38. Cassidy
CASSIDY
Loading up an armful of books, I hobbled on one crutch over to the shelf, proud of how damn good I was doing. Every day that passed was getting a little easier to walk, and with that, the depression constantly weighing me down eased.
“I swear to God!” Alyssa snapped as she walked through the door. “Any more winter, and I’ll burrow in until summer. I’m so sick of the cold!”
“Then you moved to the wrong place,” I laughed, grateful she was here to keep me company. “Did you already finish up at the boutique?”
“Yeah, Ellie is closing up. She said she’d stop over here when she was done.”
“Closing up? Alone?”
“I know. I was shocked, too, but she seemed determined to do it.”
“Good for her. I didn’t think she’d get there so quickly, but I’m happy for her.”
“Me, too. I hope she doesn’t kick me out,” she winced. “Does that sound selfish?”
“No, I get where you’re coming from.”
Plopping down in the chair, she sighed heavily. “I just want something in my life to go right.”
I huffed in agreement at that. “Tell me about it.”
“Oh, please. You have that big, sexy man at your beck and call.”
“Not so much anymore. He’s back in the gym full-time. Not that I blame him, or that I’d want him at my beck and call. He’s doing what he loves, and I’m glad it’s working out for him.”
“Blah, blah, blah,” she chuckled. “I see your lips moving, but the words don’t make sense.”
“Well, what would you have me do? Follow him around like a puppy? That man is the least likely person I’ve ever met to be in a relationship.”
The bell rang as the door opened, followed by a gust of wind that had me pulling my sweater tighter around my chest.
“Oh my gosh! It’s so freaking cold!”
“I already said that,” Alyssa muttered. “She wasn’t too sympathetic.”
“How was it at the shop?” I asked, sliding another book on the shelf.
“It was really good,” Ellie smiled, taking a seat across from Alyssa. “It feels really nice to be back there. I thought that after everything, I might never want to step inside the shop again, but it’s definitely better for my mind than sitting at home.”
“Tell me about it. After the hit-and-run, sitting at home just made me relive it. I was constantly angry.”
“So, what time is Sam picking you up?”
“Not for another hour.” Glancing at the clock, I felt like the minutes were counting down to my death. “I’m so hungry. I can’t wait to be more mobile again.”
“Why don’t we order pizza?” Ellie suggested. “Ryder said he’s working late, so I don’t have to cook for him.”
“Ooh, that sounds good. Count me in,” Alyssa beamed.
“The menus are in my office.”
Ellie rushed back there just as the front door opened again, only this time, the customer was not someone I would welcome with open arms.
Alyssa’s eyes widened as Bianca strode through, looking around my shop with mild interest. My eyes instantly shot to Alyssa, signaling for her to keep Ellie busy in the back.
Ever since Bianca came to town, Ryder had been preoccupied with Ellie, not sparing a second of time for his ex.
I’d heard something about passport trouble, but hadn’t gotten the whole gist of why she was here.
As if she was thinking the same thing, she shot out of her chair and rushed back there.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Oh, I’m just getting the lay of the land. Someone told me this place was charming, so I thought I would check it out.”
“And is it?”
“Charming? Oh, everything in this town is. I think I’ll be quite happy here.”
I didn’t think she meant for me to hear that last part, but I ignored it against all my instincts and tried to figure out a way to get her out of the shop before Ellie saw her.
Then again, this was the perfect way to get information. “So, you’re new to town?”
“I’ve been here a while.”
“Staying on the ranch?”
“How did you know?” she asked, cocking her head suspiciously at me.
“Well, there aren’t many places to rent in town. The ranch is pretty much the only place to stay unless you’re at the motel. And most people don’t stay there.”
My explanation seemed to ease her distrust, so I forged ahead.
“So, what do you think of our town?”
“Interesting. Not nearly what I’m used to, but I could learn to love it.”
“Even the winter?”
“Well, that’s a little more than I want to deal with, but I think in time, I’ll head somewhere a little warmer.”
Interesting. “You’re not from the States.”
Her lips pursed in irritation. “What gave me away?”
God, she was a bitch. “Your accent. We don’t get many around here.”
“Well, I won’t be around too long, I hope. I’m just…waiting for things to fall in place.”
I bet she was. “Well, if there’s anything you need, let me know.”
She laughed politely, but I could see the disgust in her eyes. Our slice of heaven was not what she wanted. Which didn’t surprise me. From what Ellie told me, this woman wanted money, and she wouldn’t get rich out here while Ryder ran his law firm.
“Well, is there anything I can help you find?”
“Oh, I’m not much of a reader. Just out for a stroll.”
Of course she was. I could practically see the hole where information was missing in her head. I was a little mean when I was defending my friends, but this bitch didn’t deserve my sympathy.
“Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
I walked away, grinding my teeth in irritation. I would not walk over there and punch the smug look off that woman’s face. I wouldn’t do it. Never.
Luckily, the bell rang as she left the shop, making me a little less cranky now that her negative aura had vacated my shop.
Alyssa popped her head around the corner, and I gave her the all clear. That could have been really bad. Everyone in town needed to be aware of the leech walking around, disguising herself as the happy Brit. This was one piece of gossip I was happy to spread.
“You thought you could hide?” the man sneered, pressing the knife into her throat. “I found you, bitch. You’re coming home with me.”
Tears poured down Alyssa’s cheeks as she stumbled along with the man, trying to keep from slicing her own neck on the knife. “Will—”
“Shut up!” he hissed.
I took a step back, peering over my shoulder. If I ran hard, I could get to the police station across the street and get help. The man was distracted, barely paying any attention to me.
I caught Jeff’s eye and nodded as he looked in the same direction I just had. With one more step back, I turned on my heel and took off at a sprint across the street.
Bright lights blinded me as tires squealed. My breath hitched in my chest as I realized a car was headed straight at me. I dodged back to the sidewalk, but the car followed, his headlights pointed at my body.
For just a second, the lights were too close, and I saw directly through the windshield, right into the evil eyes of Austin Callahan as he grinned at me. My heart stuttered in my chest as I realized what was about to happen. There was nowhere to go, not as the car barreled down on me.
I could have sworn I heard my name shouted just as the car made impact and slammed into my hip. Pain shattered my body as I rolled over the hood and crashed into the windshield. My vision swam as I was thrown from the vehicle and hit the pavement with a crushing blow.
In the distance, I saw Sam pulling Alyssa from the man’s grip before towering over the man and slamming his fist into his face. She was safe.
I woke in a cold sweat, reaching for Sam in the darkness, but his side of the bed was empty.
Flinging the covers off, I shuffled to the edge of the bed and grabbed my crutches. My stomach churned as images of the car careening toward me flowed through my mind on repeat.
Making my way through the house, I looked in the bathroom, living room, and kitchen. Having exhausted all my options, it was clear. He wasn’t home.
With my cast off and my mobility easier than what it had been, Sam had been spending more and more time at the gym.
I couldn’t blame him. He was trying to get back into shape and ready for a match his manager had set up for him.
In a few months, he would be back at it, fighting in the ring and living a very different life than he was now.
And where would I be?
Over the past few weeks, since the cast was removed, I was nothing more than a roommate to him. Sex had nearly been non-existent. Exhaustion had him hitting the pillow from nearly the moment he walked through the door.
But I was proud of him.
Terrified of what this meant for his career.
I saw the footage from his last fight, how the other fighter had played dirty and taken him down.
I even zoomed in on his face, watched the pain shatter everything in his body.
There was nothing as terrifying to me as that moment, watching the man I was falling for hurt so badly.
Even if it happened before I ever knew him.
“He’s going to leave,” I murmured to myself.
Tears pricked my eyes at the realization. I had known it for a long time now, but waking up from such a horrible dream, only to reach for him and find his side of the bed empty, only reminded me of the inevitable.
It wouldn’t be long before he was gone, and the sooner I got used to being on my own, the easier it would be when he was thousands of miles away.
After I calmed down, I headed back to bed, thinking of anything other than the accident, though that did little to help.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those headlights.
Those evil eyes stared at me, taunted me.
I tossed and turned until I heard the front door open, but instead of getting up to greet Sam, I rolled to my side and feigned sleep.
It took Sam no time to drift off after showering and climbing into bed. While I stayed up most of the night, plagued by visions of the accident, Sam slept soundly beside me, completely unaware of the torment in my head.
And that was the way it was going to stay.
When I slipped out of bed early the next morning, groggy and crabby as hell, I knew last night was a turning point. Things needed to change around here, and I was the only one who could make those changes happen.
After grabbing my coffee, I opened my laptop and looked at listings in the area.
It wasn’t long before I found something suitable for Sam.
I just had to make sure I phrased it right, like it was a deal he couldn’t possibly turn down.
The house was a rental, which was perfect for him since he’d be on the road soon, and it was small enough that he didn’t have to worry about what was going on in my head.
It was definitely not a house for a family any larger than three.
That should dissuade him from any notions that I was house hunting for the two of us.
“What are you looking at?” he asked, surprising me as he leaned over my shoulder, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
“Houses.”
“For?”
I turned the screen to face him, and pointed to the small house situated at the edge of town, closer to the ranch. “This popped up. Isn’t it perfect?” I could feel his hesitation. “For you.”
“For me.”
Craning my neck, I finally turned to face him, making sure to plaster a smile on my face. “Yes. I mean, you can’t live in that mobile home forever. It’s too small, and when you go out of town, who’s going to watch over it?”
“Who would watch over this house?”
“It’s a rental,” I pointed out. “Kind of perfect.”
Walking around to my side of the couch, he sat beside me. “What is this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you looking for houses for me?”
“I wasn’t looking. I just came across it online. I know you don’t want to stay in that house on wheels.”
Confusion clouded his eyes at my words, but I pressed on. “I mean, come on. It’s not like you want to live in that thing forever. This way, you can rent the house and not worry about it when you go on the road.”
I didn’t dare mention that he could stay here. The whole point was to get him out of my house and out of my head as soon as possible. Only then could I truly get back to my old self, where I relied only on me for everything.
“I guess I could check it out.”
“Sooner rather than later. Rentals don’t come up that often.”
Shifting beside me, I knew what he was thinking before the words left his lips, but I was ready for this.
“You know, it’s almost like you’re trying to get rid of me.”
“Oh please,” I said, rolling my eyes. “We both know this was never meant to be a permanent thing. You only stayed here because I had a cast on my leg and Austin was on the loose. Both of those issues have been resolved.”
He didn’t argue, but I knew he was wondering what sparked this sudden conversation. I didn’t give him the chance to ask me about it. Getting to my feet, I gingerly stepped on my leg without the crutches, testing the weight.
“I have to get ready for work. Josie’s picking me up today.”
“I can drop you off,” he protested, getting to his feet.
“I know, but she’s bringing Alyssa to the shop today. It only makes sense that she picks me up.”
I pressed a quick kiss to his lips, smiling as if nothing was wrong, then turned for the bedroom. My leg was super weak from all the time in the cast, but according to the doctor, I could walk without crutches for small periods throughout the day until it no longer wore me out.
I focused on that, and the pain that accompanied putting pressure on my newly healed bones, instead of the man still standing in my living room. It would do me no good to think about someone who could never give me all of him.
And I wasn’t going to pretend anything different would ever come of our relationship.