Coming Home (Snowy Ridge: Love at Starlight, Book 1)

by Kris Jett

  “What’s going on? Jessie demanded. “Do you have cancer?”

  Their mom took a deep breath and sighed. “I didn’t want to worry you girls.”

  “It’s true? I don’t understand,” Luci said. She quietly started to cry again.

  “Luci, don’t cry,” her mom said. She lifted a hand and patted Luci’s. “It’ll be all right. I’m getting chemo therapy. I’ll beat it.”

  “What?” Jessie practically screamed. “You’ve been getting chemo and didn’t even tell us? How have you hid this? Why?”

  “Jessie, calm down,” Wynn said. “Don’t scream at mom.”

  “It’s okay,” their mom said softly. “I should have told you girls but I didn’t want to worry you.”

  “But you shouldn’t be handling this alone mom,” a weepy Luci said.

  “I know. But I’m tough.”

  “Okay, everyone slow down,” Wynn said, kicking into big sister mode. “Mom, tell us exactly what is going on and everyone else just hush a minute.”

  Their mom sighed again. She slowly reached for her nearby water, took a sip, and set the cup back down. “Well, I have cancer basically. It’s in my pancreas. My doctor is trying to shrink it a bit with the chemo therapy before he goes in to surgically to remove it.”

  “Surgery?” Luci asked.

  Their mom nodded. “But don’t worry. I told you all I’ll be just fine.”

  “Why did you faint?” Jessie asked.

  Their mom shook her head. “Oh, I had a treatment this morning. I felt pretty good this afternoon and thought I was fine. Guess I was wrong.”

  “Mom,” Wynn reprimanded, “you just had chemo and thought it was a good idea to throw a family dinner?”

  She chuckled quietly. “Yeah. Not the best idea I’d have to say.”

  “Oh, mom.” Wynn shook her head.

  “But your hair…” Luci said slowly.

  “Oh this lovely mop? Honey, I’ve been wearing a wig for years. My hair has always been thin.”

  Wynn and Luci exchanged shocked looks but Jessie didn’t react. She knew about the wig.

  “So, this is why you’ve been so tired lately,” Jessie said. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us. Me.”

  She shrugged. “You girls have all your own issues going on. I didn’t want to burden you with mine.”

  “But Mom,” Luci said, “it’s not a burden. This is bigger than any stupid thing going on in our lives. We want to take care of you.”

  “That’s sweet honey. But I don’t want to burden any of you. I’ve been doing fine by myself so far.”

  “Not that fine,” Jessie interjected.

  Their mom smiled. “Okay, I relent. Maybe not perfectly fine. But I still don’t want to trouble you all.”

  “It’s not trouble,” Wynn insisted.

  “All right, all right. I won’t hide anything else from you three. I’ll be straight forward from here on out,” she said. “So I’ve got to tell you that I’m awfully tired right now and would like to nap if you girls don’t mind.”

  “Of course, we don’t mind,” Luci said. “We’ll leave you be. But we won’t be far. We’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

  Wynn flipped off the overhead light and the girls quietly left the room. When they reached the waiting room again the girls stopped and looked at each other. Without a word, they all begun to cry softly and embraced in a hug.

  A few minutes later Cade walked back into the waiting room with a tray of coffees. “Sorry it took so long but…hey, what happened? Did she get worse?”

  Jessie pulled away from her sisters and went to Cade. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. “It’s cancer,” she whispered. She felt Cade’s arms tighten around her.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said into her hair.

  She waited for him to say something else. That it would all be okay. But she knew he couldn’t do that.

  Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and Jessie knew she was soaking Cade’s shirt. Her mind was racing a million miles an hour. She couldn’t even grasp the bomb that had just been dropped on them. Their mom had cancer. She’d never had a family member with cancer before. She didn’t even know what it all would mean for her mom. Or how bad it was.

  While the majority of her thoughts swirled around her mom and her diagnosis the tiniest part of Jessie’s brain was screaming, you’re sobbing into a guy’s chest. A guy you don’t really know very well yet and only just had a first kiss with a couple of hours ago. This was really heavy for a first date. If that’s even what you’d call this crazy evening.

  He’ll probably run far, far from me screaming tomorrow morning, Jessie thought to herself. She’d deal with it then. For now, she was glad he was here and that he was a strong rock to lean on.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Cade laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. He felt fuzzy-headed and his body felt heavy, like he had been out drinking all night, though he hadn’t had any alcohol yesterday. He’d stayed with Jessie at the hospital until pretty late. She hadn’t wanted to leave just in case her mom needed something. A little after midnight she’d let him drive her home. She tried to insist on taking him home first since they’d been in her car but he told her he preferred to walk. He parked her car and made sure she got into her apartment safely and then took off for his place. Snowy Ridge was beautiful at that time of night with the lights still glowing and everyone inside their houses sleeping. And the walk didn’t take him more than fifteen minutes.

  He checked his phone for texts and saw two from his brothers. One from Cooper that said they’d picked up the sled and got it back to the shop fine. And the other from Cash that said, “Good for you, hope she’s hot.” Cade didn’t even bother trying to straighten his brother out. He wouldn’t understand helping someone out without getting something in return.

  There wasn’t a text from Jessie. Not that he expected it was the first thing she’d do as soon as she got in the door. They had exchanged numbers and Cade said he’d text her later. It was an awkward few moments parting at the door. They were at the very beginning of getting to know each other yet he’d just spent hours with her at her most vulnerable. She’d suddenly looked shy or embarrassed or something. With any other girl he might wait a few days to text but he wanted to talk to Jessie again soon.

  He checked the time. Damn, it was already 8:20. He only had about fifteen minutes to shower and get out the door for work. He yanked back the covers, stretched, and headed for the bathroom.

  Cooper and Cash were already working when Cade arrived. “Sorry, I’m late. Long night,” he’d told them.

  Cash looked up from his computer screen. “I bet it was,” he said with a grin. “Details?”

  Cade pushed past him and plopped into his own desk chair. “Nah. No details.”

  “How was your ride last night? Aside from the running out of gas part,” Cooper asked.

  Cade thought of Jessie riding up to save him, the ride back to her garage, and the kiss, and smiled. “It was great.”

  Cooper nodded. “Told you night-riding was the best.”

  Cade set to work on some accounting spreadsheets but his mind kept wandering back to Jessie. At ten he picked up his phone and sent her a text.

  Are you awake?

  A moment later she texted back.

  Yeah.

  Cade decided he didn’t want a whole conversation over text just now. He stood up, shrugged on his coat, and said, “Be right back,” to his brothers and stepped outside the shop.

  Main Street was bustling with people going in and out of shops, shopping or getting something to eat. Groups were in their snow gear getting ready to go ride or coming back from one. The sun was shining and it was a great day to snowmobile. Cade dialed Jessie’s number and held his phone to his ear.

  “Hey,” he said when she picked up.

  “Hey,” she returned. She sounded tired to him, which was to be expected.

  “How are you doing?”

&nb
sp; “Ah, you know. Been better. I’ve been googling pancreatic cancer all night. It’s not pretty,” she told him.

  Cade swallowed hard. He remembered doing the same thing thirteen years ago when he first found out his mom had cancer. He was only twelve at the time and everything he’d read scared the hell out of him. “No, it’s not,” he agreed. “Do you have to work today?”

  “No, I have the day off. Luci and I are going to take my mom home this afternoon. Get her comfortable. Schedule an appointment with her oncologist. All that kind of fun stuff.”

  “Do you have time to grab a coffee now? I can walk down and meet you at your apartment and then we can just head over to MoonBeans,” Cade said.

  There was silence on the phone and Cade was suddenly worried that he was being forceful or pushy. Or maybe even rude. Jessie was going through a family crisis and maybe she didn’t have time to start up something with him right now. “Unless you’re busy,” he added. “Which is totally cool. I know you have a lot going on right now.”

  “Now is great,” Jessie said. “Be down in five.” And she clicked off.

  Cade looked down at his phone and smiled to himself. He zipped his jacket higher, shoved his hands in the pockets, and headed for Jessie’s.

  Chapter Thirty

  Jessie studied her face in the mirror as she ran a brush through her hair and tied it back with an elastic band. Her eyes were still a bit red and puffy from the crying jags. She’d called her mom first thing that morning to make sure everything was okay. She felt like she needed constant reassurance from her that she was going to be all right. She didn’t know exactly how bad her cancer was, what treatments she was getting, or even how far along she was in her treatment. But hearing her say, “Jessie, I’m going to be fine,” even if she couldn’t promise it, somehow helped.

  Wynn was spending the morning at the hospital with their mom while Luci watched Melody and then they were going to do a switch so Jessie and Luci could go see her and take her back home in the afternoon. Things still felt sort of funny between her and Luci but it wasn’t like this was the time to keep hashing things out. They needed to come together and rally around their mom right now.

  Jessie dabbed some cream under her eyes and then quickly applied eyeliner and mascara. That was as much makeup as she was going to commit to today. Poor Cade, he sure was seeing Jessie at her best right off the bat in this relationship.

  Relationship. Were her and Cade a couple now? Jessie didn’t know what they were to each other, yet, but she knew that she really, really liked him. More than anyone she’d liked in a long time. And it was a good sign that he was calling her to meet up again so soon. Even though she was a basket case.

  Her door buzzed and Jessie raced to the speaker. “Yes?”

  “It’s me,” Cade said.

  “Be right down,” she told him. Her heart did a flip and her skin tingled. She was excited to see Cade again. She glanced one more time at the mirror on the wall and then shrugged on her coat. She felt a small pang of guilt for going to see Cade right now with everything happening with her mom. But she pushed it far down and told herself it was okay. Wynn was with Mom and her Mom would want her to not sit around her apartment all morning being mopey. She’d want her to be happy. And the distraction of Cade would definitely cheer her up.

  Jessie bound down the stairs and swung open the door. Cade stood there with his hands jammed into his pockets, his hair a bit mussed, and his face unshaven. His eyes lit up when he saw her and Jessie couldn’t help but smile.

  “Hi again,” she said.

  He grinned and looked genuinely happy to see her. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yep, let’s go.”

  The two fell into step as they ambled down the sidewalk toward the coffee shop. They passed the sweet shop just as a customer was leaving and the smell of fudge greeted them. The old movie theater wasn’t open yet and a closed sign sat pressed onto the glass in the ticket booth. “I still haven’t been in there yet,” Cade told her.

  “Really?” Jessie asked. “You’d love it. Best theater in Snowy Ridge.”

  Cade twisted his lips. “Isn’t it the only theater in Snowy Ridge?”

  Jessie nodded. “Making it the best. Really though, it’s a great old place. And you have to meet Danny. He’s a fixture there. We can check it out some time soon. If you want,” she added. Was she sounding too forceful?

  “Sure. I’d like that,” he said.

  As they passed the antique store Jessie’s right boot hit a small patch of ice. “Whoa,” she said as her hands flew in the air, trying to catch herself. Cade reached out and grabbed her arm.

  “Gotcha,” he said.

  Jessie locked eyes with Cade as she steadied herself. You sure do, she thought and then instantly blushed.

  “I didn’t see the ice…” she mumbled. She didn’t know why she felt she needed to explain.

  “It’s okay,” Cade said. He let go of her arm and took her gloved hand in his. “Gives me an excuse to hold your hand.”

  The two walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way to the shop. For the first time in the last twenty-four hours Jessie wasn’t worried about a thing. She just felt happy and secure being with Cade. She didn’t want to ever let go.

  When they walked into MoonBeans Jessie breathed a sigh of relief that April wasn’t working. Harry and an older lady named Xan (short for Alexandria) were taking orders behind the counter. Not that she didn’t want April to see her and Cade together. She couldn’t wait to tell her best friend all of the details on that. She just hadn’t had a chance to call or see April yet since everything that happened with her mom last night and Jessie knew if her and April locked eyes for even a moment she’d burst into tears all over again. She promised herself to call April as soon as Cade walked her back home after coffee.

  They sat down at the small table nearest the fireplace and shrugged off their coats. “What do you suggest we drink?” Cade asked.

  “Have you had their Mexican mocha before?”

  He shook his head.

  “Mmm, it’s so good. Rich and chocolatey and cinnamon-y,” she said.

  “Sounds good. Be right back,” he told her and Jessie watched him walk to the counter to order.

  Her phone buzzed and she looked down at a text from Luci.

  What time are you picking me up?

  Jessie glared at her phone. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed at her sister. It’s like she sensed Jessie was having thirty seconds of fun and wanted to ruin it. And didn’t they already discuss what time she was coming over? Jessie texted her back.

  Same time I told you earlier. I’ll pick you up at two.

  Luci replied quickly.

  Right. Okay. See you at two.

  Jessie turned her phone on vibrate and jammed it back into her coat pocket. She wasn’t going to let Luci ruin her time with Cade.

  Cade walked back to their table and set down the two drinks and a plate of the most delicious looking chocolate chunk cookies. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said. “These looked really good.”

  Did she mind? Not at all. Jessie smiled and picked up one of the cookies and took a bite. It was heavenly. “Mmm. So good.” Cade was the opposite of the last guy Jessie had dated briefly. He was a personal trainer and the few times they went out he insisted on ordering her meal for her and it was always salad, no dressing and a piece of baked salmon. Jessie was starting to get a complex. She knew she wasn’t overweight but he sure was making her feel like it so she’d dumped him.

  Jessie and Cade sipped on their mochas and she could feel her spirits lifting. This was exactly what she needed. A distraction from all of her problems. She didn’t want to talk about her mom or Wynn or Luci. She just wanted to be here with Cade and relish it.

  “So,” Jessie begun, “tell me everything about you. Don’t leave anything out.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Cade’s spirits were soaring when he returned to the snowmobile shop. He’d had the best time being with
Jessie. They talked for almost an hour and it was mostly him doing the talking. Cade had never talked that much about himself to anyone. But Jessie seemed genuinely interested in him and his life. Cade told her about his life in Chicago, how different it was from Snowy Ridge but that he found he was starting to enjoy the difference. He talked about his brothers and how close they were and how they always had each other’s backs no matter what. He told her about them living in Snowy Ridge twenty years ago before his dad got transferred for work and how Cade didn’t remember any of it. He even told her about when his mom died when he was twelve and what an awful time that was. He noticed Jessie’s eyes tear up as he talked about his mom’s cancer and quickly switched to a funny story about Cash learning to drive. He didn’t want to remind Jessie of what was happening with her mom right now. But he did want her to know that he understood.

  Cade never rushed into relationships. Hell, he’d spent his whole adult years rushing away from them as soon as things started to look like they could turn serious. But he felt different with Jessie. He knew there was no chance he’d ever be running away from her. If she’d have him, that was.

  “Great, you’re back,” Cooper said when he saw his brother.

  “Sorry I was gone so long,” he told him.

  “No big deal. Can you handle these customers though? I’ve got to get back in the garage and get this sled done before the Turners get back here to pick it up at four.”

  “Of course,” Cade assured him.

  He glanced around the shop and saw three men examining pieces on the wall. He walked up to the first one and offered his assistance. While he talked about the benefits of the Ski-Doo XP Belly Brace, his mind was miles away. Well not quite that far; really just down Main Street with Jessie at her apartment. When he had walked her home, he didn’t want to let her go. He knew she had to because she had a busy day with picking up her mom from the hospital and taking care of her and all. He totally understood. It didn’t mean he wasn’t missing her already though. They had kissed for several minutes at her door before he dragged himself away with a promise to call her later to say good night. Cade could practically feel her lips now as he stood here.