This Hick?

Chapter 63

CHAPTER 63

KAREN

T he plane touched down with a hard bounce. Cassidy was gripping the armrests so tight I worried he might actually break them.

“You really don’t like flying, do you?” I said with a small laugh.

He shot me a dirty look. “I didn’t know I didn’t like it until I did it. Turns out my suspicions were right. I don’t like it.”

“I can’t believe you’ve never flown before.”

“Believe it,” Cassidy grumbled, releasing the armrest only to run a shaky hand through his hair. “And believe me, if I can help it, this will be my last time.”

“The first time is always a little scary, but it’s not so bad.”

“It’s not so good either. I prefer a horse.”

“I think your butt would be mighty tired if you rode a horse from Dallas to the ranch in Kentucky.”

“But I would get there in one piece,” he retorted.

“You’re still in one piece, you big baby.”

We waited for our turn to stand and exit the plane.

“I used to envy the rich people that got to fly,” he said.

When I told him we were flying to Dallas, the panic on his face had been very real. It never occurred to me he had never flown before. But growing up in an orphanage and then living on the ranch, he never had any reason to fly. I loved that I got to be with him when he took his first flight.

It was going to be a story to tell our child. We disembarked and stepped into the bustling airport. Cassidy looked around, wide-eyed, taking in the chaos. Hundreds of people were walking quickly. Kids fussing and the whirring sound of conveyor belts surrounded us. The intermittent announcements overhead added to the chaos.

I knew this was a different life than what Cassidy was used to. He held my hand, or rather I held his, doing my best to keep him grounded.

“We’re not even at the worst part yet,” I said as we made our way toward baggage claim. “You still have to survive the luggage carousel and then navigate out of here.”

He shot me a half-hearted glare. “Survive the carousel?” he repeated skeptically. “Is it a battle?”

“Sometimes it feels like one,” I said, smiling. “Just stick close and watch your feet. Suitcases have a way of becoming wild beasts once they hit that conveyor belt. I put that red ribbon around the handle, so we’ll be able to spot ours.”

We reached the designated baggage claim area just in time to see the first suitcases tumble onto the carousel. Cassidy eyed the thing, studying it and clearly coming up with his plan of attack. The bags went round and round, clunking and bumping against each other. The crowd around us jostled for a better position, pulling kids back from the edge. Cassidy moved closer.

As our suitcases came into view, marked by the bright red ribbons, Cassidy tensed, readying himself as if he were about to lasso a stray calf. His focus was intense, his eyes locked onto the approaching bags. I couldn’t help but laugh softly, seeing such seriousness directed at luggage.

As the suitcases neared, Cassidy lunged forward, grabbing both bags. With a grunt of effort, he hoisted them off the carousel and put them down with a thud.

“Can we get out of here?” he asked.

“Let’s get a cab.”

I had a feeling Dallas was going to blow his mind. The chaos outside was worse than inside. It didn’t help that it was about twenty degrees warmer here than at the ranch. Thankfully, we got a cab pretty quickly.

Thirty minutes later, the cab pulled to a stop in front of the Big House. Cassidy grabbed our bags while I stared up at the house.

“You lived here?” Cassidy said.

“Yes.”

“Wow, you must be feeling downright claustrophobic in that room at the lodge.”

I laughed. “It’s an adjustment. Come on, let’s go in.”

Walking into my old house felt like stepping back in time. The familiar, sprawling home had transformed since I’d last been here, and the unmistakable scent of freshly cut limes and mint mingled with Rylee’s usual lavender candles. Rylee had turned the house into her mixology school, a dream I’d watched her build from scratch. I loved that it was finally real. Cassidy took in every detail, from the twinkling lights hung over the bar stations to the shelves lined with colorful bottles of bitters and syrups.

Cassidy slid his hand over the polished countertop. “So, this is where Rylee’s world of cocktails comes to life?”

“Yep, all those years of perfecting her margaritas for girls’ nights are finally paying off,” I said with a grin. “My room is upstairs. Everyone will be here later.”

I led him upstairs, pushing open the door. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

Cassidy walked in and looked around. My room was tidy and kind of bare bones. It wasn’t overly feminine. A desk was against one wall with a couple of books and a lamp.

“There’s not a lot here,” he said.

“No.” I smiled. “I’m going to pack up the room but I’m not going to send it all to the ranch right now. There’s no room there. I just want to get it taken care of.”

“We’ll do it,” he said.

“No point in packing the rest of my clothes,” I said with a sigh. “I won’t be needing those for a while.”

He picked up a picture of me and the girls. “This is a good picture of all of you.”

“That’s going,” I said.

There was a stack of boxes leaning against the wall, courtesy of Rylee. She offered to pack up my room, but I wanted to do it.

We spent the next hour packing up my things, making piles of what was getting donated and what was being put into storage. So far, the boxes being sent to the ranch were slim.

“Hello!” Rylee’s voice echoed through the house. “If you’re naked, stay up there! You’re not alone!”

I rolled my eyes. “She never changes.”

Cassidy chuckled. “I bet she’s the life of the party.”

“Yes. All the parties. She’s been tamed a bit with her fiancé, but Rylee is never going to change.”

We headed downstairs. I introduced him to Simon. The two of them immediately hit it off. Cassidy leaned against the counter as we caught up.

“Rylee, you’re going to have to show me this new website of yours,” I said, eager to see the latest development in her mixology school.

“Already one step ahead of you. Simon has his laptop. It’s awesome.” Rylee smiled, leading us down the hallway. A sign with “office” was on the door.

Simon was hunched over his laptop. “I knew she would want to show you the website,” he said.

He turned the laptop toward us, showcasing a sleek website with bright images of Rylee’s setup. There were bright, clear pictures of glasses clinking, bar stations perfectly arranged, and photos of Rylee herself, grinning as she showed off her cocktail skills.

I felt a surge of pride. “Rylee, it’s perfect. You’re really doing it.”

“ We are doing it,” she said, nudging Simon with her shoulder. “Couldn’t have pulled it off without this handsome genius.”

Cassidy nodded as he looked at the screen. “Looks like you’re about to be flooded with business. These workshops will fill up fast.”

“That’s the plan,” Simon said with a grin. “Workshops start in less than a month.”

I realized just how far all of us had come over the last few years. We were building lives and futures that fit us, with men we loved, and they loved us.

“Everyone else should be arriving soon,” Rylee said. “We’ve got a night of chaos planned.”

One by one, the rest of our friends trickled in. Mary Ellen was carrying on about her upcoming wedding. Lauren handed out freshly baked cookies. Jenny looked blissful.

When everyone had finally arrived, a stretch limo pulled up outside. We piled in, snuggling up with our significant others.

“Tonight, we’re going axe throwing, ladies and gentlemen!” Rylee announced.

“Axe throwing?” I asked. “Rylee, you have serious rage issues.”

“I have just enough,” she retorted.

The car pulled up to a massive building with a neon sign. Cassidy’s eyes lit up. He was already strategizing. The idea of hurling axes seemed to be right up his alley. I had a feeling he was about to school us all.

Once inside, we grabbed our axes and took turns warming up. Cassidy offered pointers to everyone in his laidback way. The guys were giving each other shit, talking about who would be the first to hit the bullseye.

Archer took the first throw, squaring his shoulders and sending the axe sailing toward the target. It landed with a satisfying thunk , just a few inches shy of the center. The guys hooted and clapped him on the back.

“Show them how it’s done,” I said to Cassidy.

He flashed me a flirty wink. “Watch and learn, guys.”

He threw the axe effortlessly. It flew straight toward the target, hitting dead center with a loud crack. The guys groaned, knowing they were not going to beat him. I couldn’t help but laugh, remembering the countless times I’d seen him chopping wood back at the ranch. There was something ridiculously impressive about that farm strength.

“Karen, how did we ever let you get this lucky?” Jenny teased.

“What can I say? He’s got skills. Lots and lots of skills.”

My friends laughed, knowing exactly what I was referring to.

“Let’s see if you can throw like your man, Karen,” Jameson said.

“You guys go first,” I said, gesturing for them to step up.

One by one, the girls took their turns. Mary Ellen, bless her heart, gave it her best shot, but the axe barely made it halfway to the target, landing with a soft clunk on the floor.

Lauren stepped up, doing a pretty solid job, though her throw was just shy of the board’s edge.

“Not bad for a beginner!” Cassidy said with a wink.

“Step back, ladies,” Rylee said. “I’ll show you how to do it.”

She flung her axe, but it hit the target and bounced off, much to everyone’s amusement.

Jenny was the only one who managed to stick her axe to the board. She seemed impressed by her throw. “Didn’t think I had it in me, did you?” she teased.

Finally, it was my turn. I took a deep breath, widening my stance like Cassidy had done.

“Hey, Karen, maybe take it easy,” Ward said. “You know, with the situation and all.”

I rolled my eyes, hearing Cassidy’s snort of laughter beside me.

“Careful there, Ward,” Cassidy drawled, crossing his arms as he watched me. “Unless you want to be her next target. Karen is far from a fragile woman. She’s made that very clear to me.”

Ward backed up with a sheepish grin. “Alright, alright. Kick some ass.”

I adjusted my grip on the axe, letting the weight of it settle in my hand. And then I let it fly. The axe spun perfectly, hitting dead center with a loud crack that echoed through the space.

Cassidy let out a low whistle, pulling me into his arms as everyone else cheered. “The ranch is rubbing off on you,” he murmured, his lips brushing my cheek. “I like it. That’s my woman.”

“Think I could be as good as you someday?” I joked.

He chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “If you keep this up, you might be better.”

The rest of the evening went by in a blur of laughter, cheers, and a lot of good-natured teasing. The guys couldn’t resist throwing out challenges to each other, each one of them determined to outdo Cassidy. But none of them could even compete.

We headed back to the limo, exhausted from the night but riding high on the thrill of it all. It was good to be back with my friends. Even better that my man was a part of it.

“Next time, we’ll pick something that doesn’t involve weaponry,” Rylee said with a yawn.

“Scared you’ll lose again?” Cassidy teased.

She rolled her eyes. “No, scared Karen here will keep showing us all up! She’s never been the athletic one. She’s turning into a cowgirl.”

“Can’t help it. I’m going to be raising a little cowkid.”

“I think you’ve got a little more ranch in you every day,” Cassidy said. “And I love it.”