Act of Congress

by Amelia Oliver

  She steps closer, trying to shorten the distance between us. “Jake, I don't know why I didn't tell you I was from here––”

  “Yes you do, same reason you haven't told me anything other than the bare essentials,” I state.

  Stepping closer again, she reaches a hand out for me, but I move away and walk toward the door.

  “I know, I'll be the first to admit I'm guarded…” she trails off.

  “I already lived years with a woman who was someone I didn't know. I'm not gonna go through that again regardless of how I feel about you, I don't deserve it.” I shake my head.

  “I––”

  “Stop,” I say, raising a hand. “It's already too hard worrying that every morning you've bolted and I've developed feelings for you.” I stop, not wanting to tell her exactly how I feel. “I don’t know what I want Cass...I want to know you but clearly that’s not what you want. And we haven't talked about where we stand, what happens after this and I get the distinct feeling that’s fine with you.”

  I pause, waiting for her to say something, anything to get the conversation we've been needing to have, started. She nods and looks like she wants to say something, but this is already hard enough for me and if I have to hear her tell me this is it, and it ends right now, I can’t.

  “Take the rental back to town, you can get a flight from there.”

  With that and a resilience I didn't know I had, I walk out. I'm tired of being the one always fighting. Fighting for my state on a daily basis. Being wanted and wanting someone shouldn't be so fucking difficult. I'm willing to do shit for Cassie, but I won't be the only one sacrificing. Now the ball’s in her court, it's her move.

  I go back into the dining room and sit down with my dad and brother to discuss why I'm here in the first place. The government wants rule over how many and what breed of steers a rancher has, which is clearly bullshit, pun intended. As we talk, I hear the back door close and know Cassie is leaving. My grandad and mom join in as we discuss the impending legislation, and I make a mental note of the points being made so I can take them back to Washington. In the back of my mind I'm wondering if Cassie's called and booked a flight, if she’s headed into town. Maybe I'm being harsh. She's already told me enough that I can figure she had it shitty growing up. Maybe shit happened to her that she doesn't want to talk to me about yet, doesn't mean she won't ever. I've only known her two weeks, who the fuck am I to expect her trust that soon. Guilt sits heavy in my chest and I wrap shit up with my family, finding it’s just my dad and I who are left at the table.

  "You're doing a good job kiddo," my dad says, dropping a hand on my shoulder.

  "Nah, not really Dad."

  "Yeah, yeah you are son...we're proud of you, everyone here is. You just being there, representing the little guy, it’s important to us, you're important to us."

  "I haven't done anything––"

  "Sometimes the fight isn't meant to be won Jake, sometimes just starting the fight, being a thorn in their side, that's what matters."

  “I just, it’s been frustrating and relentless, and I don’t know if it’s even worth sticking around for more.”

  “Are we talking about D.C. or Cassie now?”

  I give him a look before sighing and rubbing my face with my hands.

  “Both, maybe,” I shake my head.

  He nods and lets out a long, steadying breath. “I’ve learned in life, that nothing’s easy. Nothing should be easy. When it is, that’s when we know something’s too good to be true. I know your work is hard and I can’t even imagine how you do it day in and day out. But then I remember when you were younger and when you realized this is what you wanted to do. How you’d wanted to be the voice for us little guys, how you’d never let anyone back you into a corner or settle for no. People around town used to ask me if it bothered me, like I’d expected you and your brother to be cattle ranchers or something. I’d always told them you were born for something else, and that makes me proud. You give 110% with everything Jake, and knowing the fact that you brought Cassie here to be with you, she’s obviously someone special. I don’t know what’s going on, but I know she’s into you. Just let things naturally happen, if it’s supposed to work, it will.”

  He finishes by giving me a nod, before he stands and grips my shoulder then leaves the room. I sit for a moment longer before needing to get some fresh air. Heading outside, I figure it’s time to head to my cabin where I have liquor, so I walk toward the shed where the ATVs are stored, seeing a light on inside.

  Coming through the door I hear the repetitive sound of sandpaper on wood and stop in my tracks to see Cassie kneeling beside one of the rocking chairs in my grandad’s workshop. She's concentrating on smoothing the wood and looks like she's been at it a while, her hands up to her forearms are covered in sawdust, along with some in her hair. She blows her hair out of her face and finally looks up, giving me a shy smile.

  Chapter 16

  Cassie

  I watch him as he approaches, relief washing over me that he’s here. When Jake asked me to join him on the ranch I was flooded with thoughts. Despite Jake’s attempt at distraction, I came to recognize that this was one of those possibilities Piper made me promise to consider before rejecting. I accepted also thinking that being here with him would give us an opportunity to talk, really talk, away from the realities of both our jobs.

  And then his mom had asked that question.

  Stepping closer Jake reaches down, tucking my hair behind my ear.

  “I was mad, I’m sorry.”

  “You had every right to be. I know I’m closed off. I was hoping with us being here, that somewhere we’d get a chance to…and then your mom…” I trail off, loosing confidence, reminded again how badly I could’ve fucked this up.

  “I don’t expect you to tell me your entire life, it’s not fair of me to ask that of you…just tell me you're okay, that nothing terrible happened to you growing up?”

  “Nothing terrible happened to me growing up,” I parrot back as I stand from my knees and look at him through my eyelashes, a tiny smile on my lips.

  “Cassie…”

  While I get an inkling of a smile back from him, I can also hear his frustration in the way he said my name.

  “I’m sorry Jake,” I say softly, stepping into him and placing my hands on his hips, letting my head fall forward onto his chest.

  I mean it too, I am sorry, and not just for my sass. I’m sorry for a lot of things. I really didn’t like that I’d made him doubt me, or that I’d made him feel like I’d been intentionally keeping things from him. In trying to protect myself from getting in too deep, from getting hurt, I’d unintentionally hurt Jake instead. The wounded look in his eyes when I’d blurted I was originally from Miles City nearly tore a hole in my chest.

  I was also telling the truth when I’d told Jake’s mom that scares me. He makes me feel vulnerable, something I’ve not felt in a long time, but it’s a different kind of vulnerable. With Jake, as ridiculous as it seems, it’s the kind that also makes me feel like it’s safe. Safe to let my guard down, to let him in, and that feeling is what made me fight my urge to run when he’d told me to leave. I’m still not 100% sure why I didn’t, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I know Jake deserves to be treated better. He was right about that. I also know that I owe it him, to try to give more of myself to him. Owe it to us both really.

  Lifting my head, I look up at him, “I’m honestly not trying to be a smartass, but sometimes it’s hard to reset your default position, you know?”

  “I can see that. As I said, you don’t need to give me anything you don’t want to give Cassie, but you also don’t need to hide everything either.”

  He’s brought one of his palms up to cup my cheek, it’s warm and I nuzzle into it, his touch both a comfort and an addiction.

  “I know,” I admit.

  This was becoming clearer to me the more time I spent with Jake and now his family.

  “Y
ou ready to head to the cabin?” he asks, and the relief I feel at him still wanting me here is immense.

  “I am. Do you think your grandad will be upset I’ve tinkered with his work?”

  I hadn’t even considered that I was overstepping. Having made my way in here after seeing the door ajar from across the driveway, I’d picked up the sandpaper and gotten lost in the monotonous motion of the task.

  “You’re pretty, I think you’ll get away with it,” he chuckles, taking my hand and leading me out of the shed.

  I reach over the tool bench and flick off the light switch, moving to stand next to Jake as he closes the door.

  “It kinda of looked like you knew what you’re doing,” he states.

  “Yeah, my dad and I…”

  I don’t get past there before the lump in my throat prevents me from going any further. I look at Jake, sure that my eyes plead with him to see that I’m trying, but to please give me a little more time.

  “Okay Cass, let’s go,” he says softly, pulling me closer to him and kissing the top of my head, then announces, “you smell like a horse covered in sawdust.”

  I crack up laughing, making Jake laugh too when I poke my finger into his side, although he doesn’t let me go as he leads me to the rental car. See what I mean? Safe.

  As the SUV circles around the driveway, I look up and see his parents, Kendall and Jeb, sitting in the rustic chairs on the deck. I hold up a hand in a sort of wave, and in return get a nod from his dad. His mom however, in a move I’d seen earlier in the day, taps a finger to her temple, and then drops her arm to tap her chest, right above her heart.

  This time, it’s me who nods.

  * * *

  Jake’s cabin is a smaller version of his parents home, handcrafted, rustic, and homely. It’s got more masculine touches than the main house, but it’s stylish in a way that it doesn’t scream bachelor. There are some beautiful pieces of wooden furniture that I suspect are his grandfathers work, and a stunning twisted wrought iron sculpture that hangs above the fireplace. I’m taking it all in as I turn around and see that the main room is mostly open plan. Living room off to the left and separated by a narrow walkway, the dining and kitchen are off to the right.

  Jake comes back to me from down the hallway, and says, “Bathroom is down there on the right. Dad turned the water heater back on yesterday, so you’re good to go. You start showering and I’ll bring in the bags and set the fire.”

  Now that the heat of the day has gone, the mountain chill has started to settle in, so the thought of sitting in front of the fire and cuddling Jake sounds like a great plan.

  “Okay.”

  I smile at him, and raise myself up on my toes, face tilted up towards his. He takes my not at all subtle hint and kisses me, soft and sweet. My kiss is an apology and if I had to name his, I would say understanding.

  “Thank you, Jake.”

  Not wanting or waiting for his reply, I move past him and toward the light I can see coming from what I assume is the bathroom. Getting closer I see that it’s not, it’s Jake’s bedroom and looking around as I step inside, I see that a light is also on in his en-suite.

  I shower quickly, coming out of the bathroom with my hair and body each wrapped in a towel. Wondering what I’m going to wear, as Jake isn’t back with the bags, I head over to the dresser across from the king sized wrought iron bed taking up most of the room. The long draw I open first has what I need.

  Having rolled up the legs and folded over the waistband of Jake’s soft, navy sweats, I’m just pulling down a worn and faded t-shirt that says, ‘No Farmer, No Food’, when Jake walks in with our bags. His eyes take me in, slowly and with purpose, and his tongue runs over his bottom lip.

  “Damn, I thought I’d timed that better. I knew I should have dropped the bags in here before setting the fire. I was hoping you’d still be in there.” He tilts his head towards the bathroom then adds, “Nice outfit by the way.”

  “Ranch chic,” I quip, “As for the shower, I was in a bit of a hurry, and I’d been told I smelled like a horse covered in sawdust. The owner of this cabin is sexy as hell, so I wanted to freshen up before meeting him for a drink in front of the fire.”

  The smile I get out of Jake is one of my favorites. It’s deeply masculine and makes his eyes sparkle, but best of all, it makes me feel like I’m the only one that’s ever seen it.

  “Well, by all means, don’t let me keep you,” he waves me out the door. “I’m just here to drop off your bags. Help yourself to the liquor cabinet. I’m sure the cabin owner will be with you soon, he’d be an idiot to keep you waiting.”

  I’m nearly out the door when he asks, “Hey, Cass? What was that thing my mom did with her hand as we were leaving? You nodded, so I’m assuming you know what it meant?”

  Again with the observant, Jake doesn’t seem to miss anything when it comes to me, and the thought makes me flush. It also supports what his mom said to me in the stables too.

  “I do. It was something we’d spoken about earlier, advice really. Like you, your mom doesn’t miss much, and I like her directness.”

  “She’s one of the smartest women I know. She’s a lot like you in that she doesn’t pull her punches either. I figured she’d grilled you about us, about what was going on?”

  “A little,” I admit. “She clearly wasn’t expecting me, but she wasn’t entirely unhappy about it either.”

  As we’re talking Jake’s started to strip, placing his dirty clothes directly in the hamper just inside the bathroom door. Along with the sight of his hard body, that little maneuver nearly had me pouncing on him.

  “Get cleaned up bag boy, you’re making me late for my fireside rendezvous. If he doesn’t show up though, maybe you and I can talk instead.” I wiggle my eyebrows up and down suggestively, and Jake laughs.

  God, I love that sound.

  * * *

  Kendall Fredrickson-Reid is the kind of woman I admire. She is beautiful, and has an obvious strength to her that said she could easily hold her own, whatever situation she found herself in. She was also one of those women who while she worked just as hard as any man, had remained feminine.

  I’d found her directness completely disarming, feeling compelled to talk when she asked questions. Which is how I’d shared my birthplace so openly and it has to be said, stupidly, without thinking through what it could do to Jake.

  Finding two tumblers, I fill one with ice and take both over to the liquor cabinet behind the overstuffed leather sofa facing the fireplace. Putting a couple of fingers of vodka in the glass with the ice, I put the same amount but whiskey in the other and come back around to sit. I leave Jake’s drink on the wooden coffee table, another grandad piece if I had to guess, and tuck my legs under me.

  Taking a sip of my drink, my thoughts shift back to Kendall, and the way she had looked at me after my bout of verbal diarrhea and Jake and his dad had walked away.

  “I take it that was news to my son? You being from Montana?” Kendall says looking straight at me.

  “It was.”

  I can’t take my eyes off of Jake’s retreating back. I want to go after him, the look he had on his face before walking away is eating me alive. Stupid, Cassie, really stupid.

  “Hmm. So let me get this straight, you’ve just spent two weeks with the congressman of the very state you were born and raised, but you didn’t tell him? Any reason for the secrecy?”

  It would seem Jake’s mom is not a fan of fluffy conversation. I’m nodding my head yes, but I find under her scrutiny, it changes to move the other way to indicate no.

  “In hindsight, not one that would justify the look on his face, no,” I say, pushing the gravelly sounding confession past my lips.

  “You’ve hurt him with that omission. I don’t like seeing my boys hurt. The only reason I’m not suggesting you leave right now is that I can see you’ve hurt yourself too. More importantly, you know you have.”

  I don’t respond to that, because she’s absolutely r
ight.

  “Are you dating my son Cassie?”

  “Umm…well, we’re…umm…”

  I’ve got nothing that’s appropriate for mom ears. Fucking like rabbits is true enough, but it’s absolutely not something I’d say to his mom. It’s also more than fucking, isn’t it? But more, what exactly? It’s also likely that any chance we had for more, I’d just destroyed.

  Kendall puts an end to my floundering.

  “Relax, I’m not blind. Or stupid. You’re sleeping together, that much is obvious. It’s also clear that whatever’s going on, you’re both not on the same page with it yet either.”

  Now I know where Jake get’s his observation skills. He’s come by them genetically.

  “Right,” I say and I’m sure must look as dumbstruck as I feel.

  “Well, that boy is hurt and he is pissed. What you need to decide is what you’re going to do about it.”

  “I know, I’ll go and…”

  Kendall shakes her head and I stop talking. She starts to walk over to the stables, and I get the feeling she expects me to follow her, so I do. Coming to a stop just inside the doors, I see several stalls, some open, some with horses and assorted tack up on the walls between.

  “No, you won’t. Not yet. He’s going to need time. Besides, do you even know what you’d say to him right now? Other than ‘sorry’ that is?”

  “Well…” I start to answer, but she’s right. I have no clue. “No.” I admit.

  “Word of advice Cassie, don’t open your mouth to build bridges with my son if you’re not planning on being around to cross them with him in the future.”

  I gulp. Jesus, Jake’s mom is fierce. I want to be her when I grow up.

  “Now that’s out there,” she says smiling, “there’s work to be done. Mucking stalls and grooming horses to start, let’s go.”

  Over the time we work together, Kendall and I chat about general things, from Jake’s events on the road, to my role at ESM We found a groove for light topics, and as Kendall talked I felt more and more at ease with Jake’s mom, but not so much with what I was going to do about the man himself. For the first hour after we’d arrived, I’d thought maybe it would be best if I left, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I had promised myself that I would make as many memories with Jake as I could for as long as it lasted, and that’s what I was going to do.