The Keaton Series Boxed Set

by B. A. Wolfe

  “I couldn’t imagine hospitals being entertaining at any age,” I said, taking a seat next to him.

  He shook his head as he stretched his arms over his head. “So what brought you down here? Kudos on not getting lost by the way,” he said with a yawn.

  Ugh. I slapped the side of his arm that was next to me. “Normally you are up at the crack of dawn and ready to go, waking me up… so when I woke this morning and the house was quiet, I was just making sure you were okay,” I confessed, slouching, as I felt silly for worrying so much over him.

  “I was just tired from yesterday and then I stayed up a little later.”

  “Why were you up so late?” I asked, pulling up a leg underneath me.

  He looked at me, his eyes steady. “Can you keep a secret?” he whispered.

  “Of course,” I whispered back, leaning closer to him, eager for him to be confiding in me.

  “So can I.”

  “You are such a brat, you know that?”

  “I was reading, Cassie,” he said. “You don’t take well to teasing do you?”

  “I guess not,” I answered him. “And what did you say? That you were reading?” I questioned him, never having heard that answer come out of a guy’s mouth who wasn’t in college, and even that was rare.

  “Did I say reading? What I meant was, I was watching television,” he said, nodding his head.

  “Too late Jase, you already spilled the beans. Come on now, what were you reading?” I asked intrigued.

  “Don’t get too excited, I was just reading some letters from a friend,” he answered.

  “You mean emails?” I asked confused.

  “No. I mean snail mail. Like the good old fashioned hand written letters that the mailman delivers. None of that electronic stuff, Sweetheart.”

  He seemed to enjoy the old-fashioned things in life, the letters, and the memories. It was really cute. “I’m going to say that’s probably why you still have a flip phone.” I dropped my gaze down, peering at him.

  “People become too reliant on having the world at their fingertips. Enjoying the moment and not knowing what’s going to come next, that’s the real deal, Cassie,” he said.

  “Well that’s not nearly as exciting as a book. But I get it, sort of,” I admitted to him as I heard a vibrating noise coming from his nightstand.

  “Speaking of phones,” he said, leaning up and reaching for his phone.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Yes ma’am. Who’s this?” he asked.

  “Ah, I’ve been expecting your call.”

  “As a matter a fact she is,” he said, looking over at me. It was either Melanie or, well it had to be Melanie.

  “She’s in my room. Definitely not being held hostage. I promise she’s in good hands Melanie,” he said as he nodded into the phone with each answer.

  “I know you will,” he said cringing. I could only imagine the words that were coming out of her mouth. Not to mention the half frightened look on Jase’s face as he answered her questions.

  “Yes ma’am, I will. Okay here she is.” He pulled the phone from his ear and let out a breath, handing the phone over to me.

  “She’s a feisty one,” he said, making me giggle. She was most certainly a feisty chick and I loved her for it.

  “Hey Mel,” I said, glad to hear her voice.

  “He said he isn’t holding you captive, is this true?” she asked in a half teasing manner.

  “No, he’s not holding me captive.” I could see Jase shaking his head.

  “Okay then,” she said. “He sounds really cute, Cass. Is that why you were okay waiting for your car?”

  “Melanie. Oh my gosh. I can’t believe you. Call me tomorrow, love you.”

  “Love you too, Cass,” she said, giggling before hanging up the phone.

  I handed Jason back his phone. “She’s a little protective,” I told Jase, who was looking at me with a questioning glance.

  “Just a little,” he said. “It’s good though, she just wants to make sure you’re being taken care of.”

  My heart pumped a little faster as I thought about how he was doing just that, taking care of me.

  He yawned as he leaned up from the bed. “So, how about we get ready and then I want to take you somewhere today,” he said, turning to look at me.

  “Is it to get my car?” I asked.

  “No, sorry to burst your bubble. I want to take you somewhere and then tonight we have dinner at my grandmother’s house.”

  I turned my hand pointing to myself, “Me. I’m going with you?”

  “Yes you. I’m not leaving you here,” he said. “So hurry up and go get ready. I’ll do the same. Meet you upstairs in five?”

  “Five minutes? Ha… I don’t know what planet you live on.” I got up from his bed.

  “Wishful thinking?”

  “Just a bit,” I said as I walked toward to his door. “I’ll be as quick as possible, but no guarantees.”

  “I’m just excited to get you in a pair of boots, that’s all,” he said with his lips curling up at the corners and his eyes fixed on mine.

  “Boots?” I asked him with a shocked expression plastered on my face. Why did I need boots?

  Thirteen

  I COULDN’T STOP STARING DOWN at my feet; they were nothing like I imagined when Jase had told me where he was taking me. I never thought cowgirl boots were my thing but I was in love. They were a gorgeous dark turquoise color with gold studs lining the rim and gold swirls on the sides.

  “You like ‘em?” he asked as he drove us to his grandma’s house.

  “Like them? I love them Jason,” I gushed, still staring down at my newly decorated feet, I couldn’t stop admiring them. “You didn’t need to buy them though, I wish you’d let me pay you back,” I said, still miffed he used his money on me. It was thoughtful and the sweetest gesture, but I felt bad for it.

  “Cassie, it was the only way I was going to get you in those boots. You would never have bought yourself a pair,” he said, shifting his eyes between the road and me, with a stern look on his face. “I wanted to do something nice for you to keep your mind off your car and all.”

  “Maybe not then, but now that I love them, you can bet your ass I’ll be buying more,” I admitted, making him smile before he returned his gaze to the road ahead. “You have no idea how amazing today was for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone out and done something like that.”

  I looked down again, admiring my new boots and going over our day in my head. It really did keep my mind off of things. I’ve never once had a guy offer to go shopping with me let alone have it be his idea. So when Jason drove us all the way out to the next town just to buy boots, I was already impressed. Not to mention, he took me into not one, but three different stores just to find the perfect pair of boots. I thought he might have regretted the whole thing after having no luck at the first and second store, but he kept trudging on as if it was no big deal. I’m pretty sure I even saw him smile when the staff was admiring his boots. I had one of those ‘Ahhh’ moments the minute I put on the turquoise boots. I felt like Cinderella as the guy slipped the boot on for me. A first ever for me and I could tell my color choice freaked Jason out a bit, but I knew the minute I saw myself in the mirror they were a perfect fit. We ended our shopping trip with a lunch of the “usual”. A truly perfect way to end it all.

  “Well I’m glad you had such an awesome day,” he answered back. “I was a little apprehensive about your color choice, but they look really good on you.” I saw his lips curl up a little bit as his eyes remained focused forward.

  “It’s a bold choice for me, trust me,” I admitted as we came up to a stoplight.

  “The only stoplight in town,” I said, glancing at it as if it were a national landmark. It was not like what I pictured. It was a four-way intersection with only one light segment hanging from each intersection. And by hanging, I meant dangling; the structure was not at all what I was used to seeing back in Denver.
I giggled as I took in the small town stoplight, thinking how silly it was that I was so easily amused by it.

  “I hear you over there,” he said.

  The light turned green but he didn’t move forward. He kept his foot on the brake and turned his head in my direction, wearing a grin that was spread at least six inches wide.

  “Do I want to know why that smile is plastered on your face and you aren’t driving even though we have a green light?”

  He turned his head in either direction. “No one is behind us. Is it making you nervous that I’m not driving when the light is green?” he asked playfully.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is making me anxious... normal people don’t sit at a green light Jase,” I told him, staring right back at him, eyes locked on his. “Well, are we going to drive or just sit here and stare at each other?”

  He didn’t reply. He put the truck in park and slowly turned his body toward the door and grabbed the handle. He stepped out of his truck, making his way to my side and stopping. I raised my hands, wanting to know why on earth he got out of his truck in the middle of a light. He opened my door and stood there smiling, holding out his hand for me to take.

  “What are you doing?” I hesitated.

  “You need to learn how to relax and let go. Cassie, you are way too uptight, Sweetheart.”

  “How is getting out of the truck going to ease my nerves? It’s only making it worse, Jase. What if a car pulls up?” I asked him with a hitch in my voice, scared of becoming road kill.

  “Then we’ll move. Don’t worry so much about what might happen. Just enjoy the moment,” he told me softly.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I was trying to do as he said and began to place my hand in his when the moment was cut short.

  HONK! HONK! HONK!

  “Holy shit,” I yelled. Not even once looking to see where it was coming from, I pulled my hand from his and got back in touch with the reality that I was about to get out in the street. I tucked myself into my seat and cowered down.

  Jason was now busting up laughing as he held his stomach, while I was trying to catch my breath from the scare the horn gave me. He looked across the street and cupped his hands around his mouth to say something to the driver who had his head out of the window.

  “What the hell man?” Jason yelled to someone that I assumed he knew.

  “Dude what are you doing?” he asked.

  Jason raised his hands up at him. “Having a moment, what does is look like to you?”

  “Well your grandma is going to be all sorts of mad cow if you don’t hurry your ass up. We’re going to be late,” he hollered over to us.

  Jason waved him on as he walked slowly back to his side of the truck.

  “Scared?” he asked chuckling.

  I crossed my arms over my chest, and although seeing him laugh only made me want to do the same, I was able to keep myself under control and the scowl on my face. I was embarrassed, not to mention angry because I knew I was right. I knew what was going to happen. It was too risky and dangerous. I couldn’t believe I almost let myself get out of the truck.

  “I’m done laughing now,” he whispered to me while he drove us down the street. I kept my eyes straight ahead of me watching the road in front of us. “It was a little funny, Cassie,” he said, teasingly.

  I sat biting on my bottom lip, unsure of whether to give into his humor or to keep my embarrassment to myself.

  He reached over and put his hand on my knee. “Come on now; give me a smile. It was fun,” he said.

  I turned my head to face his direction and held up my thumb and index finger about an inch apart. “Okay it was a little funny, but still not even close to being fun,” I told him.

  “I’ll get you to have some fun in the street, you just watch. Can I at least get a smile pretty girl?” he asked softly.

  I turned my head back to the front and let a small smile sweep across my face. “I knew it was in there somewhere,” he said.

  It was in there, and an even bigger one wanted to rise to the surface too, but I was still too embarrassed over my reaction to let it out. Not to mention I was still wondering over and over again why he wanted me in the street.

  “Are you nervous about tonight?” he asked, interrupting my over thinking brain.

  “Actually, I am,” I admitted to him. I was unsure of what to expect at his grandma’s house, it had been a long time since I was with grandparents.

  “Don’t be, you’ll have fun. It’s not hanging in the street with me, but it’s a good time,” he smirked.

  “Very funny Jase. But really, what if they don’t like me and what if I don’t like the food, and what if-” I tried to finish but he cut me off, holding his hand up.

  “Whoa there, you need to calm down,” he said, putting his hand back down.

  “First of all, they will like you. Just don’t be so nervous and uptight. Relax, okay?” I nodded yes, trying to think of how I could be less uptight, because I didn’t even realize I was. “Second of all, the food is delicious and you’ll love it. It’s not salads and burgers,” he said. “But if you don’t, we can use a code word,” he suggested.

  “A code word? What do you mean?” I questioned him.

  He turned down a dirt road that was quite bumpy, making it hard for me to try and sit still. “Hang on Sweetheart,” he told me as we made our way further down the road. “A code word, it’s like something you can use in place of the real word so people don’t catch on.”

  “I know what a code word is Jason,” I replied.

  “Well then why did you ask?”

  “I just was unsure of what you meant by using a code word for food,” I told him.

  “Well, let’s use green light, since you are so fond of them,” he said, turning his head, smiling in my direction.

  “Hahaha, you’re so funny,” I sassed him.

  “Green light will be love, yellow light will be like, and red light, obviously, you hate it,” he said.

  “I’m just supposed to shout out green light while I’m eating to let you know I love the food?” I asked.

  “Of course, why not? That way if there is something you ‘red light’, then I’ll know and I’ll eat it for you. We don’t want you making a bad impression do we?” I slapped his arm and started laughing along with him.

  “Fine, but if people give me strange looks, I’m stopping,” I told him, unsure of how his code word plan was really going to pan out.

  “Deal,” he said with a wink as we pulled up to a very car packed dead end dirt road.

  My eyes had to look as wide as saucers as we parked and headed up to the house, the house that was busting at the seams, it was so full of people. “Don’t worry. They are going to love you, Cassie,” he told me as he put his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the front door.

  Here we go.

  Fourteen

  “MOOSE!” JASON YELLED AS WE walked through the door. Scared to death, I pivoted behind Jason and ducked for cover. I’ve never come close to a moose and as loud as he yelled it, I definitely didn’t want to start now.

  “Cassie?” he questioned before he bent down, looking me straight in the eyes with a confused look on his face. “What are you doing?” he whispered with a raised brow. I began to hear a few whispers and chuckles from others in the room.

  “You yelled moose, and correct me if I’m wrong, but those aren’t gentle animals,” I whispered back even more confused than I already was.

  Jason closed his eyes and let out a breath before shaking his head. “You are correct, but this moose, he’s as gentle as they come,” he said before grabbing my hand and standing us both up. I kept my body behind him as I clutched onto his arm, preparing myself to meet a moose in person. There was always a first for everything.

  “Where is it?” I raised myself on my toes, whispering into his ear.

  “You’re looking at him,” he smirked. “Moose, meet Cassandra. Cassandra, meet Moose,” he said as the
guy from the intersection walked forward.

  I released my grip on Jason’s arm giving the guy a questioning glance. “Oh.” Letting out a sigh, I was mortified that I just now caught on. “I’m really humiliated now.” I reached my hand out to shake his.

  Between the laughter of Jason, his friend ‘Moose’, and the giggles coming from around the room, I was ready to escape to his truck and hide.

  “Name’s TJ,” he said, letting go of my hand.

  “So how’d you get a name like Moose?” The poor guy.

  “Not by choice. That’s for damn sure.” TJ shrugged.

  “Yeah, we just kind of ran with it,” Jase smirked as he continued. “A few years ago we had spent the day in Estes Park. We walked around, went to lunch, and just had a good time. Before we left, we decided to take a picture of the scenery. I’m ready to take the picture and TJ decided to jump in it. I started to count and by the time I got to three his face was just priceless.” He paused, letting out another chuckle, trying so hard to control his amusement of his own story.

  I started getting the giggles, not even knowing what for, but hearing his laugh was just too much not to join in.

  “Could you just get on with the story?” TJ asked, apparently getting frustrated.

  “He had the biggest look of shock and horror on his face that I’ve ever seen in my life. His jaw was literally on the floor. I snapped the photo and right after I did, TJ came running toward the car yelling ‘MOOSE, MOOSE’, so I looked behind me and sure enough there he was… the biggest moose we’d ever seen,” he said, showing me the size of the animal with his hands.

  “It’s the only moose you guys have ever seen,” a girl’s voice said from behind me.

  “We dashed into the car and thankfully the moose must have been spooked because it stopped and took off in the other direction, but the picture, Cassie, oh my God,” he said. “It was priceless. Never will I ever forget his face. We kept the picture and forever named him Moose.”

  I looked over at TJ who was clearly sick of hearing this story, yet was obviously trying to hold back a smile.