Never Say Match (No Match for Love Book 9)

by Lindzee Armstrong

  “Can I do anything to help?” Jase asked.

  Mama made shooing motions with her hands. “Please, take a seat and relax. You’re our guest. We’ll get everything on the table in a jiffy.”

  Cassidy couldn’t contain her snort of derision. A real rancher rarely got to sit and relax. Jase didn’t want to learn about ranch life—he wanted to pretend to learn about it so he could continue telling magazines about his method acting and how dedicated he was to his craft. Just like Seth. Her mind flashed back to the time he’d taken her rock climbing for “experience” and ended up complaining the whole lesson, or the welding class he’d quit after two days because the shop was too hot and it made him sweat, or a million other things he’d done halfway in the name of improving his performance.

  She stifled a sigh. And she’d dropped out of culinary school, turned down an internship, and put off opening her bakery for him.

  Dad sat down next to Jase, and the two talked about ranching while Cassidy helped Mama finish preparing dinner. Soon, they were all gathered around the square table. Cassidy tried to stay far away from Jase, but with only four of them, it wasn’t really an option. Besides, they all had their usual spots at the table, and the only free space was right next to Cassidy.

  Dad reached out and grasped hers and Mama’s hands. Cassidy’s heart dropped to her stomach. Saying grace … how could she have forgotten? Jase looked startled, but quickly accepted Mama’s outstretched hand. Mama gave Cassidy a stern glare, and Cassidy reluctantly slipped her hand into Jase’s.

  It was unexpectedly warm, his palms and fingers smooth against her skin. No calluses. Cassidy tried to focus on that instead of how strong, yet gentle his grip was. He’d probably never done a hard day’s work in his life. Seth’s hands had been like that. It should’ve been her first red flag.

  Cassidy struggled to focus as Dad said grace. Jase was still an arrogant, entitled actor—someone who associated with Seth—no matter how nice his hand felt in hers. The second Dad said amen, Cassidy dropped Jase’s hand like a hot potato. He raised his bowed head and blinked his startling amber green eyes open. Cassidy almost lost herself in his gaze.

  Until she caught his smirk.

  She yanked the napkin off the table and into her lap, calling Jase every curse word she could think of in her head. It would be hard to ignore him if he kept goading her.

  “So, Jase,” Mama said, handing him the bowl of potatoes. “Tell us about yourself.”

  “Not much to tell,” Jase said. “What would you like to know?”

  “Oh, we don’t want to pry. But it must be very exciting to live in Hollywood.” Mama smiled encouragingly. “We went on a vacation to southern California when Cassidy was still in pigtails and spent a few hours at the Walk of Fame.”

  “It’s a unique area.” Jase handed Cassidy the salad and she took it, careful not to let her fingers brush his. “But I’m not home very often. I spend a lot of time on location when filming. We’re setting most of the western in Texas, so I’ll be there for a few months. I’m not sure what role I’ll take on after that. I’m keeping my options open.”

  Cassidy remembered all too well the erratic schedule of an actor. Even though Seth had only done indie films while they were together, he’d still traveled to location—on his own dime. It had been a constant source of contention between them, especially once they found out about the baby.

  “I always thought it would be nice to travel,” Mama said.

  “There’s still time.” Jase passed the bowl of potatoes. “I bet you’d love Australia.”

  “It’s hard to find someone to take care of the ranch for more than a few days at a time.” Randy took a bite of roast, chewing slowly. “That’s your first lesson in ranching—the ranch always comes first. Vacations are few and far between, and when they do happen, they’re not very long.”

  “Ranching sounds like a demanding profession,” Jase said.

  Cassidy rolled her eyes, unable to keep quiet any longer. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”

  Mama’s fork clattered against her plate and her eyes narrowed in a glare. “Cassidy.”

  “No, she’s right.” An easy grin split Jase’s face, making his dimples pop.

  Focus on his bad qualities, Cassidy reminded herself. Like how he was an arrogant actor. This whole thing was a game to him. He was playing her, like she was a character with a script.

  “I’m fascinated by ranching,” Jase continued. “Not just the ranch itself, but the family values ranchers have.”

  “Family is very important,” Randy said. “Both the family you’re born into and the one you choose.”

  If family was so important, then why had her parents put her in such an uncomfortable position? And why hadn’t Shawn and Tanner, her dear older brothers, at least warned her? Cassidy pushed back from the table, no longer hungry. “I’ll be in my room. Somehow, I’ve lost my appetite.”

  As Cassidy stomped up the stairs, she heard her mama say, “You’ll have to excuse Cassidy. She has some personal stuff going on, and this is hard for her.”

  Cassidy quickened her pace, taking the stairs two at a time. Yes, this was hard for her. Not that anyone cared. They’d brought a wolf into the family and told Cassidy to treat him like a king.

  She flopped onto her bed and pulled out her cell phone. Seconds later, the phone was ringing. A click sounded on the other end, then her brother’s deep voice said, “Hello?”

  “Shawn,” Cassidy ground out. “Anything you want to tell me?”

  The line went silent. She pictured Shawn sitting on the gray microfiber living room couch his fiancée, Natalie, had picked out for him. His apartment was modest, but tastefully decorated and clean, thanks to Natalie. She imagined the nine hundred square foot two-bedroom felt like a mansion after living on a cruise ship for a decade. He probably had the leg he’d injured years before stretched out stiffly before him. If Natalie was there, she was probably in the kitchen cooking. Natalie and her future sister-in-law had instantly bonded over their love of everything culinary when they met for the first time a few months ago.

  “Shawn?” Cassidy pressed.

  “I’m sorry.” Shawn sounded sincere at least. “When Jase approached me, I knew how much Mom and Dad could use the money. They asked me not to say anything to you, and I agreed.”

  “I can’t believe you!” Cassidy placed a hand on her forehead, staring up at the yellowing popcorn ceiling. “Did you know he was in a movie with Seth?”

  “What?” The surprise in Shawn’s voice was genuine. “Cass, I had no idea. If I’d known, I never would’ve agreed to keep quiet.”

  “But you still would’ve suggested he come.”

  “I know it’s hard for you to believe, but he’s a good guy. It’s not Jase’s fault that Seth was a jerk.”

  She snorted. “The magazines say they’re best friends.”

  “That doesn’t make it true.”

  Tears burned at the back of her eyes, and she blinked quickly. Shawn had been living on the ocean throughout the whole Seth mess, so he didn’t know just how much she’d been hurt. But her parents knew, and they’d still agreed to this.

  “Mama said Tanner knew, too.”

  More silence. “I talked to him before calling Mom and Dad. I wanted his opinion on what I should do. Tanner was around when Seth left. I only showed up for the grand finale.”

  By which he meant the disastrous wedding that wasn’t. He hadn’t been home in nearly a year, and Mama was more excited about his visit than she was about the wedding. Not that Cassidy could blame her. No one had been exactly thrilled about the shotgun ceremony.

  “I just wish you’d given me a heads up,” Cassidy said. “At least then I wouldn’t have been caught off guard.”

  “I’m sorry,” Shawn said. “But trust me when I say I never would do anything to hurt you. Jase is there to do a job, and Mom and Dad need the money. That’s all this is, okay?”

  They said their goodbyes, but Cassidy didn’t fee
l any better than she had before the conversation. She spent the rest of the evening in her room, flipping through television channels and playing the guitar while trying to take her mind off the handsome actor relaxing in the bunkhouse.

  At nine o’clock she turned out the lights and tried to fall asleep. But the wind howled, battering against the windows. Cassidy tossed and turned as the wind faded into pounding rain. Around eleven o’clock, she knew the power went out—could tell when the hum of the air conditioner stopped. Slowly the temperature rose to a muggy and uncomfortable level. She worried about the bakery, but even if the power was out there, the food should keep until morning. Cassidy tossed the blankets aside as the rain continued to roar outside.

  What was Seth like in Hollywood? He’d always acted different when she visited him on set than he did when they were alone. She should’ve been concerned, but instead had been vaguely annoyed by his attitude. It never occurred to her that Fake Seth was the one she knew, and Real Seth was the one she encountered on set.

  A flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by thunder she felt clear down to her bones. The house groaned and creaked as the wind continued to abuse it.

  Cassidy shifted again, rolling onto her side and trying to find a comfortable position. If she fell asleep now, she’d get almost five hours of sleep before she had to wake up. That was the only thing she didn’t like about owning a bakery—starting her days at four a.m.

  She finally managed a few restless hours of sleep before dragging herself out of bed. She took a cool shower in an attempt to wake herself up, then threw on some clothes and drove to the bakery. Once there she unlocked the back door and stepped inside the kitchen, flipping the light switch.

  Nothing happened.

  She flipped the switch again, then again and again. The power was on at the house, so why was it still out here?

  “Not today,” she moaned, striding to the freezer that held a week’s worth of ingredients.

  But she already knew what she’d find. There was no buzz from the appliances.

  She pulled the door open. The light remained off, but the air inside was still cool. She slammed the door shut and wrenched open the fridge, only to discover the same thing. She shut the door, trying to decide what to do. Maybe the power was on, but the breakers had flipped during the storm.

  She headed back outside and around the building. Black scorch marks marred the siding, trailing in a line from the roof down to the breaker box.

  Cassidy bent down, her heart in her throat, and slowly opened the box. The inside was blackened, a few of the switches partially melted.

  Lightning had struck the building.

  Despair welled inside her, and she shut the door, slumping against the wall. Repairing the damage to the building and breaker would thankfully be her landlord’s responsibility. But had the lightning fried the circuits in the ancient fridge and freezer? And how long would it take to repair everything? She had hundreds of dollars worth of ingredients defrosting in those two appliances. Between the poor insulation in the old appliances and the Oklahoma heat, it wouldn’t take long for everything to spoil. For most businesses, losing ingredients would be inconvenient. But only four months in, with a tiny client base and slim profit margins, it would be devastating.

  Cassidy pushed herself off the wall and walked back inside. With a lot of grunting and groaning, she pulled the fridge and freezer far enough away from the wall to inspect the backside. There were a few blackened areas, but she couldn’t tell if they were a result of the lightning and didn’t remember if they’d already been there.

  Hatred welled within her for Seth. This was all his fault. If not for him and the wedding bills he’d stuck her with, she wouldn’t have had to buy the crappy, unreliable used appliances, making this setback a much smaller problem. Seth, who was continuing to invade her life in the form of his best friend, Jase.

  She imagined discussing today’s disaster over the dinner table tonight. Jase would lean back in his chair, a haughty smirk on his criminally attractive face as he told her how ridiculous it was to even try to run a bakery in a town as small as Sunset Plains. That’s what Seth had always told her when she brought up her dream. It was why she’d dropped out of culinary school and turned down the internship.

  She regretted telling Anabeth “no” now more than ever.

  Slowly Cassidy rose to her feet. She closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. She could do this. It was a setback, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as she thought, and the fridge and freezer—and the ingredients inside—were salvageable.

  She pulled out her phone, ready to get to work.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  One month, or he’d lose the part.

  Jase tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable in the too-short and too-narrow bunk. Rain pounded against the window panes as thunder shook the building clear down to the foundation. At some point they lost power, and the air became hot and muggy. His thoughts paraded in circles for hours as Jase stared at the ceiling that was only a few feet from his face and took a deep breath.

  Eventually the storm died down and the air conditioner kicked on with a hum. Jase must’ve fallen asleep, because feet shuffling against the wood floor brought him back to the present. The air was finally a manageable temperature again, and his blanket was a wad at the foot of his bed.

  Jase rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he heard the open and close of the bathroom door and clicks of cowboys switching on their phones. Soft snores still filled the space, mixed in with the quiet stirs of morning. Jase illuminated his cell just enough to see the time. 4:49. Mason said most men woke up around five.

  Jase shouldn’t be surprised that his mother had weaseled her way onto the production team and was trying to take control of his career. After all, she’d been doing that since he was a baby. Her entire life revolved around Hollywood, and by extension so had his. Only recently had he stopped to consider whether it was what he really wanted.

  One month. His chest tightened. He’d been at Star Ranch for less than twenty-four hours, but already he didn’t want to leave. His thoughts drifted to Cassidy and the way she’d stormed off at dinner. Her tantrum went beyond someone who simply didn’t like actors. Would he be able to figure out her story in only a month?

  The worst part of the whole situation was that his mother was right—it was irresponsible to delay production for four months of research. No one loved their job one hundred percent of the time, and he certainly wasn’t exempt from that. This film might just be the one to help him regain his spark. He would throw himself into research, and when the time came to return to Hollywood, he’d do so without a backward glance.

  Time to pony up, cowboy, he thought, and grinned wryly at how country the phrase sounded. He was here to research a role so he could hopefully do a performance worthy of an Oscar win and not just a nomination. Intriguing women like Cassidy weren’t part of the plan.

  The men didn’t say much as they got ready for the day. Jase took a quick shower in one of the empty stalls in the communal bathroom, then made his way to the dining room. Biscuits and gravy, hash browns, eggs, and bacon were spread out buffet-style on the counter. Jase grabbed a plate and eagerly loaded up, his stomach growling loudly. He hadn’t eaten much last night, despite Sara’s excellent cooking. Uncomfortable conversations had a way of killing even the most ravenous appetites. Cassidy’s shoulders had radiated tension and her brow had furrowed in agitation as the meal dragged on.

  He hoped he’d get another chance to sample Sara’s cooking. Maybe, at some future date, he’d even enjoy that meal with a Cassidy who was thrilled to sit beside him.

  Jase sat down at the silent dining room table, feeling like an intruder. A few of the cowboys flicked glances his direction. Jase wondered if they were usually this quiet in the morning, or if his presence had changed the routine. Forks scraped against plates and chair legs dragged across the floor.

  Maybe Randy Erickson
had told the cowboys not to bother Jase, and they’d taken an extreme interpretation of that. Or maybe they just weren’t super chatty. Best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and break the ice.

  He turned to the boy beside him and stuck out a hand. “I’m Jase.”

  “Brighton.” The kid took his hand and shook it firmly. He had a baby face with no signs of a beard and couldn’t be more than nineteen. But his faded red flannel shirt and stained cowboy hat said this was someone not afraid of hard work. “You’re that actor that’s studying up for a movie, right?”

  “That’s right. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

  The boy lifted a shoulder in a shrug and shoveled a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

  Jase took his own bite of food, barely holding back a groan at the explosion of flavors that hit his tongue. He swallowed, wiping at his mouth with a napkin. “So, how long have you been working here?”

  Another shrug. “A few months I guess. Trying to save up money so I can go to college in the fall.”

  Interesting. Jase opened his mouth to ask another question, but a heavy hand landed on his shoulder Jase looked up into the sun-worn face of Mason glaring down at him.

  “Are you ready for today?” Mason asked, the words a growl. His cowboy hat hung low on his forehead and his eyes were narrowed to slits.

  Jase glanced at Brighton, who quickly turned back to his plate of food. Was Mason a harsh taskmaster, or was Brighton just not supposed to be talking to Jase?

  “More than ready,” Jase said, keeping his voice light and friendly. “I can’t wait to dive into ranch life.”

  “It’s hard work that a city boy like you won’t be used to, so I hope you can keep up. We’ve got a lot to get through today.”

  Jase blinked, surprised at the accusatory tone. He’d thought he’d been imagining Mason’s dislike of him, but apparently not. “I promise I won’t slow you down. I know how to get my hands dirty.”

  Mason grunted. “That storm last night took out a huge section of fencing and lots of cattle got loose. Some men are already out rustling them up. You and me will be repairing a section of fence in the north field.”