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In the puddle of light coming from the parking lot pole, Cassidy sat on top of the back seat in the open red vintage convertible as it idled with Ryder sitting behind the big, white wheel, his long, strong hands firmly in place. Bandit sat in the passenger seat, head up, and gazing about in mild curiosity. Molly snuggled in Cassidy’s side.
“I’m so excited.” The little girl practically squealed.
“You’re shivering. Cold?” Cassidy rubbed her hand up and down Molly’s thick pink, sparkly sleeve of her sweater.
“Little bit. More nervous. I’ve never been in a parade before.”
“After this, you’ll be able to give lessons.”
“Daddy, is it our time soon?”
“A few more minutes. Remember, we go after the high school band.”
“Silly. I forgot. I got to see the horses and the funny cars and the twirlers so far.”
Catching his wide grin in the rearview mirror, Cassidy nearly swooned. Talk about jumpy nerves!
He’d been a distant memory for so long, carefully tucked away in the corners of her mind. Now, he was real and rugged and right there for her to reach out and touch. And, oh, how she wanted to touch him...
It shocked her at how easily she’d fallen for him. But maybe it was just revealing what had always been there had finally awoken again inside her.
As if your life isn’t messy enough as it is, girl! What did you go and do this time?
The drums beat—shooting straight to Cassidy’s core—as Ryder drove her and Molly down Main Street practically crawling behind the school band. The crisp, cool night chilled her cheeks.
Cheers, clapping, and hollering erupted from the three-deep crowd lining the streets.
The lights Ryder and she had put up days ago twinkled and glowed, casting a warm buttery yellow light over the people—familiar and dear and tourists alike. Christmas wreaths and ornaments adorned every shop and swags of greenery with a red candle and yellow light stretched across the street.
Her heart hitched at the homey holiday atmosphere.
Home. Christmas. Family. Friends.
Her smile wavered when she spotted the professional lenses clicking away along the route. Some reporters even tried to rush the car, but Caleb soon halted them and handed them off to one of the volunteers or his deputies.
“Thanks, cuz.”
“Anytime, Cass.” Caleb’s voice held a grin. “You sure do stir up a ruckus, don’t you?”
“Not what I was ever going for, mind you.”
He tapped the side of the car. “Pick up the pace a little, Ryder, the band’s faster than you are.”
“Funny, sheriff. Just making sure the queen and the princess get their royal waves in.”
Molly and Cassidy giggled as they tried their best to wave back at the jolly crowd, slightly moving their hands back and forth in a slow, smooth motion.
“It’s hard work, Daddy.”
“You got this, baby girl.”
The long route stretched for over two miles through town and on the way to the high school parking lot and still there was no end in sight as the crowd packed the sidewalks and lane.
Some held up signs for her—picture and sparkles included—or Honor Strong were written on others.
Cassidy’s smile grew stiff and wooden. Her arm hurt. And the flashes going off nearly blinded her, hopefully capturing a memory in time the people of Honor would enjoy later.
With each new Christmas song the band played, she sensed the excitement filling the air. Pride, fierce and strong, pulsed around her.
Honor, Texas, a home to be proud of.
“If only it would snow.” Molly used both hands to wave. “Then that would be perfect.”
“That would be pretty, but colder than tonight.” Cassidy smiled at the thought of the crystal white flecks dotting the sky.
“Is every flake different like they say?”
“Not one is the same. Haven’t you ever noticed?”
“Can’t tell in pictures. I’ve never seen snow before.”
“Never ever?”
“Not in my whole entire life. And that’s a long time.”
Cassidy chuckled and Ryder followed along. The rich sound shot tingles from the top of her head clear to the tips of her toes and everywhere in between.
Bandit barked once and then again.
“Well, we may have to wave that trusty ol’ wand of yours and wish for some, darling.”
A part of her heart tugged, wondering if she’d ever get to share that moment with Molly and Ryder.
How many other things would she miss out on with them after she left town to go fight in court? Battling for what little she still had left—her good name, her daddy’s and hers—something she’d never ever let happen as long as she lived?
That Cassidy could be sure of. She’d been struggling for both of them. She realized that now.
Honor. Integrity. Pride.
Her family name.
Holding his sleepy little girl in his arms, Ryder guided Cassidy through the thinning out crowd—making a stop now and then so they could talk, hug her, or take a selfie with her—to the bustling diner.
The place boomed with activity as they approached.
“Looks like everyone in town stopped by.” Cassidy’s voice wobbled.
“They’re the only business to reopen after the parade. It’s tradition. Something about their award-winning pies.” He grinned at the thought of the tempting treat. He hadn’t had a slice of their strawberry rhubarb pie in a long time.
Cassidy halted outside the door and turned to him. “Maybe I’ll skip...”
A growing frown sat between her beautiful gaze.
“We here, Daddy?” Molly shifted and rubbed her eyes, blinking waves of sleep away. She wiggled and he eventually let her down. “Bandit wants something, too.” She patted the dog. “He worked hard tonight. Didn’t you, boy?”
“He’s not allowed inside.” Cassidy brightened up. She shot him a tight smile. “I wouldn’t want to leave him alone outside or in my truck.”
A drop of dread spread in Ryder’s chest. “The queen holds court here after the parade.” He lowered his voice for her ears only.
Cassidy shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “Does she now?”
“Right thing to do seeing as”—he tilted his head toward the diner—“they’ve been waiting to thank you kindly for pushing for the parade to go through and your time.”
A surge of what could only be guilt welled up in her gaze and her face paled. “There’s so many of them... and only one of little ol’ me.”
“They want someone to look up to, someone who reached for the stars either they didn’t or couldn’t go for, and follow that trail of stardust.”
“Hitch a ride on a star?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m no one’s hero, Ryder.”
“You’re mine, Cassidy.” Molly’s sincerity pierced the crisp, cool air.
Cassidy shook her head, trying to deny it.
“Nothing right is ever easy, Cassidy.” The stern tone in his words surprised him. He’d been hard pressed to keep quiet about her pushing him away years ago, but the lid had rattled and now tried to blow off.
She tipped her chin up. “Is that so?”
“Not that you would know.”
“Seems like you’re an expert.”
“Nope. Just practice what I preach.”
“And I don’t?”
“Cassidy James McCall, you are the most frustrating woman I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.” He exhaled, long and slow. “You want it all back without even trying to do anything about it. So you can’t sing yet. You can play. You can write songs. You can go in there and thank the good people of Honor for putting up with the chaos of the last few days—chaos you brought here, mind you.”
“Daddy, are you mad at Cassidy?”
Molly’s question—soft and quivery—stopped him cold. He reined his temper in. “A little irritated, is all.”
But Cassidy stood frozen, gazing up at him. She swallowed hard.
“They’ve never let you down, gypsy girl. I haven’t either, if you were wondering.”
Her eyes reflected her churning emotions. Ryder ached for her and what she battled with. But if he didn’t push her then who would?
“Cowboy.” She tipped the brim of her cowgirl hat at him and tugged it down a notch, hiding behind it. “’Bout time we join the party, isn’t it?”
She turned, grabbed up Bandit’s leash and opened the door. The wall of noise blasted out, slamming into her, or so it seemed like as she took a step back.
Cassidy threw back her shoulders and marched on in. “Well, howdy, folks!”
Someone came up and greeted her with a big hug and then took Bandit back outside. “I’ll see to him, never you mind.”
Molly tried to hold the heavy door open. Ryder caught it and ushered her in ahead of him, careful of her wings.
Looking up, Ryder watched in a mixture of awe and stunned wonder the way his Cassidy worked the crowd, going from one table to the other, teasing and joking as the guys and girls fell under her spell.
Yeah, the way he was doing right now...
Cassidy must have shaken hands and hugged nearly half of Honor Texas already. She waved over Molly. “Lookee here, my cowgirl princess needs to say a howdy do or two. Now, she’s the real star of the parade, don’t y’all think?”
The little girl beamed from ear-to-ear, snuggling against Cassidy’s side.
Her heart squeezed hard and fast. She’d been overwhelmed with emotion all day and the touching gesture made her blink back burning tears.
How could she walk away from sweet, adorable little Molly?
Miss Peaches clapped her hands and cheered, getting a frown from Miss Clementine.
“Oh, sister, relax. The parade was a great big success and so should the festival. It does a body good to know we’ll have a wonderful holiday season.”
“She’s mighty right about that.” Gramps winked at Cassidy and went back to sipping his hot chocolate.
Cassidy glanced up to see Ryder watching from a stool at the counter, smiling at her and Molly.
His crooked grin stole her breath away. Warmth rushed through her and into her cheeks.
Outside, less than an hour ago, he pushed her to her limits and beyond. He’d made her see how utterly and totally selfish she’d been. And not just recently, either.
Cassidy had worked hard to get to the top or as close as could be. She hadn’t done it alone. Her momma had sacrificed a real home for the road, long trips through darkened nights to get to the next stop, and a personal life. She’d done it for her baby girl.
She’d never regretted a second of spending time with Cassidy and made sure she’d known it.
But her momma had a dream of living in a place like Honor one day.
Time had run out.
And Cassidy could never provide her with that or repay her for everything she’d done for her.
Along with her momma, there’d been Ryder who propped her up more than a time or two along the way, believing in her and her talent like no one else ever had.
Her fans—loyal and true—stood by her even now.
There had been countless times she’d gotten emails or a hundred posts about how they were rooting for her still right before she shut out the world by coming to Honor.
Cassidy had turned her back on them as her heart broke, too ashamed to face them and her many, many failures.
But they hadn’t ever let her down.
The music industry might have beaten her up and spit her out, along with the tabloids. However, the people who saw her as something special, one of their own, wouldn’t turn on her—not the true ones.
Like Ryder Hadley.
The man grinned like nobody’s business now, causing her to question everything and anything she ever thought she knew about love.
Getting tingly all over every time he looked at her was only one thing. Her knees wobbling when he gave her a lopsided grin, well, that was another. But there was more, so much more.
Words and a melody sprang together in her mind.
Once upon a time her cowboy, yeah, he and this gypsy girl reached for the stars...
Her heart did a little flip-flop in her chest.
