He smiled for a second to agree, and then gave me this look, like he knew I was more than just an agent assigned to return her home. My cover had been blown.
“Is there something I need to know about between you and my daughter?”
His question was direct. “There’s nothing you need to worry about, Mr. Healy.”
He nodded again. “Good to hear. Thanks for bringing her home to us unharmed.”
I handed him the bag of Cassie’s things. “She’ll probably want this stuff.”
He took the bag and walked away, leaving me to watch as he took her away from me. The moment they walked out of the building I headed toward the elevators. Just as it began to open for me to enter I heard her voice. “Logan, wait.”
The tears in her eyes were too much to see. “I thought you left.”
She shrugged. “I just want to know why. Why would you be with me? Why would you show me so much only to let me go? Did it mean anything to you? Was it just some job you needed to see through?”
“No. You haven’t been part of my job for a long time. I know you don’t understand, but I did this for you, because I care about you.”
I reached for her, but she backed away. “If you cared about me you would have been honest. I told you things. I slept with you. You let me think we’d be together. How could you be so cold? Did I know you at all, or was it all a ploy to keep me content while you planned to get rid of me?”
“It’s not like that, Cassie.”
“Oh really? From where I’m standing that’s exactly how it is.”
“I’d like to still be friends. What we shared was…”
She cut me off. “A mistake. Being with you was a huge mistake, Logan Campbell. I’ll never forgive you for this. Don’t try to call me. Just forget you ever knew me at all.”
When she walked away I didn’t run after her. What good would it have done? She’d made up her mind, and it was exactly how I’d suspected it to go. Cassie may have been home with her family, but for the first time I wondered if it was really where she belonged.
Chapter 32
Cassie
In all honesty I didn’t know how to feel. Having my parents with me was reassuring. They weren’t screaming at me or talking about the mistakes I’d made. My mother sat in the back of the truck next to me, her arms clung to mine as if she were going to lose me again.
I cried silently to myself, but not because the emotions I was experiencing from having them back in my life. My tears were because of the pain and disloyalty of a man I thought I might have a future with. He’d been everything a woman would look for; generous, thoughtful, compassionate, but I wondered if it was all a façade. How much was real? Did he even like me, or was it all to keep me occupied?
Pulling up the long gravel driveway to the ranch was how I would imagine it could feel to walk through the gates of heaven. It was beautiful, and the most comfortable place on earth.
My brother was on a tractor running parallel to the way my father was driving. He waved when he saw the vehicle, and I knew when I finally had him close I’d pull him into a hug and never want to let go. Callie, my youngest sister, was on the porch. She was petting one of the barn cats that wandered around killing the field mice. Usually they were feral, but one particular had taken to being a lap cat.
Callie stood when the truck came to a stop. I climbed out and stretched before making my way in her direction. Feeling her holding me, smelling the familiar scent of our shared shampoo, it made me feel as if I’d never left. “I missed you, Cass.”
“I missed you too.”
“Jax and Amber said they’re going to come by for dinner. Mom invited everyone to the entertainment barn this evening. It was probably meant to be a secret, but I know how you hate surprises.”
I smiled. For a long time I’d assumed my family didn’t understand me. I’d fought them tooth and nail, completely believing I was in control of my own future.
I’d been wrong. So wrong.
After being greeted by my brother, I followed my family into our home. Everything was exactly as how I’d left it, including my room. Once I’d made sure everyone was okay with me taking a few minutes for myself, I entered and closed the door behind me. My secrets were in a box hidden in my closet. I pulled it out and started going through pictures and receipts, all tied to my relationship with Brant. I cried for the time I’d wasted on such a fowl person. I cried because I’d hurt the people I loved the most, but mostly I cried for the man who’d used me for his own personal entertainment. I wailed against the pillows on my bed, trying to hide my anguish from my worried family. They’d want to comfort me, but I couldn’t begin to tell them how I’d made another stupid mistake.
I’m not sure how long I’d been bawling in my room before my father came walking inside. It was strange to see him around the house before dinnertime, since he was always out on the ranch working. He sat down on my bed before speaking. “Darlin’, I know you’re hurting, but I want you to know we’re awfully glad to have you home where you belong. Your mother and I have been worried sick about you. The agent told us a little about what happened while you were away. I just need to know you’re all right. Well, are you okay, Cass?”
I sat up and wrapped my arms around my father. “I’m going to be fine, Daddy.” He kissed the top of my head, which only made me more emotional. “I’m so sorry for everything.”
“We all make bad decisions. We’re just glad you’re home safe and sound. I know it’s tough, but you’ll get past this, and you’ll probably have learned a little something from it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He kissed my forehead before standing up. “I am. I better get back to your uncle Ty, before he screws something up I can’t fix.”
I smiled, imagining the two of them bickering. They were as entertaining as any reality show out there.
I took a nap before the big dinner at the barn. It had been converted a long time ago to house our always-growing family. Uncle Ty and my Aunt Miranda greeted me first. She was holding one of my cousin Jax’s twins. The next person to greet me was my cousin Isabella and her husband Rusty. Jake, Jax’s twin hadn’t yet arrived, but I suspected he’d be there, since an invite with food was being offered.
With a few of my cousins, and my immediate family so close I realized how good it felt to be home. It wasn’t like Vegas, or even the comfort I’d found at Logan’s house. This was where I belonged, at least for now. It was time to get my life in order, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.
A week later I approached my parents with something serious. I tried to start slow and work my way into my announcement. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me in the past week. I’ve had a lot of time to think since I’ve been home.”
“Are you okay, sweetie?” My mother asked.
“I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“We’re listening,” my father offered.
“I think I know what I want to do with the rest of my life, and before I tell you I want you to keep an open mind. It’s probably going to seem like it’s coming out of left field, but I promise it isn’t. What would you say if I told you I wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement? I’m thinking of going into the police academy.”
“I’d say it’s a big decision,” Dad announced.
“What brought this on?”
I fidgeted with my hands while answering. “I’ve thought a lot about it. I want to help people. I want to do something for my country, for myself. I’m old enough to go into the academy.”
“Are you sure this is what you want? It’s a vigorous amount of training, and you’d be putting your life in danger every time you wear the badge.”