Cassidy's Kids. Tara Taylor Quinn

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      “You spoil them.”

      “I love them,” Sloan said firmly.

      “You let them run you around worse than that self-centered bitch you married.”

      “I love them.” Sloan wasn’t backing down. He was used to Charlie’s bluntness.

      “Then figure out how to do it right, or hire someone to come do it for you,” Charlie shot back. “Those babes are hell to live with when you’re around.”

      His housekeeper’s parting words stung.

      NOT WANTING A REPEAT of the morning before, Ellie skipped breakfast at home and went in to work early. It was just lucky coincidence that by missing breakfast, she also managed to avoid her family members—and baby Cody—as well. She hadn’t slept well. Was cranky and out of sorts. She needed to immerse herself in her work, remind herself what mattered in her life. As uptight and serious as she was, her career was all she was going to have, and she was damn well going to be happy about that.

      But by ten o’clock that morning, she was also starving. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and she’d robbed herself of that sustenance. She was falling asleep at her desk. A tall glass of diet cola and one of Joe’s four-cheese western omelettes were definitely in order.

      A dose of Mary Jane’s sweetness wouldn’t be amiss, either. Grabbing the Asleep at the Wheel CD she’d found for her country-western-fanatic friend, Ellie checked out with Megan and took a much-needed break.

      Austin Eats Diner, located right next door to the clinic on the corner of prestigious Mayfair Avenue and Hill Drive, was just the diversion Ellie needed. Mary Jane Potter who was waiting on a group of cowboys at the counter, looked up and waved as Ellie walked in. Feeling better already, Ellie smiled, waved back and seated herself at a table for two. Though Mary Jane was three years younger than Ellie, she was one of Ellie’s closest friends. The petite brunette had grown up next door to Lana Lord, Ellie and Beth’s other best friend, and the four had seen each other through all the crises of adolescence.

      Watching Mary Jane keep everyone in the bustling diner happy, Ellie relaxed for the first time since she’d seen Sloan Cassidy the day before. She hadn’t told anyone about Sloan’s unexpected visit. Nor was she certain she was going to. But she wasn’t going to deny herself the comfort of drawing silent strength from her friends.

      “You skipped breakfast again?” Mary Jane asked, bringing Ellie the diet cola she hadn’t yet asked for.

      “I had some work to catch up on,” Ellie said, meeting the smile in Mary Jane’s eyes.

      Mary Jane’s gaze turned to concern. “You’re going to work yourself to death, Ellie, and it’s just not worth it.”

      Taking in the mostly full tables around her, Ellie chose to ignore her friend’s warning. Mary Jane just didn’t understand. No one did. “I’ve only been in the position six months,” she defended herself. “There’s always a lot of extra time invested in a new job.”

      “Fourteen hours a day?” Mary Jane scoffed, seemingly unaware of the thirty other patrons sitting in the brightly colored restaurant. “You haven’t been out with Lana and Beth and me in months.”

      “School started,” Ellie responded. “I’ve got classes at night.”

      “One night a week.”

      “Hey, what is this?” Ellie started to get annoyed, but only because she so desperately needed Mary Jane’s support. “I come here to eat and get yelled at?”

      Mary Jane sighed. “I’m not yelling, El. I just care.”

      “I know.” That was the sustenance she’d really been after. “Things’ll calm down soon, I promise.”

      Mary Jane nodded but didn’t look any happier; she pulled her pad and pen out of her pocket. “You want the omelette?”

      “Yes, please.” Ellie picked up the CD from the seat beside her. “I brought you this.”

      “‘Let’s Ride With Bob’ by Asleep at the Wheel?” Mary Jane’s eyes lit up. “Where’d you find it?”

      “A record shop downtown. I needed some more George Winston.”

      Reaching into her pocket, Mary Jane asked, “What do I owe you?”

      “Nothing,” Ellie replied, brushing it off. “Just don’t make me listen to any more of Bob Will’s Texas swing band stuff. I prefer horns to fiddles and steel guitars.”

      “Thanks, El—”

      Mary Jane smiled warmly again, and Ellie got all the payment she needed.

      “I can’t believe you remembered I wanted this. You’re the best.”

      Embarrassed, Ellie shook her head. “What I am is hungry.”

      Mary Jane grinned. “Be right back.” And then she was off, pouring coffee, delivering heavy plates of food, spreading her cheery smile all over the room. Sitting back, watching her friend, Ellie counted her blessings.

      She was taking the last bite of an incredibly delicious omelette when Shelby Lord, the diner’s owner and Lana’s triplet sister, suddenly appeared from the back room with a young blond woman at her side. Spotting Ellie, Shelby made a beeline for her table, stranger in tow.

      “Ellie! I’m glad you’re here,” Shelby said. “I want you to meet Sara. She’s going to be waitressing here starting this afternoon.”

      The blonde looked to be about Ellie’s age, but there didn’t seem to be twenty-five years of life lurking in her blue eyes. Rather, her gaze appeared almost vacant, though intelligent. If such a contrast were possible.

      Shelby put a supportive arm around Sara’s back, drawing her forward.

      “Sara’s suffering from amnesia,” Shelby said softly. Motioning for Sara to take the chair across from Ellie, Shelby pulled up a third chair for herself.

      “I don’t think it’s necessary for everyone to know,” she continued, “but I thought you should.”

      Instantly filled with compassion, Ellie took in the other woman’s soft features. “You don’t remember anything?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine something so horrible. To have no control at all.

      Sara shook her head. “A policeman found me in an alley, and I had no idea how I came to be there. He took me to a women’s shelter.”

      “How frightening.”

      Sara smiled sadly. “It was. I remember waking up, but I had no idea where I was. I only know that it was really dark. And my head hurt.”

      Horrified, Ellie leaned forward. “You’d been attacked?”

      “We don’t know.” Sara shrugged nonchalantly, but her eyes told a different story. Filled with fear, they testified to the seriousness of her predicament. “The shelter sent me to a free СКАЧАТЬ