WindSwept Narrows: #2 Cassidy, Abby & Mia

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I didn’t want to sleep…I...I wanted to talk to you…Cassidy? I saw…is she…what the hell was going on? I need water…” Her eyes darted around her, sighing when he rose and found the cold water for her. “Owww…” she drained the glass with a thankful sigh.

  “Cassidy’s good…in the room next to you with Mac,” Cade sunk into the chair. “So while I have captive audience…”

  “Oh, this is so wrong…” But there was a loving smile in her eyes. Her palm shook a little when she lifted it from the bed to touch his face. “Do I look that bad? You’re looking a little ragged, Cade…my mother! Oh my god!”

  “Janet came, chewed on me and Mac and told us we knew we had strong women and to snap out of it. She promised to check in later and went off to class,” Cade shook his head. “And you look beautiful,” he winked and reached into his shirt pocket, the chignon and sticks held up with a grin.

  Abby laughed softly. “I’m sorry…the last few days…”

  “Okay…to begin with, Logan hired you and Cassidy. Mac and I turned that over to him, since he knew what he wanted and had kept connections to make the right choices. We were given a copy of your files only after he made his choices,” he took her palm in between his hands, leaning his mouth against it for a long moment. “By then, Mac had been gaming with Cassidy for over six months…and you…I arrived a week before they opened the applications. I watched you set everything up. I was feeling like a stalker after a while. I should have just introduced myself and taken it from there…”

  Abby closed her eyes.

  “But something inside told me that would be a mistake and you’d back-peddle and put up a battle,” Cade saw the honesty in her eyes. “You take your job very seriously, and I…I stupidly missed that part in my plan. I think us guys feel our own pride but tend to forget our girls have it, too.”

  “I wish I could argue with you on that one,” Abby admitted softly. “Dating the boss…I…I can’t even…I would be so self-conscious and aware of what the gossip would be…even now…Cassidy talked to Logan…god, was that only this morning? It seems like…”

  “Logan went through the personnel manual you and he created. Neither of you are direct reports or even come close to being mine or Mac’s employees,” Cade told her firmly. “The gossip will fade…I won’t, Abby.”

  “So…” Cade closed his eyes, trying to get his thoughts in line. “When I first arrived, before I was struck by your wit and charm and beauty,” he drew one finger around the little smile she offered. “I wanted to know the process you had in place. I wanted to know if I would be missing out on a good employee who couldn’t get past your screening processes. So I fell into line and pretended to be an applicant. I was impressed and my curiosity satisfied.”

  “I had some property just outside Orlando. Passed down through my grandparents. I built a small resort and casino on it almost eight years ago and sold the whole bundle for some seriously insane money a couple months ago,” Cade leaned against the palm he had captured between his hands. “Through a friend, I heard about what Logan was trying to build and we started talking. Then we did a lot of serious talking.”

  “I’ve never worked for a company where the upper management is genuinely concerned for maintaining long term employees,” Abby said softly. “I never got names, but I asked a lot of questions before I accepted Logan’s offer. I took a job early in my start with a hospital that had the most wonderful mission statement…turned out to be just words. So I knew a lot about you before we met…”

  “Soo…this mean I’m out of the dog house?” Cade offered a grin that only got broader when she smiled at him. “I love you.”

  “Hey! You alive over there?” Cassidy called out, pushing against the bed to try and sit up as the bed adjusted to the controls Mac was maneuvering.

  Cade stood up, kissed Abby and went to the end of the sound wall, lifting and sliding it back toward the wall, opening the room completely.

  “No one has ever told me why I got shot. Who was the nut with the gun?” Abby lifted the controls, studied the buttons and pressed one, groaning as the bed adjusted upward. Cade turned and put his hands on her waist, carefully adjusting her with the slant of the bed.

  “I’m going after more ice,” Mac lifted both pitchers and left the room.

  Cassidy explained what had happened.

  “Sam’s mom is very clever…helping me keep him talking…I think we could have got him to give it up…”

  “And I walked head into the…I am so sorry, Cass…I had no idea…” Abby shook her head. “Sam?”

  “I sent them home,” Cade said, accepting the pitcher from Mac and refilled Abby’s glass. “Sam, Logan and Elizabeth were here most of the time…Chloe came by…”

  “We got lectured by Chloe and Janet,” Mac told them. “And Elizabeth…”

  “She’s a fun mom,” Cassidy agreed with a smile, her hand holding Mac’s tightly.

  “I think I lost my heels in the parking lot,” Abby sighed. “And my jacket and vest…”

  “I’ll spring for new shoes and a suit, Abby,” Cade said flatly.

  “You guys need a break,” Cassidy declared with a side glance at Abby. “And we need clean clothing. Please…”

  “My car’s at the resort,” Mac said thoughtfully.

  “I can take you there on the bike,” Cade stood up slowly. “What do you want from home?”

  “Hairbrush…toothbrush…underwear…something loose…I don’t know how to do this sling thing….so I guess something with buttons?” Abby winced. “Tough test for a guy…dealing with girl clothes…”

  “I want my laptop,” Cassidy said quickly. “And the other stuff. Like she said.”

  “Ahhh…we come at the important time,” Anya announced with a bright smile, Ian carrying a large box into the room.

  “Hmm…I know that voice,” Abby winced. “I heard it shouting at me in my sleep.”

  “You…are a difficult patient,” Anya winked at Cade. “Do you know she talks incessantly?”

  “Tell me about it,” Cade laughed. “Even in her sleep…”

  “I was here with her…didn’t hear a thing,” Cassidy defended her friend.

  “That’s because you sleep like a brick,” Mac injected with a laugh. “It would take a tactical nuke to move you once you’re out.”

  “Well…thank you for sharing with the class,” Cassidy cleared her throat, ignoring the laughter. “So…what’s in the box?”

  “As Chloe would say…I am paying it forward,” she lifted a lite cotton dress from inside, mumbling slightly to herself.

  “Halter,” Ian supplied, lifting a chart from the bottom of Abby’s bed, his pen out and scribbling over the paper. “Before you do that…how about detaching them…” He moved to Cassidy’s bed, nodding as he wrote. He moved quickly, removing the needle and holding her arm up with a glance at Mac. “Apply pressure until I can find the wraps.”

  Anya did the same, looking to Cade for assistance. She brought some gauze and band aids out, cleaning the back of Abby’s hand and tightly wrapping it before lowering it to the bed.

  “Do not leave this room,” Ian glared from one to the other. “Do not travel further than the bathroom. Do not take a shower until I can get you some plastic covers. You are not being released until tomorrow…if you behave.”

  “Geeze…” Cassidy looked at the three males sporting scowls.

  “Ya think he means it?” Abby sighed.

  “We’ll behave…” Cassidy said grudgingly. Which brought arched brows from Mac and Cade.

  “I’m going after coffee,” Ian said with a shake of his head. “I barely survived Anya in this situation…I wish you guys luck.”

  “I will be there in a minute,” Anya promised. “Anyway….clothes. Halters. With help, should be easy to manage.”

  “Girl talk…guess it’s safe to leave them alone,” Mac bent over to kiss Cassidy. “Will you just take it easy, please? I’m too old for this…”

  “I’v
e given thought to handcuffs,” Cade leaned over Abby with a wink. “We’ll be back later. Thanks, Anya. For everything.”

  “You ever give a thought to hooking up with…dictatorial…” Abby frowned slightly.

  “Not until we were shot,” Cassidy answered instantly. “What would we be like if it was them in the beds?”

  The three women exchanged looks. “A wreck,” Abby said instantly.

  “I have another suggestion to talk with you about,” Anya pulled a chair between the beds.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  They rounded the corner and stopped in the door frame a few hours later. Both beds were empty.

  “How long were we gone?” Cade asked carefully.

  “Two hours…give or take…” Mac sighed. “Where the hell could they go?”

  “Organizing wheel chair races in geriatrics? Hell…with those two, there’s just no telling. I’m beginning to think you’re idea of having them GPS’d was a good one,” Cade commented dryly.

  “We can hear you,” Came a sing-song voice.

  Mac and Cade exchanged looks.

  “Ow…owww…be careful with that…I’m sure it’s attached,” Abby grumbled.

  “Sorry…I’ve never…there, I think I’ve got it.”

  Mac pointed to the skirt and slacks lying discarded on a chair.

  “So they’re running around in underwear again?”

  “They have a fixation with our underwear,” Cassidy commented.

  The two guys looked at one another, shrugged and answered. “Yeah…so?”

  The door to the large bathroom was pulled inward, Cassidy holding onto the open edge, wearing a cotton silver halter dress that stopped just past her knees. Her teeth were ground together but she’d be damned if she let Mac see it. She took a step forward.

  Mac saw the beads of sweat on her forehead. Noticed the little wobble in her legs seconds before he stepped forward, slid his arm beneath her good arm and lifted her off the floor, carrying her to the bed.

  “I…” Cassidy thunked her head back with a long sigh. “I wanted to make it…”

  “Yeah…I know…tough gamer girl,” Mac kissed her and shook his head.

  Abby held up a palm that was instantly ignored, Cade on her good side and carrying her to the other bed. She was wearing a green and gold halter and a pair of shorts with an elastic waistband.

  “It’s only been a couple hours,” Mac poured water and held the straw out to Cassidy.

  Cade shook his head. “You two need to be shackled to the bed until tomorrow."

  “Kinky,” Abby mumbled when she surfaced from draining the glass of water. “Anya brought us stuff…halter stuff…so we can maneuver the slings around clothing. It’s nice summer clothes, which is also good.”

  “We also have a plan,” Cassidy said, eyes closed as she let the spinning stop. “I hate being dizzy…”

  “Then stay off your damn feet,” Mac growled. “Look…I’m a programmer. I’m not a nurse and my solution is the same as Cade’s…I’m going to chain you to the bed if I have to instead of picking you up unconscious off the floor.”

  Cassidy sighed. “They love us.”

  “True.” Abby agreed simply, her eyes closed as her head quit telling her it wasn’t quite right. “Okay…back to our plan. It involves your co-operation, by the way.”

  Mac and Cade exchanged looks and moved the chairs next to the beds, straddling them and waiting.

  “Did you bring my laptop?” Cassidy opened one eye to see Mac lift a case from the floor. “Thank you.”

  “This plan?” Cade reminded them cautiously.

  “I spoke to my mother. She is breaking down the bed in my old room. I want to move that set into the room above the garage,” Abby held up her palm when she saw mouths open. “You two can handle that. Now…Ian and Anya were here while you were gone, hence the reason we are no longer wired,” she showed Cade the band aid on the back of her hand. “Ian’s grandparents have a live in nurse, Amber. The grandparents leave tomorrow morning on a ten day cruise that provides a private nurse, so Amber is not going along.”

  “This is a ten day or less plan,” Cassidy said firmly. “I like the apartment, but I want someplace a lot closer to the resort. In the meantime…”

  “We have a spare bedroom set that arrived with Cade’s furniture and needs to be set up in one of the spare bedrooms,” she saw their conclusion slowly dawning on their faces. “As was acutely pointed out to us, neither of you are nurses. The bandage changes, the stitches…helping us with girl things…we’d really rather not…”

  “So…unless Cade has a total meltdown…Mac and I are going to temporarily share your home,” Cassidy paused, exhaling when there was no sign of dislike on Cade’s features.

  “And Amber takes the apartment above the garage?” Cade nodded his approval.

  “It’ll make going to work easier, too…Amber can drive us in on Friday and…”

  “You are not…”

  “Friday?” Mac looked from one to the other, scowling.

  “Yeah…why did I see that coming,” Abby sighed. “I am left handed…I can write and read applications…take aspirin and be fine.”

  “I am right handed…and can match reports and make notations,” Cassidy said logically.

  “We’ll see how you feel on Friday morning,” Cade conceded reluctantly.

  “Alright…” Abby met his eyes with a nod. “I can live with that.”

  “It’s the best you’re going to get,” Cade informed her flatly.

  “Okay…another plan…” Cassidy opened her laptop, wincing and maneuvering her hand over the mouse. “We need a larger, closer place.”

  Mac looked at Cade, both of them offering a slight grin.

  “What?” Cassidy saw the exchange, her lashes narrowed.

  “Don’t you hate it when they get suddenly quiet and…and smug,” Abby raised her good hand, pulling the long hair behind her head.

  “It just so happens…we were cruising the neighborhood,” Mac remarked, turning the laptop and making pages open with amazing speed.

  “How does he do that so fast?” Abby blinked.

  “Hey…I grew up on these things…” Mac shrugged, stopping on the page he wanted.

  “That’s…we looked at that one…on the computer…” Cassidy looked at Abby. “He…it’s the same one you and me…I don’t believe this…”

  “Hey…we like most of the same stuff,” Mac answered, nodding at the page, letting the slide show go through the photos of the house. “Great minds…so when you’re better…”

  “No.”

  “No, what?”

  “No. You and Cade go look at it and do it,” Cassidy announced firmly. “Abby and me kind of…we peeked in windows and walked around it the night we didn’t know where to go….”

  “You were pissed at me and looking at a house at the same time?” Mac gaped in disbelief.

  “I still loved you,” Cassidy said with logical simplicity. “That never stopped.”

  “Besides…we’re not gonna be much fun the rest of the night. Go get some dinner and relax and talk to the agent,” Abby sighed tiredly.

  “Such a tough cookie,” Cade lifted her hand.

  “Yeah, well…I can be,” she returned tartly.

  Mac tipped his wrist over and pulled his phone out. “Oh, you owe me for a new phone by the way.”

  Cassidy opened one eye. “Forget it, buddy. You were itching to get that new droid…and you earned the dunk in the pool. I’m in the clear.”

  Mac stepped into the hall, talking quietly.

  “Go relax, Cade,” Abby told him. “I’m okay…and yes, I’m tired…very tired.”

  “I have a couple meetings in the morning,” Cade stood up reluctantly, framing her face with his hands. “I love you…sleep, okay?”

  “I’ll be here…”

  Mac moved to the side of Cassidy’s bed, his palm running over her forehead. “You good? I’ll go work us a deal.”

  “I�
��m good…I love you…”

  “Yeah…I know…” he kissed her softly. “Tomorrow…after the meetings, we’ll come fetch you. Please…stay in bed and rest.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Mia Santori drove slowly through the main entrance and to the large white canopy she had been directed to. The shiny new bright red wagon felt like meting butter in her hands, smooth and creamy. She parked to the side and climbed out, a satisfied grin on her face as she scanned the massive expanse that was to become her home.

  Cassidy watched the woman leave the Volvo from her desk. Instinct immediately connected her with the name of the final owner. She was tall and willowy, with short boy cut black hair and a pair of very large dark eyes that only showed when she lifted the sun glasses to rest atop her head. She wore little makeup, a gloss reflecting in the bright June sun as she came toward the desk. Dressed in a comfortable pair of flat shoes, grey jeans that stopped mid-calf and a dazzling white tank top, she walked beneath the canopy.

  “No, please…do not rise…” Mia extended her hand and pulled a chair to the side. “Mia Santori. The guard told me to speak with you…You look like you are in pain…”

  “Shhh…” Cassidy said before she caught herself. “I’m sorry, Miss Santori…”

  “No, it is fine,” came the soft accent that resembled that of the French singer, Celine Dion. “And please…I am Mia…” She watched Cassidy maneuver some files and pull out a small thick plastic card. “Why is being in pain a secret?”

  Cassidy glanced around her suspiciously. “Because if they know, they’ll make me leave and I have too much work to do. Autocratic dictators,” she mumbled testily.

  “Ahh…I see…I am guessing these dictators are male,” she nodded with an understanding wink. “Perhaps I can offer some simple anti-inflammatory?” Mia opened the purse she had carried on her shoulder. “I try to avoid pharmaceuticals and use herbs when I can. These…are simple herbs...one is called feverfew and the other turmeric,” she dumped two into her palm.