“Oh, my God! Thank you,” she said, hugging the woman. “Thank you so much!”
Cassidy immediately called her sister and then her parents, who were more thrilled than she was, to tell them that she would be coming home soon. With Carrie dancing in New Orleans, Celeste firmly planted at G.R.I.P., and marrying the hunky Garrett Robicheaux, her life was on track.
“Celeste, you can’t seriously want me to wear this dress?” she frowned.
“Cass, you look beautiful!” she said, smiling at her sister.
“My boobs look huge in this, and so does my ass. Please let me wear sweats.”
“You are not wearing sweats down the aisle during my wedding,” laughed Celeste. “Come on, honey, it’s time for us to go.”
Cassidy watched as Carrie walked down first, her lean, elegant dancer’s body giving her figure envy. Then she walked down the aisle, spotting familiar faces and a few she didn’t recognize. When the ceremony was over, and Celeste and Garrett were husband and wife, the real fun began.
Anyone who attends a Robicheaux affair knows there are going to be two things in plenty. Food and music. Cass was interested in both. When the music kicked up, and the beat rocked her insides, she searched the crowd for a willing partner. She never expected that partner to be the size of a refrigerator.
“Hi, there,” smiled the big man. “I’m Cade. Wanna dance?”
“It’s your feet,” she smiled. “My sister is the professional.”
“Yea, I danced with her, but she’s awful tiny, and I’m afraid I’m gonna break her. Besides, she’s got eyes for Robbie over there,” he laughed. Cass nodded, grinning at her sister. She placed her hand in his big palm and walked out onto the floor.
The first song was a fast, upbeat number, and he easily twirled her around the room. When the music stopped, she was breathing so heavily, she thought she might pass out. Realizing that the strapless dress had slipped a bit, she blushed, pulling it up again.
“Sorry, I hate this dress, but it was my sister’s choice,” she frowned.
“Don’t be sorry. You’re stunning,” grinned Cade. “You look beautiful, and you don’t need to pull it up. It’s not going anywhere.” She blushed again, realizing that he was making reference to her large breasts. A slow song came on, and Cade grabbed her again.
“So, how long have you been here at RP?” she asked, staring up. Her neck was beginning to hurt from the effort, but it seemed Cade understood. He crouched, gripping her tightly around the waist, and lifted her.
“Cade! I’m too heavy,” she whispered.
“Nope. Don’t weigh anything at all. To answer your question, I’ve been here with my brother, Bodhi, for about three months now. We love it. We both worked with Remy and Robbie while serving. I’ve met some of the others a few times, but this was an opportunity of a lifetime.”
“Are you from around here?” she asked.
“No, we were both born in Oregon but lived most of our lives in Minnesota.”
“Wow, that couldn’t be further from Louisiana,” she grinned.
“Actually, they have a lot in common. Love of wildlife, fishing, lakes, rivers, the outdoors. We love it here.”
“It’s hard not to love being here,” she grinned. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, his big arms wrapped around her waist. She thought she’d feel self-conscious, but she felt protected and cared for.
“The food has been amazing,” he laughed. “I’m putting weight on, and I need to figure out a way to stop that.”
“You don’t need to lose any weight at all being as tall as you are. It’s much harder for me,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m five-feet-four. Every ounce shows up on me. Carrie and I are twins, but we definitely don’t have the same body type.”
“Well, no offense to your sister, but I prefer your body type,” he said with a low rumble. Cass felt the heat creep up her neck and smiled at him. “How about a break, and we get some cake?”
Cass nodded as she walked beside him to the food table. Cade Norgenson was one of the most thoughtful men she’d ever been around. He carried her plate and drink. He pulled out her chair. He let her eat first. She hadn’t enjoyed an evening so much in a very long time.
She was sad to see the night end, but she was happy to see her sister finally get her man. Carrie and Robbie deserved to find one another. While they were eating with the others at the wedding breakfast, her sister prompted Cade about art.
“I don’t know much,” he grinned. “I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Rembrandt and a Jackson Pollack, but I do need artwork. Mama Irene gave us our own cottages, so I’ll need help decorating.”
“You should go see Cass at the studio,” smiled Carrie. She kicked her sister under the table, but Carrie didn’t seem to get the hint.
“Hey, I’d love that,” said Cade. “I mean, if you’re cool with it, I could come by this week and see what you’ve got.”