Read Marrying Her: The Keeping Her Christmas Wedding (The Keeping Her Series Book 5) for Free Online Page B

said
no,” he repeated through clenched teeth.  “Not sure where I go from here.”  And,
fuck, did that shit still sting.
    Cassandra widened her
eyes and shook her head again, as if he was the stupidest motherfucker alive.  “You
think I’m talking about a marriage proposal?”  She huffed out a breath.  “That
ship has sailed, my friend.  I’m talking about telling Clytie how you feel. 
The ineptitude of your marriage proposal is the least of your problems.”  She
waved that off as incidental.  “Tell her.”  She pointed at him one more time
and gave him her version of hard eyes.  “Do not wait.”  Then she turned and
sauntered away.
    Demon watched her more
confused than he had been when she started talking.  Tell her how I feel
about what?  What ship has sailed?  And why the fuck doesn’t she want to marry
me?  It was all too aggravating.  Demon did the only thing that might help
in his current mood.  He shifted and went for a run.
    ***
    Clytie hung up the phone,
wondering when conversations with her sister had become instruments of torture.
 Her father was now settled back at home, and they had medical coverage for a
nurse and round the clock care, so at least that worry was taken care of.  Sara
was finally coming home.  The kids and David had returned a few days ago in the
car, so it was just her on a commercial airplane this time.  Clytie did not
even attempt to offer the jet.  One, it wasn’t hers to offer, and two, she didn’t
want to hear Sara’s lame reasons for turning it down.  It was done.  She just
didn’t know what to do, or really feel, now. 
    Roxy chose that moment to
come into her studio.  Clytie grimaced at the smell that followed her in.  When
she took a good long look at the child, she was immediately transported out of
her own head.  “What have you been doing?”  She narrowed her eyes on the golden-haired
child who was presently covered in mud and who had clearly been rolling in the
herb beds if the overwhelming smell of mint and thyme was any indication.  “Did
you get into the garden again?  And where is Cassandra?”
    Roxy just shrugged her
tiny shoulders and attempted to look innocent, which for her was not a hard
thing to pull off.  With her little seven-year-old cheeks and big blue eyes peeking
out from all that mud, she looked like a splattered cherub.  “I was hiding.”
    “Cassie asked me to watch
her,” Crow said from the safety of the door. When she turned her eyes his way,
he girded his loins, coming in behind the child and looking like he expected to
be facing summary execution. His eyes were serious, his face grave.  He was practically
hanging his head.  “Rox wanted to play hide-and-seek.”  His face tightened.  “She
got away from me.”  Then he bolstered up his shoulders with a shrug, “She’s
good.”
    “Yes, she is.”  Clytie
tilted her head and studied the teenage crow-shifter.  “You found her?”
    Crow shrugged.  “She’s
shiny, and she missed a few spots with the mud.”
    “I’m impressed,” Clytie
finally said, then smiled at the boy when his head jerked up in surprise.  “There
aren’t many people who can beat Roxanne at hide-and-seek.  Thank you for
watching her for us.”
    You could see he was
waiting for something else to come at him.  When she just smiled at him, the
boy opened his mouth, his confusion over not being punished almost
heartbreaking.  Clytie couldn’t stop herself; she walked over to him and kissed
his cheek.  She felt the flinch but ignored it.  “We’re very glad you’re here.” 
She shrugged and moved out of the boy’s space, ignoring the look on his face
and smiling at him.  “In case no one told you yet.”
    Then she crinkled her
nose and took Roxy’s grubby hand.  “Come on, Roxy girl.  We need to hose you
off and scrub you down.  Again.”  She smiled one more time into the boy’s
shuttered brown eyes as they headed out.  “Thanks again for watching out