Cassidy

Now I have read the first book in the Big Sky Dreams series by Lori Wick. It is called Cassidy. It takes place in the same town as Sabrina, Token Creek, Montana Territory. Cassidy is a small blond with a stubborn determination to focus on others. She owns a small sewing shop, and works as its main seamstress. She is kind and brings a smile to every one's face, so the towns match-making couple begin to wonder why no one has married her yet. Most people suspect Chandler, the towns banker, will be the one to marry her. However, Cassidy charms an older gentleman, who, after ordering a few shirts from her, asks her to marry him. Cassidy gives him a definite no, because he is an easily angered man, who, despite his riches, wants everything to go his way. After an argument about the topic, Cassidy asks him what he would get out of the marriage, and he replies unflinchingly, sons. She turns him down time and time again, but is forced to continue to deliver clothing to him, because business is bad and he is a regular costumer. On top of this growing issue, Cassidy also has a secret. Her name is not really Cassidy Norton as she claims. Her name is Cassidy Sinclair, but she conceals this from her town because her brother is the famous bank robber Edson Sinclair. He has swindled many out of fortunes, and Cassidy does not want to be seen like he is. When Edson turned to gambling at a young age to get money, he became addicted, and soon ended up a robber. Cassidy left her shameful home to start fresh, and set up her shop in Token Creek. Her life is going well until her brother enters town after being released from jail.
Bringing a dangerous man named Neal and with Cassidy's hidden past in tow, Edson arrives at Token Creek in hopes of money. He starts to blackmail Cassidy into giving him the names of rich people he can swindle from the town, stating he will tell the whole town of her real family. However, she steadfastly refuses, positive that she can handle the situation without anyone getting hurt. When Edson carries out part of his plan and tells the banker Chandler about Cassidy being his sister, he puts a twist on things, saying she helped him steal and that is how she set up her seamstress shop. Chandler believes him and confronts Cassidy angrily about the subject. Stunned, Cassidy does not try to defend herself as he stomps away. When her pregnant friend Meg's brother, Trace, comes, he can tell it is bothering her. Under his comfort, she tells her story. Trace has a secret of his own to tell her- he loves her, as she had hoped, but he thought she loved Chandler. When she assures him this is false, he asks her to marry him. This squashes the rich man's hopes of marrying her once and for all, but Chandler really did like Cassidy, and, upset, moves out of town to Trace's disappointment. Edson leaves town after ordering Neal to beat up a local reporter for information. Cassidy is sure he will not return, but he does, anxious for money and penniless. His desperation drives him over the edge of logic and caution, and he breaks into Cassidy's dress shop. He directs Neal to hold a knife to Cassidy's friend Jeanette's side. With the threat looming over their heads, he tells Cassidy to go to the bank, withdraw all her money, and give it to him- or Jeanette dies. Kicking herself for believing she could handle the problem, she runs to the bank and withdraws the money. However, on her way back Trace sees how distressed she is and comes with her to the shop with his rifle, hoping that will cause Edson and Neal to surrender. Neal stabs Jeanette in the side, forcing Trace to shoot him. Jeanette heals after being nursed, and Cassidy and Trace marry and all that mushy stuff. Anyways, the message of the book was to never think that you can handle all of your own problems, you need God and other help from friends. I thought it was a pretty good book.