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“Don’t you pick on my dog young lady,” I admonished my sister with mock sternness. “My little buddy is still a puppy at heart.”

My sister kept dropping subtle hints about me and Cassie spending time together for the rest of dinner, despite David and I trying repeatedly to change the subject. Josie had made a nice roast for dinner, along with vegetables, potatoes, and buttermilk biscuits. Cassandra ate everything my sister put in front of her, looking delighted to have home cooked food.

“How do you like Colorado?” Josie asked her as Cassie slathered butter on another biscuit. “I’ve never been there, but I heard it’s nice.”

“It’s okay,” Cassie said neutrally. “I’m really not there very often.”

“Have you ever thought about moving away from Colorado, Cassandra?” she asked as we finished our meal.

“Oh. Um. Sometimes,” Cassie said noncommittally.

“Texas is nice,” my sister said with the subtlety of a wrecking ball.

“It is nice.”

“A lot of people have been moving here, you know. The cost of living isn’t as high as other places, especially when you get out into the small towns. Like here.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Josie!” I said warningly. “Lay the f—fudge off her, will ya?”

David changed the subject to football, a topic we are all passionate about, even Cassie. But when dinner was over, Josie pounced on me as I helped her load the dishwasher.

“You like her!” she whisper shouted. “I see the way you look at her. Oh my God. This is so cool. You finally like someone.”

“Leave it alone, Josie.”

She shook her head. “I’m not gonna rest until you’re as married up as the rest of us, big brother.”

As soon as the words left her mouth I pictured Cassie in a white dress, me standing next to her wearing a tux. I could see it as clear as day. I just needed to figure out a way to make it happen.

Cassandra

After what I hoped was the appropriate amount of time to stay after dinner and still be considered polite, I thanked Josie and David for inviting me and said my goodbyes. It was super obvious that George’s sister was trying to matchmake me with her brother, and while my heart thrilled at the idea, my brain reminded me that I had a house in Colorado, a job that kept me traveling forty-eight weeks of the year, and a bad track record with men in general.

Also, George had really seemed uncomfortable with his sister’s matchmaking attempts, which told me everything I needed to know. I wasn’t going to throw myself at the man, no matter how much I liked him.

“George will walk you home,” Josie announced as I stood up to leave.

“It’s just across the driveway,” I protested.

She smacked George on the shoulder. “He was just leaving anyway.”

He lumbered to his feet, then bent down to pick up his niece, giving her a noisy kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see ya later, baby girl.”

“Bye bye Unca Orge!”

God help me, my ovaries damn near exploded. The two of them together were so cute. I’d never once thought I wanted kids but one night with George and Sofia and my biological clock had jumpstarted into action. If I closed my eyes, I could picture a little boy with my eyes and George’s crooked nose. Although I was sure any kid of George’s would be a freaking giant.

We headed out the front door together, walking down the short expanse of sidewalk to my rental house. When we got to the porch, I gave George a smile.

“Thanks for walking me home. And getting me a better place to stay,” I told him. “This place is a huge step up from the Value Inn. Not a roach in sight.”

“There was no way I was letting you stay in that sh—stuff hole.”

“Stuff hole?” I laughed. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, what’s with the fudge and shitake and stuff hole? I usually hear more explicit language in my line of work.”