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“Nothing I do can ever make up for the past. But I’d like to think I’ve grown as a person since then. If the same thing happened today I wouldn’t run away from West Falls.” She looked at Holly, feeling a bit defiant. “I’d stay and fight for my life.”
Holly let loose with a wild hoot of laughter. “Now that’s the Cassidy I know and love.” Holly high-fived her and sped back onto the dance floor, spinning her chair to the music.
As she watched Holly a wave of sadness flitted through her. She hadn’t divulged the whole truth to her. The real truth was that she was more likely than Tate to get her heart broken. Her feelings for Tate were getting more intense each and every day. To her it felt much deeper than friendship. It felt as if her heart was finally coming back to life after years of being in hibernation. But with the truth of the accident standing between them she couldn’t even allow herself to hope. If Tate knew the real reason she’d skidded off the road that night, he’d hate her forever. And so far she hadn’t been brave enough to divulge the truth to him. She doubted whether she ever could.
A sense of accomplishment filled her as her eyes swept over the teeming crowd. The gathering was a success in every way imaginable—financially, socially and spiritually. The community of West Falls had turned out in droves to support the restoration of Main Street Church. Folks from neighboring communities had also showed up, dressed in their finest Western gear with cash in hand. It spoke to how deeply people cared about the church—and her father.
Her parents were dancing cheek to cheek, and she studied her mother for signs of fatigue. Surprisingly her mother’s energy level seemed good. She still hadn’t put back on enough weight, but the doctors were incredibly pleased with her progress. Dear Lord, thank you for your many mercies and for watching over Mama during her illness. I promise to be a more permanent fixture in my parents’ lives. I promise to care for them as they’ve always cared for me.
Her mother’s cancer diagnosis had shown her that tomorrows are never promised. For years she had made the mistake of taking her parents for granted, firm in the belief that they would always be there. Seeing her mother weak and vulnerable in the recovery room after surgery had shown her the stark truth. Although her parents were superheroes in her eyes, in actuality they were mere mortals, susceptible to illness and aging and all the things life threw at people. They wouldn’t be around forever.
Cassidy prayed she would never forget that again. Every day with her parents was a gift.
Mona Jackson was wildly waving from the dance floor, beckoning her to come join her and her partner. Cassidy smiled at her joie de vivre. Mona really knew how to live life to the fullest. Without her inspiration, this event would never have gotten off the ground. Jim Tuggles and his heavily pregnant wife, Candace, were seated at one of the tables chatting with another couple who were also expecting a baby. Cassidy, who’d always nurtured dreams of having a house full of infants, couldn’t help but think that these couples must be the most fortunate on earth. What must it be like, she thought, to be so blessed?
When she turned back around to rejoin the party she came face-to-face with her past.
Jenna Keegan, with her caramel-hued eyes, jet black hair and café-au-lait colored skin looked as striking as ever. She had always been exotic and beautiful, Cassidy remembered, even as a child. The ensuing years had only served to enhance her beauty. Tonight the peach and silver blouse she wore looked lovely.
As a teen Jenna had been shy and reserved. She’d struggled with fitting in, largely due to her biracial heritage. Her mother’s mysterious disappearance hadn’t helped things any. It had only served to make her feel more different and isolated. Her friendshi
p with the three other roses had finally given her a place to belong.
“Hello, Cassidy.” Jenna nodded her head imperceptibly, her voice sounding formal and polished. There was no spontaneity in her greeting, no joy at seeing an old friend.
“Jenna. It’s so good to see you.” She meant it. Although the years had stretched out without them sharing even a single conversation or email, Jenna still held a special place in her heart. Hadn’t they always promised to be forever friends?
There was no warmth in Jenna’s eyes. When Cassidy reached out to hug her, it felt like she was touching a marble statue. Her posture was straight and rigid, her arms never moved from her sides.
“I heard you were back,” Jenna said in a flat voice, causing Cassidy to wonder whether she thought her return was a good or bad thing.
“Yes, I’ve been back for over a month now. My mother’s been sick. I’ve been helping her recuperate,” she explained. By this time most of West Falls had heard about her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. It was no longer a closely guarded secret.
Jenna’s face softened. “I didn’t know she’s been ill. I really hope she gets well soon. Your father may be the heart of Main Street Church, but your mother is definitely the soul of it.”
With a sliver of a smile and a small wave of her hand, Jenna ambled off, her long wavy hair blowing in the breeze. A wistful feeling fluttered through Cassidy. She wished they could have really talked, not just exchanged pleasantries.
Tate came striding toward her, pausing along the way to greet guests or to direct one of the servers in a task. His blue eyes radiated a warmth that came straight from his soul.
He looked so handsome tonight. With his midnight-colored shirt, freshly cut hair and a rocking pair of cowboy boots, Cassidy couldn’t help but stare at him. The black Stetson added a touch of mystery to his ensemble. She hadn’t been oblivious to all the female attention he attracted. Women had been staring at him all night, trying to garner his interest. She’d felt a twinge of jealousy, but she’d tamped it down, knowing she had no right to be territorial about Tate. He hadn’t belonged to her in a very long time. That had become painfully clear when she’d learned about his relationship with Kit.
“What put that little crinkle in the middle of your forehead?” Tate reached out and smoothed her forehead with his thumb and forefinger, his touch as light as a feather. As always, even the slightest touch from Tate gave rise to an intense longing from somewhere deep in her soul.
“I was just talking to Jenna. She seems so different. Sad. Distant. She barely uttered a few sentences to me before she took off. What’s your take on her?”
“Haven’t seen her much over the years. She’s kind of a recluse if you ask me. I heard she bought a house out by the old Native American graveyard. She lives alone out there and pretty much keeps to herself.”
“Does she have a boyfriend?” Cassidy asked.
“Not that I know of. If she does he’s the invisible kind,” Tate said with a smirk. “In a town this size I would have heard of a boyfriend if he existed.”
“She doesn’t date?” Cassidy asked, surprised at the fact that a woman as stunning as Jenna would choose to live such a sheltered life.
Tate shook his head. “Guys have asked her out plenty of times. I know that for sure. But she hasn’t taken any of ’em up on their offers. From what I hear she’s getting a reputation for being stuck-up. They seem to think she thinks she’s better than them.”
Cassidy frowned. Jenna wasn’t a snob. If anything it had always been the reverse. She’d never felt good enough in West Falls. She’d never felt comfortable in her own skin.
“Dance with me?”
