Page 19 of Someday You Learn

Reining in my irritation, I grate out, “Cashlynn, what are you doing here?”

She brushes her hair from her face. “Well, you rushed out of the vet’s office so fast that we didn’t get a chance to talk.”

I huff out a laugh. “I think the time for talking wasbeforeyou made that little announcement.”

Behind me, Grady mumbles, “Should we say something?”

“Not yet,” Penn replies under his breath.

“I’m sorry, I just…” Cashlynn blows out a breath and then finally acknowledges that we have an audience, covering her chest with her palm. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt…”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Seems like unannounced interruptions are her MO.

“You’re not, although I think we’re all wondering how you know my brother here,” Dallas says, gesturing to me. “I’m Dallas by the way.”

Glaring at Cashlynn, I turn to the guys, trying to be polite even though there’s a million emotions racing through me right now. “Guys, this is Cashlynn O’Neil.”

“O’Neil?” Grady asks, confused. “Isn’t that…”

“As in Dr. O’Neil, my boss?” I nod. “The one and only.”

Grady turns to Cashlynn. “So you’re…”

“Dr. O’Neil’s daughter,” I finish for him. I shoot another irritated look at our surprise guest and then say something I’m sure none of them was expecting. “And as of today, my fiancée.”

Penn starts coughing, Dallas’s mouth drops open, and Grady’s eyes dart back and forth between me and Cashlynn like he’s watching a championship ping-pong match.

“I’m sorry…yourfiancée?” Dallas asks, drawing out the last word.

Cashlynn stands tall and rushes over to them, extending her hand like this is completely insane. “Yes! We’re engaged. It’s so nice to meet you all.”

As if it were choreographed, all three guys twist their heads in my direction, looking for confirmation.

“Uh, little brother…” Penn starts, clearing his throat. “When did this happen?”

I snap my eyes back over to Cashlynn. “Today, right?”

She blows out a breath and steps back over to me, lowering her voice. “I know you have questions, and I’m sorry to have blindsided you—”

“Blindsided?” I cut her off, voice rising. “You didn’t just blindside me, Cashlynn. You stormed into my workplace and lied to your dad, who also happens to be my boss, about us being engaged! ‘Blindsided’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be, but—”

“You don’t get it!” My hands start shaking as memories push their way to the surface, images of walking away from Sasha, from everything I thought I’d wanted. The last thing I want is to be back in that space. “I amnotthe man who would get engaged—especially not like this.”

“Okay…”

Dallas steps in, gripping my shoulder and turning me to face him. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but maybe you should cool off before you say something you can’t take back,” he says quietly.

I glance back at Cashlynn and see genuine worry in her eyes. But there’s something else there too—fear and a look of regret that tells me she knows what a mess she’s created.

If she lied about an engagement to her father, there has to be a reason.

And I want to know what it is.

“Your brother’s right,” she says shakily, trying to keep her composure. “Let’s take a little while to cool off and then can we please talk… Later tonight?”

I simply nod, not trusting that I won’t lose it again if I try to speak.

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