Page 123 of Dust Storm

Christian froze with his hand on my shoulder. But before he could come up with something to say—because this was all his fault—the radio chirped.

“Cass, honey, it’s Claire. A courier just delivered a big stack of papers from Lawson International to the house. Want me to bring it to the office or your house?”

I grabbed the radio. “No need. I’ll come get it.”

“Princess—” Christian said as I shoved away from the desk.

“I’m not the one throwing up mixed signals,” I snapped. “I never pretended like I wanted anything other than a fling, and you’re the one who said you could separate sex and romance.”

His eyes darkened. “You’re selling yourself short if you think that was a fling.”

“I sold myself short for years because I attached myself to someone who didn’t love me. Trust me, I know when I’m selling myself short. And I won’t be doing that again.”

I skipped the barn, and decided I’d rather have blisters on my feet from walking up to Claire and Silas’s house rather than be around Christian any longer.

I regretted it as I passed Becks and Nate’s house. An extra car—Becks’s mom—was parked in front of the fence that had been repaired after Christian tied me to it.

Becks, Nate, and their brand new baby girl, Charlotte, had just gotten home from the hospital. Everyone had been filteringover to see them as much as work and school schedules allowed, but I held back.

She was my friend, but they weren’t my family. It would just be weird. That, and I had never held a baby.

“Cassie, I told you I’d bring it to ya,” Claire said as she tipped back and forth on the old rocking chair that lived on the front porch. “If I’da known you were walking, I would’a saved you the trip.”

My heart was racing and my feet burned. “I needed the fresh air.”

“I’ll say,” Claire said with a chuckle. “You’ve been holed up in Chris’s office for days.”

“I have a lot to do before the groundbreaking.” I reached for the yellow mailer sitting in her lap. “I should be getting back to work.”

“Well, hold on now.” She patted the rocking chair beside her. “You walked all the way up here. Take a rest and sit a spell before you hike back.”

“I shouldn’t. I’m on the clock.”

“And if my son gives you shit about it, I’ll deal with him.” Claire pointed to the rocking chair. “Sit.”

She wasn’t asking this time. It was an order.

My feet screamed as I lowered into the rocking chair. Red blisters streaked the edges of my heels.

“You want somethin’ta drink? I’ve got tea, lemonade?—”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“I’ve got vodka, too.”

“I assumed this was a whiskey family,” I said as I eased my feet halfway out of my shoes and rocked back and forth.

Claire laughed. “Maybe for the boys, but I’m a vodka girl myself. Belvedere, neat. Nothing fancy.”

I’d have to remember that and make sure the bar was stocked with Belvedere for the party. Maybe I could get a signature cocktail on the menu. One for Claire and one for Silas.

“You have good taste,” I said, working my nail into a groove in the chair’s wooden arm.

She smirked, fluffing her plume of silver hair as she surveyed the property from her throne on the porch. “How is event planning for the groundbreaking going? Chris isn’t giving you a hard time, is he?”

My throat tightened. “No, he’s deferring to me for most things. It’s made it quite easy, actually.”

Her lips pursed into a pleased smile. “He trusts you. Christian is usually hands-on with everything that happens within the fence. He doesn’t delegate well.”

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