Page 36 of Love in the Details

The frigid air had seeped through her gloves, and now that they were off, she had to rub her hands together to get some feeling back into them. She rushed to unwind one of the strands of lights, knowing she should do it while next to the tree to avoid tangling, but she wasn’t thinking quite right at the moment.

Taking the half-undone strand and three more, she dropped them beside the next tree in the row. She lifted the ladder and moved it underneath where she needed to apply lights, doing her best to keep to herself when the door to the limo was opened by the driver.

Out stepped a woman who looked as though she’d just stepped from a runway, her blowout perfect, makeup flawless, and her clothes top of the line.

Kassidy felt the floppy bun on top of her head again and glanced down at the paint-splattered jeans she’d donned that morning. She obviously hadn’t learned that those things brought everyone she didn’t want to see around her when she wore them.

The woman took off her sunglasses and glanced around the mansion. When her eyes connected with Kassidy’s, she smiled. “Hi, I’m Sage Cutler. Is Dustin here, by chance?”

Kassidy shook her head, not sure what to make of this whole situation. At least the woman hadn’t said her name was Lila Birch. “No, he’s working at the plant just north of town.”

“Know when he’ll be back?” the woman asked, rubbing her lips together, evening out the shininess of the dark red lip color.

Kassidy shrugged. “I’m just the event planner.” She turned her focus back to the lights, wrapping the end around one of the large branches and methodically wrapping the rest of it around the tree.

“Oh, for the Christmas gala? I’ve heard so much about that. A bunch of my friends have been in years past, and they said the Wakefields know how to throw a party.” Sage bounced a bit in her heels, and Kassidy recognized the nervous energy. The woman was probably waiting for her to respond.

“Yeah, I grew up hearing about them. It’s pretty cool that I’m the one putting all the details together.” Kassidy paused, stepping down from the ladder. Questions churned through her mind, and the one she wanted the answer to most was on the tip of her tongue before she could stop. “How do you know Dustin?”

No jealousy there. Okay, maybe a little.

“He took me to a charity event about six months ago. We’ve hung out a couple of times, but I thought I’d come and say hi since I was so close to here for work.”

Kassidy’s heart sank even further. He’d dated this girl. Yep, no chances left for Kassidy. He was a town killer and a heart breaker.

Unable to hold her tongue, Kassidy said, “I’m not sure what you do, but there is not much work here besides raising cattle and milking cows.”

The woman’s face turned rosy. “True. I was actually hoping to get an invitation to the gala. I’ve heard that it’s just spectacular, and, well, I’d love to see what it’s like, you know?”

Kassidy just nodded, climbing the ladder with the next strand of lights. “I think Dustin’s grandmother is inside. You can go ask her about an invitation.”

“Thank you. And I’m sure this is going to look amazing.” Sage pointed to the trees as she turned to walk inside.

If only the woman had been rude and impolite, Kassidy could’ve disliked her. But Sage seemed more like her in a way, someone who’d started with humble beginnings but somehow managed to now travel in a limo.

The sun’s rays were barely giving off any light, and Kassidy finished up what she could before cleaning her mess of plastic wrap and cardboard pieces. She didn’t want to chance seeing Dustin, knowing that his decision about the plant would impact her life in more ways than one. And if he didn’t have the same feelings she did, it was better to just cut bait now, as her father would say.

“It was so nice to meet you, Sage,” she heard Grace Wakefield’s voice say from the great room. “I hope you have a nice drive to your next job.”

Kassidy put several things away in the totes she’d gotten them out of and stored the totes in the spare bedroom on the main floor. When she put on her coat and grabbed her purse, the sound of someone calling her name startled her.

“Kassidy?” Grace called. If Kassidy hadn’t seen her sitting in her recliner before, she might have thought a ghost had begun haunting the mansion.

She strode over to stand in front of the older woman, smiling as she took in the comfort of the woman relaxing in her favorite chair. Margritte wasn’t hovering around, and Kassidy couldn’t hear anything in the kitchen.

“What can I do for you, ma’am?”

The woman grinned and waved her hand in the air. “No ma’am needed here, girl. Margritte had to go into town to get me a few extra pills I’ve run out of. Would you mind staying here until Dusty comes home?”

All the air in Kassidy’s lungs disappeared. She’d thought she was in the clear, that she wouldn’t have to see him until maybe the night of the gala and then never again after that.

“Um, sure.” Kassidy took off her coat and placed her purse next to her as she sank into the matching recliner across the room. How was she going to get out of this? She glanced up at the television, surprised to see it playing one of those chef reality shows.

“I just love watching all the food they create,” Grace said. She must have seen Kassidy’s glance at the screen. “Some of the techniques they use I’ve never even heard of.”

Kassidy laughed at the confusion on the woman’s face as the chef talked about coddling her eggs. She’d never heard of such a thing either, and an ease settled over her. She liked this woman. Grace Wakefield might have a lot of money, but she was just as normal as Kassidy’s grandmother.

“Those do look delicious,” Kassidy said, staring at the screen. “I doubt my meringues would look edible. I’d probably forget and char the top.”

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