Read Online Canyon Walls by Julie Jarnagin - Free Book Online Page B

camp was struggling, and he had asked to know more. She wished that she could believe he wanted to help, but he wouldn’t gain anything by helping her. She understood how business worked.
    When the service concluded, Cassie didn’t linger in the church but headed to the parking lot. She didn’t want to risk running into Will.
    She stopped outside the front door to give Beth a chance to catch up to her.
    â€œThat wasn’t so bad, was it?” Beth asked as she walked up beside her.
    â€œIt was nice,” Cassie said, and she meant it.
    Beth touched her arm and gestured toward something with her eyes. Cassie looked over to see Will coming toward them.
    She looked to Beth for help, but it was too late to escape. Beth simply shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll be in the car if you need me.”
    Will looked different without the gym shorts and T-shirt. Today he was striking in a gray suit and white shirt, like someone right off the red carpet. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you were trying to get away from me,” he said to Cassie.
    Cassie fidgeted with the tips of her fingers. “Hi, Will.”
    â€œI’m sorry about your church, but I’m glad you’re here.”
    â€œThanks,” she said.
    An awkward silence hung between them. Will pulled at the collar of his shirt. “I wanted to talk to you about the men’s retreat.”
    Cassie should have known this was coming.
    â€œYou’ve been working with Craig, right?” he asked.
    Cassie nodded.
    â€œCraig’s pregnant wife is on bed rest. I volunteered to take over the planning while he takes care of his family stuff.”
    â€œI hope everything is okay,” Cassie said. “If you talk to him, let him know they’re in my prayers.”
    A tall man in a cowboy hat patted Will on the back. Will shook his hand and watched as the man walked away. “He’ll appreciate that. I’m not sure what needs to be finalized before the retreat.”
    Cassie bit the inside of her lip. She hated dealing with all the insecurities and fears about his motives. Now she would have to add Will back to the list of stresses in her life. “You can call next week,” she said in her most professional voice. “We’ll iron out all the details.”
    He stared at her as if he wanted more, like she hadn’t said what he wanted to hear. “Okay then,” he said. “I guess I’ll be in touch with you.”
    She turned to leave.
    â€œCassie, wait.”
    Cassie pivoted around.
    He held his open hands out toward her. “I also wanted to apologize about the other day. I didn’t mean to offend you or insinuate that you’re not great at what you do.”
    She nodded. “I appreciate that.” She turned and walked toward the car. She could feel him watching her.
    Beth was waiting for her with the motor running. “What was that all about?”
    â€œJust business,” she said.
    â§
    Will flipped through the schedule on the receptionist’s desk. “9:00 a.m. Marvin Hartley.”
    It was written in his father’s handwriting. “Dad,” he yelled down the hallway. Will carried the spiral-bound book to his father’s corner office. “Did you schedule a meeting for me this morning?”
    â€œYes.” His dad swiveled his chair from his file cabinet. Their offices on the Wyatt Bend town square weren’t fancy, but the old building certainly had character, with original hardwood floors and exposed brick walls like the one behind his dad’s desk.
    â€œI’m having a meeting and thought it might be good for you to come along,” his dad said.
    His whole life, people in town told Will he looked like a younger version of his father. Will used to deny it, but every now and then his reflection in the mirror would catch him off guard. If his dark wavy hair turned gray and he had a few more laugh lines, they might be