How Cassie Got Her Grind Back(Divine Creek Ranch 23)(104)

“Before you go, I want to ask you something. You said you were thinking about moving back to Divine. Is that still the case?”

No hesitation or thinking it through needed. That was a no-brainer. “Yes, absolutely. I planned to talk with her again about the shop and plans for future development. Why? You, too?”

Samson chuckled. “I never thought I’d say it out loud, but yeah. I’d move back to Divine, and not just for her. I like it here now. Gotten to know some more folks, and yeah, I’d come back. I can always commute for work. It’s not very far to Morehead. What about Hermione?”

Ivan sighed as his gut tightened. “I’ll handle Hermione. With her, it’s just a question of catching her in the right frame of mind.”

Laughter rumbled in Samson’s chest. “Does she have a right frame of mind?”

“Yeah, so I have to act quickly when those moments come before they go just as quickly. Don’t worry about her. So you’re saying…”

“I heard about a great jeweler who does gorgeous custom work. Takes a little time but supposedly worth it. Clay Cook Jewelers. Grace Warner mentioned them to me. Actually, it’s funny,” Samson said, a smile growing on his face. “The way she worked that information into a conversation so helpfully.”

“Time to carpe a little diem?”

“Yup.”





Chapter Nineteen




December…



After a very busy week of pre-Christmas traffic through the coffee shop, Cassie found herself front and center at the Cutters’ house. Their parents were taking a Christmas cruise that year and had invited their sons over to celebrate the holiday the weekend before. Joseph and Tamara were returning from school for the holiday break in the next couple of days.

Initially, Cassie had been nervous, but Samson and Ivan had told her their parents made sure they knew the invitation was meant for Cassie as well.

“How is your mom doing now, Cassie?” Mr. Cutter asked as he removed slices from the honey-baked ham and placed them on a platter. “I haven’t seen her in decades.”

“She’s just fine, sir. She’s been in ill health recently, so she’s come to live with me. She doesn’t get out much unless it’s with me. Crowds and noise make her a bit nervous. Things were never the same for her after…you know. I’ve missed seeing you both around town.”

Mrs. Cutter, who’d earlier insisted, now that they were all grown adults, Cassie should call her Natalia, said, “We felt it was for the best since we already lived so far out in the county and close to Morehead that we do all our business there. It was more comfortable for everyone that way. At least for us, I suppose,” she added, her brows furrowing as she patted Cassie’s hand. “It can’t have been easy for you, living there, especially once you had decided to not go to college.”

Mr. Cutter, or Mason as he insisted she call him, looked upon her with compassionate eyes. “You were pretty good with several musical instruments, weren’t you, Cassie? And I remember hearing you sing once at a high school choir concert.”

“Yes, sir. I did, but I didn’t do much with it beyond high school.”

Several times, Bill had suggested she take her guitar to a music store and sell it since it did nothing but gather dust. He’d never once asked her to play it, although he knew she could, rather proficiently.

The talk about her once budding musical talent made her a little sad, to think of the time passed and the waste of that gift. But things turned out the way they did for a reason.

When the food was ready and the table set, they all took a seat. With Ivan on her left and Samson on her right, and the friendly faces seated across from her, Cassie had a flashback to meals eaten with this family many years ago. Natalia smiled at her as she passed the rolls to her husband and nodded, as if she, too, was thinking the same thing.

Ivan turned in his seat and held the meat platter for her. “Help yourself, gorgeous lady.”

Mason wheezed a little as he chuckled and nudged his wife. “I think that’s what they call sucking up.”

Natalia giggled and winked at Cassie. “No, darlin’, that’s what they call foreplay. Y’all make sure and save room. I made peach cobbler for dessert.”

Mason waggled his eyebrows at Natalia. “No, baby doll. That’s foreplay.”

It was a good thing Cassie didn’t have food in her mouth or she would’ve choked.



* * * *



Cassie called a greeting as Seth Carter held open the door of Divine Drip for his wife, Jayne, and Grandma Kate as they hurried in, shivering. A cold front had blown in overnight, ushering out the milder winter days and bringing with it high winds and a damp cold that seeped into her bones. They’d already reached the high temperature for the day, and there was sleet predicted.