down the narrow alley a second later, motioning for Ty to follow.
“Why couldn’t she just cook?”
That wasn’t fair and he knew it. Ty eased into a parking spot, shut off the motor and got out. He locked the doors, then wondered if it would do any good.
Realizing Mac had disappeared, Ty hurried after him. Just his luck the old guy would get bumped on the head and he’d have two of them to care for. Approaching the corner, he heard voices—loud, angry.
Ty stepped up his pace and ran smack into Mac’s solid back. He shifted to move around him, but the old man clamped iron fingers on his shoulder.
“Wait.”
Cassidy, wearing a thick parka and a red hat, leaned against the stoop of the oldest building on the block, listening as someone raged at her because the place was a dump and somebody ought to do something. The shrill voice soon rang a bell. He tilted upward to get a better look and almost groaned.
Red. He’d have known the raging teen and her band of unhappy chums anywhere. He caught his breath. Jack stood beside Red, eyes wide as he listened to her diatribe. If Cassidy had led his nephew into trouble with those juvenile delinquents—
The moment Cassidy got a break, she began speaking. She didn’t make excuses for Red’s tough lot in life, didn’t apologize for getting a chance herself and taking it, didn’t even try to calm her down.
What Cassidy did do was get her message across.
“I’m really sorry, Red. If you want, we can talk about this some more tomorrow night at the Haven. I’m making a great big dinner and everyone’s welcome. If you want to come, you’re welcome. Bring a friend, your mom. There will be lots to eat.”
“How much?” Red snarled.
“It’s free. All I’m here to do is tell you so you can spread the word. I’ve spent a lot of time baking chocolate cakes and I’d hate to have to throw them out if nobody shows up.”
“As if.” The sneer was the same one Red had used on Ty the day Jack had introduced her as his newest friend.
Cassidy rose, took a step down. “Now I have to get a move on.”
“What’s the rush?” Red’s second-in-command, a bullish boy a few years older than her, swaggered in front and shoved his pimply face into Cassidy’s. “Don’t you like it around here?”
Cassidy glanced over at Jack, but she didn’t take the bait. Instead she scanned the crowd, her face thoughtful.
“There’s only—what? Fifty people here?” She shook her head. “That won’t work. I ordered meat for three times that many. If that food isn’t eaten, they’re going to tell me there’s no point to me cooking it and the kitchen will close.” She looked Red straight in the eye.
The sullen girl held her gaze for a moment, nodded once.
“You think you can stretch it to two hundred if me and the guys let everybody know? There’s some old folks three blocks over could use a good meal.”
“Two hundred?” Cassidy pretended to consider. “Potatoes, gravy—everything?”
“Even the chocolate cake.”
“I guess I could make some more. You don’t think two hundred is too many?” The challenge was obvious.
“Now you can’t do it?” Red scoffed.
“Not if I have to stand here arguing with you,” Cassidy shot back. “So you’ll spread the word and I’ll have the food ready. Deal?” She held out her hand.
The group stood to one side of the stoop, waiting for Red’s reaction. Ty knew that whatever the girl said, they’d do. She had a way of commanding power. One glance at Jack told him his nephew was under her spell, too. He shuddered at the thought of where that could lead.
Red tried to stare the chef down, without success. Maybe she’d met her match in Cassidy Preston.
An audible sigh rippled through the crowd when Red grasped Cassidy’s hand.
“Deal.” Red dropped it a second later, turned and gave orders to her group, who began fanning out among the streets.
Ty exhaled. So far, so good.
“Hey, cook!” Red turned back. “What
“Why couldn’t she just cook?”
That wasn’t fair and he knew it. Ty eased into a parking spot, shut off the motor and got out. He locked the doors, then wondered if it would do any good.
Realizing Mac had disappeared, Ty hurried after him. Just his luck the old guy would get bumped on the head and he’d have two of them to care for. Approaching the corner, he heard voices—loud, angry.
Ty stepped up his pace and ran smack into Mac’s solid back. He shifted to move around him, but the old man clamped iron fingers on his shoulder.
“Wait.”
Cassidy, wearing a thick parka and a red hat, leaned against the stoop of the oldest building on the block, listening as someone raged at her because the place was a dump and somebody ought to do something. The shrill voice soon rang a bell. He tilted upward to get a better look and almost groaned.
Red. He’d have known the raging teen and her band of unhappy chums anywhere. He caught his breath. Jack stood beside Red, eyes wide as he listened to her diatribe. If Cassidy had led his nephew into trouble with those juvenile delinquents—
The moment Cassidy got a break, she began speaking. She didn’t make excuses for Red’s tough lot in life, didn’t apologize for getting a chance herself and taking it, didn’t even try to calm her down.
What Cassidy did do was get her message across.
“I’m really sorry, Red. If you want, we can talk about this some more tomorrow night at the Haven. I’m making a great big dinner and everyone’s welcome. If you want to come, you’re welcome. Bring a friend, your mom. There will be lots to eat.”
“How much?” Red snarled.
“It’s free. All I’m here to do is tell you so you can spread the word. I’ve spent a lot of time baking chocolate cakes and I’d hate to have to throw them out if nobody shows up.”
“As if.” The sneer was the same one Red had used on Ty the day Jack had introduced her as his newest friend.
Cassidy rose, took a step down. “Now I have to get a move on.”
“What’s the rush?” Red’s second-in-command, a bullish boy a few years older than her, swaggered in front and shoved his pimply face into Cassidy’s. “Don’t you like it around here?”
Cassidy glanced over at Jack, but she didn’t take the bait. Instead she scanned the crowd, her face thoughtful.
“There’s only—what? Fifty people here?” She shook her head. “That won’t work. I ordered meat for three times that many. If that food isn’t eaten, they’re going to tell me there’s no point to me cooking it and the kitchen will close.” She looked Red straight in the eye.
The sullen girl held her gaze for a moment, nodded once.
“You think you can stretch it to two hundred if me and the guys let everybody know? There’s some old folks three blocks over could use a good meal.”
“Two hundred?” Cassidy pretended to consider. “Potatoes, gravy—everything?”
“Even the chocolate cake.”
“I guess I could make some more. You don’t think two hundred is too many?” The challenge was obvious.
“Now you can’t do it?” Red scoffed.
“Not if I have to stand here arguing with you,” Cassidy shot back. “So you’ll spread the word and I’ll have the food ready. Deal?” She held out her hand.
The group stood to one side of the stoop, waiting for Red’s reaction. Ty knew that whatever the girl said, they’d do. She had a way of commanding power. One glance at Jack told him his nephew was under her spell, too. He shuddered at the thought of where that could lead.
Red tried to stare the chef down, without success. Maybe she’d met her match in Cassidy Preston.
An audible sigh rippled through the crowd when Red grasped Cassidy’s hand.
“Deal.” Red dropped it a second later, turned and gave orders to her group, who began fanning out among the streets.
Ty exhaled. So far, so good.
“Hey, cook!” Red turned back. “What
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