This Hick?

Chapter 46

CHAPTER 46

CASSIDY

“ C ome on, guys,” I said. “We’re going to bust this out today.”

I had the kids over once again to try and get all the decorations set up for the party. They were all eager to help. The arches we made had come together nicely. Ginny had put the finishing touches on them with the lights and pretty fabric.

“You pick up that end, Hunter,” I said. “We’re going to be very careful with this thing. I don’t want to have to remake it. Not to mention, we would make some people very sad.”

He took one side and I took the other. We carried the wooden arch across the gravel parking lot and toward the lodge.

We carried it through the door and leaned it against the wall. Ginny was bossing everyone around. Kenny was up on a ladder hanging big hearts from the ceiling. We still had five days before the party, but with the amount of work that needed to be done to transform the lodge, we needed every minute of lead time. Between trying to transform the old lodge into a rustic but glamorous event space and keeping up with the usual chores, we were all busting our asses.

I was surprised by how enthusiastic the kids were. It wasn’t every day you saw young men, full of energy and sometimes a little too much swagger, channeling all of it into making a place like our old lodge hall look romantic.

Kenny was loving it too. He was acting like a kid himself, joking around with the boys, teasing them as they struggled with heavier decorations.

“Hey, Cassidy!” Kenny called out. “Do you think we can get a disco ball up there?” He pointed at the high ceiling.

I rolled my eyes. But before I could answer, Ginny threw a Styrofoam ball at him. “Don’t you even think about it. You are not going to ruin my luxury, classy, dignified setup with a tacky disco ball.”

“Woah, strong words,” he said with a laugh. “It was just a suggestion. A little sparkle.”

“No,” Ginny said firmly. “Absolutely not. Fix that heart. It’s hanging crooked. And I told you red, white, and pink. You’ve got it red, pink, and white. The white has to go in the middle.”

I grimaced and stepped back, not envying Kenny. I was happy to do my part with the arches.

It was hard not to think about Karen while we all worked. I hadn’t talked to her since she went to Dallas. Ginny said she thought she was coming back today but had no idea when her flight got in. This whole thing was happening because of her. I hoped she decided to come back, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she chose to stay in Dallas.

I looked around the hall that was starting to feel downright magical. Ginny and Karen’s vision was coming to life. It was a remarkable transformation, and we were only halfway through.

One of the kids, Noah, was working on one of the centerpieces, carefully putting a string of lights inside a jar. He and Carson were tight, always hanging out and laughing together. I knew it was probably wrong, but I wanted to get some intel. I had not seen Carson or heard a word from Earl in days.

I was worried about the kid. I didn’t want to make things worse for him by pushing the issue. And since I couldn’t talk to his mom, I was kind of stuck.

“Hey, Noah,” I said.

“Hey, Cass.”

“How’s it going?” I asked.

“Fine.”

“How is school?”

“It’s fine,” Noah replied, his eyes not leaving the centerpiece. His fingers carefully wrapped the string lights around the jar.

“How about your grades?”

“I got a B in Algebra.”

“That’s good. Good job.” I watched him work for a minute. “How’s Carson been? Still his usual self?”

Noah gave me a funny look, then shrugged. “Yeah, he’s good. He’s always good. Why?”

I shook my head, forcing a laugh to brush it off. “No reason. Just checking in. I haven’t seen him.”

“Is he going to be part of the Sunday group?”

“No, no,” I said. “Has he asked about it?”

“No. I think his mom is pretty cool. He doesn’t really need this.”

If only that were true. “Well, if he ever asks if he can come with you, please tell him we would be happy to have him.”

“Okay.”

“Good job,” I said gesturing to the centerpieces. “These are looking really cool.”

“Thanks.”

I walked away from him and checked on some of the other kids. With a couple of the boys helping, we set up one of the arches. It took some effort, but we managed to get it up and secured.

“Perfect!” Ginny clapped. “I love it. Karen is going to love this.”

“Let’s hope so,” I said, patting the arch with a grin.

Ginny coordinated the chaos, making sure everyone had something to do. No one was allowed to stand idly by.

Bodie emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of small plates, each filled with a sample of the dishes he’d been working on.

“I need some guinea pigs,” Bodie said.

As if he was going to have to convince a bunch of teenage boys to eat. Everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed to the tables.

“Alright, this one is a creamy pasta with shrimp, scallops, and a hint of spice,” Bodie said.

“Wait, guys,” I stopped the boys from attacking. “Let us taste it first before you guys devour it.”

I gestured for Kenny and Ginny to step up.

Kenny was first in line, eager to be the first one to taste Bodie’s culinary masterpiece. He scooped up a forkful and then froze, eyes closed as he tasted it. Ginny was next, taking a smaller bite. I looked at them, waiting for their reactions.

Kenny finally broke the silence. “Wow, Bodie, that is good.”

Ginny nodded in agreement. “Absolutely delectable,” she said, her eyes still closed as she savored the taste.

I could’ve laughed at their dramatic reactions, but I dove in for my turn. And immediately I understood. Bodie had been experimenting all week for the event and it appeared to have paid off.

We stepped to the side allowing the boys to take their turns.

Bodie presented the next dish. “I was thinking about serving this as one of the dinner options. Saffron cream with a little spice.”

I took a bite, savoring the way the flavors melted together. “Bodie, you might have just outdone yourself,” I said. “If you serve this, everyone’ll be back for seconds.”

Kenny grinned and gave Bodie a thumbs-up just as the sound of a truck pulling into the lot caught my attention. My heart skipped a beat.

I recognized the sound of the truck. I walked to the window to check, and sure enough, it was Karen.

Something tightened in my chest. Even after just a few days apart, there was a relief in seeing her, like I’d been holding my breath without realizing it. I truly wasn’t sure if she was going to come back. I kept waiting for her to call Don and tell him she was staying in Dallas.

“Your lover is back,” Kenny said. “Just when you were starting to recover. I have a feeling you’re going to be wrecked again by this time tomorrow.”

“Shut up,” I said, shoving him away.

“Drink some Gatorade, man. Replenish those electrolytes!” he called after me.

I headed outside to help her with her bags. “Hi.”

She smiled at me, lighting up my world. “Hi.”

“How was your visit?”

“The bridal shower was awesome.” She started as she let me take her suitcase. “The décor, the food, the games! It was perfect. The girls did a great job with the colors.”

“Must’ve been nice to get back and see everyone.”

She nodded. “Yeah, it really was. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed home, you know? It was like coming back to myself. Grounding, I guess.”

I was a little hurt by how happy she was back in Dallas. Again, I got the feeling she was happier there than she ever could be here in Kentucky.

She kept talking as we made our way into the lodge. She stopped and looked around the hall with her mouth hanging open. She turned to me with wide eyes. “Cassidy, it’s beautiful.”

I shrugged modestly. “We’ve all been busting our asses.”

“This is incredible. I need to put my suitcase away, but then I want to check all of this out.”

“Of course,” I said. “I’ll carry your bag up.”

As we climbed the stairs, she told me about the hilarious gifts and how happy she felt seeing Mary Ellen over the moon with excitement for her wedding. I listened, glad to see her so full of life. But as she started unpacking, hanging clothes in her closet and chattering away, the nagging doubt that had been gnawing at me since she left crept up again, sharper than before.

She was acting like everything was all fine and dandy, but I knew she was keeping something from me. She had a secret. Something she needed to tell me. I had a feeling all this joy and excitement were just a little contrived. She was talking so I couldn’t. I went along with it, nodding and smiling, but I kept waiting.

I couldn’t pretend any longer. I cleared my throat, catching her attention.

“Karen, is there something you need to tell me?” I said quietly.

She froze mid-motion, a blouse slipping from her hand. She slowly turned to look at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice quiet.

I took a step closer. “I don’t mean to put you on the spot. But you’ve been off. You can’t deny it. You pulled away from me and then after your friends left, you were cured again. You told me there was something you were holding back. And you said you’d tell me when you were ready. Are you ready?”

She looked away and picked up the blouse. I wondered if she was going to pretend it didn’t happen. I waited, giving her the space to find her words, though every second felt like it stretched on forever. When she didn’t say anything, I took a breath and pressed on.

“It’s been eating away at me,” I said. “Whatever it is, I want to know. Ginny implied there was something.”

Karen’s face paled. “She did?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Did she tell you?—”

“She didn’t tell me anything. She said you would. I have to say, I don’t like games, Karen. I feel like you’re jerking me around. That’s not going to work for me. Horse shit, I can handle, but bull shit is too much. If you want to bail or if you’ve got a boyfriend back in Dallas, just tell me. Don’t jerk me around.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she said.

“Come on, sit with me,” I said, leading her to the edge of the bed. “Let’s talk about whatever this is. Please.”

She let me pull her to the bed. We both sat down. For a moment, she didn’t move or speak. I could practically hear the struggle going on in her mind.

“Karen, you can talk to me,” I said. “You can tell me anything. No matter what it is, we can work through it.

“Easy to say now,” she said with a sigh. “It might not be so easy after I tell you.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” I said. “Whatever it is, I can see it’s weighing you down. It’s hard on you. I’ve seen you withdraw. I’m here.”

She bit her bottom lip, hesitating before she spoke again. “Cassidy, this isn’t just some minor thing. It’s big.”

“Alright.” I nodded, feeling the tension growing. I was trying not to freak out, but she was really building this whole thing up. “We’ll handle it. Big or small. I’ve got a strong back. Lay it on me.”

She took a shaky breath and looked down. I wondered if she was going to tell me or run again.