“Yes,” Sassy admitted. “It’s another reason I wanted to visit you and him first. Do you think she’s up for a visit?”
“I’m sure she’d love to see you,” Ava asserted, “and make a donation. If you wait, I’ll ride to her house with you. I think they’re wrapping up the business discussions here.” She nodded to Nick. “Jacob and Ryan are out back, if you’d like to say hi.”
“Sure,” Nick said. With a wink for Sassy, he patted his knee. “This way, boy,” he said to Riot. The dog followed him to the back door, stopping to accept rubs from those assembled in the living room. Nick’s progress was slow as he shook hands with Sassy’s uncles and Chayton along the way.
“Do I want to know how he was injured?” Bly asked.
Sassy lifted her shoulders. “You know Nick. Always trying to be the hero, even when it’s to his own detriment.”
Richie cleared his throat. “Seems somebody needs to take care of him, too.” This comment earned a ribbing from his wife. “What?” he asked plaintively, rubbing his side.
“We agreed we wouldn’t pry,” Bly stated, raising her brows, a silent entreaty for him to behave.
Sassy narrowed her eyes at the two of them. “Pry?”
Richie looked torn between the need to confess and the urgency to keep things copacetic between him and his wife. “It’s nothing.”
Sassy dropped her chin, giving him her best Bly stare from beneath her lashes.
He fumbled. “It’s just… I was speaking to Ryan the other day and he mentioned that he thought the two of you…that Nick would…that you’d…”
If he danced around it anymore, they’d have to dress him up as a clown and enter him into the circus. “Yes?” Sassy prompted.
Ava groaned. “I think I know where he’s going with this. Nick and Sassy are just friends, Uncle Richie.”
“I know that,” he said. “But…”
“Oh,” Sassy realized.
“Hear me out,” Richie said, accelerating his explanation now that all three women were looking at him incredulously. “Ryan thinks Nick would be perfect for you.”
“Ryansaid that?” Sassy repeated. Was her cousin in the matchmaking business? Between his firefighting hours and his frequent visits to Fern’s bedside, Sassy wondered sourly where he found the time.
“It does make sense, in a way.” When Sassy and Bly turned on her, Ava raised her hands. “Your personalities mesh beautifully. I can understand, though, how vital your friendship is to the two of you. You’ve been through a lot together…”
Bly patted Sassy’s arm when she could only gape. “Don’t listen to your father. He sees James and Sherry holding their grandbaby. Baby fever is catching.”
“Grandbaby?” Sassy blanched.
“Richie,” Bly said, studying Sassy’s dumbfounded expression, “get your daughter some water. You’ve just scared ten years off her life.”
Richie apologized profusely and went to do just that.
Sassy stared into her mother’s eyes. “You think Nick and I should…”
“Ithink,” Bly interrupted smoothly, “that you and Nick are what you are and we have no right to ask for anything more of either of you.”
“And Dad needs grandbabies?” Sassy asked incredulously. “Now?” She’d never felt the weight of being an only child like she did now.
“No,” Bly answered for him. “That will come later, if you wish it. Andonlyif you wish it. What I’d like first is to see you settle down.” She laughed when Sassy wrinkled her nose. “You enjoy your life. I know you do. But I’ve been married to your father for thirty years, Haseya, and as much as I enjoyed my life on the reservation before, I can’t imagine a life without a partner. I’ll admit when I imagine someone for you, my mind drifts to Nicholas, because friendship is the foundation of any good marriage.”
“Marriage…” Sassy needed to sit down. Fast.
“Your father shouldn’t have said anything,” Bly noted. “He’s spooked you off the idea completely now.”
Richie returned with water. Ava drew her to a chair. Sassy sat and sipped until she could feel the blood in her toes again. Next time her parents dropped a bombshell, she’d like to be prepared.
What made it worse—so much worse—was that their expectations were now mixed up with the mess in her mind that were these newfound feelings for Nick.Unrequitedfeelings. Nick didn’t want her like that. He didn’t want her, period.
