The way he felt about Cassie hit a whole other stratosphere.He was older now, more mature.He’d lived a long time without feeling anything other than passing physical attraction.Attraction was a good first step in dating, but wasn’t the kind of force that lasted through good times and bad.It faded.There had to be real substance behind a pretty face to turn into something more.
A cell buzzed.Everyone jumped to check their screen.
“It’s Conrad,” Nikki said, holding the winning phone.“He’s running late but will be here in a few minutes.”
The collective sigh of relief in the room could have been heard in space.
“I’ll wait outside,” Nikki said.She and Conrad had been put through the ringer after her father, the family’s attorney and Beaumont’s running buddy, had been murdered in the Sturgess barn.To make matters worse, Conrad had been accused of the murder.The two had joined forces to clear his name and find the person responsible so they could be brought to justice.The murderer had turned out to be Nikki’s stepfather.Despite the bad circumstances, Nikki and Conrad had found their way to each other and fell head over heels in love.
Hudson would never have believed any of his brothers would willingly walk down the aisle if you’d asked him six months ago.Now?Four had found their soulmates.
Beau checked his cell and frowned.
“Everything all right over there?”Hudson asked his half-brother.
Beau shifted in his seat.“Family stuff.Nothing to worry about.”
“You sure?”
“Stuff with my mom,” Beau said.“She’s disappeared on me before, but never this long.”
“Do you need to go find her?”Kade jumped in.“Because we can handle things on the ranch until you get back if you need to take leave.”
Beau checked his screen again.His tight expression, coupled with a long pause, said he was weighing his options.“That’s probably not a bad idea.”
“Take whatever you need,” Kade said before holding up his cell.“And keep us posted so we don’t worry.”
Confusion showed up in the lines on Beau’s forehead.“I highly doubt anyone at this table would worry about me the way you do with each other.I’ll just pack a few things and then head out.”
“Beau…” Chloe said as he got up, then disappeared down the hall.She glanced around the table.“He’s right, you know.We don’t include him in much, and he’s proven himself time and time again to be loyal to this family.”
Kade bristled.“Excuse me for not hugging the man and singing Kumbaya.”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Kade.You’re still pissed at him.”
“Loyalty and respect are earned,” Kade said.“He needs to give it time.”
“It’s not his fault Beaumont was a cheating asshole,” Chloe pointed out.
“Well, it’s not mine, either.”Kade and Beau were close enough in age to prove that Beaumont had cheated on his pregnant wife.
Hudson needed to get this meeting back on track before it spiraled.“Guys, we need to focus on the reason we’re here.”
Kade issued a sharp sigh.“You’re right.”
Chloe conceded with a nod.She turned to Cassie, who was taking it all in.“What do you think about moving into the main house for a while?”
“I…uh…guess I haven’t given it any consideration,” Cassie said.“But, now that I’m here, I think it would be best if I led Jarek away from Rescue Ridge altogether.”
Cassie was always ready to run.Could he convince her to stick around?
10
Watching the family dynamic unfold before Cassie’s eyes was interesting.She felt for Beau.She felt for everyone else.The one person she didn’t feel bad for was Beaumont.Death sounded like too good an end for a man who’d deserved prison time for abusing this amazing group of people.
The thought of Jarek abusing another woman sat hard in her chest.Cassie had escaped, and she might even succeed in staying away from that man for the rest of her life.What about the next woman he dated?And the next?
Who would protect them?