Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

Cassie tried to put on a good face for Presley and get through the afternoon. Easton took them on a horseback ride in the snow. Presley loved riding with her ‘prince cowboy’. It was adorable. Cassie took a lot of pictures from her horse. She’d missed riding. It was something she and Easton had done together often. She hadn’t been on a horse in ten years. Easton kept giving her beseeching looks, and she had to pretend she didn’t notice, instead focusing on the views and the crisp, beautiful day. She was a mess about him—angry, longing for him, wishing he was right and hadn’t cheated on her. But the proof was indelibly seared into her brain.

After the horseback ride, they went back to Easton’s and ate the leftover fajitas he’d promised her the day before. They were delicious. It was mind-blowing that the playboy cowboy was living in her dream home, cooked, was a secret warrior, and for all intents and purposes appeared wholly devoted to her and her daughter. If only he hadn’t cheated on her. If only he wasn’t lying about cheating on her. Maybe they could move past it. If he would just admit the truth and apologize and swear on the Holy Bible not to cheat again.

Tomorrow were the weddings, so they’d be swamped all day. She’d wanted to do a dress rehearsal as she usually did, but Eva Chevron and Miles weren’t flying in until tonight. The families had a family luncheon planned before the wedding at Mama Millie’s. Then they’d have the weddings at the church and a party with food and desserts at Clint’s home. It was untraditional. A few weeks ago, she’d found it intriguing that they wouldn’t have the larger party here at Mama Millie’s. Now that she knew about the protection details at the ranch, it made sense.

If she could just get through the weddings, maybe Clint would find Baxter, and then what? It would be a huge burden gone to know Baxter was in prison and not after her and Presley or hurting anyone else, but she was damaged by Easton continuing to lie about cheating on her. It overshadowed everything else. Maybe he truly thought he wasn’t lying. Maybe he didn’t even remember cheating on her with that redhead. How many redheads and magazine photos had there been over the years that he couldn’t remember one specific woman?

Ugh! Where did all this stirred up contention in her heart leave her? She had no desire to go back to Syracuse. They had church friends, and Presley’s daycare ma and pa were great, but there weren’t any lasting connections there. Easton was the deepest connection for her. She had no desire to leave him, and she didn’t want to rip Presley away from him, no matter how angry she was.

Yet she’d have to. If they had no trust, they didn’t have a relationship. And she didn’t trust him where beautiful women were concerned. It ripped her heart in two.

Coming back to Coleville, with the exception of finding her mother dead and dealing with Trudy Everett, had been wonderful. The people had welcomed her and being around the Lillywhites and the Colevilles made her feel like she had family and people that would do anything for her and her daughter. If only she could find a spot here and raise Presley around people who cared deeply for them, but there was no need for a wedding planner in a town this small. She could go to Kalispell, but why would she want to stick around, be close to the playboy magnet, and have her heart broken time and again by Easton Coleville?

He was the love of her life; she knew that as deeply now as she had at eighteen. But just like when she’d driven away at eighteen and despaired that they’d ever be together, now she knew they couldn’t be. It was one thing to have different dreams and career paths. It was quite another for the man she loved to lie to her face and claim he’d never cheated on her.

After dinner they played some card games with Presley, but her little girl was fading fast. Her nap had been cut short by Cassie yelling at Easton. She felt badly that she’d gotten upset and yelled, but he was so infuriating, and her heart was breaking again just realizing they couldn’t be together. She said a prayer in her heart to be forgiving. Even if she could forgive him, she couldn’t forget and put herself and Presley in a situation where they could easily be burned by his womanizing tendencies and lack of taking anything seriously.

Yet he’d taken her and Presley’s protection very seriously. He’d dropped all his teenage slang but still been warm and fun. Though he teased with Presley nonstop, their relationship already felt deep and serious, almost like a father and daughter.

Her stomach flip-flopped at that idea. Could the bull-riding, flirtatious, too-enticing Easton Coleville be the father for her daughter and husband for herself she’d longed for?

Easton scooped her little girl up in his arms and they both smiled at Cassie. Her heart missed a beat. He looked like the most alluring daddy of an angelic little girl on the planet.

“How about I sing and pray with Presley while you get done anything you need to for the weddings tomorrow?”

“Okay,” she agreed. “Don’t forget to brush your teeth, sweetheart.”

“I know,” Presley drawled like a teenager.

Cassie appreciated the help with bedtime. She’d never experienced that as a mother. It meant a lot. There were some details she wanted to check on and some emails and texts to respond to. Though, allowing him to put Presley to sleep would leave her vulnerable. She’d planned to put her daughter to sleep and hide out in their room all night.

“Let me kiss my mama,” Presley requested.

Easton came close, and the look in his eyes made her heart stop. It was partly his normal sexy smolder and partly a yearning for her that pulled the breath from her body.

Presley kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, my Mama!”

“I love you, my girl.”

Cassie might not have a lot in her life, but she had her daughter, and for that she’d even thank the nightmarish Baxter.

“Hold that thought, Cass.” Easton said the words like a promise.

Her pulse sped up. How was she supposed to stay immune to him? What about the redhead he’d kissed? Had he come up with some excuse to try to smooth it over? Had he even remembered the incident? If he couldn’t remember, did that mean he’d cheated on her countless times in those four years she was at university and hoped she’d never find out? He couldn’t hide his sins.

Cassie opened her laptop and tried to focus. She at least tapped out the emails and texts she needed. Mostly she stewed and prayed about how to respond to Easton. Could she possibly guard her heart? Could she believe him if he had some plausible excuse for cheating on her? She could forgive him for dating all those other women after they broke up. He didn’t know that she’d come for him at that rodeo and seen him with a woman in each beautiful arm. That wasn’t his fault as they were broken up, no matter how it had hurt her and sealed her decision to not turn to Easton again and to marry Baxter.

A rap came on the door. She startled and stood, walking toward the door.

The door opened upstairs and Easton rushed out. “Cassie, wait. We don’t know who that is.”

“Oh. Right.” She turned and hurried upstairs, passing him on the stairs.

He gave her an encouraging smile. “Probably just one of my brothers, but we have to keep you safe.”

“Thanks.” She hurried into Presley’s room, loving how diligent he was about their safety and knowing he was tough enough to protect them.

Presley was sitting up. “I want my Easton.”

Cassie smiled and closed the door. The room plunged into darkness. “He’ll be right back, sweetie. I’ll sing to you.”

“No fun, but otay. ”

Cassie smiled and lay down on the bed next to Presley. Life without Easton was only fun because of Presley, but it was what she was reconciled to. She started singing, wondering who was there to visit. She heard the rumble of male voices.

Easton didn’t come for her. Presley fell asleep, and Cassie stood and walked to the door. Quietly opening it, she listened.

It sounded like his younger brothers. Could she go out there? Would he want her to? Earlier she’d been trying to think how to avoid spending more time with him tonight, but now she was the one instigating it. She was a mess. But if it was his brothers, they’d be a buffer.

She eased toward the balcony and spotted Easton, Rhett, and Houston. Easton’s gaze darted to her, his blue eyes warm. “Cass.”

“Cassie!” Houston called. “No way. Nobody told us you still lived.”

Cassie smiled, but there was worry she wouldn’t live if Baxter found her. She held up a finger. Turning, she shut the door to the bedroom and then hurried down the stairs. As soon as she reached the landing, Houston and Rhett both rushed at her. They were the little brothers she’d always longed for. They were both all grown up, strong, handsome, and towered over her. They took turns giving her bear hugs, lifting her off her feet, exclaiming about how pretty she was. She felt like she was with the family she’d always wanted.

“Okay, you two.” Easton shook his head. “Calm down and give Cassie some breathing room.”

“You weren’t even going to tell us she’s here? Keeping her all to yourself,” Rhett accused.

Easton held up his hands. “Sue me. Would you want to share your beautiful girlfriend with your annoying little brothers?”

Cassie choked on a protest about that term. She was far from his girlfriend.

“Even Mama didn’t spill the beans,” Rhett said. “But she is consumed with the weddings.”

“Come sit with us,” Houston requested. “We want to hear about your life the past ten years.”

Cassie’s insides froze. She looked to Easton. He gave her an encouraging smile. She looked from Rhett to Houston, both impressive men, no longer the teasing and rowdy teenagers she remembered. She’d heard from Daisy that Rhett was a successful general contractor and Houston was almost done with his medical residency. She wondered if Houston knew about the huge crush Daisy had on him. It was hilarious but sad that the verbose Daisy claimed she couldn’t form a coherent sentence when he ‘lit up her world with those blue eyes’.

“I’d rather hear about you two,” she said, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Easton sat right next to her, slipping his arm around her and drawing her against his side for good measure. She went hot all over, contradicting the chill from a moment ago.

“No, no, no.” Rhett settled his large frame in an easy chair. “You first. All I do is deal with homeowners, sub-contractors, and pound in nails.”

Cassie knew there was a lot more to building custom homes than that.

“For sure.” Houston sat on the loveseat. “My life is boring. Unless you’re into medical terms and procedures, I doubt you want to hear about residency, or my three days off a month where I mostly catch up on exercise and sleep.”

“Three days off in addition to weekends?” she asked.

“No. Three days off total. ”

“Yikes.” Cassie found herself cuddling into Easton. “When do you date?”

“Ha.” Houston shook his head. “Dating. Only Easton has time to date a hundred different women.”

She stiffened against him. Easton ran his hand along her shoulder, and she instantly calmed. How could he have such a profound effect on her when she knew she had to keep her guard up?

“Not now that my perfect woman is back,” Easton said.

He was pushing her boundaries. Their last conversation had been a yelling match. What show was he putting on for his brothers? But she couldn’t bring herself to pull away from his warmth and strength.

“Good for you two,” Rhett said.

“What about you, Rhett?” Cassie redirected. There was no ‘you two’. “Are you dating all of Kalispell?”

Rhett chuckled at that. “I’ve met a few nice ladies at church, but there aren’t a lot of intriguing women in the construction industry.”

“That surprises me,” Cassie teased. She relaxed more fully into Easton. She’d had so many crazy and fun adventures with these three and Walker. They all teased with her, but it was Easton she was drawn to and the only one she wanted to hug and kiss. Her pulse sped up and she thought of his husky voice saying, ‘Hold that thought’ as he gave her a meaningful look with those blue eyes.

No. She couldn’t. No sharing ‘that thought’ tonight.

“Back to you,” Rhett said. “Where have you been? What brought you home finally? Not this playboy.” He pointed at Easton.

Cassie’s stomach rolled. Even his brothers called him a playboy.

“Again. Finished with that,” Easton growled at his brother.

“What’s up with no teenage lingo?” Houston asked.

Easton shrugged. “Cassie and Presley have inspired me. I’m a mature and committed man now.”

Cassie had noticed the lack of teenage lingo. He was committed to their safety. Could she beg for more?

“Um, bro …” Houston looked from Cassie to Easton. “You just claimed you’re with your perfect woman. Who is Presley?”

Cassie and Easton looked at each other and burst into laughter. They sobered and looked back to Houston and Rhett, who both had rock-hard jaws and clenched fists.

“I don’t understand what’s funny about him talking about another woman around you,” Rhett said.

“Presley is Cassie’s daughter,” Easton explained.

Houston’s eyebrows shot up. “You have a daughter?”

“Yes.”

“She’s the most adorable little girl in the history of the world,” Easton proclaimed.

Cassie lit up at his words. She felt their sincerity and loved him despite herself.

“Okay, bro.” Rhett smirked at him. “Time to hand over the man card.”

“Yeah,” Houston added. “I know you’re in love and all, but no sarcasm or teenage lingo and dialing up the sappiness is a bit of overload.”

“I love it,” Cassie admitted.

Easton tugged her closer and kissed her forehead. “All I care about is what you think,” he whispered against her skin.

Cassie didn’t know how to resist him any longer. Would she be the world’s biggest fool if she let down her guard and he could convince her he hadn’t cheated?

“Let’s take that man card by force,” Rhett declared.

Cassie laughed. She thought his sappy words were the best lines she’d ever heard. But then her stomach clenched. What if they were only lines?