Sassy Cowgirl Kisses by Kathy Fawcett
Chapter 36
The following Saturday, Sassy opened her front door to find a bouquet of sunflowers in a vase, a sack of still-warm bagels, and a note.
It’s presumptuous to ask you on a first date today with so little notice. But if you’re free, I’d love to take you to the gorge, then out for a late lunch. If you’re sitting on your porch at 11 wearing sensible shoes and real clothes, then we’re on. - Ash
What to do,what to do?
Sassy already accomplished her first goal, without Ash’s help. That was getting into the house at West Ranch and seeing Kat West. The ice was broken. Though judging from the look on Kat’s face, her icy demeanor was only growing colder—for no apparent reason.
Kat gave her the opening she was looking for to broach a terribly sensitive topic, but then little Willow interrupted them.
Willow.
Sassy hadn’t thought much beyond Kat. But the child added a new dimension to her secret—the secret she carried with her this past year, and brought all the way from Illinois. Willow was smart and lovely, and Sassy felt an undeniable connection to the girl.
It was a blood connection, she realized. Something she had very little of.
Looking at the clock, Sassy could see it was past ten, so she needed to hop in the shower and get ready for Ash. Of course she would go to the gorge with him. Freda left for Lander again, and there was nobody else to hang out with. All the other ranch hands had family in the area and weekends filled with horseback riding, ATV exploring and hiking. Some were heading to Yellowstone to camp, or to Jackson Hole to whitewater raft the Snake River.
On Fridays, everyone said their goodbyes as Sassy waved.
Bye Sassy, have a fun weekend.
But nobody asked if she had anything to do, or would care to join them. Nobody, that is, except Ash West. He seemed to be the one person who understood how alone she was. Even Freda hadn’t invited her to Lander again—but why should she? Who would want a third wheel on hot summer dates with Jim Tim?
Especially such a distracting third wheel, Sassy knew. She wasn’t being vain, only realistic. Sassy knew how she appeared to men. They made assumptions about her, she understood. And they wouldn’t believe her if she told them she’d only ever kissed a boy or two. She vowed to be even more discerning now that her father had died. Sassy always felt safe in the world knowing her father was alive and well, and looking after her. Now, all she had was her mother. And Lord knew, Sugar Tate was nobody’s bodyguard. Not even her daughter’s.
“Oh, quit being so stuck up and just go out with him, Sassy,” Sugar would say if a man paid her any attention. “He looks like fun.”
“That’s the problem, Mother,” Sassy would counter.
It was only a matter of time, Sassy knew, before Sugar would find another man to fill Jack’s void. Sugar didn’t need any man’s money, but she did crave attention and adoration. Sassy also came to understand why her father separated his wife’s finances from his daughter’s, making it impossible for any future husband to have a claim on Sugar’s money. Or for Sugar to have a claim on Sassy’s inheritance.
Jack knew them both well.
They were all set up for life, the way he wanted them to be. Sassy couldn’t help but wonder if Jack also took care of Kat, but that line of questioning would have to wait.