Redeeming The Ceo Cowboy

“Maybe your opinion of me matters.”

His hand still on her wrist, he tugged her closer and rose from his seat. Their legs brushed and she lifted her gaze to his. Crickets chirped and tree branches rustled in the breeze, caressing the quiet night.

“Casey?”

A wayward strand of hair fell into her eyes. It was always doing that—giving the wholesome, sweet girl a sexy edge—another reminder that she was all woman now. Lifting his hand, he brushed the hair onto her cheek. His fingers lingered on the softest skin he’d ever felt. It would be so easy to kiss her again. “Maybe I want you to like me for purely selfish reasons.”

Her head tilted to the side and her lids lowered as she eyed his mouth. The hungry look on her face nearly blinded him. “But that means … Are you going to kiss me again, Casey?”

* * *

Redeeming the CEO Cowboy is part of The Slades of Sunset Ranch series. The sun never sets on love and redemption for these rich Nevada ranchers!

Redeeming the

CEO Cowboy

Charlene Sands

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling author of thirty-five romance novels, writing sensual contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. Her books have been honored with a National Readers’ Choice Award, a CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and she’s a double recipient of the Booksellers’ Best Award. She belongs to the Orange County chapter and the Los Angeles chapter of RWA.

Charlene writes “hunky heroes with heart.” She knows a little something about true romance—she married her high school sweetheart! When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favorite authors and spending time with her family. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Charlene loves to hear from her readers! You can write her at P.O. Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308, or sign up for her newsletter for fun blogs and ongoing contests at www.charlenesands.com.

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To Don, the sweet, wonderful man I married many, many moons ago.

Happy Special Anniversary, Sweetheart!

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Extract

Copyright

One

As soon as Susanna Hart spotted the chrome-rimmed Cadillac SUV turning the corner and barreling down the street, her heart fisted deep in her chest. She had known this day would come. Casey Thomas was back in town.

She held her cousin Ally’s small hand and watched as the fairy-tale princess ball rolled to a stop at the front lawn of Casey’s childhood home. Why wasn’t she graced with good luck and timing the way some women were? She darted a glance at her front door thirty feet away. It was too late to make a mad dash. The roar of the engine mellowed. He wasn’t far now. Thorny blades of grass pinched her bare toes where she stood like an immovable statue under the afternoon sun. Her palms began to sweat. She wiped her free hand on her denim jeans. “Oh, no,” she muttered.

Ally’s gaze immediately lifted to hers. Susanna fixed her lips into a pretend smile, scooped up the ball and handed it to the two-year-old. “Here you go, Muffin.”

The worry on Ally’s face crumbled and she giggled. “I’m not a muffin.” She hugged the ball to her chest and announced, “I bakeded muffins, Auntie.”

Susanna tapped a finger to the side of her mouth. “Oh, yeah, that’s right. I forgot. You’re my best helper.”

Ally’s smile widened. Poor kid. Ever since Ally had come to live with her one month ago, she’d tried to find ways to put the child at ease and let her know she was wanted and loved. Little Ally had enough on her plate without worrying about her Aunt Susie’s sudden panic right now.

Even if Susanna hadn’t recognized the blond-haired breaker of her heart, Casey Thomas, commandeering the wheel of the custom-painted glossy black SUV, she would’ve guessed it was him. Flashy cars such as his didn’t belong on Meadow Drive in the Reno suburbs. Neither did he, anymore.

But as he drove his SUV into the driveway of his childhood home and cut the engine, there was no mistaking the man who’d taken her virginity nearly ten years ago.

Susanna stood rooted to the spot spinning thoughts of nonchalance in her head. She’d seen Casey a few times in the last ten years. This shouldn’t be so darned hard. They could simply pretend the whole taking-her-virginity incident never happened, like they did when he’d come to pay his respects at her father’s funeral. Like they did when Casey broke his back riding rodeo and Susanna, being Audrey’s best friend, went with his sister to pay him a visit in the hospital. Like they did when they’d bumped into each other at Sunset Ranch after Audrey had her beautiful baby girl, Ava Kasey Slade.

The driver’s door opened and a beagle-size mutt scurried over Casey’s lap and leapt onto the driveway. Ally’s arms fluttered excitedly. “Doggy!”

The pup raced over to her, his peachy-blond tail wagging like crazy.

“Charger!” Casey’s voice boomed.

Susanna swept Ally off the ground and into her arms. It wasn’t the puppy’s enthusiasm so much as Casey’s tone that lodged a threat in her mind.

“Sorry,” Casey said, lowering his voice. “He’s actually pretty harmless. Just too darn rambunctious.” He hinged his body out of the SUV, his movements fractionally slower than when he was younger, before he’d broken his back in the rodeo ring. As he straightened to his full six-foot-two height, his jaw tightened. Back in the day, he saved that look for his sister Audrey when she’d done something wrong. Susanna wondered what put that look on his face today. Was he annoyed at the dog? Or was it residual pain from his injury causing him to frown? “I didn’t want him to frighten the child. Come here, dog.”

The puppy’s tail nosedived between his legs and he trotted toward Casey.

The pup and Casey had two things in common: lush shaggy blond hair and mischievous eyes. Casey strode to where the grass met the driveway, treating it like a barrier between them. “Hello, Susanna.”

Her toes curled deeper into the prickly grass. From what she could tell, Casey’s former life as a rodeo champion was gone now. Dressed in a russet brown shirt tucked into beige trousers, he was still ruggedly handsome if not a little more refined. Sunlight poured over his tanned face and charming white smile. “Hello.”

He cocked his head to one side. “Guess we’re going to be neighbors again.”

Temporarily. When she’d spoken to Audrey, she hadn’t been sure when Casey would arrive, but that he’d be staying a month, maybe two. On business. Secretly, Susanna had died inside hearing the news, but couldn’t let on to her best friend how much being neighbors again with her super successful, gorgeous brother distressed her.

“I guess so.”

He nodded, his stark gaze piercing through barriers with unspoken words. Words she didn’t want to hear. Words that were better off unsaid. “Uh, this is Ally. She lives with me now.” She hugged Ally close and brushed her lips to the top of her head. Soft blond wisps tickled her mouth. “Say hello to Casey, Ally.”

Ally’s eyes shifted from the pup to the pup’s owner. “Hello.”

Casey came closer, stepping over the grass barrier, and smiled wide. “Hi, Ally.” He took her hand and gave it a gentle shake. “Nice to meet you.”

Ally turned back to Charger. “I like your doggy.”

Charger rose up on his hind legs and pawed at Casey’s expensive dress pants, a mewling sound grounding from his little throat. “I think he likes you too.”

“Can I petted him?”

“That’s up to...” Casey turned to Susanna with a question on his lips.

“Aunt Susie,” she confirmed with a nod. She wasn’t really Ally’s aunt, but now wasn’t the time for explanations. “I think it’d be all right.”

Casey bent to pick up the puppy and Ally put her hand out ever so gently to stroke the puppy’s head. “He’s soft.”

“He is,” Casey said.

Lime and musk filled her nostrils. His scent reminded her of the last time they’d been this close. In the Thomas’s house, on the sofa, his arms strong and sure around her as she’d cried her eyes out. The images came through clearly as if they’d happened yesterday. Ten years later, and Casey still made her heart race.

If only he wasn’t going to live directly next door to her. If only he wasn’t Audrey’s brother. If only pressing business didn’t bring him back to Reno. Susanna gave herself a mental slap. The if onlys had to go. Casey Thomas was here for a short time and she’d have to deal with it, just like she’d dealt with everything else in her life. On her own terms.

“The street looks the same,” he said, glancing around.

“It is, for the most part.” She lived in a middle, middle class neighborhood, the homes groomed and tidy, but missing the fancy renovations upper middle income could provide. “Mrs. Martinez moved out. She’s living in a retirement home now. Peter Albertson got married right out of high school, but his mom and dad are still living here.”

“That so? I’ll have to stop over and say hello to Randy and Linda.”

Susanna smiled. “They’d like that. I think they miss Peter a lot.”

Casey glanced at his own house. No one had lived in it since Audrey moved out a year ago. Susanna watched over the property and made sure the gardener came twice a month to keep the lawn groomed.

“You still have a spare key?” Casey asked.

Susanna blinked. The question came out of left field. “Yes, do you want it back?”

Casey took in her sharp reaction and smiled slightly. “No, ma’am. I need to borrow it.” He set the pup down on the grass. “I left my place in Tahoe this morning without my key. Didn’t realize it until about twenty minutes ago.”

Whoops. Her shrewish answer had come out of left field. She’d barked at him as if she was the canine on the property. “Oh, of course. I’ll go get it for you. Come on, Ally.”

Ally pushed against Susanna’s chest and threw her body weight toward the dog, pointing her index finger. “Charger. Charger.”

“We’ll come right back, sweetie.”

“I’ll watch her,” Casey said. He squatted down and ruffled the pup’s ears, then gazed at her, his blue eyes full of reassurance. “If that’s okay with you?”

No, it wasn’t okay with her. It wasn’t that she couldn’t trust Casey with Ally. He’d raised Audrey from a young age and knew the ropes. If anything, he’d been overprotective of his little sister. It wasn’t that. She didn’t want to get too chummy with her new old next-door neighbor. And she certainly didn’t want Ally getting close to him, either.

Ally reached up and put her palms on Susie’s cheeks, looking into her eyes. “Pleeeeeze.”

The kid knew how to get to her; her plea zigzagged to her heart. She shouldn’t deny Ally a small measure of happiness because of pride. Ally had suffered enough sadness for someone so young.

With a shake of her head aimed at Casey, she lowered Ally to the ground. “Okay. You mind what Casey says, sweetie and stay close.”

The puppy immediately raced to Ally’s feet, his tail circling like a windmill on a breezy day.

They were becoming fast friends.

That wasn’t good.

Sighing, Susanna walked to her door, climbed up the steps and swiveled her head. She spotted Ally laughing as the bushy-haired pup did impressive belly rolls on the grass. Casey glanced over and their eyes met. A second ticked by, and then another. Having him here was impossible. She didn’t want him watching her. The corners of her lips pulled down and she snapped out of his momentary hold on her. Reaching for the screen door, she turned the handle and stepped inside her home.

Escaping.

* * *

Casey leaned against his SUV with his arms folded over his chest, keeping an eye on Ally. The dog was pooped out from one too many belly rolls and Ally sat beside him on the grass, talking up a storm. Casey didn’t know two-year-olds could babble so much, yet Charger listened to the blonde girl with ears perked and tongue hanging as if he understood every word she said. Casey knew a little bit about Ally from what Audrey had told him. Mainly that she’d lost her mom, Rhonda Lee, to drug addiction. Rhonda Lee and Susanna were first cousins. Since the child’s father was out of the picture, Susanna had been the child’s only option and she’d stepped in to raise the little girl.

Susanna’s screen door squeaked open and he spotted her stepping off the porch. As she walked toward him, she was ramrod stiff, her shoulders tight, her pretty sculpted chin held high. She hadn’t forgiven him. That much was clear.

Ten years seemed like eons ago, but Casey hadn’t forgotten the night they’d made love either. He was totally to blame for the awkward situation between them and it made his mission here that much harder. Somehow, he had to gain Susanna’s trust so he could help her. He owed the Hart family that much. Without Eleanor and George Hart, he would’ve never been able to raise Audrey on his own. For years, they’d been her second family when Casey was on the road with the rodeo.

If he hadn’t had legitimate business here establishing new Sentinel Construction offices in Reno and overseeing the final stages of a trendy new restaurant on the River Walk, Audrey wouldn’t have pounced on the idea of him moving into their childhood home to secretly help Susanna get back on her feet.

“She’s all alone, Case. Trying hard to make a success of Sweet Susie’s and raise her cousin’s child on her own,” Audrey had said. “You know how that is.”

And he did. He’d had his share of struggles after they’d lost their parents and he’d had to grow up fast in order to raise his much younger sister. That’s why he’d allowed Audrey to twist his arm. The trouble with the plan was that Susanna was barely speaking to him.

She glanced at the dog cozying up next to Ally under the shade of a cottonwood tree and then pursed her lips and robotically proceeded toward them. He sighed. She wasn’t happy about the pup being here either.

That was another one of Audrey’s ideas. Not that Casey minded rescuing the dog from a puppy mill, but he hadn’t planned on bringing the dog with him on this trip. He could’ve left the dog with Audrey at Sunset Ranch, but his sister had insisted he’d need the company. Now, he got it. His shrewd sister meant for the pup to be an icebreaker. Judging by the look on Susie’s face, he might also need a chisel.

“Here you go.” Susie dangled the key with its cupcake-shaped clear plastic keychain that read SweetSusies.com in bright lavender letters.

Casey opened his palm and she dropped it in, but as he lifted his hand, their fingertips brushed. Susie’s eyes widened and she blinked. Touching him made her nervous. That annoyed the crap out of him. Why was that? “I don’t bite, Suse.”

“No one calls me that anymore.”

Meaning she didn’t want him calling her by that familiar nickname. He’d heard Audrey refer to Susanna that way since forever. “I’ll try to remember that.”

He closed his hand over the key. “You’ve started a business. You always were a damn good cook. How’s it going?”

Her gaze slid to Ally. The child was content watching the dog resting beside her. Susanna turned back to Casey and said, “It’s going...well. I love what I do and...that’s all that matters.”

It was the defiant way she said all that matters and the way her eyes darted away afterward that caught his attention. Audrey had said she was struggling with all the changes in her life, but Susanna was too darned prideful to ask for help. “I hear you. It’s always a good thing,” he said, squinting his eyes, his emotions stirring, “to love what you do.”

Nervously, she nibbled her lower lip. He’d always thought she was pretty, in a natural wholesome sort of way. If he were any other man, under different circumstances, he’d be damned happy finding out Susanna was going to be his temporary next-door neighbor. Too bad the situation was more complicated than that.

“Oh, I’m....sorry. I shouldn’t have said...” She nibbled her lip some more.

“It’s okay.”

She couldn’t hide her compassion, not even under the guise of defiance. But he didn’t want anyone’s pity. His lifelong dream had been cut short by a freakish fall off a bucking bronco, but he’d come out the other end okay. As a rodeo rider, he’d known the risks. Because of sound investments he’d made during his heyday as a champion, he’d become CEO of Sentinel Construction and was wealthy enough to buy a rodeo or two of his own now. “My rodeo days are behind me. I’m fine with it.”

She swallowed and nodded. “Well...I really should take Ally inside. It’s almost suppertime.”

“Yeah and I’d better get unloaded.” He gazed toward the front door of his house. A dozen memories he wasn’t expecting flooded his mind. He’d raised Audrey here. It hadn’t been easy being mother and father to a sister eight years his junior. The responsibility had weighed heavily on him. Audrey would say he’d been hardnosed and a bully, and more times than not, he’d worried that he’d messed up her life. But the Harts had always been there for her, giving her guidance and a second roof over her head. All the more reason Casey had to see this thing through with Susanna. “It’s been years since I’ve lived here.” He sighed, speaking his thoughts aloud.

“It’s strange having the house empty since Audrey moved out.”

“Yeah, who knows what I’ll find in there,” he said.

“Except for some dust, you won’t be disappointed. Audrey kept the place up.”

“I bet you miss her,” he said, sliding his gaze to her.

Susanna looked longingly toward the house. “I do, but...she’s happy and a new mommy now.”

“It appears you’re doing some mothering too.”

A warm glow entered Susanna’s eyes as she continued to gaze at the house. “I’m doing my best with Ally. She’s really a sweetheart. Well, like I said, I’d better be going.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the key. I’ll see you around,” he said.

“Bye, now.”

She turned to walk away. With her long auburn tresses pulled into a ponytail, she looked younger than her twenty-eight years, but the snug fit of her blue jeans and the form-fitted plaid blouse she wore screamed woman in capital letters.

His problem wasn’t going away. Susanna had refused eye contact for all but a second or two of their awkward conversation, which she couldn’t wait to end.

Great.

Walking to the back of his SUV, he pressed the remote button on his keychain. The trunk eased open and he reached inside to retrieve his luggage. Gripping the handles of his leather suitcases with both hands, he gave a yank and hoisted them out.

“Charger,” he called over to the lazy dog. The pup’s head shot up and he spotted Ally and Susanna climbing the steps of the house. He rose on all fours, gave himself a shake and then trotted toward Susanna’s house. “No,” Casey commanded.

The pup stopped in his tracks and hung his head. “You can’t go over there.”

We’re not welcome.

Yet.

* * *

When the alarm clock went off the next morning, Susanna opened her eyes and glanced at the time. 4:00 a.m. She groaned softly and slid her arm out from under her pillow to hush the grating sound before it woke Ally in her bedroom two doors down. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Waking up at this ungodly hour had now become her routine. Rising in the dark was necessary. She had a full morning of baking ahead of her and had to get up an hour earlier than usual to make up for time spent with Ally in the mornings.

She hinged her body up and focused her eyes, going over the to-do list in her head. Aside from the regular orders from local merchants she would hand deliver, she also had to package muffins to send to a few clients in the surrounding counties.

Tossing her sheet off, she bounded quietly from bed and tiptoed out of the room and into the hallway. Wooden floorboards squeaked under her slight weight and she cringed. When Ally had first got here, there’d been too many nights when she woke from bad dreams. Susanna sent up a silent prayer that she’d sleep soundly for a few more hours. She popped her head inside the bedroom and smiled, sighing quietly. Blond curls framed Ally’s face as she slept on the twin bed that had once been Susanna’s. She never got over the love she felt for the little girl, or how the sight of her peaceful and happy made jelly of her heart.

“Promise me, you’ll take her and raise her right,” Susanna’s drug-addicted cousin would say, “if anything happens to me. The kid deserves a better life.”

Susanna had promised and Rhonda Lee had tried to kick her cocaine habit. She’d been to rehab twice, but there was a high failure rate with addicts trying to come clean and Rhonda Lee hadn’t made it to her twenty-ninth birthday. With no father in the picture, and all the other relatives too old to take on a young child, Susanna was Ally’s only hope and her cousin had known it.

There had never been a question that someone else would take Ally in; Susanna’s love for little Ally and Rhonda Lee had her immediately accepting the responsibility of raising the child. The sweet little girl needed someone who would give her unconditional but structured love. Rhonda Lee’s losing battle with her personal demons had all been terribly hard on the child and Ally deserved better.

Susanna planned to give Ally a good life.

She left the room and walked into the kitchen. She filled the coffeepot and the smell of the rich grounds got her juices flowing. Then she turned the oven on to preheat. “Don’t fail me,” she muttered to the late-seventies olive green appliance.

She got out all the bowls, muffin tins, utensils and ingredients she needed and began to bake. She had it timed perfectly—after mixing up and setting two dozen rocky road chocolate muffins in the oven she took twenty minutes to shower, throw on her clothes and dry her hair.

When she got back to the kitchen, she put her Sweet Susie’s apron on over her head and tied it behind her back. She was right on schedule and after the timer pinged, she donned oven mitts and pulled out the first two dozen muffins, setting the pans to cool on racks. Her next creation was made with cranberries and cheese. The coffeecake-like muffin wasn’t too sweet and a favorite at three local coffeehouses where she made deliveries. Once she set them to bake, she dipped her finger into the mixing bowl for a taste test. “Yum.”

By the time six-thirty rolled around, she’d baked twelve dozen pastries. Cupcakes and muffins cooled on the counters and tabletops all over the house. Bowls and utensils filled the sink and dots of batter littered the linoleum floor. She stepped carefully. Cleanup didn’t come until after she made her deliveries. She sipped from her coffee mug and began placing the pastries inside a Sweet Susie’s cake box.

Barking sounds rang out on the quiet street. She knew that bark. Susie moved to the kitchen bay window and gazed out. Charger and his owner jogged by. On short stubbly legs, the puppy was trying his darnedest to keep up with Casey’s long purposeful strides. It was no match. The pup’s five-foot leash was stretched to its limit. Casey finally slowed to a walk, allowing the puppy time to catch his breath.

Susanna caught her own breath. Casey was dressed in a sleeveless tank top and jogging pants. Golden brown and muscled like a pro athlete, he wasn’t hard on the eyes. Her friend Mindy would call him eye candy. With dark blond locks tied back and his skin moist and glistening, he strode confidently along the sidewalk as he cooled down.

She stood immobilized, fascinated by Casey Thomas. What else was new?

When he reached the front of his house, Susie was ready to turn back to her work. But he stopped and angled his head toward her kitchen window. Deep baby blues zeroed in on her, meeting her unflinching stare. Geesh! She didn’t have the nerve or good sense to turn away. He grinned and waved, mouthing “Good morning.” His smile did ridiculous things to her. A knot formed in her throat and she swallowed past it to wiggle her fingers his way.

She stepped away from the window, reminding herself she had a business to run. She couldn’t go around lusting after Casey, of all men. Or losing sleep over him.

After putting the finishing touches on her pastries, she entered Ally’s bedroom. She was just waking and Susie whispered, “Good morning, Muffin. Time to get up. We have deliveries to make.” Susanna bent to kiss her forehead and ruffle her curls.

Ally darted her gaze around the room and in those first few seconds, curious fear entered her eyes, before she realized where she was. One day she’d wake up and not have to remind herself that her mother was gone, and that her life would never be the same. Susanna prayed that day would come soon. Ally was young enough to acclimate to new surroundings. Susanna had met with a psychologist before taking Ally in and learned that a regular routine and stability were the keys in her acceptance of the situation. She needed no more surprises or traumatic experiences in her young life. She had to feel secure.

“Ready to get dressed? I saved two vanilla cupcakes for you. I have lots and lots of frosting leftover too. Would you like to frost them?”

Ally’s eyes widened and she smiled, pushing her covers off and hopefully the sad memories, too. “What flavors?”

“You have a choice of cherry chip or chocolate marshmallow.”

“Chocolate marshmallow!”

“Okay, then. Chocolate marshmallow it is.”

Susanna hoisted Ally off the bed and set her down. The little girl wiggled herself out of her nightdress and Susanna helped her get her arms through the sleeves of a purple and white Sweet Susie’s logo T-shirt. Jeans came on next and then socks. Ally slipped her feet into well-worn hot pink Velcro tennis shoes all by herself. “Good girl. We’re almost all set. Let’s go wash your face and hands and comb your hair. Then we’ll have breakfast and do some frosting.” Ally raced to the bathroom and after she was cleaned up, they went to the kitchen.

Shortly after breakfast, a light knocking on the front door disrupted Susanna’s muffin count for the last box. She slid a glance out the kitchen window and wrinkled her nose. “Casey,” she muttered.

Darn. She had to open the door. He knew she was home. She kept her curtains open to let in early morning sunshine and anyone who was looking could see her bustling about the kitchen.

Sliding her palms down her apron and straightening her ponytail, she made her way to the entrance. “I’ll answer the door, sweetie,” she said to Ally, who was busy licking chocolate marshmallow frosting off her fingers. “Not too much now. Just one bite of the cupcake.” Her mothering skills needed polishing, but at least Ally finished all of her oatmeal this morning before she got her treat.

Susanna took a deep breath, and then gave the door a gentle yank. She came face-to-face with Casey.

“Mornin’,” he said, his gaze instantly darting to the lettering on her apron. Sweet Susie’s...Tasty Pastries and More.

“Hello.” Clean-shaven this morning, his hair combed back, his eyes the deepest azure blue she’d ever seen, he wore a seriously gorgeous beige Armani suit. Wow. He hardly looked like the rough and tumble rodeo rider she’d grown up with. He gestured with his index finger. “What’s the more?”

“The more? Oh, on the apron? I do cakes and all kinds of desserts, really.”

“Keeping your options open?”

“Yes, I suppose...it makes good business sense.”

“But your specialty is muffins and cupcakes?”

“That’s right.”

“I can smell your baking from my house.” He lifted his nose and took a whiff. “Smells amazing, Susanna.”

“Thank you. I...uh, would you like a muffin or two?” If only her mother hadn’t drilled good manners into her. Last night, she’d felt like a heel seeing him come home with a bag of take-out from Burgers-N-Stuff. They weren’t the best burgers in town. Because he was Audrey’s brother, and for no other reason, she should have offered to bring him supper on his first night back in town. She glanced at her watch. She was fine on time. “I have to load up soon to make my deliveries but you’re welcome to come in for a few minutes.”

Say no. Say you have urgent business and you have to be on your way.

“Love to.”

Bummer.

He reached for the screen door and Susanna turned around and began walking. “The kitchen’s a big mess right now. I clean up after I make deliveries.”

As they entered the kitchen, Ally saw Casey and she came forward, peering curiously at him.

“Hi, Ally,” he said, bending to her level and softening his voice. “Hey, I like your shirt. Do you help Aunt Susie with baking?”

She nodded. “I frosteded two cupcakes.”

“That’s real nice.” Casey pointed to the tip of her freckled nose. “Did you frost your nose, too?”

She giggled. “No.”

“Not on purpose,” Susie said.

Ally wiped her nose and removed the frosting. Her mouth turned down. “Where’s Charger?”