A Will and a Wedding

“Oh, but I don’t want to create more problems. Family is very important.” Cassie stared out in front of her, barely registering the beauty of the fall landscape.

“Mine isn’t,” she heard him mutter sotto voce.

“This marriage, if it happens, will already be starting out with a lot of obstacles,” she protested. “If only Judith hadn’t tied everything up.” She swung her head around to stare at him. “Does your father know about the will?”

He shook his head, then bent to pull an oak leaf from her hair.

“He knows she died, of course. And that she left a will. But beyond that, nothing. I specifically asked Jones to keep things quiet until it was all settled.”

Cassie pulled herself to her feet and wandered farther into the woods. It was all so confusing. And she had no one to confide in. On the one hand, it would be ridiculous to turn down such a wonderful opportunity. On the other…well, it certainly wouldn’t be a love match.

You always said you’d only marry for love. This is business. Her conscience pricked her once more.

Yes, but if you marry him, you get to keep the house for the kids. Lots of kids. You could continue the work God called you to. It could become a sort of sanctuary.

It was an internal argument that went on for the duration of their walk. Jeff spoke no more about the issue, leaving Cassie time to sort through in her own mind all the ifs and buts that flew like quicksilver through her muddled thoughts.

How could she deny David and Marie the opportunity that Oak Bluff with all its wonderful prospects presented to the two homeless teenagers? They could have a stable life without worrying about the future. They could blossom and develop into capable, responsible adults without worrying whether or not they would be able to continue their activities tomorrow or next week, or whenever they moved on.

And what about the other children who came into her hands? Cassie asked herself. Could she deny them all the things Judith’s money would buy just because she was holding out for love? Was this windfall really from heaven, or did she just think so because she’d benefit?

It wasn’t an easy question. And it was one Cassie decided to think on long and hard. But after all, she reminded herself, it wasn’t as if she had ten other offers sitting on the table.

And there were definite sparks when Jeff had kissed her back there. More than sparks!

“Help me,” she prayed silently. “You gave me the job. Now show me how to make the right decision. Direct me away from the biggest mistake of my life.”

Chapter Three (#ulink_7300cb68-01cb-5dd7-8261-1e7f9cebaec8)

“Chocolate cake! Thanks, Mrs. Bennet. It’s my favorite.” David’s pubescent voice was squeaky but full of happiness.

Jeff and Cassie ate dinner with the children, feasting on a succulent stew and featherlight homemade biscuits that Mrs. Bennet had prepared.

The older woman stroked her hand over the boy’s perpetually tousled head and winked at Cassie.

“I know it’s your favorite, dearie. Yours and someone else’s.” Her gleaming eyes settled on Jeffs loaded plate. “That’s why I baked it.”

Cassie watched David inhale the generous slice and marveled at his appetite. Of course, teenage boys did grow by leaps and bounds, and devoured everything edible along the way. David was shooting up by inches and Cassie had taken him shopping several times to accommodate feet that expanded in direct proportion to the seemingly endless stretch of his legs.

“Are you finished your homework, Marie?” Cassie watched the girl shift restlessly in her seat.

“Almost. I’ll be done before Nate phones later.”

“Well, don’t stay up all night talking to him. You will see him at school tomorrow, you know.” She smiled at the happy little grin that appeared on Marie’s face.

“I’ll try not to be too long, Cassie.”

The flush of pink in the girl’s cheeks gave her a glow of beauty. It was too bad people couldn’t see how kind and loving these two were, Cassie fumed. David and Marie had been subdued during the meal, barely speaking unless they were addressed first. It bothered Cassie.

They were afraid of a future over which they had no control, she realized. Worried that they would be separated after having spent so much time depending on each other. A permanent home, one they could rely on, would make such a difference in their young lives. And with so few people interested in raising teenagers, Cassie doubted anyone would create much fuss if she asked to keep the two on a permanent basis.

She studied Jeff as she ate, watching him speak to the teens. He was especially good with David, drawing the quiet boy out with each comment. He had a knack of treating David as if he were an equal. He listened to what he had to say with interest most people would only offer an adult. It was a manner Cassie had found sadly lacking in many of the homes that housed foster children.

“How about a Monopoly tournament after dinner?” she asked brightly.

David grinned at her, eyes shiny with mischief.

“You must be feeling lucky,” he teased. “Watch out, Jeff. She owned everybody last time. I’m lucky I’m not still paying back what I borrowed.”

They played for an hour before Marie’s soft voice broke into the silent concentration.

“You’d better get started on that science project,” she reminded David in a sisterly tone. “The proposal is due in a week and you haven’t done any research.”

“And you’d better go phone Nate before he dies from not hearing your voice.”

It was typical sibling banter and Cassie smiled as she heard it. David and Marie were not related at all but from their teasing demeanor no one would have guessed.

Marie left the room quietly, her long blond hair flowing behind like a cape, but not before she tapped David on the shoulder.

“Jealous?” she asked pertly.

Groaning, David stretched to his full five-foot-ten-inch height.

“You wish!” He carefully replaced the game pieces in the box and snapped it shut. “I hate science,” he muttered, before glancing shamefaced at Cassie. “Sorry, Cassie, but it’s so boring.”

“What kind of a project are you supposed to do?” It was Jeffs deep voice. Cassie stared at him in surprise.

“We can choose,” David replied, kicking his toe in the carpet. “That’s worse,” he confessed, “because I haven’t got a clue what he expects us to do.”

“I know a little about science,” Jeff murmured softly. “Could I look at your text? Maybe together we could come up with an idea that would get you started.”

“Cool” was all David could manage to answer.

Cassie smiled as they left the room, talking and gesticulating. She hadn’t expected Jeff to take such an interest in the boy. In fact, she recalled, he had spent several evenings doing things with both children this past week.

Well, since he had taken over the science problem, it left her free to start a project that had made her fingers itch for weeks. Cassie buried herself in the library for the next three hours, refusing to allow her mind to dwell on the marriage proposal she had just received. She’d always found her work the best panacea for solving personal problems.

Cassie was knee-deep in sketches of Bored Boris, the magical dragon, when she startled at the soft touch on her shoulder.

“Don’t do that,” she squeaked, holding a hand over her heart. “People my age have been known to keel over from a shock-induced heart attack.”

“That’s okay.” Jeff grinned. “I know both CPR and mouth-to-mouth. Want a demonstration?”

Cassie frowned at him reprovingly. “No! Thanks, anyway.”

She studied him closely. The immaculate shirt was unbuttoned allowing her glimpses of dark curling hairs that covered Jeff’s broad chest. His tie hung haphazardly out of one of his jacket pockets and his made-to-order jacket was slung carelessly over one shoulder.

The perfectly creased black trousers he’d sported earlier in the day were dusty and wrinkled. And that impeccably trimmed hair was tousled and disorderly, one black lock hanging over his left eye.