Cassidy (Big Sky Dreams 1) by Lori Wick
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Montana, Western, Love Stories, Western Stories, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Westerns, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE, Women Tailors
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was busy, she moved on her way.
"What's up with that?" Trace asked.
"She's writing a book on Token Creek and keeps trying to interview Mr. Falcone. She talked to me already, and I didn't appreciate some of the things she said."
"About the bank?"
"No, about Cassie and me."
Trace's brows rose. He knew Chandler could handle himself, but he was a little bit protective of Cassidy.
52"Did Cassidy hear?"
"I don't know. I didn't want to ask her."
"Why was that?"
Chandler hesitated but then admitted, "Abi had heard that Cassidy and I were engaged."
Trace's frown was real when Chandler explained the whole story and realized Abi was just repeating what she'd heard. Cassidy's being engaged to Chandler, or even rumor of it, would not harm either of their reputations, but since it wasn't true, it would only cause awkwardness and possibly hard feelings.
"I'll be headed there." Trace was not one to beat about the bush. "I might ask her if Abi Pfister has been a problem, and I'll probably just tell her what you said."
Chandler nodded. He didn't know why he was willing to let Trace handle this but somehow thought it would be best.
"Well, I'd better keep moving."
"All right. I think we're on for Saturday night this time, aren't we?" Chandler asked, referring to the study with Rylan. "Yes. I'll see you then, Chandler."
"All right, Trace. Thanks for stopping."
Trace didn't waste time but beat a path to Cassidy's. That lady was alone, bent over the sewing machine, and didn't hear him come in. He stood for moment watching her work and then threw his hat on the chair beside her. She didn't start like he thought she would but smiled and spoke without turning from her machine.
"Hello, Trace."
"How did you know that was my hat?" he asked, having been foiled in his joke.
"I'm an observant woman." Cassidy turned with a smile, inviting him to take a seat by moving his hat. "What are you doing in town?"
"Just errands and visiting," Trace said when he was comfortable.
53"You sound like a man of leisure."
"I am when I can be," he said, and Cassidy knew he spoke the truth. During branding and cattle driving, all he did was work. "What are you working on?"
"A shirt for Merle North. It's a nice fabric, isn't it?"
"Very nice." Trace admired it but didn't let his mind lose track of his visit to the bank. "I need to ask you something."
"All right."
"Has Abi Pfister been in?"
"Last week. She was upset when I didn't have time for an interview."
Trace nodded, and Cassidy knew there was more.
"What's wrong?"
"She was spreading rumors she'd heard about you and Chandler. He set her straight, but when he told me, I wanted you to know." "Why didn't Chandler tell me?"
"I think he was afraid of hurting you somehow."
Cassidy looked thoughtful, and Trace watched her.
"What bothers you more," he finally asked, "the rumor or that Chandler didn't tell you?"
"Both. I can understand Chandler was driven by compassion. I don't know what drives Abi Pfister. She's relentless with this book idea of hers. And just exactly what was said?"
"That you and Chandler are engaged."
Cassidy didn't know why the words pained her, but they did. She was glad Trace told her, but it wasn't easy to hear.
"Are you all right?"
Cassidy nodded. "Thanks for telling me."
"You're welcome. You'll be out at the house tomorrow?" "That's the plan."
"All right. I'm headed to see my mother and then home." "Thanks for stopping, Trace."
"Until tomorrow, Miss Norton," Trace said, tipping his hat and
54taking his leave, unaware of the way Cassidy sat thinking until a noise in the street interrupted her.
"I had a scare last week," Meg admitted to Cassidy the following afternoon.
"What happened?"
"Pain. It's not happened since, but for a moment I thought the baby was coming."
"How early would that be?"
"Right now, about six weeks."
"Are you taking things more slowly?"
"A little, but I feel good now and sometimes I forget."
"Well, I'll make dinner tonight, and you can just
"What's up with that?" Trace asked.
"She's writing a book on Token Creek and keeps trying to interview Mr. Falcone. She talked to me already, and I didn't appreciate some of the things she said."
"About the bank?"
"No, about Cassie and me."
Trace's brows rose. He knew Chandler could handle himself, but he was a little bit protective of Cassidy.
52"Did Cassidy hear?"
"I don't know. I didn't want to ask her."
"Why was that?"
Chandler hesitated but then admitted, "Abi had heard that Cassidy and I were engaged."
Trace's frown was real when Chandler explained the whole story and realized Abi was just repeating what she'd heard. Cassidy's being engaged to Chandler, or even rumor of it, would not harm either of their reputations, but since it wasn't true, it would only cause awkwardness and possibly hard feelings.
"I'll be headed there." Trace was not one to beat about the bush. "I might ask her if Abi Pfister has been a problem, and I'll probably just tell her what you said."
Chandler nodded. He didn't know why he was willing to let Trace handle this but somehow thought it would be best.
"Well, I'd better keep moving."
"All right. I think we're on for Saturday night this time, aren't we?" Chandler asked, referring to the study with Rylan. "Yes. I'll see you then, Chandler."
"All right, Trace. Thanks for stopping."
Trace didn't waste time but beat a path to Cassidy's. That lady was alone, bent over the sewing machine, and didn't hear him come in. He stood for moment watching her work and then threw his hat on the chair beside her. She didn't start like he thought she would but smiled and spoke without turning from her machine.
"Hello, Trace."
"How did you know that was my hat?" he asked, having been foiled in his joke.
"I'm an observant woman." Cassidy turned with a smile, inviting him to take a seat by moving his hat. "What are you doing in town?"
"Just errands and visiting," Trace said when he was comfortable.
53"You sound like a man of leisure."
"I am when I can be," he said, and Cassidy knew he spoke the truth. During branding and cattle driving, all he did was work. "What are you working on?"
"A shirt for Merle North. It's a nice fabric, isn't it?"
"Very nice." Trace admired it but didn't let his mind lose track of his visit to the bank. "I need to ask you something."
"All right."
"Has Abi Pfister been in?"
"Last week. She was upset when I didn't have time for an interview."
Trace nodded, and Cassidy knew there was more.
"What's wrong?"
"She was spreading rumors she'd heard about you and Chandler. He set her straight, but when he told me, I wanted you to know." "Why didn't Chandler tell me?"
"I think he was afraid of hurting you somehow."
Cassidy looked thoughtful, and Trace watched her.
"What bothers you more," he finally asked, "the rumor or that Chandler didn't tell you?"
"Both. I can understand Chandler was driven by compassion. I don't know what drives Abi Pfister. She's relentless with this book idea of hers. And just exactly what was said?"
"That you and Chandler are engaged."
Cassidy didn't know why the words pained her, but they did. She was glad Trace told her, but it wasn't easy to hear.
"Are you all right?"
Cassidy nodded. "Thanks for telling me."
"You're welcome. You'll be out at the house tomorrow?" "That's the plan."
"All right. I'm headed to see my mother and then home." "Thanks for stopping, Trace."
"Until tomorrow, Miss Norton," Trace said, tipping his hat and
54taking his leave, unaware of the way Cassidy sat thinking until a noise in the street interrupted her.
"I had a scare last week," Meg admitted to Cassidy the following afternoon.
"What happened?"
"Pain. It's not happened since, but for a moment I thought the baby was coming."
"How early would that be?"
"Right now, about six weeks."
"Are you taking things more slowly?"
"A little, but I feel good now and sometimes I forget."
"Well, I'll make dinner tonight, and you can just
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