Chapter Eleven
“Holly!” Sophia screamed before racing off across the lawn to where Holly was letting herself through the gate that surrounded Cash’s parents’ house.
Cash cast a frowning glance at Carter. “I didn’t know she was invited.”
“Sophia insisted we call her last night. Luckily, she wasn’t on call at the clinic.”
Cash grunted.
“What’s up with the two of you, anyway?” Carter looked all wide-eyed innocence.
“None of your business.”
She grinned and poked him in the ribs with her elbow. “A big deal, huh?”
Cash just shook his head and walked away.
Surreptitiously, he watched Sophia and Holly as they interacted. She was heart-stoppingly beautiful in a pink, beachy sundress that showed off her tiny waist and her toned shoulders. He idly wondered what color her toes were today.
Of course, she looked beautiful every day, even in her vet gear. Maybe even more so on those days, because she walked with such confidence when she was working. He knew that because he’d seen her from a distance several times lately.
He couldn’t get that kiss in the alleyway out of his mind. He’d wake at night hard as a rock after dreaming about her. After he’d received the results of the paternity test, he’d been walking to his car when he saw Holly strolling through town. Already on his mind, he found himself following before he’d consciously decided to do so. Looking back, maybe he’d needed to share his relief about the paternity news, and Holly was the only person, other than Marcus and his lawyer, who knew.
Anger continued to eat at him. Tack on frustration that he’d kissed her, and those emotions did not blend well with the onslaught of desire and the strange urge to spend time with her. He should probably talk to her, but today wasn’t a good time for a discussion like that, so he’d keep his distance and be polite.
For Sophia’s fifth birthday, she’d asked to celebrate it on the day, May twenty-eighth, which also happened to be Memorial Day this year. She wanted a barbecue at Gammy and Pop-pop’s. Cash suspected his daughter wanted it there so she could also get her horse at the party, which, of course, he’d planned for. The horse was tucked away in the barn, a big, pink bow on her mane, ready for the big reveal after the cake.
“Daddy, Holly’s here!” Sophia dragged Holly over to where he stood with his mother.
“Hi,” she murmured, watching him with a slightly wary air.
He turned on the manners his mother had drilled into him and gave her his most charming smile. “Hi, Holly. Sophia’s thrilled you could make it.”
Then he felt like a total jerk because hurt flashed in her eyes before she blanked her expression. She’d caught the subtle slight in his greeting, implying that if it were up to him, she wouldn’t have been invited. He hadn’t meant it that way.
Damn. The woman had him tied up in knots.
“There you are, Holly,” Will called, interrupting them. “I was hoping you’d get here soon.”
Cash did a double take at his brother’s words. Did Holly and Will talk a lot? What about?
Will led Holly away. Cash moved to follow, but his mother stopped him. “Dinner’s ready. Can you get Sophia’s plate?”
He glanced in the direction in which Holly had disappeared with his brother. Following his gaze, Evaline smiled. “He’s showing her his latest acquisition.”
Ah, so that was it. Will wanted Holly to take a look at the horse they’d picked out for Sophia. Oddly satisfied with that explanation, but unwilling to examine why, Cash dished up Sophia’s dinner. It took longer than he’d expected for Holly and Will to return. Not only did he have Sophia set up, but he’d made his own plate and had time to eat about half of it before they showed up.
Catching her gaze, he tipped his head.
She understood the question and gave him a subtle thumbs-up. He nodded back. For that brief moment, the anger was gone, and he was suddenly back in that alley, before he’d kissed her, but wanting to. Cash slammed the brakes down on that thought. He wasn’t going to let himself be interested. She had made it clear she couldn’t get past Georgia. Hell…he couldn’t get past Georgia.
Will and Holly got their food before they joined everyone else at the long tables his mother had set up outside with horse-themed decorations. Somehow, Holly managed to end up directly across from him, although he suspected Carter had a lot to do with that. He sent his sister a pointed glare, which she ignored. Will sat beside Holly, and once again that niggling suspicion pulled Cash up short. Was Will interested in her? With their mutual love of horses and both of them being on the quiet side, they seemed ideal for each other.
A trill sounded and Holly pulled her phone out of her purse. She checked the number, frowned, hit a button to send the caller to voice mail and put the phone on the table. Cash glanced down in time to catch Marcus’s name on the ID just before the screen went dark. He narrowed his eyes. Now that Sophia’s paternity was determined, why was Marcus still contacting Holly? Or was there more to it? Like there had been with Georgia?
“By the way, Holly.” Carter interrupted his dark thoughts. “I hear you have a date with Brian McCain?”
Cash tried not to stiffen. Huh. That was news to him. Why he was interested, he had no idea. He’d just decided he didn’t want to pursue anything, so he had absolutely no reason to be jealous.
Holly didn’t look at Cash, which he found frustrating, because he wanted to read her expression. “Yes.”
“He’s a really nice guy,” Carter said. “Don’t you go breaking his heart.”
Holly raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Now why do you assume I’d break his heart? Why wouldn’t he break mine?”
Carter shook her head. “He’s not your type.”
“Like you’d know,” Jennings piped up. “You’re just jealous because you’ve had a crush on him forever.”
Carter glared at her brother, rolled her eyes then turned back to Holly. “No offense but, at a guess, I’ll bet you’ll end up as friends. You need someone more like…”
Carter trailed off and her gaze drifted over to Cash.
He had an ugly feeling he knew exactly what she was about to say, but he wouldn’t have Holly embarrassed like that. He aimed a swift kick at his sister under the table.
To give her credit, Carter barely grimaced. “Like Rhett Butler. You know…the gruff hero who has a heart of gold in there…somewhere.” She tipped her head and gave Cash a significant look. “Even when others can’t see it.”
“That sounds…nice.” Holly’s tone indicated she was perplexed by this conversation.
“Time for cake!” Evaline announced.
They all gathered around Sophia and sang “Happy Birthday.” She blew out the candles on the Texas sheet cake she’d requested her Gammy bake.
“Can I have my horse now?” she squealed before the smoke had even cleared.
Everyone broke out in laughter.
“You little monkey. You’ve known all along,” Autry accused.
Sophia nodded with a big grin. “It’s because I’m a good snooker.”
Cash picked his daughter up in his arms and his chest squeezed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His heart soared as the knowledge she was his struck for the umpteenth time since he found out.
Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he set her down. “Let’s go see your birthday present then.”
They all migrated over to the barn, where they led her to a stall containing a pretty Paint mare with a splotched black, white and brown coat.
“Oh, Daddy, I love her,” Sophia squealed.
He led her inside, and she petted the horse.
“Holly, isn’t she beautiful?” she asked.
Holly’s head appeared over the stall door. “The most beautiful.”
“Can I ride her right now? Can I? Can I?” Sophia pleaded.
“No, darlin’. We still have more presents to open.”
Sophia’s expression fell, her lips bowing down, but she accepted that.
They all shuffled back outside to the tables, where Evaline had set up the presents in a neat pile. As they walked, a flash of orange caught Cash’s attention. Holly’d changed the color on her toes yet again. Rather than disdain, like when he’d seen her in the grocery store, now the idea amused him. For someone on the quiet side, she sure liked loud colors.
Sophia hopped right up on the chair specially deemed for the birthday girl. She donned a sparkly tiara that Carter had bought her and sat up very regally. “I am the queen, and this is my palace.” She waved toward the house.
“I thought this was Pop-pop’s and my house.” His mother had her hands on her hips.
Sophia shook her head. “No. You’re the groundskeepers.”
Cash burst out laughing while his mother muttered, “Why I never.”
“Okay, Queen Sophia. How about you open your first present.”
*
After the party, Holly helped clean up before they moved the fun inside, and Cash put Sophia to bed. Holly briefly debated making a break for it while he was gone, but she’d stay long enough to tell him good-bye. It seemed impolite to just disappear.
She tensed a little when he returned.
He took one of the armchairs on the opposite side of the room from where she sat and flopped down in it. “Phew!”
Holly chuckled. “Quite a production.” She glanced over at Evaline. “Has the queen rescinded her powers, or are you forever more the groundskeepers?”
“She only gets to be queen for the day,” Cash revealed.
“Must be nice. I’ll have to try that on my next birthday.” She grinned as she flicked a glance at her watch and stood. “I really must get home. Early day tomorrow. Thank you for inviting me to join in the family celebration. I enjoyed it.”
Everyone in the room looked over at Cash, as though they were expecting him to do something. He didn’t. He stayed silent and right where he was.
“I’ll walk you out.” Will hopped up.
Holly smiled her thanks but barely said a word as they went. She was too busy fighting the nagging feeling of disappointment and the confusion that caused, because Cash at arm’s length was exactly what she wanted. Wasn’t it?