Chapter Six
The moment his mother’s arms wrapped around Cassidy, every anxious nerve in his body relaxed.
He hadn’t realized how tense he’d been until that simple gesture of acceptance.
His mom didn’t ask questions, didn’t demand explanations—she just welcomed.
That was Alice Sweet in a nutshell. The front door hadn’t even clicked shut behind them before Alice was herding them toward the kitchen, the scent of pot roast and something warm and cinnamon-spiced wrapping around Kade like the hug his mother had just bestowed on Cassidy.
His mom was most definitely in her element, a whirlwind of happy energy as she pulled out glasses for tea.
Her easy acceptance was the best-case scenario.
“May I help?” Cassidy eased away from Kade and moved toward his mother.
“Nonsense. For today, you’re a guest. Tomorrow you can help.”
Cassidy glanced at him, looking for what?
Approval, advice? Not sure what she wanted, he nodded, smiled, and she immediately returned to his side.
Apparently, silent communication between married people began early in a relationship regardless of how strong that relationship was.
And wasn’t that an interesting little discovery.
“I suppose we’ll have to set you two up. You certainly can’t spend your honeymoon in his old room.”
“Mom,” he practically groaned.
“What?” His mother stopped short and spun around to face Kade. “This is your honeymoon. I mean, how long have you been married—two days?”
And so the questions were about to begin. “We were married day before yesterday,” Kade volunteered before Cassidy could.
His mom bobbed her head, seemed to relax. “Yes, well, I’ll talk to Jillian, see how long…”
“No need.” Jillian came in the back door.
“Blake and I are moving the last of our things over to the new house.” Casually, she strolled over to her brother and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then turned to face her new sister-in-law.
“Welcome.” Then so no one could see, she mouthed, “Thank you.”
And now the true rapid fire of questions began. Placing two tall glasses of tea on the table, his mom gestured for everyone to take a seat. “So, how did you two meet?”
To her credit, Cassidy smiled sweetly. “Kade rescued me.”
Alice froze mid motion.
“From a drunk.”
Now his mom blinked, her gaze narrowed in confusion.
“I’m—I mean, I was a dealer at a casino. This one drunk was losing and getting rather…obnoxious. When he grabbed my hand, your son intervened.” He had no idea if she was truly that grateful or one hell of an actress, but she turned to level her gaze with his that actually had Jillian sighing.
“Okay.” His mother smiled. “My son played knight in shining armor.”
Blushing, Cassie nodded. “Since he only had one day in town, and I was off shift, it seemed that the least I could do was show him around town.”
More questions came at them as more siblings came through the door, each trying rather unsuccessfully to deflect their mother. By sticking to the truth, it was pretty easy to get through the inquisition, but Kade noticed Cassidy’s smile becoming just a fraction tighter with each inquiry.
The corners of Alice Sweet’s mouth curled into a huge grin. “So what you’re telling me is that this was love at first sight.”
“Really, Mom,” Rachel interrupted while Kade and Cassie once again glanced at each other, not wanting to lie, but needing to keep up the charade.
On a deep sigh, Alice’s smile slipped. “At least tell me if it was a nice wedding?”
Pushing to his feet, he looked to his mother. “You know how much you love Elvis Presley music?”
His mom nodded.
“Well, then you would have loved the ceremony. Now, if it’s okay with you, I thought I’d take Cassidy to the barn, show her what she’s getting into.”
His teasing tone had his mother grinning even wider. “Of course. Dinner won’t be ready for a bit more. Take your time.”
He led her out the back door, the screen door slapping shut behind them. Cassidy hesitated beside him, her gaze sweeping over the sprawling landscape, over the horses roaming in the paddock, the cows and their new offspring grazing in the distance. Sheer reverence and awe shone in her eyes.
“Ever seen a cow before?”
Her head shifted left then right. “Only in pictures. Same with horses.”
“Hey,” Preston called from just outside the barn, walking briskly to catch up to them.
“Sorry. I really wanted to be back at the house before you got here to help run interference with Mom. But we had a mare reject her foal and I’ve been scrambling.
” He came to a stop in front of Cassidy. “Welcome to the family, and thank you.”
Her one brow lifted but nodding slightly all she said was “thank you.”
Preston turned to face him. “How did Mom take it?”
“Better than I thought. Though, I suspect the questions are going to get tougher before they get easier.”
“Agreed. We’ll help where we can. As we’ve done with the rest of us, you two will have the master. King bed makes the charade a little easier to handle.” His gaze drifted to Cassidy and back to Kade. “That is unless true congratulations are in order?”
Resisting the urge to tackle his brother for putting her on the spot like that, he took a deep breath before responding to his brother through tightly clamped teeth. “It’s business. Temporary.”
“Got it.” Preston nodded. “I’d better go clean up for dinner. Hear what Mom has to say after greeting you two.”
“Thanks.” Kade hugged his brother. “For everything.”
“You know us.” He stepped out of the embrace. “One for all and…”
“All for one,” Kade finished, took hold of Cassidy’s hand and proceeded toward the barn. They walked a few feet before he spoke without looking at her. “Do you mind this?” He lifted their clasped hands.
“No,” she responded without hesitation.
“We’re going to have to play the part for Mom. Little things like this need to be natural.”
“Of course.”
Inside the barn, a few of the horses poked their heads over their stall doors, dark eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Her eyes wide, Cassidy moved slowly, cautiously, as if having entered the sacred halls of a grand cathedral. Her voice low and soft, she glanced up at him. “They’re beautiful.”
That was not what he’d expected, even though he agreed that horses were some of the most majestic animals on earth.
Pausing at the first stall, her hand slowly moved forward, palm up, letting the horse sniff her hand as if she were approaching a skittish canine. When the horse kissed her palm, she giggled. Not a lick of fear in her. That was a good thing, for the most part.
“This is Boots. She’s one of the gentlest horses on the ranch.
” At least she used to be. A pang of something akin to regret or perhaps shame washed over him at the realization that he had no clue if the ranch had acquired gentler, sweeter animals.
“Next time we’ll bring some apples or carrots.
I have a feeling you’ll have them all eating out of your hand in no time, both literally and figuratively. ”
“I’d like that.”
And he liked that she seemed to be taking so much in stride. Though it hurt him to think that was probably a long-ago acquired skill learned from years of being passed around from family to family, never knowing what situation she might be tossed into.
In the distance he heard Carson calling from the house. “Table’s set. We’re all ready to gnaw on wood.”
Cassidy frowned and Kade bit back a laugh. “I think that’s our cue to face more music.”
Her shoulders straightened and some of the light in her eyes gave way to a hint of nervous anticipation.
“It’ll be fine. You’re doing great.”
“Thank you. I’m trying.”
“And succeeding.”
They’d barely set foot in the kitchen when his nephew Mason flew across the room and skidded to a halt in front of him and Cassidy. “Are you Uncle Kade’s new wife?”
Cassidy blinked, then quickly gathered her composure and squatted to his height. “I am.”
“I want a cousin. Are you going to have a baby?”
The room erupted. Alice gasped, half-horrified, half-amused. Jess swooped in to scoop up her son, her cheeks a bright, furious red. “Mason! We do not ask people questions like that!”
Carson was laughing so hard he had to lean against the wall for support.
Gathering his own composure, he leaned in to answer for her, when to his surprise, she smiled at the presumptive boy.
“Well,” she said, her voice full of gentle gravity, “I guess we’ll just have to see, won’t we?”
The dining room was a master class in controlled chaos, a world away from the quiet, solitary meals Cassidy was used to.
Standing in the doorway, she took in the sheer magnitude of the nightly event, the long expanse of polished wood, the mismatched chairs that somehow all fit together, the platters of food being set on the table.
So many people. She’d practiced the names of the siblings and their spouses before leaving Vegas, on the plane, and on the drive to the ranch, yet she still wasn’t sure she could remember who was who without fumbling at least a name or two—or three.
“Kade, take your regular place by Preston. Cassie, you sit to Kade’s other side.”
Nodding her head, she turned toward Kade.
His hand found the small of her back, guiding her forward when her feet seemed reluctant to cooperate.
He pulled out a chair for her, waited until she sat, then settled into the seat beside her.
That small gesture made the overwhelming tableau slightly more manageable.
Still a tad terrifying, but manageable. It helped knowing everyone at the table, except for Mrs. Sweet, knew the truth of their arrangement.
What none of them knew, however, was how many nights she’d dreamed of a family just like this one. Loud, close, and there for each other.
Mrs. Sweet sat at the head of the table. “Pass the potatoes down, Carson. Garret, don’t let that gravy bowl sit there getting cold.”