by C. J. Welles
“I know,” I reply quietly. “Casey and I have talked about what happened and we’ve cleared the air…” I pause as I think of what I need to get out. “But I still feel that I could have done better. I should have talked to someone else about what was going on and got help. Casey wasn’t coping.”
I stop my rant there before I say stuff to mom that I don’t want her to know. Casey and I were both at fault. I don’t want to tarnish what mom and Casey have. I don’t want mom looking at Casey in a different way.
“It’s in the past, you can’t change it. Just focus on today and the future.”
Mom puts Cyril’s brush up on the stall ledge then walks around to me and places a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks for the talk mom.”
“I wish you’d talk to me more often.” I go to say answer but she gives me a cheeky smile. “But, yes I know you’re just like your dad and Ryan. You only talk when you’re ready.”
“That’s okay, you and Nath make up for it.”
“Ha-ha, Bryson.” She walks out of Cyril’s stall but pauses and looks to me. “Make sure you bring Casey to family dinner night.”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, mom.”
After I’ve finished grooming Cyril and packed away our gear from the day, I head inside to shower and change before I go see Casey. I haven’t called her to see if she’ll be at her parents but I don’t see that she’ll be anywhere else.
*
“COME IN,” ROBERT SAYS as he steps aside for me to walk in. “The girls are in Alexia’s room watching a movie with her.”
I pause next to him. “Do you mind if I go in?”
“I don’t care. But beware, they’re watching Frozen. It’s Alexia’s favorite.”
“I’ll try not disturb her.”
“Wise man.”
I head to where Alexia’s room is. Well, where I assume her room is, as I remember where Casey and Jolene’s rooms were. Slowly opening the door, I find the three girls cuddled up on the small sofa in Alexia’s room. When the door hinges creak, three sets of eyes turn my way.
“Can I interrupt this girl party?”
Alexia gives me an uncertain look, but when Casey stands up and walks over to me then gives me a hug, her features relax.
“Are you Casey’s boyfriend?” Alexia asks, innocently.
Casey hesitates as she looks at me. “Yes, I am,” I reply. “Is that okay?”
Alexia shrugs. “I don’t mind. But you better watch our dad. He has a gun and he’s threatened Jolene’s boyfriends in the past,” she says so seriously and innocently.
Jolene and Casey burst out laughing and Alexia flicks her gaze between them both in confusion. “Well, I hope to never give your dad a reason to threaten me,” I reply, hoping it’s the right answer for her.
She studies me for a long moment then smiles. “I think you will be fine. You make my sister smile. Dad will like that. I’m the only other person who she smiles for, like that.” She motions to Casey. I look over to see Casey smiling at me and my knees nearly weaken.
“She has a gorgeous smile.” I don’t know whether I’m saying it to Alexia or myself.
“Do you want to watch Frozen with us?” Alexia asks.
“I’d love to.”
We all fit on the tiny sofa, with Casey sitting in between my legs and Alexia sitting on Jolene’s lap, as we watch the rest of the movie. The movie didn’t interest me at all, but sitting with Casey and two of the girls who mean the most to her, was worth it.
Alexia falls asleep just before it ends and Casey takes her from Jolene and puts her to bed. I follow Casey into the living room, where her parents are talking.
“Hi, Mrs. Hart,” I say as she looks up and smiles at me.
“It’s good to see you again,” Casey’s mom replies.
I motion to Casey that I want to go outside. Once we get out of the back door, I walk over to the wicker chair and sit down. I pull Casey down so that she is straddling my lap. She looks over her shoulder at the back door.
“It’s okay, we’re just talking but I want to see your beautiful eyes when I do.”
“Okay. But first, can I have another kiss? I just need to feel your lips.” She leans in and presses her lips against mine briefly before parting her lips and running her tongue along the seam of my mouth.
I shake my head and deny her access, causing her to pull back and frown. “If I let your tongue inside my mouth, I will forget about talking and take you away to have sex instead.”
Her frown disappears, and a smile replaces it. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I’ve been thinking”
“That usually means bad news.”
I shake my head. “No, baby. All good news.” I grab her hand and lace our fingers together. “I’ve been thinking of stepping away from the bull riding circuit.” I watch as her eyebrows shoot up and her mouth drops open. “I’m still going to compete but only at local rodeo’s. I’m not going to be in the championship anymore.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think?”
“Me?” she questions as she points to herself.
“You’re part of the reason.”
“You were so close to winning. Don’t you want to go back and see if you can win the title?”
“No. I’ve used bull riding as a way to escape. Bull riding was like a drug to me. It made me feel when I was numb because I had closed myself off from the world.”
“Oh…”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love to bull ride. But I want to do it for fun not to fill a void in my life.”
“What are you going to do instead?”
“Hopefully dad will let me work for him.”
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
There’s more I want to talk about, but we agreed to take this slow. I don’t want to start demanding that she moves back here. I have a feeling that she’ll decide to come back home without me planting that idea in her head, after the conversation we had last night.
We stay seated in the wicker chair for the next hour just talking. We mostly talk about the old days, before Casey fell pregnant, and there were so many times we’ve spent together that I’d forgotten about.
We talked about the year we spent Christmas at Lake Tahoe. It was our second Christmas together. Both of our families traveled there to spend it together. To this day, it’s still my favorite Christmas.
When Jolene pops her head out and asks if I want to stay for dinner, we head inside, and I sit and watch as both Casey and Jolene cook for us.
I did offer to cook but Casey told me to just sit and talk with her. It’s what we did when we lived together. I would be home by the time she began cooking and I’d sit at the bench and have a Budweiser while Casey cooked and sipped a glass of wine.
It’s times like this that I missed the most about being with Casey. Our relationship was so easy. We could spend every waking moment together and we didn’t get sick of each other. We could also spend time apart and be okay with it. Plus, the sex was off the charts when we’d been apart for a while.
We’ll get back to that place in our relationship. It’s inevitable because it’s just who we are.
***
Chapter Twenty-Five
Casey
“MOM WANTS YOU TO come to family dinner tomorrow night,” Bryson says to me as we’re lying in the bed of his truck.
I came over to visit him on his lunch break and as soon as he turned my way, I could see the look in his eyes. Five minutes later, he had packed up and had me in his truck and we were driving to the middle of nowhere.
All I know is that we’re still on the farm and we’re parked under a tree, shading us from the sun. We’re both nearly naked with Bryson only wearing a pair of boxer briefs and me in only a tank top and my thong.
My lips tip up in a smile. “As if I would say no.” I used to love going to family dinner night every Sunday. Caroline would cook up a feast to feed us all, plus enough for us to take home for dinner the next night.
“I
thought that would be the answer. Do you want me to come and pick you up?”
“No, I’m fine to drive over. Saves you from having to drive me home after.”
“It wouldn’t bother me.”
“I know, but it’s just pointless when I can drive myself. Will the twins be there?” I ask. I haven’t seen Ryan in years and the last time I saw Nath was back in Kansas City.
“Yes, Nath came home last night for the weekend and Ryan is floating around here somewhere.”
“Probably wherever Makayla is.”
He shakes his head. “No, he and Makayla barely talk anymore. She’s moved on with some guy who moved to town recently.”
“Really?” I ask as I sit up and look at him. “I thought they’d end up together.”
“So did most of us but Ryan wouldn’t get his shit together. He played around with her and denied any feelings for too long.”
I lie back down next to Bryson and lay my hand on his naked chest. I shiver when I feel his heated skin under my palm and fingers.
“Is he moping around with a broken heart? That’d be fun for everyone around him.” Ryan has the same attitude as Bryson. They don’t talk about their feelings, they just snap at people instead.
“No, he’s just turned into a man-whore. When we were on the bull riding circuit, he’d have a new girl in each town and I have no doubt he’d leave them with a broken heart.”
“Poor girls.”
Bryson’s cell beeps and he picks it up and groans. “Shit I forgot about him.” He sits up, causing my hand to slip from his bare chest. I pout from the loss of contact between us.
“Who?”
“Jace. I’m meant to be at his ranch looking at a new horse.”
“You can go.”
He looks down to me. “Why don’t you come over with me. You can officially meet Callie.”
“Ah, yes. Only if she won’t mind.”
“She won’t. She’s sweet.”
“Okay.”
*
I SMILE WHEN I SEE Jace holding a little girl with pure blond hair. Jace was the last person who I thought would be married with a child. He has always been against relationships.
He and Kaylee had a thing throughout school but it was toxic and she ended up cheating on him.
He hasn’t changed in appearance since I saw him last. His face looks manlier and he’s more built across the shoulders but apart from that, he’s still the same old Jace.
I don’t wait for Bryson before I jump down from his truck. I know it’s something his mom has always drummed into the boy’s heads, that you should always be courteous to a woman. I’m more than capable of getting out of a car by myself though and I let him help me with things I really do need help with.
“Long time, no see,” Jace says as he smiles at me. It’s a strained smile, which makes me hesitate.
“It has been a while. You’ve… changed.”
“It’s all thanks to this one.” He bends down and kisses Callie on the forehead. “Isn’t it, Angel.”
Callie rolls her eyes as she smiles up at him.
There is a huge height difference between Callie and Jace and I nearly crack a smile at how she has to bend her head back and look up at him. He’d have to be nearly a foot taller, which makes her look tiny next to him.
“Whatever you say, babe,” Callie replies to Jace before she looks over to me. “He hates taking the credit. He says that I was his angel, but in truth, he saved me.” She holds her hand out. “It’s nice to meet you again.”
“You too. I look less… crazy this time.” Last time I saw Callie was outside Joe’s, the night that I told Bryson the truth.
“No, sweetie, you weren’t crazy, you were just heartbroken.” She gives me a smile before turning to Bryson. “How have you been? You’re looking well.”
He gives her a cheeky grin. “I’ve always looked divine, you just don’t notice it because of that big beast over there.”
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.” She takes the little girl from Jace’s arms and looks to me. “Do you want to come inside for a drink? I’ve got some freshly made iced tea.”
“Sure.”
Bryson grabs my hand and pulls me in for a hug and a kiss. “I’ll be in soon.” As I step away, I see Jace looking at us with an expression that I can’t decipher.
I climb the steps onto the front porch and knock once before I walk in the front door. I’ve been inside Jace’s house numerous times in the past and so I know where the kitchen is. Walking inside, I find Callie placing their daughter into a highchair and then another lady grabbing a pitcher of iced tea from the fridge.
“Hi.” I wave at the lady. She looks like she’s in her fifties and has perfectly tanned skin and black hair. Her smile is warm and welcoming.
“Hello, Dear,” she replies with a Spanish accent. “Would you like a drink?”
“Yes please.”
“Excuse my manners,” Callie says as she walks to the fridge and removes a small container. “Claudia, this is Casey, Bryson’s girlfriend.” Claudia’s smile brightens when she hears Bryson’s name. “Casey, this is Claudia. She helps me keep the workers feed and watered. Honestly, Claudia does most of it as I can’t cook.”
Claudia waves her hand in a dismissive motion. “You’re getting better, my girl.”
“Because I now don’t burn boiling water,” Callie adds with a teasing smile.
Claudia shakes her head but she’s smiling as well. “Sit down with the Ella and I’ll bring over some afternoon tea with the iced tea.”
“Thank you,” Callie and I both say.
I give Ella a smile as I sit opposite her and watch Callie feed her mashed apple and bananas. I don’t know how Callie does it, but she gets Ella to eat it all, even though Ella has been tossing her head side to side while laughing and throwing her arms in the air.
Once Ella has had enough, Callie cleans her up and places her in a playpen to the side of the room, which is filled with rattles and toys.
“You know, I thought it would be hard to see Bryson with another girlfriend but I like you. You… You make him smile in a way that not even Krystal could.” Callie smiles but it’s a sad smile.
“I’m sorry for your loss. Bryson told me about how close you two were.”
“She was like the sister I should have had. My real sister and I never got along. I wasn’t good enough for her. But what Krystal and I had, it felt like what I’ve seen other sisters act like.”
“You were lucky to have a friend like that. Sometimes we never get to experience friendships that strong.”
We talk for another half an hour and Callie fills me in on how long she has lived here and how she and Jace met. To look at, you would not think that Callie used to work as a stripper. But that’s just like how Carmen had known me for two years and didn’t know that I’m a country girl at heart.
Sometimes we only show others what we want them to see.
Callie and I are just moving to the sunroom, where she places Ella in a baby rocker that plays lullaby’s when Jace and Bryson walk in.
“Hey, Angel,” Jace says as he kisses Callie before bending down and kissing Ella on her forehead. “You look like you’re about to fall asleep.”
“She’s just had something to eat and a play, so she is tired now,” Callie answers.
“Wish I could join you,” Bryson says as he sits next to me and grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together. “I’d give anything to have a day sleep.” He looks at me. “I could have today but…” He lets his words trail off but I know what he wants to say.
My cheeks heat at the thoughts of what we did in the back of his truck on his lunch break.
“How long are you sticking around for this time?” Jace asks Bryson.
“I’m staying for good now. I’m just going to ride for fun at local rodeos.”
Jace’s eyes widen at Bryson’s words but the rest of his face stays the same. “That’s great to hear. But I was talking to Casey.”
>
“I, uh, well… I don’t know.” I stammer out. I wasn’t expecting his question. “Well, I guess once mom is mobile again, I’ll head home. Probably next week.”
“And what’s going to happen then?”
I frown at his question. “I’ll go back to work,” I answer slowly.
“What about Bryson?”
“Jace,” Bryson warns.
It’s then, that I get what this is about.
I straighten my back and focus my eyes on Jace. “Honestly, I don’t know what the hell is going to happen. I have a job I have to go back to. As much as I don’t want to leave Bryson…” I stop talking.
I don’t want to leave Bryson. I don’t want to live ten hours away from him.
“I have to go back home,” I say quietly, finishing my sentence.
“Was that necessary?” Bryson asks in a growling tone as he jumps up.
“Sit the fuck down,” Jace says but Bryson doesn’t. He stands next to me, in a defensive stance, with his hand on my shoulder. “I’m just lookin’ out for you. You may have forgotten because you were legless drunk, but you spilled your guts one night as to why Casey left.”
“I did?” Bryson asks.
“Yeah, dipshit. I nearly thought it was bullshit drunken talk until I saw the way you threw death glares at Bobby.”
I suck in a breath and clasp my hands together.
“Jace, you need to stop,” Callie says from beside him.
“You don’t know the full story. I didn’t know the full story,” Bryson warns Jace as he sits next to me and wraps his arms around my shoulders. “We both made mistakes and we’ve both dealt with them. We’ve now moved on.” I can feel Bryson’s eyes on me but I don’t look at him. I keep my eyes down towards the ground.
Everyone is silent for a long moment until Jace talks. “Look, I just wanted to make sure you were both serious about this and could move forward. You were fucked up and I don’t want to see you like it again.”
“I feel like I need to have an article printed up in the local newspaper about this instead of repeating myself. We’ve talked. We’re serious. I love Casey and I know she loves me.” I look up at Bryson but his eyes shift to Callie. “I’m sorry, Callie, but I never did stop loving Casey. I had love for Krystal but Casey was always in my heart.”