Just One Night Together (Flatiron Five Fitness #3) - Deborah Cooke Page 0,111
if it was brand new.
Someone’s baby.
She wondered whose.
It had to be a visitor in town—but why would anyone with this much money visit this town by choice?
“Yes, that’s his latest,” Tori said, fishing in her purse for her keys.
“Who?”
“Reid Jackson.”
Cassie was shocked and skeptical. “Reid Jackson owns this car?”
“Yup.” Tori pushed the remote and the back hatch of the navy minivan opened. “I think he’s only had it since Christmas.”
“But he’s still working at the Shop ’n Save!”
Tori laughed. “He owns the Shop ’n Save, Cassie.” She gestured with her keys. “He bought it from Uncle Marty.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“And he owns Monroe’s Hardware, and the gas station, and the liquor store, and about three quarters of the rental real estate in town. He built those new apartments on the other side of town a few years ago, too.”
Cassie had a hard time making sense of her friend’s words. “Reid is rich?”
“Doesn’t Ally tell you anything?” Tori demanded, referring to Cassie’s younger sister.
“No.” Cassie bit off the word and got a hard look from her friend. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about her sister, except maybe talk to her sister.
“She’s coming Sunday, you know.”
“I’m sure we can manage to avoid each other, even in close proximity.”
“Cassie!”
“We were talking about Reid,” she reminded her friend.
Tori cocked a finger at her. “No, we were talking about Reid being rich. I guess he is. He’s worked hard for it, though. No one gave him anything. And he’s a nice guy, too. He gave my cousin a break on her rent when she was sick.”
“Reid is rich and he’s nice?” Cassie couldn’t quite comprehend that both things could be true.
Tori laughed. “I know! There are plenty of people in town who still don’t believe it.”
Montrose River wasn’t very big, but it had still had a wrong side of the tracks. Reid had been from that part of town and Cassie knew he’d been very poor. He’d had a chance with that football scholarship, but it hadn’t amounted to anything, thanks to his knees. She turned to glance back at the independent grocery store, seeing it with new eyes. It had been updated and the parking lot had been repaved.
Reid himself came out of the store and smiled when he saw her beside the car. “Like it?”
“It’s gorgeous. My cousins would kill to touch an Aston Martin.”
“Oh, they’re getting used to it,” Reid said easily. “This is my third, and they do the oil changes for me. One of them always takes it for a spin.” He tossed his keys and caught them. “Want a ride somewhere?”
Cassie glanced toward Tori and the minivan, then at Reid. His eyes lit and she took a chance, telling him what she really wanted. “No. I want to drive it.”
After all, her cousins had driven it already.
“But you aren’t going to change the oil, are you?” Reid murmured. There was mischief in his expression, mischief that tempted Cassie to have him name his price.
“You want something in exchange?” she asked, having a very good idea what she might suggest. She was feeling the need to be a bit wild and it looked like Reid might meet her halfway.
He was, by far, the most interesting thing about returning to Montrose River so far.
And she wanted very badly to surprise him.
“One kiss,” he said and tossed the keys into the air, catching them again. “You can drive it wherever you want for one kiss.”
Cassie shook her head. “That’s it? I expected a tougher bargain from you, Reid.”
“Like what?” His voice was low and soft, his gaze unswerving.
“I thought you’d want to find out where my boots end.”
He laughed out loud, obviously surprised by her comment. His eyes glowed with interest. “I didn’t think you’d go for that. My mistake.”
“But a kiss it is. You sold yourself short, Reid.”
“Maybe I’ll have a chance to make another offer,” he murmured.
“I should help Tori,” she said, remembering why she was in town.
“Go!” Tori called, obviously having overheard their conversation. Her eyes were sparkling. “Dinner in one hour.” She pointed at Cassie. “I expect you to be on time and then do the dishes for this.”
“Looks like you’re free, after all,” Reid said.
Cassie dropped her voice low. “Don’t be fooled. I’m very expensive.”
Reid laughed. “But worth every penny, I’m sure.”
His gaze was so hot that Cassie had to avert her gaze. She checked her watch. “We can’t go far.”
He nodded. “Lover’s Leap, maybe,” he said, his gaze returning to hers. There