Chapter Five
“You know Slade is here, don’t you?” Jessica asked.
“Nope. I haven’t seen him.”
“Is that because of Chuck? Do you like him?”
Cassie touched up her lipstick, and rolled her eyes at her friend. Being on this double date hadn’t been what she wanted to do tonight. A good book and some hot chocolate had been on the cards, but Jessica had ordered her out of the house. If she hadn’t arrived, her friend had promised to burn her entire bodice ripper collection, not to mention her erotic romance. Cassie did own an e-reader, but she also loved paperbacks, and they were part of her proud collection.
She wasn’t risking anything happening to those books, so she was here now, touching up her lipstick, and trying to have a good time. Chuck was nice and all that. He was a rancher, was sweet on the eye, kind, but she also knew he was just after a cook for his ranch.
The last thing she wanted to be doing was stuck on a ranch all day. She loved cooking, cleaning, and relaxing, and none of that included working on a ranch. She had no interest in it, even though she didn’t mind Chuck talking about himself.
“If you’re hoping for wedding bells, you’re so totally wrong.” She turned to her friend.
“Chuck doesn’t do it for you?”
“He’s nice, and I don’t mind the dates, but I’m never going to be what he needs.”
“A cook?”
“You got it. Sorry. I’ve not got what it takes to be with him.”
Jessica sighed. “When are you going to get over this Andrew nonsense?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah. You do. From the moment that asshole hurt you—and I get that he did it in the most despicable of ways—you’ve not let anyone else in. All men are not like Andrew. They’re not all going to hurt you.”
Cassie blew out a breath. “I’m not doing this because of what happened between me and Andrew. I’m just … I’m not going to lead a man on because of it, or even pretend something could happen between us. I hope Chuck finds what he’s looking for. I’m just not it.”
They left the bathroom, and Cassie bumped into a large body. Before she fell back, strong arms caught her, and when she looked up, she smiled.
“Well, Jessica told me you were here?” She couldn’t help the happiness that flooded her at the sight of Slade, and even his cheeky grin.
“You’re here on a date?”
“Yes. Some of my precious possessions were threatened, so I had no choice but to come and party.” She patted his chest. “I better go. Have a nice night.”
She made her way back to their table, and found just William and Jessica there.
“Where’s Chuck?” she asked.
“He’s stepped outside for a smoke.”
Cassie nodded.
“We’re going to have a dance. Is that okay?” William asked.
“This is your first time away from the kids in a very long time. Go and have fun. I can amuse myself.” She waved them off with a big old smile. Jessica was a great friend, and she loved her so much.
Matchmaking was not Jessica’s forte, even though she really was convinced that she was good at it.
Tapping her fingers on the table, Cassie watched the happy couple, and was pleased she had come out, even if being here wasn’t exactly something she wanted to do.
“You know, I’ve always been a sucker for a woman on her own,” Slade said, dropping down beside her.
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be picking up your next bedpost fling.”
He covered his heart, and looked all wounded. “I’m here to keep my little neighbor company. I was surprised to see you here.”
“Shocked that I could actually have some fun?”
“You got it. Totally surprised me.”
This caused her to giggle. “I can have some fun.”
He stared at her, and she really didn’t like what that look he was giving was doing to her body. “You can? How about having a dance?”
“I can dance.”
Slade held his hand out. “Then come on. It’s a party out there, and instead of being on the sidelines, let’s get in.”
She placed her hand in his, and within seconds she was on the dance-floor, laughing in his arms. At first, he held her hands, and they did a kind of two step. She was so busy laughing as they were stumbling over their own feet. She forgot everyone else on the dance-floor, as they were suddenly doing some kind of sixties dance with a twist and pull thing. When he pulled her against him, her back was to his front, and his hands were holding her close.
They were swaying their hips, and she was able to look out at the bar, seeing people watch them, and in that moment, she didn’t care.
“You know Chuck’s after a cook for his ranch, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry. I’m not easily smitten. I didn’t mind coming out on a date though. Sometimes it’s nice to dance.”
He turned her around, dropped her down with a spin so that her hair grazed the ground, and by the time she was up, chest against chest, the music had changed to a really slow number.
“I have to tell you something, Cassie,” he said.
“What is it?”
“I can’t dance.”
This she found so funny, and she threw her head back laughing. He joined her, and for at least a minute that was all they were doing.
“Well, for a terrible dancer, I’m having a good time. My feet don’t hurt at all. You’ve not stepped on them once.” She glanced down, and then smiled back up at him. “See, you’re not doing so bad. Don’t always be so hard on yourself.”
She was loving the feel of his arms being around her, and how much fun she was having. It didn’t matter that she was here on a date with someone else. Chuck had left her to have a cigarette, and Slade had asked her to dance. She found him really sweet for asking.
“I, erm, I struggle with men.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“The whole talking, and dealing with them, and having to … I don’t know. I guess I try to put on this show, and it can make me uncomfortable.”
“You don’t need to put on a show.”
“I don’t?” she asked.
“No. You can just be yourself, and guys will like you.”
Maybe it was the dancing, or the beers she had enjoyed, but Cassie didn’t know why she told him about Andrew. Yet she did.
“Before my last year of high school, I, erm, I fell in love with one of the guys at school. We’d been hanging out all summer, and he was so nice, and sweet. He told me that he loved me, and I’d never felt that way. He didn’t judge me, or at least I didn’t think he did. It had all been a lie.” Cassie looked at him. “I’ve struggled to trust anyone else after that.”
“I don’t blame you. Some kids are assholes.”
“I’ve made this really depressing.”
“You haven’t. I don’t think so. Thank you, Cassie, for trusting me with this. It means a lot to me.”
The song came to an end, and couples began to make their way onto the dance-floor.
“Thank you for the dance, Slade.”
She was leaving when he caught her arm, stopping her.
“Would you like to go shopping with me tomorrow?” he asked.
“Shopping?”
“I need to get my parents an anniversary present. I was thinking of taking a trip to the mall. You don’t drive, so if you’d like to go with me, the offer is still there.”
“That would be fantastic. I’ll be ready.”
She pulled away, and sat down in her seat. The stench of cigarette smoke was around Chuck, and she found it turned her stomach a little bit. She didn’t like cigarettes. Many of her mother’s lovers had been smokers. Once they had visited with her mother, fucked her, and stood outside to have a smoke, Cassie had seen them, looking all smug. At the time, she didn’t know they were having sex. The rocking of the caravan and her mother’s screams had been a game, or so her mother had told her.
“What were you and Slade talking about?” Jessica asked.
“Just some stuff.”
“You’ve got to be careful of Slade. He runs through women faster than pack of wolves chasing a bunny,” Chuck said.
She turned to Chuck. “We work together, and I’m aware of how he treats women.”
Chuck moved closer, and placed an arm across the back of her chair. “So, what do you think of a tour of the ranch?”
****
“How long have they been married?”
“Thirty-six years,” Slade said. He glanced over at Cassie, who was scrolling through her cell phone. She had just gotten a text, and he was curious about who she was texting. Instead of asking, he gritted his teeth.
“So it’s not a milestone or anything?”
“They’ve done the milestone, even though that was a relief in itself.” He always found himself cynical around his parents’ anniversary. Every year he tried not to be, yet it still happened.
“Why is it a relief?” she asked.
“Because they shouldn’t have gotten married. There are a lot of the times when I don’t think they even love each other. They put up with each other.”
“Thirty-six years is a long time to put up with each other.”
“They got married because my mom was pregnant with me.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“So you’re thirty-six. Ha, I never knew.”
He found this funny. “You didn’t know my age.”
“Nope.”
Slade knew her age, and her date of birth, along with the fact that she loved daisies. There were so many growing in her garden, and he had watched her stroke the cute flowers. They were not the small plants either, but the large ones with the huge blossoms.
“They must love each other to still be together.”
“My father has had numerous affairs,” Slade said. Just saying the words out loud left a bad taste in his mouth. “He didn’t love her enough to keep it in his pants.”
“And your mother forgave him?”
Slade sighed. “She didn’t want me growing up without a father. I don’t know. There were so many times that I asked her to just cut and run. She didn’t need to stay in a loveless marriage because of me, but she stayed.”
“I guess that means she loves him even if you don’t see it.”
“My mother is quite the looker. When I saw men flirting with her, it’s crazy, but I hoped she’d step out on my father, just so he could have a taste of what he did to her.” Slade shrugged. “She never did.”
“Is this why you sleep with random women?”
“There’s no sleeping involved.”
This had her chuckling. “Sorry, screw random women.”
“Your experience with Andrew keeps men at arms’ length.”
“I’m not judging you, Slade. Just trying to make sense of who you are. You like sleeping with women, I prefer baking and reading. We all have our ways of coping.”
“Your way must be very lonely,” he said.
“And yours is any better?” she asked.
“I have sex. That’s intimate, close.”
“You screw them. I’m not a virgin, Slade. I know there are many different ways to fuck, and many different positions. There are also some that mean you’re not close at all. It’s just an action, mechanical even. Besides, screwing doesn’t make for a connection. Time spent, and enjoying each other, the foreplay in between sex, that’s the real deal.”
“Now you’re quoting one of your romance books?” Slade wasn’t entirely sure if he was right or not.
“I’m not. I truly believe that sex isn’t just about the whole fucking thing. I think it’s about building up. The foreplay.”
“This coming from a woman who won’t let a guy near her?” he asked.
She laughed. “I’ve let you, Chuck, and Daniel near me. And there’s William of course.”
“I’m talking about men who’d get through that icy exterior you like to keep so much.”
“Don’t worry, Slade, you don’t have to do that with me. I can take care of myself.”
He glanced over at her as she put her cell phone away.
“Who keeps texting you?”
“Chuck. He wants me to take a tour of his ranch. I told him another time and that I was busy with a friend.”
Slade liked that. She had blown off the other guy to spend time with him.
“Did you find any women to give you a good time last night?” she asked.
“Why are we talking about this?”
“You asked about Chuck, and with our newfound friendship, I think it’s only fair that we share.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Besides, you know how my night was.”
Chuck had offered to drive her home, and she’d accepted. Slade had also arrived at the same time, and he’d made a big show of waving, putting his trash out, and by the time he got into his home, she had already been inside.
“And you know how my night ended. No woman came home with me.” He didn’t want to think about the why either.
There hadn’t been a woman who interested him. When he wasn’t talking with Bethany behind the bar, he’d been watching Cassie. He’d not liked the feeling of watching Chuck dance with her. Many times while they’d been dancing, he’d wanted to snatch her out of the fucker’s arms.
Finally making it to the mall, he parked on the top carpark where the sun was beaming down.
Cassie was wearing a summer dress, and when he’d seen her this morning, he’d been shocked by how beautiful she’d looked. Her long brown hair was down, and her face was free of makeup. To him, she had still looked so utterly beautiful.
“Do you have any ideas for your parents?” she asked, closing the door, and placing her bag over her shoulder.
“A divorce lawyer.”
“What about a picture frame, or some kind of trinket to mark the occasion?”
“I usually send them a figurine of couples dancing.” He rubbed the back of his head as they entered the busy shopping mall. “Actually, there’s something else I want to ask you.”
“Go ahead. You have my complete attention.”
“My parents are having a meal, and they’ve invited me along. I don’t want to go alone, and seeing as we’re friends and all, would you come to my parents’ anniversary dinner?” he asked.
“Are you sure? Isn’t an anniversary dinner a more personal affair?”
“If you don’t come there is a chance it will just blow with how prim and proper they are. It’s like they want some big applause for their achievement.”
“And you don’t think they deserve it?”
“I don’t. They got married, and it has been up to them to stick it out. I don’t like it.”
She sighed. “You’re really pushing this new friendship to the limit, but I’m not the kind to see a friend suffer, so you’ve got it. I will be there.”
“Great. I’ll let them know there will be a plus one.”
Cassie chuckled. “Well, if we’re going to be there together, we’re going to get them something decent. What about a waffle maker?” she asked.
“I think that’s what you give to newly married couples, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been married, and I don’t intend to.” She grabbed his hand, and before he knew where they were, they were in a cooking shop.
“My mom has all the stuff she needs for her kitchen.”
“I don’t, and I happen to have broken my spatula so I need a replacement.”
“You’re hijacking my mall trip?” he asked, watching as she grabbed a basket.
“Do you have anything more important to do for the rest of the day?”
“Nope. I can’t say that I do.”
She handed him the basket. “Then be a good man, and hold this.” He watched as she put a pie plate, three spatulas, two lots of baking tins, and finally some kind of parchment paper inside.
He had never seen so much excitement on a woman’s face before just because she was shopping for her kitchen.
“Right, now that I’ve done that, any ideas?”
They stopped at a jewelry store, and Slade forced her inside. He couldn’t believe how she turned her nose up at the beautiful pieces.
“Every woman loves diamonds,” he said.
“I’m not most people.” She moved to a box of engagement rings, and she looked across them. There were several beautiful diamonds.
“Are you looking for something particular?” the lady behind the counter asked. Her name tag said Jules.
“No. We’re just looking,” Cassie said.
“This is not our only selection of engagement rings. If your fiancée would like, I could show her more pieces.” Jules looked at him as she spoke.
“We’re not—”
He placed his arm across her shoulders, pulling her in close. “We’d love to see whatever you have to show us. Only the best for my girl.”
The woman smiled, and left them.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m having fun. You know it’s that thing you do when you have a laugh?”
“I know what fun is all about. Why waste time like this? We’re not engaged, and we’re never going to be.”
“Now you’re just breaking my heart. Don’t ever presume our fate. We’ll always get it wrong. Come on, you can’t tell me some of these are pretty.”
She looked at the cases, and shook her head. “They’re pretty, but they’re for women that are with boyfriends, or engaged.”
“Then for one morning, you’re going to pretend.” He stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. “And I won’t take no for an answer.”