Chapter 10

 

Cassie pulled her jacket tightly around her. The warm air of summer was all but a fading memory, and pretty soon fall would be succumbing to the frigid temperatures of winter. It was only a little longer before she would be out of the woods and into a home—a home with heat and running hot water, a fireplace and a mattress that didn’t need to be blown up.

Those thoughts had gotten her through last night when the temperatures took an unexpected drop. Also, thoughts of Mason wrapped around her, their bodies hot and slick, sliding against each other, helped too.

Just as long as she didn’t act on her impulses, she could hold onto the little fantasies that played out in her mind when she was alone and found herself in need of comfort.

She walked toward the exit of the campground and gave Marty a wave as she went.

“How you doing this morning?” he called after her, and she made a turn toward him.

“Pretty well. And yourself?”

“It’s a beautiful fall day.” He held up his hands and scanned out to the yellow and orange leaves that surrounded them. Every day the colors became more and more vibrant as if she stepped out of reality and into the Thomas Kinkade painting Francine had hung above their television. “Couldn’t ask for better. Where you headed?”

“To work.”

“That Hayes boy treating you okay?”

“He’s treating me just fine.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less. He comes from good roots.”

“That’s what I hear.”

The Hayes family seemed to be a staple in Red Maple Falls and had made quite the impression. People didn’t mention the name Hayes without offering their praise to go along with it. It made Cassie think back to her and Mason’s first encounter. He probably could have got her references if she had asked.

“You need a ride?” Marty asked, resting his body against the wall of the main lodge.

“Like you said, it’s a beautiful day. Want to enjoy them before the snow comes.”

“According to the Farmer’s Almanac, it’s going to be a doozy this year. I’m happy you found yourself a place.”

“Me too. It’ll be nice to have a couch to relax on and a fire to curl up in front of, but I will miss you.”

“Now, aren’t you the sweetest. I’ll make sure to stop in at that brewery and say hello when the weather permits.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Just promise you’ll hold a seat for me.”

“Always.”

“That’s my girl. Now, you best be on your way if you’re going to get to work on time. Call me if you need a ride home. You know I don’t like you walking in the dark.”

“I know you don’t,” she said with a smile. He had mentioned it to her only every time she headed out of the campgrounds. It was nice to have someone care, to want to keep her safe. It had been so long since she knew what that felt like.

“You have a good day, you hear,” he called after her, offering a smile and a wave.

“You too, Marty.”

Marty might have been a good forty years older than her, but he was the first friend she made in Red Maple Falls, and because of that he would always hold a special place in her heart. He accepted her when she thought the world had given up on her, and gave her a place to stay while she figured her life out. She would miss his stories, and she would miss his company when she left. She really hoped he meant what he said, and he’d stop by and visit her at the brewery.

The wind kicked up, and she pulled her jacket even tighter. The sound of a motorcycle in the distance caused her to miss a step as panic erupted inside of her. She looked around for a place to hide. She was surrounded by trees and could easily slip into the woods undetected.

“You’re being ridiculous,” she said out loud, forcing herself to keep moving forward. “It’s been four months for heaven’s sake. Dylan is not here. He’s back in Florida.”

The sound of the bike came closer. Not every motorcycle was him and not every biker was a bad person.

The bike passed, and the older gentleman who rode by gave her a nod as he continued on.

“See? Not a bad person,” she said as relief settled in her veins.

She was starting to regret not asking for a ride when a car pulled up beside her. Her first instinct was to ignore them and keep walking, but then she saw the Sheriff markings on the side panel.

“Need a ride?” Matt asked as he drove alongside her. He was devastatingly handsome like his brother, but his eyes were much lighter and the lines of his face weren’t nearly as chiseled. He smiled, and Cassie knew that was the Hayes’ charm Shay had referred to. It was warm and inviting, making her want to say yes even though her mind was telling her to say no.

She didn’t like cops. They gave her an uneasy feeling, even if she knew this was Mason’s brother and Shay’s husband. There were just some things from her past she couldn’t let go. What if he looked into her and found out things she’d rather keep to herself? What if Dylan reported her missing—though she honestly didn’t think he would—and they contacted him? He would find out where she was, and everything she did to get to this point would have been for nothing. She simply couldn’t let that happen. She wasn’t going back to her old life. Never. Not after everything she’d endured.

“It’s a lot warmer inside the car than it is out there,” Matt said.

She stopped walking and turned, ready to tell him she was okay, but it was so damn cold. Instead of turning down his offer she accepted it. She knew she’d be safe with him.

“I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

Matt slouched back into his seat as she hurried over to the passenger door. She jumped in, relishing in the heat flowing out of the vents. She held her hands up to absorb as much of the warmth as she could.

“Getting cold out there.”

“Cold is an understatement,” she said.

Matt glanced at her with an amused smile. “That tells me you’re not from around here.”

“Nope.”

“Where are you from?”

“Florida.”

“What brings you to Red Maple Falls?”

“Change of scenery.”

“Is it true you’ve been living down at the Turtle Creek campsite?”

She knew when she was being interrogated, and she also knew when she had to be careful with her words. He might have been Mason’s brother, but he was also the Sheriff. She sure as hell didn’t want to say anything that would put her on his radar.

“Yes.”

“Strange place to live.”

“I like the outdoors, and it’s cheap rent.”

“I’m sure your family wouldn’t like the fact that you’re sleeping in the woods.”

“It’s just me, so I have the luxury of going wherever I want.”

“Why this town then? Of all the towns in New Hampshire?”

“I liked the quaintness. The campgrounds are well maintained and patrolled.”

He nodded and didn’t say anything else. She hoped the answers she gave were enough to satisfy his inquiring mind.

“No family, huh? Must get lonely.”

“It can.”

“No friends?”

He was relentless, and his questions were starting to worry her. Did he know something she didn’t? Why was he so concerned about her? She was a mere nobody on the map of life. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that he was probably just doing his job. He protected the people of this town, and she was an outsider. Still, even knowing that and convincing herself enough to believe it, the intensity in which he shot off questions at her made her uneasy.

“I didn’t have the type of life that warranted a lot of friendships.”

“What kind of life would that be exactly?”

He pulled into the parking lot of the brewery and put the cruiser in park. He turned in his seat and waited for her to respond.

She didn’t know what he was hoping to find out or what exactly he was hoping she’d say, but she was done with the interrogation. For crying out loud did he want a blood sample and her social security number? How about her first born?

“Thank you for the ride,” she said and bolted out of the car before he could stop her.

She hurried to the door and flung it open, not bothering to stop when she spotted Mason. All she cared about was getting far away from the Sheriff and his invasive questioning. She hid her backpack under the bar, grabbed a rag, and got to work, hoping Matt wouldn’t follow her inside.

***

The door had opened and Mason had looked up with a smile, but it quickly dissolved as he’d watched Cassie hurry in, head down, long hair blocking her face. She’d mumbled a quick hello as she flew by him and went directly behind the bar, not giving him a moment’s glance.

What the hell was that about? He was about to ask her when Matt walked in, making the whole situation very clear.

Mason walked up to his brother, eyes narrowed, lips pressed into a straight line. He swallowed down the protective anger that was rising inside of him. “What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Outside. Now,” he growled, unable to control the anger rising inside him.

Matt’s shoulders slumped forward as he turned to the door. Mason followed behind him and waited for the door to be completely shut before he spun on his brother. “Care to tell me why she ran inside like she was trying to escape an enemy convoy?”

“I asked her a few questions, that’s all.”

“A few questions? You couldn’t help yourself, could you? Have to stick your nose in places it doesn’t belong.”

“There’s something she’s not telling us.”

“And that’s her damn business. Not mine and definitely not yours.” Mason ran a hand through his hair, trying to control the intense rage that was consuming him. He loved his brother, but he always did this. He could never stay out of things. “Leave her alone,” Mason said, his voice firm and his statement nonnegotiable.

“I can’t do that. I’m the Sheriff, and if she’s hiding something… If she’s going to live in my wife’s grandparents’ house...”

“I’m not asking you; I’m telling you.” Mason stepped closer, pointing a finger at Matt’s chest. “When you needed a ride home from the train station a few months ago, I was there. Didn’t ask a single question even though I had a million in my head. I respected your wishes, and now I’m asking you to respect mine. Do me a favor and back down.”

Matt was silent for a long moment, his eyes steady and unwavering on Mason’s. “Fine,” he finally said. “But if I have reason to believe she’s a threat to anyone in this town, I’m telling you, I can’t back down then.”

“A threat?” Mason all but laughed as the words came out. “Are you kidding me? Have you seen her? Met her? Cassie is a lot of things, but a threat is not one of them.”

“Looks can be deceiving, little brother.”

“Not her.”

“Don’t be blinded by whatever it is that’s going on between you two and miss what might be right in front of you.

“And what exactly do you think that is?”

“I don’t know. But people don’t wind up camping in the woods of some random town in the middle of nowhere for no damn reason. Makes me think she’s on the run for something.”

“I think you’ve watched one too many movies.”

“I don’t think you’ve watched enough.”

Mason’s fist tightened as he tried to restrain himself. It had been years since the last time he and Matt threw down, but he was pushing his buttons today. He didn’t want to hit his brother, but he wasn’t giving him many reasons not to. The fact that he was wearing his tan Sheriff uniform wasn’t enough to wash the thoughts from his head.

What would happen if he hit the Sheriff while he was on duty? He let the tension ease from his hands and flexed his fingers.

“I’ll leave it alone,” Matt said, but Mason looked at him skeptically. “You have my word, but like I said, if for any reason I think she’s a threat, I’m going to have to take it back.”

“I can live with that. Thank you.”

A call came over Matt’s radio, and he ducked into his car. After a few back and forths with Martha, his dispatcher, he poked his head back out. “I need to head into town. Tell Cassie I’m sorry.”

Mason’s eyebrow lifted at Matt’s words.

“Sometimes I let the job control my actions. I’m working on it, but I can’t help it, especially when my brother is falling for that person.”

“Who said anything about falling for her?”

“You didn’t have to. Actions speak louder than words. You care about her. It’s obvious. Just make sure her heart’s in the right place, too.”

Mason nodded.

“See you at Sunday dinner?” Matt asked.

“I’ll be there.”

“I’m sure Mom wouldn’t be opposed to a plus one.”

“Is this coming from my brother or the Sheriff?”

“Your brother,” Matt said with sincerity in his tone, before giving a nod and slipping into the driver side of the cruiser.

Mason watched as his brother pulled away, gave a wave, then headed back inside to do damage control.