As Cassandra had suspected, Earl and Jane were Mandy's parents. They'd basically adopted him after Mandy left, his own parents having passed on. Apparently her relationship with her parents was about as non-existent as her relationship with her children. Cassandra didn't know the whole story, but oddly enough she felt a little sorry for the woman, she was missing out on some pretty fantastic people.

She was in the kitchen with Jane, making coffee and dishing out dessert.

"Thank you for having me," Cassandra said with a smile. "It's been so long since I've had a home cooked meal." Which was the absolute truth, her life was a bit lonely and she wasn't much of a cook.

"It's the least we could do for someone who is helping Jake out like you are. Above and beyond by the way he tells it."

Cassandra blushed. "Well, the store is his life and I just couldn't not help, you know? Not when faced with that."

Jane shook her head sadly. "That store is his life, that's for sure."

Cassandra couldn't help herself, she always was too nosy for her own good. "I sense a but."

"It ain't his heart," Jane said, looking through to the living room where Jacob was playing with his daughters. "Look at how he is with them. They are his heart. Does he look like that in the store?"

Cassandra stood considering. She'd only known the man for three days, yet there was a connection there, the reason why she'd stayed, it had always been more than her desire to help. Jane was onto something, because even though Jacob had begged her, begged her for her help, the only time she'd seem him alive like that (when the girls weren't around) was when . . . .

"He drew me a sketch of some ideas I had for the store. Amazing work. He looked like that then, when I praised him. But only for a moment and then he wanted to change the subject."

"I've known Jacob Stone since he was a boy, I was friends with his momma. He's not. . .he's not like the other men here. He's a genius, ain't common knowledge, so don't let on that I told you."

Cassandra had a certain feeling that Jane was matchmaking, but oddly she didn't mind like she should have. Especially when it lent an air of intrigue to a man she was already drawn to.

"That explains Abby, doesn't it?"

Jane nodded. "Yep. The other girls are very bright, sharp actually."

"Yeah, noticed that too," Cassandra said. "I think you know that they've figured out how to get away with things with him."

Jane nodded. "Yep. But Abby, she's like her daddy. But my daughter . . . ." Jane frowned, pain flashing across her face. "Abby was only nine months old when she left. She never knew her. That scars a child."

"Poor thing, it's hard being different. I know in more than one way."

"I figured you was a genius too. That's why I told you."

"And it wouldn't be because you were matchmaking just a little?" Cassandra said with a teasing grin.

"It's a momma's right. Besides, you don't seem offended. Mabel's sweet on him, but that ain't goin' anywhere. And so . . . ."

Cassandra giggled. "You know, Mabel may be sweet on him, but I got the feeling she was tryin' to play matchmaker too."

"Again, you don't seem offended."

"He's really sweet, Jane. But he doesn't seem interested in me anyway. And I'll be gone after the party."

Jane sighed softly. "And that's why he hasn't made a move. Because believe me, he's a bit sweet on you, dear."

Then she lifted up the coffee pot and yelled into the living room. "Dessert's ready!"

Jane's parting words made Cassandra's brain almost stop. She'd never had the world freeze like that. Damn it, why did it all have to become so complicated?

It shouldn't be complicated. She was fairly certain now, especially when Jacob smiled fondly at her when he entered the kitchen, that there was mutual attraction, maybe even a mutual crush, between them. But they'd kept everything professional. She was only going to be here, clippings book willing, until next weekend, then she'd be back to her life. It would be fine.

Wouldn't it?

Jane and Earl took the girls home so that Jake could take Cassandra back to her hotel. Jacob had a feeling that Jane had been doing some matchmaking while she had Cassandra alone, but he'd gotten past the point of being upset by that. Her heart was in the right place. He'd told himself it didn't matter, Cassandra had to get back to her job anyway, she'd stayed longer than she should have.

But it did make him wonder why she'd done that. She didn't have to. It wasn't what they were paying her for and she probably had gotten into trouble. He couldn't pay her for her assistance. All he could do was feed her occasionally. And enjoy how passionate she was about the project, more passionate than he was, if he was honest.

The store was his life, yes, his blood. But it had never been his heart and soul. But it was the life that he'd chosen. He'd say he'd had to do it, his family needed him after his dad died, he couldn't let his granddad down, he had three children to feed. But he knew they were just excuses in the end. He could have had the life he wanted, but instead this was the life he had. The only part that he didn't regret were his three little girls, he'd do that over and over again, even through the heartbreak that was their mother.

Cassandra had been quiet across the car and he noticed her face was tilted up to the sky. "Wow," she muttered.

"What's that?"

"Oh, I was admiring the stars," she said. "I'm a city girl and even when I'm out in the country I never seem to have time to look."

Jacob grinned and switched lanes, Cassandra looked at him when he took the upcoming exit which she knew wasn't for the next town.

"Just a little detour, don't worry," he said.

A little ways up on the right was a sign for a county park, it said closed at dusk.

"It's closed," Cassandra said, pointing out the obvious.

"The park is, but the parking lot is still open. We won't stay long enough to make the cops mad."

He pulled into the first spot and cut off the engine and lights. He pulled a folded blanket out of the back along with a flashlight and gestured to the door. "C'mon."

Cassandra still didn't know what he was doing, but she got out of the car. He spread the blanket over the hood of his car and jumped up, offering her a hand. That's when she got it and she giggled, joining him. He cut the flashlight as they settled back, looking up.

"Wow, it's breathtaking," Cassandra said.

"There's some light pollution from the road, I usually take the girls down a back road behind a farm to do this, but it's short notice."

"Still, it's amazing. Thank you."

"You said you're always too busy to enjoy things. I know the feeling."

"I like my job, I do. But I should take more time to slow down and enjoy it. I have a future now, I can savor it."

"Now?"

Cassandra suddenly realized what she'd said. Her history was common knowledge at the Library and with the few friends she had in New York, so she was used to casually referring to her tumor.

"I had a brain tumor. It developed when I was 15 and they didn't think there was any way to safely remove it. I lived longer than they predicted," she chuckled softly. "And then five years ago, I was lucky enough to meet a talented surgeon who had a new technique that was able to save my life. Just in the nick of time really."

"Wow, I guess something like that would give you a new perspective."

"You would think that, right? And I mean, I did take advantage of it. After I recovered, I switched careers. I'm really smart, a genius actually, but my health made college impossible. In fact, I had to get a GED because I had to drop out of high school," she sighed. "I took any job I could, just existing, for years. But then I met someone who took a chance on me, despite my lack of formal education. He knew I could do this job, that I had all the skills for it. And I love it," she smiled wistfully. "But there are days when I feel like I'm just killing time all over again."

Maybe it was because she shared something so intimate with him. Or because she couldn't see his face in the dark. Or because she was the first woman he'd met that hadn't known him most of his life. Or because she was leaving in a little over a week, but Jacob couldn't help speaking.

"I know a lot about killing time. I feel like I'm doin' that with the store."

Cassandra sat up next to him. "But . . . ."

"I want to save the store. That's not what . . . .When you were sick, did you feel like life was choosing itself for you?"

"Even before that," Cassandra said softly. "My parents had a life picked out for me. And when that didn't happen, they couldn't cope."

"When I was a little boy, I found out that I was special. My momma had dreams about me leavin' this town like she'd not gotten to. I loved art and history, still do. But my daddy died. And I was the man of the house, you know? So I decided that I had to take care of my family."

"Well, I mean that's admirable."

"It was an excuse. My momma would be the first person to say I didn't need to do that. But I got it into my head that I had to. And I was scared, too scared to be different. So though it ain't a secret about my brains, I don't exactly make it known either. And then before I knew it, I had kids of my own."

"Well taking care of them . . . ."

"Exactly. And them? They're my heart and soul. Nothing else is. Their mother may not have been the best choice, but I'd put myself through it again and again for them. They're everything. So that's why the store. It's not the life I wanted for them, but it's the life we've got and I can't lose it."

Cassandra leaned forward so she could see him in the dim light, her face inches from his. "Then I'll do everything in my power to make sure you don't."

He thought about kissing her right then, he wanted to. Cassandra Cillian was the sweetest damn thing he'd ever met. He leaned forward and she didn't pull away, she leaned closer.

Then a semi down on the road rumbled through loudly, breaking the moment. They both jumped back.

"We should probably get you back," he mumbled.

"Yeah, I gotta stop at the front desk, got a package," she said softly.

"Right."

Things were a bit awkward after that as Jacob turned around and got them back on the highway. Neither one knew exactly how to address the near kiss. Maybe it was better just to pretend it didn't happen.

"You can just drop me off here," Cassandra said as they pulled up to the front office. "I gotta stop in and get my mail."

"Alright, and you're okay for a ride tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'll have a new car first thing. So I'll see you then? And thanks again for everything, Jacob. Dinner, the ride, the stars, the talk. Everything."

For just a fleeting second, Jacob thought again about moving forward and kissing her. But he fought the instinct. Instead, he simply said, "you're welcome," in as warm of a tone as he could. She nodded and he got what was left unspoken. The kiss had it happened might not have been regretted, but it was best to leave it where it was, just a bit of a moment. And they could move on just fine from there.

Though part of him didn't quite want to move on.

"Good night, Cassie."

"Night, Jacob."

Jacob did notice her looking at her phone as she went up to the office, but as she opened the door one of his favorite songs came on the radio, so he turned his attention to turning it up, not noticing the momentary flash of blue behind the glass.