Desired in December (Spring River Valley Book 12) (10 page)

She laughed. “I wouldn’t call it an empire. Sure the cafeterias of a number of local businesses would crumble without my baked goods
, but—”

“And you do it all alone.”

“Not for much longer. Once the shop is open, I’m going to hire a couple of college students to help me.”

“Okay, but all this to this point has been just you. That’s amazing.”

She glanced away. “Work filled up my time.”

“Because you were alone. It doesn’t make sense, Cass. I expected to have to fight my way through a crowd of guys just for a chance to talk to you again. Apparently you made a hobby of setting other people up, but you never found anyone for yourself?”

“I never really looked.” She busied herself making plates of food. “I wanted this, the business, first. I wanted something I could rely on before I thought about replacing—”

“Replacing me?”

“Yes. Replacing you. Don’t look so shocked. Guys asked me out, I just said no. I started meeting a lot of people on my delivery runs and getting to know them. A couple times I arranged blind dates between the guys who asked me out and the women I met who were interested in meeting nice men, if I thought they might be compatible. One couple got married, and a few people found out somebody I fixed up back in high school
also
got married and since then, everyone treats me like I have some kind of magic power. Rumor has it I’m responsible for half a dozen weddings, but that’s just not true.”

Suspicion stabbed at James. “So Riley Thayer was one of the guys who asked you out?”
Could one of his old friends have tried to make a move on Cassie?

“No, of course not. He works at the law firm I used for all my legal paperwork for the business. And it’s funny, he didn’t even end up with the woman I fixed him up with.”

“And you fixed up Max, too.”

“Come on, let’s eat.” Cassie handed him a cup of coffee and sipped from her own. “Yeah. That was another fluke. I actually fixed Audrey up with John, you know the guy from—”

“Oh, yeah. I remember him. How’s he doing? Someone at the party said he got malaria when he was in South America.”

“Yeah, and he had appendicitis and couldn’t keep his date with
Audrey, so sent Max as a pinch hitter, and things just clicked for them. My legend grew from there.”

“I’m in love with a legend. I like that.”

Cassie eyed him soberly over the breakfast table. “Well, you’re a bit of a legend, too, you know. But just so you’re aware, my family might not be as anxious to see you as yours is to see me. I went through a lot…when you left, so winning them over might be a challenge.”

James grinned. He’d been through all kinds of hell in the army. Getting Cassie’s family to forgive him for hurting her would be easy by comparison. He hoped. “Don’t worry. I’ve got the rest of my life to get them back on my side. I’ll start by telling them the truth
. I’m never going to let you go again.”

The
extra cup of coffee she’d had before leaving her apartment helped fuel Cassie’s nervous energy. She hadn’t seen Joanna and Jim Galloway since they’d all said good-bye to James at the airport five years ago when he left for boot camp. That tearful parting had been an emotional train wreck for all of them, and since James’s break-up letter had come so soon afterward, Cassie had avoided the family ever since.

As they pulled into the driveway of the Galloway home
, she was struck by how much she’d missed them. Foolish as it may have been, she’d once thought of James’s parents as her future in-laws. The renewed possibility that they might one day become her family as well had her palms sweating and her stomach in knots.

“Don’t be nervous,” James whispered in her ear after shutting off his car. “They never stopped loving you, either.”

Tears stung her eyes, and she bit back a sob. This was definitely too much all at once. She wanted to curl up in James’s arms and just absorb everything for a while before moving on to another joyous reunion, but the front door of the house swung open, and James’s mother appeared. Still holding her breath for fear of breaking out into great, gasping hysterics, Cassie allowed Joanna to pull her out of the passenger seat and crush her in a bear hug.

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so glad to see you! We have missed you so much.” Joanna’s words dissolved into watery syllables
, and Cassie found herself crying anyway as she tried to navigate the icy front walk with both James and Joanna guiding her as though she might break, or run for it, at any minute.

Jim Galloway met them at the door, and he hugged her too. By the time they’d led her to the living room, where a cheerful fire crackled in the fireplace, she was lightheaded from lack of oxygen.

“Mom, Dad, give her some air. You’re going to love her to death,” James cautioned.

“Nonsense,” Joanna said, taking Cassie’s hands in her own. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

“I’m fi-fine.” And by that she meant completely overwhelmed. The house looked almost the same as it had the last time she’d been there for the holidays, including the festive decorations that gilded the fireplace mantle and the end tables. A huge Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room surrounded by boxes of ornaments and strings of partially tangled Christmas lights. The house smelled like cookies, a lot like Cassie’s apartment always did, and the warmth of the place was soothing and familiar.

Her embarrassment at knowing his parents were acutely aware they’d spend the night together faded
, and the intervening years seemed to melt away.

“So James told us he’s been working on your bakery,” Jim said. “Your own business. That’s impressive. I always said you had a lot of gumption. We’re very proud of you.”

Cassie blushed. All this adulation would probably kill her. “Thank you. I plan to open sometime next week, and I’m a little nervous.”

Joanna patted her hand. “You’ll do fine! This time of year
—with so many things to celebrate with dessert? Oh my goodness, James, she’s sweating. Take her coat! Jim, I told you that fireplace makes the room too hot. Can you turn it down?”

“It’s a fire, Jo, not a thermostat. I’ll bank it a little.”

Joanna pulled Cassie up from the couch. “Come with me, both of you, while Jim’s messing around with the fireplace, I’ve got cider in the kitchen and oatmeal cookies.”

“Mom, we just finished breakfast,” James said, trailing the two women toward the kitchen.

“That’s okay. I’ll eat, and you two can answer questions.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. Too soon for crazy and way too late for sane. She was utterly doomed, and she loved every minute of it.

* * * *

James slurped the dregs of his second cup of cider, wishing it might have contained a little alcohol to fortify him for the relentless onslaught of his family’s overwhelming good cheer.
He’d never seen them happier. His mother had convinced Cassie to stay for an early dinner and recruited her to help decorate the Christmas tree. His father had inundated her with questions about her shop and her business plans, and through it all Cassie smiled, like she was the one who’d finally come home after so long away.

He kept wanting to rescue her, but he also had the impression she was right where she wanted to be. He’d finally made things right, finally fallen back into the life he wished he’d never left.

“We’ve got family coming in for the holidays from south Florida,” his mother was telling Cassie. “I don’t know if you remember my brother Wayne and his family. You might have met them at a Fourth of July party we had here that first summer you and James dated, well anyway—”

“Mom? Mom, take a breath. Cassie’s eyes are rolling back in her head.”

“They are not,” she protested. “I’m fine, really.”

“James, I’m just leading up to asking her if she’ll spend Christmas Day with us. We’d love to have you, sweetheart, but I know your own family might want to see you.”

“Mom, let’s not get into a holiday tug-of-war just yet, okay?”

Joanna glared at her son. “Who’s tugging? I’m inviting, that’s
—”

The doorbell interrupted her, and James mouthed a silent thank you at the ceiling. His mother swatted him with a dish towel. “Why don’t you and Dad see who that is, and give Cassie chance to catch her breath?”

“Fine. We’ll give you two a minute alone.” Joanna ushered Jim out of the kitchen. As soon as they were gone, James sighed, his shoulders slumping.

“I’m so sorry. I really didn’t think it would be this bad. If she has her way, you’ll be choosing heirlooms from the china cabinet and picking out engraved towels before the night is over.”

“Are you saying your mom might propose to me?” Cassie grinned, and James would have gone down on one knee right then, except that voice in the back of his head kept admonishing him to keep his head on straight and not let crazy rule the day.

He nodded instead. “If she does, tell her you’re already spoken for.”

“Am I?” she challenged, mischief in her eyes.

“You so are.”

“James!” His mother’s call from the other room sounded uncharacteristically sharp.

They exchanged a questioning look and both rose and headed for the living room.

As soon as James saw the familiar uniform, his heart sank. He recognized the man wearing it, as did his mother and father, who looked stricken by the officer’s presence.

“James, were you expecting Sergeant Bristol?” Joanna asked
.

“No. I wasn’t. Not today.” James stared at his recruiter. Their scheduled meeting wasn’t supposed to take place until later in the week.

“I’m very sorry to intrude, Mr. and Mrs. Galloway. I was in the area, and I just wanted to stop in and see how James was doing.”

“I’m fine,” James said. Remembering protocol, he hastened to salute. “Sir.”

“At ease, Corporal, this visit isn’t official. Pardon the uniform. I’m actually on my way to visit family myself, but since we do have an important meeting scheduled, I thought I’d drop by with some information you might find helpful.”

Cassie’s grip tightened on James’s arm. The tension rolling off his parents had obviously clued her in that this wasn’t just a polite social call from a superior officer. “What meeting? Who is this?”

“He’s the man who recruited James,” Joanna said tightly.

“Well, you’re a little late, aren’t you, Sergeant? James just ended his last tour. He’s a civilian now.” The pitch of Cassie’s voice mimicked his mother’s.

“Sergeant, why don’t we talk outside?” James said.

“Of course. Ma’am, there’s just some exit paperwork James needs to sign before his discharge is official.”

“So sign it,” Cassie said transferring her glare to James. “I’ll get you a pen.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I don’t have the forms with me at the moment. James and I are scheduled to meet later this week to
go over his options.”

“What options?” Now Cassie’s grip loosened
, and her fingers fell away from James’s hand, leaving a cool emptiness where her warmth had been.

“The army ha
s some options for James to consider, in the event he’d still like to extend his enlistment. I’ve been authorized to offer him some excellent incentives and bonuses to re-enlist.”

“No.” Joanna eyed her son, her face paling.

“James, you never mentioned this,” Jim said.

“It was…it’s just an option. They offer it to everyone.”

“Not everyone,” Bristol corrected helpfully. “James has an exemplary service record. He’s the kind of person we need defending our country. The kind of man who belongs in uniform. And I’m authorized to make him some offers, pay grade increases obviously, plus the opportunity to choose his next assignment. Naturally, you’ll remain stateside for the holidays. You wouldn’t need to report for duty until mid-February, and then you’d have your pick of some exciting posts like Europe, the Pacific…places you could bring a family.” Bristol glanced pointedly at Cassie. He’d never met her, but James had mentioned her to the sergeant on occasion. “You could have base housing, a regular shift, nine-to-five like any other job, and the safety and security of—”

“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Joanna said, dismissing the uncomfortable conversation with a brusque wave.

Stonily silent, his father followed her.

“I realize this isn’t the best time,” Bristol said. “But
, Corporal, you did express an interest in extending your tour, so I put together some of our best—”

“You expressed an interest?” Cassie asked.

“Base housing, free child care,” Bristol went on as if he hadn’t heard the alarm in Cassie’s voice. “We also have opportunities for spouses to serve in non-military capacities.”

“So you were considering it?”

“I was, but…”

“You said you were coming home for good.”

“I am.”

“But you’re not yet, are you? Sergeant, tell me again, is James still in the army right this minute or is he out?”