The alarm sounded and nearly gave her a heart attack. She flew back off of the door with a thud, bumping her back and rear on the car next to her. She sat there, on the ground, rubbing her hip for a moment and that’s when she saw him. His truck windows were tinted the darkest tint legal and he’d been sitting in the driver’s seat the entire time. The alarm turned off and he rolled the window down, laughing at her where she sat sprawled on the pavement.
Rachael jumped to her feet, as if she’d been stung by a bee on the butt. She didn’t know what to say and she was more embarrassed than anything. A cocky grin she knew all too well played across his lips and he held his hand down to her. She debated on not letting him have it, but that would defeat the entire purpose in coming here today and mending fences. Of course, she’d never expected him to actually be here.
“I had no idea you were sitting in your truck,” she blushed fiercely.
She placed the envelope in his outstretched hand. He took it from her and placed it on his dash beneath his cowboy hat.
“Would you want to hang out sometime this week?”
“No, but thanks anyway. I’ve got to get back to studying.” He reached down and began rolling up his window.
“Hey,” Rachael yelled. Now, she was getting irate. “What are you doing?”
“Well, tonight I’m going out with friends, I may have a few beers. I suggest you do the same.” And with that he rolled the window up and pulled his truck forward, straight out of the parking space, and left.
Rachael stared after him. What was it with this new, totally distant, couldn’t care less, Travis? It was if he’d looked through her, past her- anywhere but at her. And she hated it. Rachael let out an audible scream in frustration.
Well, if that’s the way he wants to play this- then I will give him exactly what he wants.
Rachael ran back to her car and drove straight for the nearest beauty parlor. Salon 222 was not far from campus and she knew that half of her house got their hair done there. It was high time that Rachael took her college look to the next level. She decided that while she was changing it up she might as well go all the way. She made appointments for the next four months straight, well through the holidays and until mid-March. She called Sienna while she waited in the parlor for her appointment and asked her if she wanted to go shopping in two hours. Sienna was more than eager to oblige her request. From what Rachael could tell she went shopping on a near daily basis. There had been a time in Rachael’s not too distant past where she’d liked to do exactly the same thing. Then, life and Travis Baxter happened. Rachael couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone and spent any real time shopping for something other than jeans, boots, a swimsuit, or the basic prom dress. In a girl’s world, those items were basic necessities. Things that you outgrew every year and needed to replace. Things like cute shoes, new shorts, tops, and the latest in dresses or jumpsuits were things that only veteran shoppers had the most-recent fashion trends in.
What’s happened to me? I’ve progressed to mom-wear and I’m not even a mother yet! No unflattering mom-jeans for me, no thank you!
Maybe her lack of trendy attire had driven Travis away. Rachael drummed her fingers on the magazine in her lap, where she flipped pages and began to scout out her new style. A picture of a girl with straight hair, a few inches shorter than hers, jumped out at her. She tore the page from the magazine and took it with her when Marta called her name.
“I want this.”
“Okay, would you like to do a Brazilian blow-out, to keep it straight all the time?”
Rachael had always wanted to try one and she figured there was no time like the present.
“Yep, and those sweeping bangs as well.”
“You’ve got it. But you do understand your hair will be bone straight.”
“I know what it is. And about the length?”
“A little shorter and a few long layers. I think thru here and here,” Marta played with the sides of Rachael’s hair. Rachael watched her from the chair. “I think it will work out nicely.”
“I hope so.”
“You know, sometimes on people with blond hair, the process brings them up a little in color. You may end up a little more platinum than champagne. I’ve experienced that once before on another client. Is that okay?”
“The blonder the better. I’ve always been naturally champagne. I don’t suppose platinum will be much different.”
“It might make you look more mature, like a twenty-two or twenty-three.”
“Fantastic!”
Look-out Travis! Rachael Harte from West Palm Beach is back.
“What’s prompting this change?”
“My fiancé is being a jerk.” Rachael looked down at the ring, wondering if she should take it off.
“It’s a nice ring anyway.”
“I know and usually he’s a nice guy, it’s kind of a long story.”
“Well, you’re a gorgeous girl and you shouldn’t have to go to all these lengths to keep a man happy.”
“Oh, I’m not. I’m going to all these lengths to keep myself happy and keep him guessing. He’s called a pause on our relationship. I don’t think the wedding is off, but he will barely talk to me even if I bump into him.”
“This pause thing sounds insanely stupid. Like a bad idea all the way around.” Marta started applying the foul smelling product.
“But if that’s the way he wants it, that’s the way he’s going to get it. He said he’s going out tonight, partying- and that I should do the same.”
“Sounds like trouble, Rachael.”
“Sounds like it.” Rachael bit her lower lip and hoped that Travis knew exactly what he was doing here.
The Brazilian blowout took longer than Rachael expected and by the time she had her new gorgeous hairdo, Sienna was sitting outside waiting to go shopping. She paid Marta and gathered her things.
“Don’t forget your magazine!” Marta called, offering her the magazine.
“It’s yours now. Have fun and good luck. I’ll see you in a week.”
Rachael skipped outside and Sienna hit unlock on the front door.
“Wow, Rachael. Like totally wow!”
“That’s what I was going for.”
“Did you guys break up?”
“Nope, just on pause for a bit.”
“What does that mean? Can you both like see other people and all that?”
Rachael’s heart skipped a beat. She really didn’t know the answer to that question. She decided to just gloss it over.
“I’m not really sure, but I’m going out tonight. I’m going dancing, anywhere that plays music. Every night between now and whenever he decides to come around.”
“Then, I’ll be there by your side. I love to dance. Alexa will join us.”
Rachael buckled her seatbelt and listened as Sienna described her favorite store. Cute stuff, but not too pricey. The mall wasn’t as large as the ones back home, but at this point any mall would suffice. She needed casual chic, classy sophisticated, and a small collection of what she classified as daring. Low-cut, sparkly, short, and perhaps tight. New ripped-up jeans, with tears in all the right places. Shoes that were high, but she wouldn’t fall and break her neck in.
It turned out that Sienna’s store was just the right kind of store for her. She located a lot of what she needed minus shoes. She fished into her purse and brought out the emergency only credit card. In her mind, this situation could be defined as an emergency. Not a life or death situation, but certainly something of significant importance. She knew her father wouldn’t mind. She’d send him a short text later. A short time later, with four bags in-hand, Rachael and Sienna made their way through the mall in search of strappy, fun shoes and boots. Five stores later and three pairs of shoes later, Rachael figured she had enough to get her back on track.
Sienna tugged her with her to the make-up counter in Macy’s. It turned out that a sister who’d graduated last year managed the counter. Her name was Tabrey. Tab
rey was more than happy to hook the girls up with all sorts of samples, and even a few new blushes and mascaras that had been discontinued. Rachael was elated and decided that rather than a makeover, this was a complete overhaul. Rachael refused to let Travis think that he had the upper hand here. She’d do this thing right and make this experience exactly what she wanted it to be.
By the time the girls returned to the house it was time for dinner. Rachael realized she’d left her car at the salon, but Sienna assured her it was no big deal. She’d take her to get it after dinner. Inside the house, their other sisters gathered in the meeting hall for dinner and Rachael for once found herself looking forward to it. With Travis no longer on the front burner, she had more time to spend dining with her sisters and getting to know each of them better. It was amazing what you could learn in an hour each day if you tried to actually listen and make friends.
Rachael’s new favorite was this girl Kerrie, along with her suitemate Sid. Rachael had said hi to them both from across the hall for months, but never really knew them. It turned out they were both from Georgia and had lived in the house for two years. Kerrie was a bit of a party girl, out every night, and she was also a bit of a serial monogamist as well. To hear her tell it she’d dated four guys in her entire lifetime- each for six months. But none of that seemed to bother her any and now that she was back on the market, it turned out that she would be joining them tonight. Kerrie was gorgeous with an amazing body and flawless hair. Whoever had just broken up with her would be sorry he had. If she were lonely now, she wouldn’t be lonely for long. Sid was shy and she didn’t seem like she really wanted to go out anywhere, but in the end she acquiesced.
The girls agreed to pre-party at some fraternity house and go out from there. Rachael wasn’t sure if all of this was a part of the agreement or not. And since Travis couldn’t seem to inconvenience himself to speak with her- well then, she’d just have to go with it. He’d left her no alternative.
By eight o’clock Rachael was ready to walk over to her suitemates’ door. They opened the door quickly, ushering her inside.
“We have wine,” Sienna offered her a cup. Rachael took a few sips of it and immediately recognized that it must be some cheap hooch. She didn’t even want to know what it was, but she had to ask.
“What is this?”
“Cisco.” Sienna smiled.
“Cisco. That’s not wine. I think it’s some sort of malt liquor.”
“Well, Alexa gave this guy outside the service station money and he came back with this.”
“I think he pocketed my change.” Alexa grimaced. “Oh well.” She shrugged her shoulders.
Rachael sipped her Cisco and thought that it might possibly be the nastiest tasting beverage she’d ever drank. She nearly gagged with each sip. When Alexa and Sienna offered her another cup, she politely declined, doing her best to drain the last of what tasted like lighter fluid from her cup. Rachael shook her head, trying to clear the cloud forming there.
A knock on their door, and Sid was there announcing that it was time to walk over to the other house. Rachael joined the group of girls and it turned out she’d been to the house where they were headed.
“Nope,” she stopped cold out front. “I can’t go in there.”
“Isn’t your boyfriend a Sigma?” Kerrie motioned to the large Greek letters across the face of the building.
“Yep, that’s why. I don’t want him to think I was here looking for him.”
“Is his vehicle here?” Sid scanned the parking lot.
“Nope,” Rachael confirmed.
“Then, we’re in the clear. Don’t be a party pooper. I heard about what he did and it’s not cool.” Alexa offered her opinion whether Rachael desired it or not. “Let’s go.” She pulled Rachael along behind her, holding her hand.
Rachael glanced around and was anything but sure. The five girls passed through the front hallway, where it seemed Kerrie knew everyone they encountered. Guys hollered out to her as she walked past their doorways. Two chased them down the hall, asking who their new blonde friend was. Rachael locked eyes with a guy that she knew recognized her and knew precisely who she was.
“That’s Travis’s girl. She’s off limits,” Rachael could hear them discussing her as she continued up the stairs at the back of the house. She merely ignored them and followed along.
Upstairs, a pool table and a large game room filled with pinball machines and foosball tables came clearly in to view. They walked down towards a room at the end of the hallway, finding the door standing open. Five guys sat inside playing cards. Rachael, accompanied by her sisters, went in and took a seat on the sofa. Rachael leaned against the wall, glancing around at the bottles of whiskey, vodka, and scotch these guys had on-hand. She kept quiet and tried not to make eye contact.
“Rachael, you want a shot or a beer?”
Rachael turned, wondering how the tall blond haired guy knew her name. “A beer. Thanks,” Rachael had never done shots and decided tonight wasn’t the night to start. The blond brought her a beer and handed it to her. “What brings you to the house tonight?” His question seemed innocent enough and Rachael’s vibe off of this guy she didn’t recognize wasn’t a bad one, so she decided no harm could come from a little casual conversation.
“I think we’re supposed to be going dancing.”
“Figures, that cowboy place across town?”
“I really don’t know where we are going.”
Rachael saw that Kerrie and Alexa were doing their second shot each. He nodded toward them and added, “You better get them out of here or you might never make it dancing. Once they get started they’re usually here awhile.”
“It’s good I live close by. I can always walk home.”
“Travis know you’re here?”
“Nope. I think he’s out with friends.”
“Hmm, if you were my girlfriend I think that this is the last place I’d want you hanging out.” He stuck out his hand and Rachael shook it. “Glenn.”
“Nice to meet you, Glenn. Thanks for the warning.”
“Don’t mention it.”
And with that, Rachael announced that it was time to get this train rolling. “Club, dancing, anything will do.” Rachael stood up. Sid and Siena took her cue, and each grabbed a friend leading them from the house.
“Bye girls, and Rachael, don’t be strangers.” Glenn called behind them. Rachael waved over her shoulder as to say tootles. She led the way out of the house, to the car waiting outside. Travis pulled into the lot and flew out of his truck. The look on his face could only be described as rage. Rachael didn’t pay him any mind and walked towards the car with her friends. He strode purposefully up to the house with John in tow and Rachael knew that her outfit had struck a chord with him. He turned at the front door and watched her intently.
She’d chosen a tight, v-cut top with black glitter across the chest that spelled out Kiss Me. The red skirt and black sandals paired with it, coupled with the platinum, straight hair sent him a very clear message.
I’m going out, like you told me to do. And I’m going to have fun, dance it up, and be the life of the party.
Rachael didn’t bother to wave as she climbed in the backseat, purposefully taking her time getting in. She wanted to torture Travis- and make sure he appreciated every inch of upper thigh she was showcasing. Alexa piled in beside her and called over to him, “Bye Travis. Don’t wait up!”
Rachael swatted her thigh as they drove away. “I want him crazy worried, but I don’t want him crazy mad.”
“I think he’s both. And it serves him right,” Alexa spat. She leaned forward and told the driver to take them to a bar called the Frat House that played hip hop and rap.
“I thought we were going to the cowboy bar?” Sid asked.
“Nope, Glenn will definitely tell Travis where we were going. I heard him squeezing Rachael for intel. They’ll send a few guys by to check on us. Nope, hip hop it is girls.” Alexa sipped from a water bottle and Ra
chael instantly knew it wasn’t H2O.
Twenty minutes later, they were dancing it up in a steamy joint with a way too small dance floor. Rachael immediately regretted her choice in top, as more than three gorgeous guys approached her and asked her if it was an invitation. Kerrie offered to switch shirts with her and Rachael gladly accepted. They disappeared to the ladies’ room and made a quick swap. Kerrie’s white top may not have been much better. Rachael glanced at her appearance- the black lace bra, somewhat see-through gauzy knit top that was clearly for a much smaller busted girl. Yep, Rachael’s clothing situation just went from bad to worse.
“I know you think it looks bad, but it doesn’t. Gauzy tops are in-style and if I had your chest I’d have gotten it in the same size for effect.”
“I hope to not see Travis or anyone else I know.”
“We won’t. Let’s go.”
Rachael and Kerrie rejoined the girls. They danced and danced. Rachael’s top clung to her like a second skin. Sweat trickled down her chest and made the top look like something out of a wet t-shirt contest. Rachael and Alexa decided that they needed to step outside for some air. On the back patio, the girls stood near an outdoor picnic table with a bunch of their sisters from upstairs. Leslie whom she’d gotten to know quite well since Rush Week, sipped a glass of wine. She was quirky and super-fun. Sid, Kerrie, and Sienna joined them out back, fanning themselves as they exited the sauna-like dance floor.
“Doesn’t that place have air conditioning?” Rachael couldn’t fathom why it was so blasted hot.
“It must. But it’s always warm in there.” Leslie wiped her face.
A handful of guys approached them, asking if they’d like a drink. All of the girls accepted and found themselves swigging beer with some SAE’s. One in particular took a keen interest in Rachael. He was of medium height, with red-brown spiked hair. His eyes were blue and Rachael recognized him as a baseball player from the dorm.
“Rachael, right?”
“Yes. You’re Marcel?”
“I am. I noticed the outfit change. Too many guys wanting to take you up on the offer?”
Cowgirl Coed (Redneck Debutante Series Book 4) Page 13