“Who’s this?” I kneel down and hold out my hand for the dog to sniff.
“It’s my dog. Who else would it be?”
I didn’t expect Cassie to follow through on the dare and actually adopt a dog. I should have known better. She doesn’t back down from any challenge.
“What’s her name?”
“Diva.”
“Hi, Diva,” I murmur as I scratch behind her ear. She only has the one. “What happened to her?”
“Are you making fun of my dog?”
I glance up at her to find her scowling down at me. “I would never make fun of an animal.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe how many people have made nasty remarks about her. It’s not her fault a stupid car ran my Diva over.”
At the sound of her name, the dog yips and makes her way to Cassandra who picks her up and cuddles her. For someone who never wanted a pet before, she’s awful comfortable with the dog in her arms.
“People here in Winter Falls have made fun of her?”
The residents of Winter Falls may be nosy as all get out and forget the word privacy exists in the dictionary, but they are never mean. Bullying is considered a felony here. You learn awful quick in elementary school not to tease your fellow students if you don’t want to stay after school and help the janitor.
“No one in town.”
“Good. Then, you won’t have any problems anymore since you’re living in Winter Falls now.”
She glares at me. “How do you know?”
I shrug. “Winter Falls.”
She sighs. “I don’t know if I’ll ever adjust to how meddlesome everyone in town is.”
“You get used to it.”
She raises her eyebrows. “You do? You hid on some land outside of town for months because you’re used to it?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Speaking of hiding. I came to apologize.”
“You think you can apologize and things will go back to the way they were?”
I wish. “We’re friends.”
She growls. “Friends don’t lie to one another.”
I didn’t lie. I omitted the truth. There’s a difference, but I don’t bother trying to explain the distinction to Cassandra. She obviously doesn’t agree.
“Can I explain why I didn’t tell you I’m Rowan’s brother?”
“I don’t want to hear it,” she growls.
Damn she’s stubborn. She’s also gorgeous as hell with her green eyes flaming in anger and her luscious pink lips pursed together. I want to reach out and haul her into my arms. Comfort her for all the pain I’ve caused her, but I know better. She’d probably slap me. I stuff my hands in my pockets instead.
“Friends should listen when one of them is trying to apologize.”
“You think you can say ‘I’m sorry’ and I’ll forget all about how you deceived me for months?” She snorts. “Fat chance.”
“Can you try and understand things from my viewpoint?”