Page 66 of The Clause in Christmas
A jumble of glossy Polaroids and typed letters stared up at her.
As a familiar face came into view, Cassie’s breath stalled in her throat. Unable to believe her own eyes, she frantically rummaged through the pile, growing dizzier by the second as the same features appeared over and over again.
Every single face in the collection of photographs was hers.
* * *
Cassie paced the faded wool rug, trying to make sense of the items on her grandmother’s bed. She’d gone through the photographs and letters from the private investigator a dozen times, still unable to fully accept the reality of the situation. But Cassie should have known her grandmother had hired someone to track her down. How else would Edith have found her?
Yet the fact that Edith hired an investigator wasn’t what upset Cassie. It was the cold, hard truths staring her in the face that Cassie found truly unsettling. Words likeunemployed,alone,jaded,depressed, jumped out from the investigator’s reports, each one a dart to Cassie’s pride. She didn’t relish the idea of being followed by a stranger, let alone judged by one. Cassie felt exposed, humiliated, and…
Cassie’s pace slowed as a thought gripped her, and she sank into the armchair, cupping her face with both hands. Her shoulders began to shake as a sob rose in her chest.
Since the moment she’d sat in Luke’s office, stunned by the news of the clause in her grandmother’s will, Cassie had wanted to know why.Whyhad Edith added the clause? Was it a game? A joke? A senile woman’s peculiarity?
As realization curled around her heart, Cassie cried both from gratefulness and from grief. Grateful that her grandmother had saved her from a life of emptiness. And grieved that she’d never had a chance to know her. Maybe at one time Edith thought Cassie would be better off with another family. But after seeing the kind of life Cassie led, Edith found a way to bring her into the type of family Cassie had always hoped for—the one she’d found in Poppy Creek.
While she still didn’t know the significance of the Calendar itself, Cassie felt certain it wasn’t merely the frivolous whim of a dying woman.
It was a gift.
* * *
Luke wasn’t sure what to expect when he received Cassie’s cryptic text that simply readCome to the cottage ASAP.
But when Cassie threw open the door, flushed and wide-eyed, Luke felt a pang of concern. “What happened?”
Stepping aside for Luke to enter, Cassie flashed a small, sheepish smile. “I got… a little carried away.”
Luke’s jaw dropped as he took in the chaos of the living room. Every single drawer and cupboard had been opened, their contents scattered about the room. As far as he knew, there’d never been a burglary in Poppy Creek. But this haphazard scene sure looked like one. “Are you okay? What happened?” he repeated.
“I found something.” Cassie grabbed Luke’s hand and led him to the coffee table.
His heart flipped—both from her touch and anticipation. “What exactly were you looking for?”
“Anything and everything,” Cassie told him. “I found the… Gosh, I don’t even know what you call it. A dossier? A file?” Cassie scrunched up her face in thought, then shrugged. “Let’s call it a report. I found a report the PI sent my grandmother about me. And it got me thinking… what else could I find?”
Luke frowned. “He sent her a report? I thought she’d just hired him to find your address.”
“Yeah, well. Turns out it was a bit more extensive than that. But that’s not why I asked you to come over.” Kneeling, she pulled him down beside her. “Look at this.” Cassie lifted a small velvet box from the coffee table. As she slowly cracked open the lid, a folded note fluttered onto the table, revealing a stunning antique engagement ring. A flawless oval-cut diamond sparkled in the center, bordered by vibrant-hued emeralds. “Isn’t it the most gorgeous ring you’ve ever seen?” Reverently, Cassie slipped it onto her ring finger, allowing the diamond to catch the light.
Luke couldn’t respond. The sight of the ring on Cassie’s finger completely stole his breath.
Then, as if breaking a spell, she slid it off her finger with a sigh. “It’s the same ring my grandmother was wearing in the photo I found in Frank’s office. And that’s not all.” She tucked the ring back in the box and picked up the folded piece of paper. “Guess whose name is on the note?”
But Luke could barely concentrate on Frank’s name scrawled in sloping cursive.
All he could think about was the way Cassie looked with that ring on her finger.
Chapter 24
Cassie smiled to herself as she hung the evergreen wreath on the crooked rusty nail jutting out of Frank’s front door. She’d chosen a simple swirl of fresh greenery with a few pinecones sprinkled throughout. No bow. Zero frills. At the very least, even if he didn’t appreciate the festivity, he might leave it up for the pleasant aroma.
Closing her eyes, Cassie took a moment to enjoy the delightful scent herself. When she opened them again, Frank’s suspicious gaze greeted her.
“What’s that?” he grunted.
“It’s a Christmas wreath.” Cassie breezed past him into the hall, realizing her unease around Frank had all but evaporated.
