Page 15 of Dust Storm

“Doubt you’ll get a flight out at this hour. You’ll have a better chance tomorrow.”

Cassandra let out a slow breath, then turned on me. “I have a job to do,” she said as if she hadn’t been fighting back tears at the cabin. “I’ll be meeting with Silas tomorrow to discuss the possible avenues he would like me to explore to generate new revenue streams for the ranch. I’ll need an office with internet and—ideally—cell service. But at the least, a landline.”

I looked around the living room, giving it a quick study. A pile of laundry sat on the couch. Photo frames and a stack of opened bills covered the roll-top desk. Shoes were in a chaotic pile by the door. Unless she wanted to share my office, which was—well—mine,this was it.

“What?” she hedged.

Resigned to the fact that life was just going to keep fucking with me until the day I died, I shrugged. “You’re looking at it.”

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Welcome to your new office.”

4

CASSANDRA

He was joking.

He had to be.

This whole day was a nightmare. At any moment, I would wake up in my bed in Manhattan.

Why wasn’t I waking up?

“I’m sorry the cabin wasn’t ready,” Christian said as he moved about the house. “Trust me, Jackson’s gonna get his ass chewed out for it.”

I stifled the urge to drop my head into my hands.That wouldn’t be very good for the optics.

Fuck Tripp.

My engagement ring burned my finger. I wanted to take it off and leave it for that fucking cow to shit on.

I had cried when Tripp proposed. Actuallycried.Now here we were, two years later.

He left me here without an “I love you” as he disappeared for work … again.

Christian paused in the kitchen when he saw me staring at my ring.Dammit.

“You alright, Princess?”

I swallowed. “Fine.”

He arched an eyebrow. “That look on your face wouldn’t have anything to do with that bag of ass who sped off and left you here, now would it?”

“This is my assignment. Him leaving just means I can get to work without the pleasantries. I don’t need him here to do my job.” Somehow it was one hundred percent true, but also a complete lie.

“Good. I hate him.”

I was a straight shooter, but I was surprised at his bluntness.

The front door burst open and two small humans barreled through in a cacophony of voices. Bags were thrown about, shoes were kicked off, and casual shouts of, “Hi, daddy,” rang out.

I stood amidst the flurry of activity, half surprised and half horrified.

Christian’s attention immediately left me. “There are my squirrels,” he said as he doled out hugs. “How was school?”

“It was fine,” the older one said. “Grandma already checked my homework. Can I have a snack?”

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