by Casey Peeler
Chapter 31
Cadence
What the hell? I freaking broke down in Barrick’s arms. That is not like me. I don’t need a man to fix my problems. I do my best to remove that moment from my mind, but it consumes me. I’ve done everything I can think of to try and forget and I’ve been dodging questions from Mom right and left. I know she already knows about the flight because she’s hinted at it, but I don’t want to talk about it. Instead, I want to enjoy Christmas with her and Gran before I fly home. The only problem is I don’t want to go alone.
It’s finally Christmas Eve and I’m super excited. This has always been my favorite holiday. Growing up, I loved having my mom read the Christmas story to me and then baking cookies together for Santa. So, of course, we did both today.
After dinner, we are sitting by the fireplace watching Christmas movies when there is a knock at the door. I get up and am surprised to see Barrick.
“Hey, everything okay?” I ask him.
“Yeah, Mom wanted me to drop this off to Ms. Mae,” he says, holding a box.
“She’s in the living room. You can take it to her.” Barrick walks in as I close the door behind him. It’s obvious he’s been somewhere nice. He has on a pair of fancy jeans and a nice button down shirt with a pair of boots that look new.
“My, don’t you look spiffy. Hot date?” Gran questions.
“No, ma’am. Just dropping this off for Mom,” he says, extending the box to her.
“Well, she didn’t have to do that,” she says as she opens it to find a freshly baked cake. Gran pinches off a bite to taste it. “Hm, apple cake, my favorite. Y’all want some?” she asks all of us. I shake my head no, but Mom does. She looks at Barrick, who says he’s good. Gran and Mom walk to the kitchen, leaving us alone.
“Is that Holiday in Handcuffs?” Barrick asks, looking at the TV.
“Yeah, but more importantly why do you know that?” I question.
“I have a sister who loves these awful movies. I swear every time it comes on she forces me to watch it with her.”
“That so? So you want me to force you to watch it here instead? Ya know, to save you from Jade?” I ask him.
“You wouldn’t have to force me,” he says and my heart skips a beat as Mom and Gran enter. “I guess I’m going to run. I hope Santa’s good to y’all,” he says and I show him to the door.
“I hope you have a Merry Christmas,” I tell him.
“I hope your Christmas is everything you want it to be,” he replies.
He turns to walk down the steps but pauses. “When do you come back from New York?”
“I leave the twenty-sixth, but I’ll be back New Year’s Eve. Why?”
“There’s always a big New Year’s Eve party at The Loft. I didn’t know if Jade told you or not.”
“No, she hasn’t.”
“I know Aaron asked if she wanted to go with him, and I thought maybe if you were home that we could go together.”
“I think we could do that,” I say with a sweet smile. “So is this a date, Mr. Carpenter?”
“I think so,” he says with a wink before he turns and walks toward his truck.
Closing the door, I turn and lean my back against it. Barrick asked me out and I totally wanted him to. Now I just have to get through this trip to New York. What in the world? Get through? I couldn’t wait to get back to New York.
I walk into the living room and take a seat while Mom and Gran stare me down. “What?” I question.
“Care to explain why you look like a lovesick goofball?” Gran says with a mouthful of cake.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say as I focus back on the TV.
Barrick
When I get home everyone is in the living room watching Holiday in Handcuffs. I should have stayed to watch it with Cadence. I try to sneak by and go to my room, but I’m not that lucky.
“Barrick, how was Ms. Mae? Did she like it?” Mom questions as I walk by the entranceway.
“She did and of course she had to sample it as soon as she opened the box,” I say, trying to ease my way down the hall.
“Where do you think you’re going? Don’t you see what’s on?” Jade asks.
“Please don’t make me, Jade,” I plead.
“You know the drill, bro,” she says as she pats the couch. Damn, I should have taken Cadence up on that offer. I’d much rather be sitting next to her.
When Mom leaves the two of us alone during the commercial, Jade decides to drill me.
“So did you ask her?”
“Yes,” I say, purposely not elaborating.
“Well…”
“She doesn’t come home until New Year’s Eve,” I say, trying to play it off.
“Does that mean she said yes or no?” she questions, getting impatient.
“She said yes.”
“I knew it! Oh! Why don’t we pick her up from the airport? Maybe we can go eat somewhere fancy in Charlotte?” she suggests and I roll my eyes.
“Jade, I don’t think I need to look that desperate. Besides, I’m sure when she gets back she’s going to want to see her mom.”
“What do you mean?” I know right then that I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth.
“Nothing. I mean, wouldn’t you?” Jade looks at me like she’s not buying it. “What?”
“Spill it.”
“No, that’s for her to tell. Let’s just say her dad’s not Dad of the Year.”
Jade drops it and I watch the movie with her. Thankfully it’s near the end. When it’s over, we get the Miller High Life and oatmeal raisin cookies ready for Dad, I mean Santa.
As I lay in bed, I can’t fall asleep. Cadence said yes to New Year’s. I was so nervous. I’ve never been nervous asking a girl out before. This girl definitely has my mind messed up. She’s either mad, crying, or kissing me. She definitely keeps me on my toes and I love that about her.