“Thank you,” she said easily, and he chuckled.
“Whatever has you out here, looking worried, it shouldn’t matter. You’ve proven yourself in the three months you’ve been back here.”
“Gosh, has it only been three months?” she said, jokingly.
He smiled back. “Three more and this place will be covered in snow and full of tourists. I can almost guarantee it.”
“I’m excited to see what you come up with for next summer’s outdoor ventures around here. Will you be sticking around until the season starts?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. After several meetings with him, she believed that he could be a big asset to the summer ventures they were adding. He was very excited about the prospect of having downhill racing year-round.
“Nope.” He smiled. “Skid and I are heading up to spend a few days in Montana after this. We just came back here to send Rachelle off.” The man’s smile faltered.
“Were the two of you close?” she asked.
“You could say that,” he answered with a sigh. “I should have asked her to marry me a few years back.”
“I’m so sorry.” Raven felt her heart slide to the bottom of her stomach. How had she not known Eddie and Rachelle had been a thing? Did Sean know?
“No one else knew.” He broke into her thoughts. “Rachelle feared that if your aunt and uncle found out, they’d find some way to use it against us.”
“They really are assholes,” she admitted, and he smiled.
“Skid and I were up in Montana when we got the news.” He glanced over to where his dog was peeing on a tree. The man’s eyes filled with sadness. “Who would do such a thing? Rachelle was always so good to her employees. Kind to everyone she knew.” He shook his head.
“I’m sure the police will find out who killed them,” she said softly.
He glanced over at her. “So, you think the murders are connected?”
She sighed. “I’m not sure, but there has only been one murder in Cannon Falls in the last thirty years. Now we have two murders within a month of each other and under the same roof.” She shrugged. “It stands to reason.”
“Right.” He nodded slowly. “We’re having a little thing for Rachelle tonight in the center square. There will be live music and barbeque. You’re welcome to join,” he offered.
She had heard a few employees talking about it but had figured that she hadn’t been invited because she was the boss. Rachelle had requested to be cremated and hadn’t wanted a fuss to be made over her. Or so the woman’s lawyer had stated.
“I’d like that,” she agreed, already thinking of sending Cade a text about their change in plans.
“And since everyone in town knows you and Cade Stone are an item”—he smiled— “he’s welcome too.”
“Thanks.” She glanced down at her watch. “I’d better get back.”
“See you tonight,” Eddie called after her.
When she sat down behind her desk again, she realized she no longer cared what gossip was going around about her parents. Anyone who knew them, knew her, understood what the truth was. All others could go to hell.
She sent Cade a text message about the event, and he agreed to meet her there after work. When she was done working, she headed up to her room, once again avoiding the area just outside the elevators, to change.
After showering, drying her hair, and adding just a touch of makeup, she pulled on a simple black dress and low matching heels.
When Raven parked in the small parking lot near the center of town, a quick moment of anxiety hit her. This was the first time she’d be around so many townspeople. She could see more than a hundred of them gathering in the grassy park near a pristine white gazebo that marked the exact middle of Cannon Falls.
At this point, everyone in town knew she was back and no doubt knew everything about her—that she was fixing the resort up and that she’d fired her aunt and uncle. Most everyone even knew that she and Cade were seeing one another and that she spent most of her nights at his place now.
So why was she so nervous?
A knock on her car window made her jump and her hand went to her heart.
“Sorry,” Cade replied with a smile just outside her window.
God, he was so good-looking. He’d changed into a black button-up short-sleeved shirt and black jeans. Part of her wished he had a black Stetson to put on, completing the look. She knew it was too much to ask for. Not that there wasn’t a hint of cowboy in him. He’d been raised in the country, but to her knowledge, he’d never ridden a horse or roped a cow.
Still, every time she caught sight of him in his full fire gear, she salivated enough that she had a difficult time getting any work done.
“Are you coming out of there?” he asked, and she realized she was still sitting in her car fantasizing about him.
She grabbed her purse and cell phone and climbed out of her car. Cade reached in and took her hand, helping her out.
“Everything okay?” he asked her, his eyes running over her face, her shoulders, her hair.
“Yes.” She tried to smile and hide the immense force of desire pulsating from her body.
Cade didn’t seem to notice and led her towards the growing crowd. She could feel eyes on her as they passed people. Still, Cade didn’t stop until they were near the front of the crowd.
A band had set up in the gazebo and was already playing soft music while everyone arrived.
Less than five minutes later, Eddie got up in front of everyone and held up his hands to get everyone’s attention.
“I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight to celebrate the life of Rachelle Braun. Only a handful of people knew that Rachelle and I go far back.” Eddie’s eyes landed on hers and then quickly moved away. Raven heard a few whispers behind her, but then Eddie continued talking, telling the mourners a few personal details about the woman he’d loved but had been too afraid to commit to. Raven glanced sideways at Cade and remembered him saying those three special words she had yet to respond to.
Since he’d spoken them to her, she’d avoided the talk about what it meant to them, what it meant to her, other than the short conversation they’d had.
What if something happened to either of them? Would she regret not telling him how she felt about him? Would he know? Did he know already?
As she listened to Eddie finish talking and welcome others to speak on Rachelle’s behalf, she thought about her own life. Her own procrastinations. How she had avoided returning to Cannon Falls for over ten years, trying to keep the hurt, the pain, and the guilt hidden from everyone else.
She’d put herself in that bubble and had convinced herself that what she had with Cade was just attraction. Just sex. But the truth was, he’d snuck in behind her carefully guarded walls. Somehow, he’d convinced her that life wouldn’t be as great without him in her life.
The fact was, she was in love and wasn’t sure what the hell came next.
Time to make the bitch pay. Twisted fates. Ropes tangled like webs.
You think this is fun? You think you can get away with saying whatever you want? Doing whatever you want?
Someone has to pay tonight. Someone needs to die. It might as well be you.