“Not really. The more, the merrier.”

“Can we, Mom, can we?” Amiee pleaded.

Despite all her claims to the contrary, Cassie felt herself drawn in by the idea of spending time with Steve. “Okay.”

Amiee and Jeremy cheered wildly. They hugged enthusiastically and then raced around in tight circles. The little boy had certainly captured her daughter’s interest. Cassie hadn’t realized how well Amiee related to younger kids.

Steve handed Cassie a rake and she started cleaning up the yard, adding leaves and twigs to the bonfire pile.

“Are you sore from moving all that furniture?” she asked, as she gathered an armful of debris to deposit on the pile.

“A little,” he confessed. If he admitted that, it must mean he was aching from head to foot.

Keeping her head lowered, Cassie told him, “I’m really grateful for your help, Steve. I couldn’t have done it without you.” She wasn’t just referring to him driving there, and she hoped he knew it.

“Not a problem.” He brushed aside her appreciation. “It was something I wanted to do.”

“Because of Britt.” The words were out before she could censor herself. She added, “Because of what happened at the Sounders game?”

He didn’t answer right away. “Partially, I suppose but I …” He let the thought trail off without finishing.

They continued working side by side for a few more minutes in companionable silence. Then he said, “I won’t be around this next week.”

“Oh?” She experienced an instant sense of loss. She’d miss seeing him, although she couldn’t very well admit as much.

“I’m going to be working out of town for the next couple weeks.”

“But Saturday’s the Hoedown.” She wanted to bite back the words the minute they left her mouth.

He smiled. “No worries, I’ll be back in town for the Hoedown next Saturday.”

“I wasn’t worried,” she was quick to say, although it was a lie.

He chuckled. “I could tell.”

“I understand your construction company is one of the major sponsors.” She continued raking, as if getting every last twig and leaf was of immense importance.

“We are. You’ll be there, right?”

“I’m working at the event.” It would be a fun way to work off a few equity hours.

“But you won’t be working the entire time, will you?”

“I … I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“When you’re done with your shift, maybe you could save a dance for me … you know, us being friends and all.”

Cassie grinned. “Yes, I suppose I could manage that.”

“Good.” He continued to rake, but with far more enthusiasm than he had earlier.

Chapter 21

Tuesday evening Karen tossed her car keys into the basket just inside the garage door. Garth was busy in the kitchen fixing dinner—God bless him! For the last two weeks, he’d been home by the time she arrived. Seeing that he was salaried, his shorter hours hadn’t made a difference in his paycheck, thankfully.

“Hi, sweetie,” Garth said, looking up from the salad he was mixing. “How was work today?”

“Busy.” She reached over and grabbed a radish, munching it. “What about you?”

Garth expelled a sigh. “Okay, I guess. I’m still working on the Weyerhaeuser account.”

Karen kissed her husband’s cheek and reached for another radish. “You’ve been working on that same account for months.” He’d never talked much about work, and most of the time she had to pry information out of him.

“The job is winding down now, which is good and bad.”

“Any new work on the horizon?”

“Some.” He continued to slice the tomatoes.

Garth’s job as a consultant for one of the large lumber companies had been demanding in the past. The company had gone through a slump over the last few years as less and less timber was harvested in Washington state, but thankfully there’d always been enough work to keep her husband in a job.

“What’s for dinner?” Karen asked, glancing toward the stove.

“Spanish rice.”

“Buddy’s favorite,” Karen said, smiling. Garth had served it twice in the last couple weeks, and with Buddy going through a growing spurt, there were rarely leftovers.

“I want to call my sister before we eat,” Karen said, as she slipped out of her heels and wiggled life back into her toes. “There’s enough time, isn’t there?”

Garth glanced up. “You’re calling Cassie?”

“Nichole. I haven’t told her about the weekend yet. I was avoiding her calls—I guess I just needed time to digest it all.”

“I thought after your sister left that you said you wanted to make an effort to connect more often.”

“I do,” she said.

Her husband braced his palms against the kitchen counter and his look grew intense. “You haven’t been sleeping well the last couple nights since Cassie’s visit.”

Garth was right; she’d been uneasy ever since their visit with Cassie. When she’d learned Cassie was coming to Spokane, she’d been determined to remain aloof and distant. Karen had never been able to forget the huge fight they’d had shortly before Cassie disappeared. Her sister had said things that Karen would never be able to forgive. Cassie must have shared her feelings, since nothing else explained the cold silence for the last eight years. When they did hear from Cassie again it hadn’t been to apologize. She’d made no reconciliation efforts. Instead she’d been looking for a handout. She was in trouble and needed help. Well, where was Cassie when their parents needed her? Nowhere to be found—that was for sure.

As Saturday had approached, Karen had grown anxious. She wanted to meet Cassie, take her to the storage unit, and send her on her way. Garth had been the one to suggest they at least offer Cassie and her friend lunch. Karen had reluctantly agreed.

And then Cassie arrived. One look assured Karen that her sister was as nervous and anxious as she was herself. Karen had steeled herself, hoping to get this meeting over with as quickly as possible. Yet Cassie was nothing like what she’d anticipated. Oh, she looked basically the same … only different. She’d come a long way from that rebellious, headstrong teenager she’d once been. Her sister seemed so much more mature and wise, humble and gracious. When Cassie broke into tears at the storage unit, emotion she tried desperately to hide, Karen had fought back tears herself.

“Are you going to suggest Nichole reach out to Cassie?” Garth asked, cutting into Karen’s thoughts.

“I … I don’t know yet.”

Karen got her cell from her purse and sat down in the living room. She dialed Nichole, and sitting back in the chair, she crossed her legs and waited. While the phone rang, Garth brought her a tall glass of iced tea, with a thick slice of lemon on top, and she smiled at him.

Nichole answered on the second ring. “Hey!”

“Hi, Nichole.”

“I’ve been hoping to hear from you. How did it go with Cassie?”

Karen hardly knew where to begin. “It went … okay.” Even now she wavered, uncertain of her feelings. She was conflicted, sad, weary, and she stifled the urge to cry.

“What was she like?”

“Well, she’s obviously grown up like the two of us. I can see so much of Dad in her. She’s definitely got his eyes.”

“What about … everything else?”

This was a far more difficult question to answer. “She’s not angry or defiant any longer, determined to prove how she’s right and everyone else is wrong. My memories of her revolved around how angry she was, how eager to argue with Mom and Dad, especially over Duke. She’d always been so smart, and then, after she met Duke, she became a completely different person.”

“I remember her that way, too. What’s she like now?”

Karen searched for how best to respond. “She seems much more … humble.”

“Cassie, humble?”