The Texas Millionaire's Runaway Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

can’t stay. Liz, I have the money.”
    Her sister let out a ragged sigh of relief. “Oh, Cassie Cakes, I knew you could do it. I told you if you marched up there and told him you’d be good for the job he’d take you. I’m so proud. So relieved. No one can deny your talent. Especially after you made that amazing cake for his wedding, and did such a bang up job I might add.”
    Charles, not Stephen. Only, Liz would have no way of knowing, and Cassie was nowhere near the point of being able to tell her the truth, even though lying to her sister wasn’t something she’d ever be proud of. “I did what you said, Lizzie. I told him I should be the exclusive baker for all of Sands Enterprises and after Stephen tasted my samples, he agreed.” A glance in the rearview mirror at her swollen lips and the quick reminder of what he had tasted made Cassie flush with shame.
    “You’ll be here today?”
    The CPS appointment. Child Protection Services. They were coming to evaluate Annie’s home life and decide whether a group home was necessary. “I will, Liz. But I won’t be able to stay. I’ve got something I need to tell you when I see you. But I want to make sure we’ve got everything squared away first. The case worker, she said this will fix it, right?”
    Liz coughed to cover up an obvious tantrum in the background. Glass broke and something crashed against the wall. “That’s what she said.”
    The defeat in her voice reminded Cassie of how little they’d come to believe things would work out. Over the years Annie only gotten worse. Not afforded the therapies recommended by her pediatrician, and not qualifying for financial aid to get her into programs had left Annie with no further aid than what was offered by public school. Which had proven to be no aid at all. And at eleven, she was violent and destructive in ways no one could have anticipated.
    “Liz, I’m on my way. Don’t talk about anything until I get there, okay?”
    “We won’t. Are you okay? You don’t sound great. You should be proud.”
    “You sound like you’ve got your hands full. I’ll let you go.”
    Another crash echoed. “Okay. We’ll talk soon.”
    Cassie clicked the phone shut. She’d have to find a way to protect her sister from all this. It was too much dealing with Annie already.
    Cassie wiped sudden moisture away from her eyes and glanced into the visor mirror to make sure she didn’t look as awful as she felt. Not great, but at least she could pass.
    She backed out of the parking spot and straight into another car. The impact of the collision jolted her in the seat.
    She hadn’t looked. Hadn’t thought to. At least the airbag didn’t deploy. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she got out of the car to see what kind of damage she’d caused.
    A tall, good-looking man got out of the car she’d hit. “Are you okay?”
    “I-I’m fine,” she said. “Are you?”
    He stepped around the front of his car. “I’m fine. I didn’t see you backing out, I’m sorry. This is completely my fault.”
    She felt flustered. She’d expected anger, not apology. “No, I’m sorry. I was on my way to see my sister and didn’t look.”
    A smile flashed across his face. “Listen. I have great insurance, why don’t we just call it my fault and then you can go.”
    Probably the nicest thing she’d heard all day. “Thank you.”
    “Just give me your name and number and we’ll get this squared away.”
    “Cassie E—” She stopped. “Cassie Sands. I can give you my cell.”
    He wrote down her information and put out his hand. “I’m Jordan Giles. Listen, I know this is forward, but would you like to go out for drinks sometime? Maybe catch dinner?”
    “Extremely forward.”
    He flushed. “No, listen, I’m not usually like that. You’re just, well,” he stammered a little and squared his shoulders. “Truth be told, I never act that forward. Never go to bars or anything. In fact, most of the women I meet are married. I own a flower shop.