Page 38 of Love in the Details

“Dusty, you’ve had a life sheltered from the pains of needing to look for work, of having shelter and a way to provide for a family. That plant is our flagship, the very first building we started in and worked with our sweat and tears, and sometimes even some blood, to get it running. This town relies on the jobs it provides. Kassidy isn’t going to stick around here forever if there isn’t a way to provide for herself. Maybe that’s the hardest part about it. The unknown.”

Dustin mulled that over for a few minutes as his grandmother became engrossed in a show about cupcakes.

“Do you think it could work?” he murmured, not expecting a response.

“What, dear?”

“Kassidy and me. In a relationship. I mean, do you think it could be something that lasts? Or am I just being blind again?” If this wasn’t the way to make him feel like he was still in elementary school, then he wasn’t sure what would. He may as well pass the girl a note and ask her to check yes or no on whether she wanted to be his girlfriend or not.

His grandmother’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “If you’re going to ask if she’s anything like the girls you usually go for, the answer is no. Has she ever tried to get you before a camera, hoping to get into the papers? She hasn’t kissed a drummer…”

Dustin sat up, surprised that she knew about that. He’d never come out and admitted his ex-girlfriend had done that. “How—”

She raised her hand. “Don’t ask. What I’m trying to say is, I might not have been around much lately, but I’ve seen the way that girl looks at you. You’d be lucky to have someone like that by your side.”

But could he get her to forgive him? Only time would tell.

Chapter 22

It was the day of the gala, and Kassidy was doing her best to breathe. Her family had been there to help her decorate the night before, a few of them staying well past midnight. She’d felt bad that she would be disturbing Dustin and his grandmother, but the woman said Dustin had headed back to LA and that when she took out her hearing aids, she didn’t hear much of anything anyway.

Kassidy tried to keep positive, telling herself that him leaving was probably for the best, even though it felt like he’d left a hole in her heart. If he’d already gone, he must’ve made a decision about the plant. But then again, couldn’t he wait two days to go home until after Christmas? And anyway, wasn’t he hosting the gala?

Kassidy was putting the finishing touches on everything she’d worked on for the past three weeks, hoping that by staying busy, the loneliness pressing against her chest would ease up a bit. Mostly, she just needed to forget about Dustin Wakefield. He’d gone back to LA early, and she would probably never see him again.

After a few minor mishaps that she’d been able to straighten out, Kassidy hurried to change and get ready in the guest bedroom on the first floor. She opened a bag and pulled out the dress that her mother had bought for her as an early Christmas present. It was a deep red and fairly simple, with a belt along the waistline and the dress falling to her ankles. At least she wouldn’t be uncomfortable as she directed the traffic of the caterers and guests throughout the house.

Hair curled and heels on, she grabbed her notebook and walked out, checking off different parts of her checklist.

“Kassidy, dear?” Grace called out to her. She was dressed in silver sparkles, and Kassidy couldn’t help but smile.

“Yes, Grace. What do you need?”

“I think I heard something crash outside. It wasn’t one of the sleighs, was it? That would be so sad. Bringing the sleighs in was such a great idea. Would you go check for me, darling?” The woman patted Kassidy’s hand and batted her eyelashes at her a few times.

Kassidy glanced up at the clock. Still forty-five minutes until guests were supposed to arrive, and her checklist would take all of that time, if not more.But she couldn’t say no to her now.

“Of course. I’ll just go out really fast.”

She turned to walk toward the front door, when Grace called out, “You’ll catch your death in that cold. Grab your coat!”

Slipping the coat on, she shuffled out to where the sleighs were parked, being careful that she didn’t trip in the fresh powder that had fallen the night before and into the afternoon.

It only took a moment to scan the area and see that everything was all right. The sleighs and horses were being readied for the night’s entertainment. The man on the first sleigh was focused on hooking up his horse to it, and Kassidy decided it would be better to ask now if he’d heard anything rather than to have to come back out again on Grace’s request.

“Is everything okay out here?” she asked him, tapping on his shoulder.

The man didn’t turn around, only continued with his task. “Yes, should be ready for a ride in about a minute.” The voice was gruff, but there was something about it that sounded familiar. But Dustin had already flown back to California, so she dismissed that thought.

“All the others are in line then too?” Kassidy asked, wanting to make sure she could give a full report once she got back inside.

“Will you sit in the sleigh? It will help me adjust this.” The man pointed toward the seat in the sleigh.

Kassidy didn’t have time for this. “I really need to be going inside. There’s still a lot to check on, and I need to make sure the caterers are all set up. I can send someone out to help you.” Hunter and Colter should’ve been there to help by now, but bringing a trailer full of horses up the hill would be a chore in itself.

The man finally glanced up at her and said, “Are you Kassidy McBride?”

“Yes,” she responded, wondering how he knew.

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