Cassidy Harte and the Comeback Kid by RaeAnne Thayne Page A

that.
    â€œAre you sure you’re all right?” Sarah asked in her quiet voice while Ellie was occupied loading the girls up with plates and silverware.
    Cassie pushed away her thoughts and summoned a smile. “Sure. I’m fine. Just hungry.”
    Sarah didn’t look convinced, but to her relief, her future sister-in-law was too tactful to push her on it as they finished preparations for dinner.
    As usual, the meal was noisy and rambunctious, full of heated debates, good food and plenty of laughter. Cassie joined in, but a part of her sat back, watching her brothers with the women they loved.
    Matt and Ellie never seemed to stop touching each other. Ellie’s hand on Matt’s arm as she made a point. Matt’s quick caress of his wife’s shoulder as she leaned back in her chair. A soft kiss when they thought no one was looking.
    It still amazed her to see her big, gruff oldest brother teasing and smiling at his spunky little wife.
    Jesse and Sarah were the same, and she whispered a quick prayer of gratitude that her middle brother had finally realized he deserved better than the wild, bubble-headed party girls he usually dated, that he had been wise enough to latch on to someone as soft and good as Sarah.
    She was jealous of them for their happiness. All of them. For a few brief months she had known that same deep connection with Slater, but she was terribly afraid she would never find it with someone else. The knowledge had her picking at her steak and barely touching the homemade ice cream Dylan and Lucy had churned.
    She had a good life, she reminded herself. Thanksto Slater, in just a few weeks she would have enough money to put the down payment on Murphy’s and finally realize her dream of running her own restaurant. She would have purpose in her life again. Direction.
    â€œYou gonna eat the rest of that?” Jesse asked, gesturing with his spoon toward her melting ice cream.
    She grinned at her bottomless pit of a brother. And wasn’t it just like a man that for all he ate, he never gained an ounce of fat, just hard muscle? “What will you give me if I let you finish it off?”
    â€œHow about a ride in my police Bronco with all the lights and sirens blaring?”
    â€œOhh. As tempting as that sounds, I just don’t think my poor heart could stand so much excitement.”
    Jesse pondered for a moment. “How about I let you keep Daisy while we’re in Vancouver for our honeymoon?”
    She laughed, looking toward the shade of the sycamore where his big golden retriever lounged with Dylan and Lucy. “Again, a very enticing offer. But I think your baby would be happier here on the ranch where she can chase the cats and play with the cow dogs. Is that the best you can do?”
    â€œCome on, Cass. Your ice cream is just sitting there going to waste, melting all over the place. Why don’t you just tell me what you want?”
    She hadn’t want to bring this up in front of the rest of the family but she couldn’t pass up the chance. “Promise you won’t make any more scenes in town like the one in front of Murphy’s this week with Slater, and it’s all yours.”
    Jesse glowered, all teasing forgotten. “I can’t make a promise like that. I should have pounded the bastard’s pretty-boy face in.”
    She glowered right back. “It’s not your battle to fight, Jess.”
    â€œThe hell it isn’t.”
    â€œAll you did with your little chest-pounding demonstration was stir up more gossip. You’re not helping anything.”
    â€œI’m not about to sit by and let him hurt you again.”
    â€œI can take care of myself,” she snapped, even though she wasn’t at all sure of that, as evidenced by her response to that slow, sexy late-night kiss.
    Before Jesse could argue, Matt broke in. “Neutral corners, you two. Looks like we have company.”
    From here she could see the long,