Needs A Little TLC (Spinning Hills Romance 2) by Inés Saint

and listened to a firm scolding from Fire Chief Johnson, Sheriff Brown, and the three women who owned the Gypsy Fortune Café and Bakery, which, unfortunately for them, was right next to the park.
    “I’m sorry,” Cassie whispered, squeezing Sam’s hand. Sam squeezed back. To the adults she said, “I promise I’ll start to think before I act. Please don’t tell Sam and Johnny’s mom. They were only trying to help.”
    Johnny looked up. “It was all my fault. If you have to tell Mom, tell her it was my fault.”
    “Tell our dad,” Dan said. “I’ll take you right to him. He’s working on a house in West Kettering today.”
    Sheriff Brown sighed. “I know you boys were only trying to look out for her, but I’ll have to at least tell Senator McGillicuddy,” he said, mentioning Cassie’s dad with a grim look. “Your grandmother is getting older, Cassie. Your dad asked me to look out for you when you visit.”
    “But looking after me isn’t your job.” Cassie shot up off the bench. “I’ll tell him. I’ll go to Grandma’s and call him right now. I’ll explain it was all my fault.” With that, she ran away. Sam got up and ran after her, knowing she was beating herself up and wanting to tell her not to try too hard to change, because he liked her just the way she was.

    Ten years later, Sam had stopped running after her for good. No way he’d start again.
    The weariness he kept fighting was pushing back harder than ever. Too many people were counting on him, too many worries were weighing him down, but he plowed on, for his son, for his ex-wife Heather, for his brothers, and for the town. There wasn’t much more he could take. His gut told him Cassie could deliver better than any of the other Realtors he’d met with, but he suddenly hoped she’d say no and walk out of his life forever.
     
    Jessica silently ran numbers while Cassie stared at the giant oak outside her office, remembering the time the boys had rescued her from a tree. It wasn’t a bad memory, because they’d laughed about it for years, but it wasn’t a good memory, either. The fire department had been involved, after all. The tree was one of the reasons she’d chosen this office. It reminded her to be herself, but to think before she climbed.
    After a while, Jessica looked up from her calculator and asked, “Did I ever tell you what Peter was most worried about the morning of his last surgery?”
    Cassie shook her head no.
    “His goatee,” Jessica said with a sad smile. “One of the risks was that he’d fall into a coma, and he made me promise I’d keep it looking good. At first, I was kind of upset, I mean, why wasn’t he worrying about the kids or me? But looking at him, it hit me . . . he wanted to live and thinking about what would happen if he were no longer there was too hard, so he was focusing on the mundane, everyday things. I told him I would make sure his goatee looked great if he promised me he’d make sure I was always wearing pink blush lipstick if our positions were reversed. He laughed so hard. Whenever I remember the sadness of that day, I try to focus on the fact that we shared a good laugh.”
    Cassie swiped at her eyes and swallowed a few tears.
    “I didn’t tell you this to make you cry!” Jessica exclaimed.
    “But it’s so sad.”
    Jessica shook her head. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m bad at making a point. What I’m trying to say is . . . I don’t know what happened at your grandmother’s house, but you came back looking deflated. I know being back must bring back bad memories, but try to focus on all the good memories, too.”
    Cassie nodded and, wanting to change the subject and lighten the mood, said, “So. Pink blush lipstick. I’ll remember that.”
    “Please do.” Jessica smiled. “What about you? Do you have any special requests?”
    “If I’m ever in the hospital overnight, you better bring me a pair of tweezers.” She waved a hand over her eyebrows. “I look like a spawn of the