I shake my head at my big brother. “You had to mention I’m a wanderer.”
“A wanderer? Is that what we’re calling a hobo these days?”
“Hobo? How old are you, old man?”
“However you name it, it’s all the same. You can’t stay in one place, which means you’re using Cassandra.”
And we’re back to square one again.
“I am not using Cassandra. Do you want me to speak louder so you can hear me, old man?”
I don’t know why I’m goading him. Maybe I am feeling a bit guilty about my relationship with Cassandra. Not about having sex with her. I did nothing wrong there.
But I did lie to her. I thought omitting the truth was a white lie. I was wrong. Too bad I didn’t figure out how wrong I was until the grand opening of her sister’s spa.
I should have told her the truth earlier, but I knew she’d ghost me if I did. The woman is terrified of commitment. And it’s not only the sex I was afraid of losing. We’re friends. I enjoy her company. She’s funny if a bit on the crazy side.
“I’m done talking. It’s time to fight.” Beckett raises his fists.
“Winter Falls doesn’t believe in violence.”
I know I can take him. We’re the same height but I’ve got twenty pounds of muscle on him. Not to mention I’ve spent some time in seedy areas where being able to defend myself was a necessity. But I don’t want to fight him.
“We’re not in Winter Falls now.”
“Technically, we are. This land is owned by the town.”
Beckett cocks an eyebrow in question at Rowan who nods. “It’s true. The town owns hundreds of acres of nature surrounding the town.”
“Why?”
“How else can they build a wind farm and biomass power plant to provide the town with electricity?”
“Makes sense. But it doesn’t matter. No one from town is here.”
Rowan raises his hand. “Am I a ghost? I’m pretty sure I’m from town.”
“Technically, I’m from Winter Falls, too,” I add because I can’t stop myself from goading him. I blame Cassandra for mentioning how overprotective her brother is and how he stifles her.
“Are you trying to piss me off?”
I shrug. A shrug is not an admission of guilt according to Cassie. Damn. Why can’t I stop thinking about her?
“Can you get on with it?” Rowan asks. “Ashlyn. Baby. Rave.”
I smile at him. I’m happy for him. And Ashlyn is perfect for him. When I said I didn’t think I’d return to Winter Falls for their wedding, she bought plane tickets for Vegas and I met them there. No one knows I witnessed their wedding, though. Ashlyn’s mom would lose her ever-loving mind if she found out I was there.
“No one will be fighting today,” Cassandra declares as she stomps into the clearing.
“Thank goodness. Nice seeing you, bro. I gotta get home,” Rowan says and hurries off before I can respond.
Chapter 12
Never allow yourself to have what you want if what you want could lead to emotions or feelings or other squishy stuff ~ Cassie’s rules for surviving this thing called life
You need to go to Cedar’s house.
Why?