They left Jake glued to the TV and went down the hall with the luggage. Cassie discovered her room still had posters of her favorite musicians on the walls and a Denver Broncos bedspread on one twin bed. She’d bought that navy-blue and orange spread as a rebellion against the pink paint and ruffled curtains her mother had insisted on. The second bed still had a frilly, flowered spread on it. Cassie suspected its mate was still shoved in the back of the closet, where she’d put it years ago.
“I haven’t changed anything,” her mother said, twisting her hands nervously. “I thought you’d like to know that home was always going to be the way you remembered it.”
Cassie didn’t have the heart to say that some things were best forgotten. Instead she gave her mother a fierce hug. For all of her flaws this woman had done her best to give Cassie a good life. She’d lost her husband in a freak accident at a grain elevator when Cassie was little more than a toddler, but she’d found a way to be a stay-at-home mom and keep food on the table. And despite her private disapproval of her daughter’s behavior and the occasional long-suffering sighs, she hadn’t turned her back on Cassie, not ever.
“Thanks, Mom,” she said, finally acknowledging what was long overdue.
Her mother looked startled and faintly pleased, but her face quickly assumed its more familiar neutral mask. “Will you and Jake be okay in here? You won’t mind sharing a room?”
“Of course not. This will be fine. We’re just glad to be here.”
“Are you?” her mother asked, peering at her intently. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” Cassie agreed, studying her mother’s face and seeing new wrinkles. There was more gray in her hair, too. “Jake and I have missed you.”
That pleased look came and went in a heartbeat. “Will your friends be home for the reunion?” Edna asked, retreating as always to a less emotional topic.
“I haven’t spoken to any of them recently. I hope so. It would be wonderful to see them again.”
Her mother shook her head. “I can’t imagine what Lauren must be like. Do you suppose all that fame has gone to her head? She certainly hasn’t spent a dime of the money she’s making on her folks. That house of theirs is tumbling down around them.”
“Don’t blame Lauren,” Cassie said. “Her parents wouldn’t take anything from her. They said an acting career was too precarious and she needed to save every last cent in case it didn’t last. Lauren hired a carpenter and sent him over, but her parents just sent him away.”
“That father of hers always was a stubborn old coot,” Edna said. “Still, all the attention she gets from TV and the newspapers must have changed her some.”
Cassie chuckled. “Lauren never cared about fame or money. I’m sure she’s as surprised as the rest of us about the turn her life has taken.”
“Well, Hollywood has a way of changing people. That’s all I’m saying,” her mother replied, disapproval written all over her face.
“Not Lauren,” Cassie said with absolute confidence. If any of them had her head on straight, it was Lauren. She was always the one to express caution when a prank threatened to get out of hand, always the one who came up with a thoughtful gesture to make amends when someone’s feelings were hurt.
“I suppose you know her better than I do,” her mother said, though her doubts were still evident. “Are you hungry? I’ve made some sandwiches, and there are cookies. Mildred brought them by this morning. Oatmeal-raisin. Your favorite, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Mildred’s oatmeal-raisin cookies were always the best,” Cassie enthused. And their neighbor had always come up with excuses for bringing over a plateful to share with a little girl whose own mother rarely baked. Those treats had earned Mildred a special place in Cassie’s heart. “I’ll have to stop by later to thank her.”
“She’d like that. She doesn’t get out much these days. Her arthritis makes it difficult for her to get around. Jake can stay with me while you and Mildred visit.”
Cassie’s gaze narrowed. “Don’t you think Mildred would like to see your grandson?”
“There’s nothing for a boy to do over there. He’d be bored,” Edna responded.
She said it in a hurried way that told Cassie she was only making up hasty excuses. “Mom, I can’t keep Jake hidden away in the house while we’re here.”
For an instant her mother looked ashamed. “No, of course not. I never meant to imply that you should.”
“Surely people have gotten over what happened by now.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right. It’s just that…”
Cassie met her gaze evenly. She had known they were going to have to face this. Now was as good a time as any. “What?” she asked, prepared for battle.
“He looks so much like his father now.”
That was the last thing Cassie had expected her mother to say, but it was true. Jake did look like Cole, from his sun-streaked hair to his blue eyes, from those freckles across his nose to the shape of his mouth. Even the glasses were a reminder of the ones Cole had worn until high school, when he’d finally been persuaded to trade them for contacts.
Cole had been a self-described skinny, awkward geek until he’d gone away to college. There he’d begun to fill out, his body becoming less awkward and lanky. And after a summer at home working the ranch, his lean body had been all hard muscle by the time they’d started dating in earnest. Cassie imagined the same thing would happen to Jake one day, and that he would be breaking girl’s hearts just like his daddy had.
The shock, of course, was that her mother could see all that. “You know,” Cassie said flatly.
It was her mother’s turn to look startled. “Did you think I didn’t?”
“You never said a word.”
Her mother shrugged. “There was nothing to say. What was done was done. No point in talking about it.”
Cassie sank down on the bed, her thoughts in turmoil. All this time her mother had known the truth. She met Edna’s gaze.
“Is Cole…?” Her voice trailed off.
“He’s here,” her mother said tightly. “Has been ever since college. He came back to help out when Frank had a heart attack. If you ask me, the man talked himself into getting sick just to manipulate that boy, but they seem to be getting on well enough out there.”
Another secret kept, Cassie thought, just as she’d kept Cole’s identity a secret from Jake. Why did it surprise her that her mother could be reticent about something so important? Edna had always kept her own counsel, never saying more than the situation required for politeness. Even now she didn’t elaborate. If Cassie wanted to know more, she was going to have to ask directly.
“Is he married?” she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“No.”
Relief warred with surprise. Cole must be the county’s prize catch. How had he managed to elude all the single women of Winding River and their ambitious parents, especially with Frank Davis no doubt pressuring him to produce an heir?
It didn’t matter, she told herself sternly. It had nothing to do with her, except that it complicated her situation that Cole was still living right here. How could she possibly keep him from finding out that Jake was his son if he was practically underfoot? And if he did figure it out, what would his reaction be? Would he pretend ignorance or would he want to claim his son? She wasn’t sure which thought terrified her more. Explaining to Jake that his father was here when she’d always been so elusive about his whereabouts wouldn’t be any easier.
“Hey, Mom, can we eat? I’m starved.”
Jake’s voice cut into her thoughts. Struggling with the unexpected taste of fear in her mouth, Cassie stayed silent a minute too long, drawing a puzzled look from her son and an understanding one from her mother.
“I’ll get him his sandwich,” her mother offered. “You spend a few minutes unpacking and getting settled.”
She followed Jake from the room, then turned back. “Give some thought to what I said. The Davi
ses are powerful people, and Cole’s got a streak of his daddy in him—no matter how you once thought otherwise. They take what’s theirs.”
Cassie understood the warning and all its implications. If Emma, now an attorney was coming to the reunion, Cassie would talk to her the second she arrived. Surely Emma would be able to give her some advice on how to protect her rights where Jake was concerned.
And if what her friend had to say wasn’t reassuring, Cassie would take her son and leave. Perhaps she couldn’t go back to work for Earlene, but they could move someplace entirely new. Cheyenne, maybe. Or Laramie. Maybe all the way north to someplace like Jackson Hole. A fresh start in a whole new town wouldn’t be easy, but if it was necessary to keep her son away from Cole, Cassie would do it and never look back.
Just then the phone rang, and a moment later her mother poked her head into the bedroom. “It’s Karen. She heard you were back. Somebody in town must have seen you drive through.”
A smile spread across Cassie’s face as she walked down the hall to the little alcove where the old-fashioned black phone still sat on a rickety mahogany table. The first of the Calamity Janes was checking in.
“Hey, cowgirl, how are you?” she asked Karen. “And how’s that handsome husband of yours?”
“Working too hard. We both are.”
“But you’ll be here for the reunion?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“And the others? Have you heard from any of them?”
“They’re all coming. In fact, that’s why I’m calling. Lunch tomorrow at Stella’s. I’ve told her to put a reserved sign on our favorite table in the back. Can you be there at noon?”
“I can’t wait,” Cassie said truthfully. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you guys.”
“Same here,” Karen said. “And we’re counting on you to think of something outrageous we can do to make this reunion as memorable as all our years in high school.”
“Not me,” Cassie said fervently. “I’m older and wiser now.”
“And a mother,” Karen said quietly. “How’s Jake?”
“He’s the best thing I ever did.”
“And Cole? He’s here, you know.”
“I know.”
“What will you do if you run into him?”
Cassie sighed. “I wish I knew.”
“Maybe it’s time to tell him the truth. I always thought you were making a mistake in not doing that in the beginning. He loved you.”
“He used me.”
“No,” Karen said. “Anyone who ever saw the two of you together knew better than that. How you could miss it is beyond me.”
“He left me without a word,” Cassie reminded her.
“A mistake,” Karen agreed. “But you compounded it.”
“How?”
“By giving up on him. By never asking what happened. By running away. For a girl who had more gumption than anyone I knew, you wimped out when it really counted.”
It was an old argument, but it still put Cassie on the defensive. “I had no choice,” she insisted.
“Oh, sweetie, we all have choices,” she said, sounding suddenly tired.
The hint of exhaustion was so unlike the ex-cheerleader that it startled Cassie. If she’d been a ringleader, Karen had always been her most energetic sidekick, always eager for a lark.
“Karen, are you okay? Is everything all right at the ranch?”
“Just too much work and too little time.”
“But you and Caleb are happy, right?”
“Blissfully, at least when we can stay awake long enough to remember why we got married in the first place.” She sighed. “Don’t listen to me. I love my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And I will tell you every last, boring detail when I see you tomorrow.”
“Love you, pal.”
“You, too. I can’t wait to see you. Bring Jake along. I want to see if he’s as handsome as his daddy.”
“Not tomorrow. Can you imagine a nine-year-old listening to us talk about old times? Besides, it might give him ideas.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning he gets into enough mischief without getting any tips from us. And I’ll tell you that story when I see you.”
As she hung up the phone, she suddenly felt as if all her fears and cares had slipped away. The Calamity Janes were getting together tomorrow. Let Cole find out about Jake and do his worst. She had backup on the way. And together, the Calamity Janes were indomitable.
CHAPTER THREE
The door to Cole’s home office burst open, and his father charged in as if he were on a mission. Normally Cole would have protested the intrusion into his private sanctuary, but he was too exhausted. He’d been up all night putting the finishing touches on a program that would revolutionize the way businesses interconnected on the Internet. His gut told him it was going to be the most lucrative bit of technology he’d ever created.
“What?” he asked as his father loomed over him, a frown on his face as he studied the computer screen.
“Is that supposed to make sense?” Frank asked, leaning down for a closer look.
“Not to you, but to another computer it’s magic,” Cole said.
“Guess I’ll have to take your word on that.”
“I’m sure you didn’t barge in here to talk about computers,” Cole said dryly. “What’s on your mind? You’re usually in town at Stella’s at this hour swapping lies with all your buddies.”
“Been there. Now I’m back.”
“I see,” Cole said. “And you’re what? Reporting in with the latest Winding River gossip?”
“Don’t sass me, son. I did happen to pick up a little bit of news I thought might interest you.”
“Unless it’s a way to squeeze eight hours of sleep into the two hours I have before I meet with Don Rollins about that bull you want, I doubt it.”
Undaunted, his father announced, “Cassie and her friends will be at Stella’s at noon today. Stella’s about to bust a gusset at the thought that a famous movie star is going to be dining in her establishment. That’s what she said, ‘dining in my establishment.’ Talk about putting on airs. She’s talking about little Lauren Winters. We’ve known the girl since she was in diapers. I can’t see what all the ruckus is about.”
He shook his head. “Well, never mind about that. The point is that Cassie will be there.”
Cole’s pulse did a little hop, skip and jump, which he resolutely blamed on exhaustion. “So?”
“Just thought you’d want to know.”
“And now I do.” He stared evenly at his father. “Are you waiting for some sort of reaction?”
“As a matter of fact, I am. Any hot-blooded son of mine would take a shower, shave, splash on a little of that fancy aftershave women like and haul his butt into town. Now’s your chance, son. Don’t waste it.”
“I’m confused about something. When did you become such a big fan of Cassie’s?”
Guilt flickered in his father’s eyes for an instant before he shrugged. “The point is you cared about her once.”
“A long time ago. You saw to it that it came to nothing.”
“Well, maybe I regret that.”
“Do you really?” Cole asked doubtfully, then shook his head. “Look, forget it. I have an appointment, anyway.”
“I can buy my own blasted bull,” his father retorted. “Seems to me like you ought to have better fish to fry.”
Cole raked a hand through his hair, spared one last glance at the computer screen before shutting it down, then stood up.
“A shower sounds good,” he conceded. “As for the rest, if I were you, I’d be real careful about telling me how capable you are of managing without me. I might get the idea that I could leave this ranch and Winding River and you wouldn’t even miss me.”
His father began to sputter a lot of nonsense about not saying any such thing, but Cole ignored the protest and headed upstairs for a long, hot shower to work out the kinks in his neck and
shoulders. Given the state of his thoughts about Cassie Collins, he probably should have let the water run cold.
An hour later, feeling moderately more alive, he left the house and headed into town. Not to satisfy his father, he assured himself. Not even to catch a glimpse of Cassie. Just to grab a decent meal that he didn’t have to cook himself, maybe pick up a few things at the feed and grain store. If Cassie happened to be around, well, that was pure coincidence, the kind of thing that happened in small towns. People bumped into people all the time, exchanged a few words, then went on about their business. It didn’t have to mean a thing.
Yeah, right. He sneezed as he caught a whiff of that aftershave he’d splashed on at the last minute. He yanked a handkerchief out of his pocket and rubbed at his cheeks, but the scent stayed with him, mocking his avowed intentions about this trip into town.
He glanced in the rearview mirror of his truck, assured himself that no one was behind him, then slammed on the brakes right there in the middle of the highway. He could quit lying to himself right now, turn around, go back to the ranch and take that nap he’d been craving before his father had shown up. And if he wanted to salvage a lick of pride, that was exactly what he ought to do.
“Do it,” he muttered. “Be sensible for once in your miserable life.”
But the lure of seeing Cassie again was too much to ignore. It had been a long time since he’d let temptation get the better of him. Surely he could be forgiven a single lapse.
With a sigh he took his foot off the brake and kept going, heading straight for trouble.
* * *
“Oh, my word, I never thought I’d see all of you back together again,” Stella Partlow said, hands on her ample hips as her gaze circled the table at the back of her diner. “These class reunions always take me right back. Not a one of you has changed a lick.”
“Not even Lauren?” Cassie asked the woman who had given her her first job as a waitress back in high school. Stella had ignored the gossip and patiently gone about the business of turning Cassie into a responsible employee.
Winding River Reunion Page 3
