Chairs scraped against the floor. On either side of him, his sister and wife settled at the table.Wife.Not a word he was used to using. Oddly enough, it didn’t sound as startling as he would have thought. As a matter of fact, it seemed to feel… right.
“Earth to Kade.” From across the table, his mother waved her hand at him. “Are you planning on joining us today?”
“Oh,” he shook his head, “sorry. Thinking.”
“That’s fine, but pass the potatoes while you’re at it.” Her tone was slightly scolding, but her smile softened the blow. It always had.
Sarah Sue glanced at the kitchen clock then out the window. “I wonder what’s keeping Dad. I told him lunch would be a little late, after one, today, but…”
“I bet he lost track of time.” Alice offered a reassuring smile. “I’ll send him a quick reminder text.”
Just as his mom pushed back from the table to retrieve her phone, Sarah Sue’s handbag began to ring.
His mom laughed. “I bet he just noticed the time. I swear, for the best family doctor in this state, that man can be awfully absent-minded.”
Sarah Sue hurried across, answered, nodded, grunted, mumbled, “I’ll tell everyone,” then closed her phone.
“Something wrong?” Worry etched across his mother’s forehead.
“Dad can’t make it. He’s heading to the hospital. Emily Henderson is on her way to the ER.”
“Oh,” Alice tsked. “That poor family. Emily has had such a hard time of it the last few years. I’ll be praying that whatever is wrong isn’t serious.”
“We all will,” Rachel added.
Cassie leaned toward Kade. “Henderson… Is her brother the kid busing tables at the Whiskey Moon?”
“That would be him,” Preston said.
She didn’t say another word but Kade could almost read the thoughts in her mind as if they were printed on her forehead. He couldn’t blame her, he was thinking the same thing—thatkid had it rough enough right now. A sister in the hospital was probably the last thing he and his family needed.
The conversation drifted to other, less serious subjects. Kade ate, only half-listening, his mind sifting through his to-do list before leaving for temporary duty. After lunch, with the clanking of dishes and glasses filling the room as the table was cleared, he caught Cassidy’s eye and gave a slight nod toward the back door. Though he shouldn’t have been surprised that she immediately understood and excused herself to join him on the back porch, he wasn’t. Everything about this business deal was beginning to feel more and more like anything but business.
“Since I’m not needed for any chores on the ranch, this afternoon would be a good time to run to the bank. Set up that account we discussed.”
Her gaze to the floor, she blew out a deep sigh. “Your family is providing me with room and board. It doesn’t feel right taking your money too.”
“I won’t be here much over the course of the coming year and life is unpredictable, you’ll need to have access to money, just in case.”
Her mouth clamped shut, her gaze steadied on a distant point, but she didn’t say a word.
“Or would you rather ask Mom to lend you money if you need it?”
That had her head whipping around. “Of course not.”
“Then we agree the account is practical?”
Another heavy sigh, and she nodded. “Okay. Maybe you have a point.”
“That’s my girl.”
As soon as everything was cleaned up from lunch, the two of them headed to town. Kade pulled into an open space in front of the massive building that looked exactly like what it was—abank. Taking hold of her hand, supposedly for appearances, he knew it was simply because that was what felt normal now.
Inside, one of the associates directed them to an open cubicle with a bank officer. Filling out the standard paperwork, they were almost done presenting identification and signing the account cards when a raised voice from the back of the lobby caught his attention.
The older man dressed in Friday business casual was coming out of another cubicle, chased by a younger man. Jacob Henderson.
“I’ve explained it all to your father,” the older man spoke as he walked, his stride rapid, and aloof. “I really don’t have time to discuss this with you, I’m late for an important meeting. Call my office number and we’ll make an appointment for another day.” The man didn’t even bother to look back at the kid.
