Chapter 1

Cassidy

Present Day

Isigh as I pull up to the trailer I'm currently living in with my mom. Coming home has sucked, but my folks needed me after Daddy got hurt while at work, so here I am, in BFE, also known as the North Georgia mountains, struggling to find my place in the community again.

I hear the whispers whenever I'm at work as a clerk in the grocery store and know that even a decade later, folks still think mine and Cade's ‘broken love story' is something to gossip about. As for me, I keep my mouth shut and my head held high. I wasn't the one who broke their promise. Nope, that was him. And now that he is rich and famous and I am still just me, I'm sure the gossips have a shitload to say about that as well.

Turning off my car, I get out then grab the bags of groceries I'd snagged so I can make dinner. Now that it's just me and Mom, she relies on me for pretty much everything. I know she's grieving the loss of my father, just like I am, but it's as if she's completely shut herself off from everything, which means I'm doing practically everything these days. Honestly, it's starting to wear me down. I mean, here I am, allegedly in the prime of my life and all I have to show for it is… well, nothing, actually. No great job, no boyfriend, no kids… nada, zip, zilch. Determined not to let my current thoughts get me down, I close the door and make my way inside.

"Hey, Mom," I call out.

I'm never sure what kind of mood I'll find her in, but looking around, it seems like today has been a good day . The trailer, never really dirty to begin with, sparkles and smells lemony fresh and I know she's been cleaning. Good. I didn't want to deal with that on top of making dinner and trying to figure out if we had enough to pay the bills this month. We're waiting on a settlement from the accident that took my daddy from us, but it's taking forever, like these things seem to do. In the meantime, we're eating lean and I'm taking every shift I can to make sure that I keep the lights on, and our cell phone bills paid. Thankfully, the land and trailer are owned free and clear, but taxes are looming as well, and I'm pretty sure the septic tank is due to be emptied or whatever it is that those folks do. I'm definitely grateful for our local food pantry, which is phenomenal. Not only do we get to come in twice a month, but right now, we're getting farm fresh eggs, along with venison that some local hunters had processed then donated. Since I know she's in a good mood, I put a smile on my own face, something I've learned to do since Daddy died.

"Hi, sweetie!" Mom singsongs as she comes from the back hallway. "Got some news today."

She seems to have a glow about her, something that's been missing for a long time. I notice that she's taken pains to do her hair, and if I'm not mistaken, she's even wearing makeup.

"Oh yeah?" I ask.

"Yeah, the attorney called, and they got the settlement check in today! We can go into town tomorrow and get that taken care of if you don't have to work."

I quickly think about my schedule and realize that I work the afternoon shift. "As long as we can go first thing, it shouldn't be a problem, Mom. I don't go in until twelve."

"Oh, that's great. I'll go call him back and let him know, okay?" she questions, already turning back toward her room.

"That's fine, Mom. How's spaghetti for dinner sound?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll give you a hand in a few minutes."

I nod even though she's already left the room and then set about getting dinner prepared. Sounds like I need to pull out our budget and see what we can take care of right away so that we can rest easy.

Right now, I'm grateful that despite my dad's income, we always lived somewhat frugally. However, even though he had a Worker's Compensation claim, my mom had to dip into their savings for things that were denied. I know the attorney has all those receipts, as well as the ones from the funeral home.

Thank goodness for my college fund, I think as I stir the ground beef after adding some spices. I was in my second year, and had a scholarship which covered most of my expenses, but my parents had saved and what I didn't use while in college went to various bills to ensure we continued to have a roof over our heads.

* * *

I'm lost in my thoughts when my phone rings.

"Cass, did you hear that he's back in town?" Mags, my best friend, asks, when I answer the phone.

"Who's back in town?" I inquire.

"Cade."

"Um, no, didn't hear that little tidbit today while working." Guess the gossips only like talking about me, not to me. Go figure. Bunch of nattering old biddies anyhow!

"He's apparently divorced now and came home to help Jared take over his dad's law firm," she says.

"He's back to help his dad run the firm? Can he be a lawyer in this state? I thought he was some hot shot out west somewhere?"

Well, fuck me running, I sure didn't see that one coming. Well, I guess I did in a way, the whole Knox clan are lawyers and if the rumor mill is true, Cade had been a very successful attorney out west somewhere. Didn't matter where because as far as I was concerned, he was a lying, hideous snake of a man. Gee, that makes me sound a bit bitter, doesn't it? Well, maybe I am. After all, less than six months after he left, he was married. To someone else, not me. Glad I held onto that V-card because obviously my love meant nothing.

Of course, I still have the damn thing, but that has more to do with the fact I'm beyond leery where the opposite sex is concerned. Who can blame me?

"I guess so, otherwise, he wouldn't be working there, right?"

"How the hell should I know?" I retort.

"Down, Tiger, it's not me you're mad at, remember? You gonna see him?" she asks.

"Why? That ship sailed a long time ago, Mags."

It sailed, then ran into an iceberg, burst into flames and sank into the depths. Any bit of love I thought I had for one Cade Knox died the day I heard he got married. I was supposed to be his one and only. Guess the allure of money and status meant more to him than me. Although… living in a small town, it's probable that we'll eventually run into one another, so it's a good thing Mags is warning me. I can shore up my defenses, so to speak, for that inevitable confrontation.

"He's single again, Cass," she states.

"Again, that ship sailed the minute he said ‘I do' to someone else. You know this."

"There aren't many other options." This, unfortunately, is true. I love this small town, gossips notwithstanding, but the ratio of single men to women is dismal. I'm definitely not one of those new age women either, who swipes left or right on a match.

"So, I'm supposed to suck up to an ex because the pickings are slim here? Thanks, but no thanks. I'll take out stock in the battery company and order what I need online before I'll ever go down that road. Besides, he's used to the fancier things in life nowadays and I'm just me."

"Oh, Cass, you're more than that, my friend. You're smart, funny and beautiful. Any man would be tickled to have you as their one and only."

"From your mouth to God's ear," I mutter somewhat sarcastically.

"What?" she questions, not having heard me.

"Never mind, I gotta run. We're seeing the attorney in the morning. The settlement check has finally come in."

"Hallefuckinluyah!" she screams into the phone.

"And… now that I'm deaf, I'm gonna let you go."

"Love you, Cass. Chin up, better days are ahead."

"Ditto, Mags. Talk to you tomorrow, yeah?" I miss her but the internship she got meant a move nearly one thousand miles away. She'll be done soon, though, and coming back here to come work for our local vet.

* * *

I look at the sign on the building and cringe inside. Knox, Knox, Knox, and Martin, Attorneys at Law, is on one of those nice, bronze plaques next to the door. Taking a deep breath, I smile at Mom and say, "C'mon, let's go see what they've got for you to sign."

"Oh, honey, this is it, I can feel it in my bones," Mom replies, walking alongside me.

I can see the weight of all we've been through practically dissolve the closer we get to the door. Hopefully, she's not disappointed with the amount because I know it'll cause her to spiral into an ugly depression.

"Maybe we can find someplace better to live now."

I nod even though my heart isn't in it because really, there aren't too many better places that we'd be able to afford. At least she owns the trailer outright, so there is that small blessing. Sure, it needs some exterior work, but before my dad got hurt, he had completely renovated the interior. So even if we can't do what she's hoping, maybe I can find a handyman to come out and put a nice sun porch on the back, and build a carport or something so I won't get soaked every time it rains.

Opening the door, I hear the subtle chime and look to my right where the receptionist is sitting. Great. Estella Graves is sitting there, a smirk on her face. She was the bane of mine and Mags' existence in high school, and it appears that she is relishing some kind of secret or something.

"You're here to see Mr. Knox?" she asks as we make our way to her desk.

"Yes, Estella," Mom replies, completely oblivious to the way Estella sneers at us.

"He'll be with you shortly."

We sit down and I idly flip through some celebrity magazine as we wait, wondering how long this is going to take and whether or not we can risk treating ourselves to a nice lunch before I have to get ready and go into work.

"Mrs. Smith?" a male voice calls out.

I look up and see… is that Jared? Holy hell, he has definitely filled out from the gawky teenager I remember. We both stand and head in his direction, and I work hard to keep a pleasant, ambivalent look on my face.

"Cassidy? Is that you?" he asks as we near his side.

"Hello, Jared, good to see you again," I say. Well, maybe not good. I tend to lump all the Knox siblings into the same group as their asshole older brother, Cade, but maybe that isn't fair. Especially given how divine he smells. In fact, he had done what he could to make my high school years tolerable after Cade left, even going so far as to take me to prom our senior year. Of all the Knox boys, I felt closest to Jared, who is a year older than me and a year younger than Cade. When Cade had gotten married, it was Jared who told me then held me while I cried.

Jared

Holy fucking hell! I knew she had moved back to town when her dad got sick, but I hadn't seen her at all. Sure, she works at the local grocery store, but it seems whenever I'm in there, she"s either off or on break, and I hadn't caught a glimpse of the woman I had crushed on hard years ago. Time has made her more beautiful, and I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that she likely hates all of us.

Thanks to Cade. Of course, my piece of shit brother is good at ruining things for others, he's done it all my life if I'm being totally honest with myself.

"You look beautiful, Cassidy," I murmur as she passes me. I see her eyes glance at me before a blush lightly colors her cheeks.

"Thank you. You're all grown up now, huh?" she asks. Yeah, in more ways than one if the tightening in my slacks is any indicator. Fuck, I've never had a woman affect me like her before.

"Yeah, that happens, y'know," I reply, chuckling a bit as I usher the two women into my office.

Hopefully, I can talk her into meeting me for coffee or something because I sure as hell want to see if what I felt all those years ago can grow into something else. She had always been kind to me when we were teenagers, even when my jackass of a brother was being, well, a jackass, and I have fond memories of taking her to the prom, as well as all the crazy movies we would go see. In fact, I think I spent as much time with her as my brother did when we were younger. She was a good friend back in the day; here's hoping I can rekindle that into something more.

Once they're both sitting in the chairs in front of my desk, I open up the file in front of me. Mr. Smith was in an industrial accident that ultimately caused his death, and it took several years to get what I felt the appropriate settlement would be from the company. Worker's Compensation covered their part, but he got injured and subsequently died due to the direct negligence of the company itself, so I went after them for all I could get. I knew they had struggled when he got hurt, and talked my dad into taking the minimum possible amount for our fee, wanting them to get the bulk of the money. It wasn't like I needed the money. We were pretty much the only game around and our reputation as a firm that would fight hard for their client meant we had plenty of billable hours elsewhere.

"Ladies, I hate that it took so long, but I feel we got the best possible settlement we could, all things considered," I state. "While it will never replace Mr. Wayne, the company has offered six million dollars."

I hear Mrs. Smith gasp and see Cassidy's face pale, before she asks, "How much will that be after attorney's fees?"

Looking at her, I reply, "Cassidy, we're taking a flat amount only. If I could have talked Dad into it completely, we wouldn't have taken anything at all...your dad was an important part of this community." I quickly do the math in my head, realize we've done about five hundred hours of work, multiply that by my hourly rate, then cut it in half. "We're taking seven thousand for our fee."

"That… that's not enough, Jared," she states. "I know y'all worked a lot on this case and there's no way that's enough."

"It's enough, Cassidy." I keep my voice firm. I won't back down no matter how hard she presses.

"Are you sure? I don't feel right… it seems like we're taking advantage or something."

"I'm positive. Now, Mrs. Smith, let's go over the release form, okay? I've read through it but want to explain anything you don't understand once you've gone over it."

* * *

It takes some time to explain the release and what it means, but eventually, we have all the release forms filled out, and I hand Mrs. Smith the certified check, minus our fees.

"Ladies, I won't say this was a pleasure, because I know that this money in no way brings Mr. Wayne back to you, but I'm glad we were able to help you get some remuneration for his loss."

"Jared, thank you for everything you've done to help Mom," Cassidy replies. "Now, if you don't need me for anything else, I need to get home so I can get ready for work."

I smile at her in what I hope is a reassuring way and say, "Would love to go get a coffee or something at some point, Cassidy. Maybe catch up."

Get caught up, tell her that I've been interested in her for years, see if we can start something. Tall order, I know, but I feel like I've been waiting on Cassidy forever.

"Are you sure you want to do that, Jared?" she asks.

"I'm positive. When are you available?" I decide to press the issue since her mom is giving me a grin that lets me know it's okay.

"I - uh - I work until six tonight," she says. "Maybe after?"

"That works. I'll come by and pick you up around six thirty?"

"I can just meet you if that would be easier."

Nope. Not happening. I want her in my truck; in my space. Have wanted that for years, ever since before prom actually, and I plan to press the issue.

"I'll pick you up, Cass. It's no problem." Seeing that I won't relent, she finally shrugs, then stands to leave.

"I guess I'll see you then, Jared. Come on, Mom, I need to hurry now."

I glance at the clock and realize that our meeting took longer than I anticipated and she's probably going to have to rush to get to work on time.

"If it's easier, I can drop her off for you," I suggest.

She's already dressed in her work uniform, other than her smock and I know they get those from their lockers. I'm not sure what else she has to get ready, unless she has to pack her lunch.

"I've got to grab my lunch, so I still have to go by the house. Thanks, though," she says, giving me a little smile.

I know I'm gone for her because I'm cataloging every little glance, smile, or statement she makes. I have most of her facial expressions already committed to memory. My goal now is to see how she looks after I've kissed her breathless and eventually, what she looks like as she comes. Dammit, I feel myself hardening again.

"Then I'll see you around six thirty," I reply, standing and praying that neither of them are paying attention to my erection that's pushed painfully against my zipper. If this keeps up, I'll have permanent imprints on my dick.

"See you then, Jared." With that, she stands and grabs her purse and heads for the door.