him soon enough. They had a quiet evening planned, dinner and a movie. After all the running around they’d both been doing over the last few days, they deserved it. They were trying to find a routine that suited them both—that would give them each the time and space to do what they needed and still leave time to spend together. She smiled as she pulled into the driveway. She was looking forward to spending some time in bed together tonight. She’d already grown used to sharing a bed with Shane. She loved to snuggle up with him.
She found him in the kitchen, sitting at the island with a glass of bourbon in his hand.
“Hey, you. How was your day?”
“It was a day. How about you?”
She made a face at him. “Better than yours by the sounds of it. Want to tell me about it? It’s not like you to be sitting drinking with a grumpy face on you. What’s wrong?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. What was it that made your day so good? Anything you want to tell me about?”
This wasn’t like him. But everyone was entitled to an off day. She went to him and put her hands on his shoulders. She planted a kiss on his lips, hoping to make him smile. He didn’t.
“Okay, well, I think I’ve got the distribution deal sorted out, which is great. Gina sold some of her photographs, so she’s a happy bunny. I’m still worried about Summer. I haven’t heard back from her yet.”
Shane was scowling. “Anything else you want to tell me about?”
What was his problem? She put
a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off. “No, but if there’s something you’d like to know, ask away.”
“Why didn’t you call me back?”
Oh, so that was it. “I’m sorry. I got really busy.”
He scowled. “And where were you when I called anyway?”
That rattled her. Was she supposed to report her every move? “Living my life, Shane. I go places, I have things to do. Just like you. I have a business to run, remember? What is your problem? You don’t really want to know what I’m doing every minute of the day do you?”
“No. Just the minutes that you’re spending with some guy in a bar.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Who was the guy you were with this afternoon?”
“His name is Justin.”
“And how do you know Justin?”
“Seriously? That’s what this is about? You’re jealous?”
“I just don’t like being played for a fool. Is he the guy you’ve been seeing over in Bozeman?”
Cassidy stared at him. This show of jealousy wasn’t like him at all. It took her all she had, but she didn’t lose her temper. She sat down on the stool next to him and looked into his eyes. “He’s one of the pilots that brought Summer here. He came over today to tell me he was worried about her after they dropped her off.”
Shane scowled.
“Why do you have a problem with that, Shane?”
“Because Guy Preston has gotten inside my head,” he said with a sigh. “And he’s good at it! He started planting seeds a little while ago. Saying he’d seen you with some guy in Bozeman. Then he called me again today. I know he’s just out to cause trouble, but it messes with my head. I’m all in here, I love you, I’m putting it all on the line for you, for us. So the thought that you might still be running around seeing other guys…Well, it hurts.”
She nodded and put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. But I’m not running around. Or seeing anyone else.”
He scowled again. “So how did this Justin know where to find you? And how come you’re so pally that he would even want to tell you about Summer?”
