Page 3 of Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“So ludicrous I can’t even form the words out loud,” she muttered. “Um, so you know how Gran was a bit of a romantic?”

Charlie snorted, taking a sip of her drink. “Your Gran could have made a fortune off her matchmaking services if she’d ever decided to go into the business.”

True. Gran had set up many people in Kismet out of the goodness of her romantic heart. Including sending Cassie on about a million dates. Trying to marry off her granddaughter to every single man within a fifty-mile radius.

Charlie’s head tilted in question, her blue eyes squinting. “Didn’t she even try to set you up with Del once?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

Cassie squirmed as the awkward memory brought up a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why Gran thought Del would ever be a good match was beyond her, but the old woman had tried to convince Cassie on more than one occasion to give Delta Jackson a chance.

“In keeping with her romantical notions,” Cassie continued, “she indicated in her will that to gain ownership of the house I have to…be married.” She mumbled the last part under her breath.

Charlie raised one dark eyebrow. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

Throwing back the last of her drink for fortification, Cassie looked her friend dead in the eye and spoke loud and clear. “I have to be married. Within six months of the will’s reading in order to get the deed. Gran knew taxes could get dicey with probate and didn’t want a long timeline adding more issues to the transfer of assets, I suppose. If I don’t find a husband in the next six months, the house goes to my cousin, Mandy.”

“Mandy? But she lives in Nevada.”

Yup. Which was why her cousin had been included in the will reading via video call. Ugh, Cassie could still see the greedy sneer on her cousin’s face when the lawyer read the marriage stipulation.

“Yes, but she has a husband and therefore a chance at the pitter-patter of little feet ‘in need of a nice family home.’ I’m quoting directly from the will on that one.”

“Oh God, I hope she and Trent never reproduce.” Charlie winced. “Can you imagine?”

Cruel, but she had to agree. Mandy and Trent were in their late thirties and still living in his parents’ basement. They were both low-functioning alcoholics with minimum wage jobs they could barely hold onto. She had no idea why Gran would even think they could love and take care of the house the way she would.

Charlie’s full lips, painted a deep wine-red, frowned. “Your grandmother left it to you, but only if you get married and pop out a few kids?”

Cassie swirled her toothpick in her drink. Staring into the liquid, she wished it could give her a solution to her problem. “I don’t have to pop any kids out. I just need a husband. Like I mentioned when I came in.”

“Hmmm, that’s a tall order. I could get you a guy for the night. This is an establishment with copious amounts of alcohol, after all.” Charlie motioned to the wall of Jack’s liquor behind the bar.

“Wow, thanks.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Charlie placed a hand over hers and squeezed. “I just meant that people tend to hook up in bars a lot. It’s kind of a thing according to…everyone. But a husband?”

True. A hookup she could find, no problem. Kismet was small, but it was also a tourist town, right on the I-70 corridor between Denver and the popular ski areas. If she wanted a quick lay, she’d have no problem finding a willing guy passing through. Unfortunately, she needed something with more substance, something lasting. A stupid fricking husband that you knew I didn’t want, Gran!

Cassie never wanted to get married. Not after seeing how devastated her father had been after her mother’s death. In truth, her parents had always been so absorbed in their work and each other, she’d always felt a bit left out, like an afterthought they’d only had because society deemed it necessary.

She knew her parents had loved her, but she’d never felt wanted, appreciated. Not until Gran and Kismet. This was the first place she’d ever truly felt at home. A place to come to every night and know it would still be there the next day. That kind of stability meant something to her, given her nomadic upbringing.

“So what’s Mandy think of all this?” Charlie asked, swiveling back and forth on the barstool.

“Ha,” Cassie snorted into her drink. “Mandy had dollar signs in her eyes the moment the will was read.” Her cousin knew she didn’t date much, so why wouldn’t the nasty woman think she’d just won the housing lottery? “But, um, I might have panicked and mentioned I’ve been seeing someone for a while and that it’s looking serious…”

Oh, the look of anger and suspicion on her cousin’s face when Cassie blurted that out. Priceless.

Charlie stopped her lackadaisical swiveling. “What? But you’re not seeing anyone.”

Avoiding her best friend’s gaze, Cassie shrugged. “How do you know? I could have a secret boyfriend.”

Now it was Charlie’s turn to snort. “Oh please, like you could keep a boyfriend a secret from me. Why would you?”

“I could have my reasons. Maybe I do have a secret boyfriend.”

Charlie narrowed her eyes, dark brows furrowing as her best friend searched her face for the truth. “The only reason you’d keep a secret like that from me is if I didn’t approve of the guy, and since I know you to have fairly good taste in men, though none are worthy of my awesome bestie, I’m gonna go with a no on the secret boyfriend.”

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