CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Haden
“Pleasure,” my dad says, extending his hand. I watch as he takes Cassie’s in his and she smiles.
“Pleasure? Or awkward as all hell?” Cassie laughs as she shakes. My dad chuckles deeply and I know instantly that he’s smitten with her.
“A little of both, I suppose. I didn’t expect to see my son, working hard at winning over a woman.” He turns to face me. “I texted you, but you were, uh … obviously busy.”
Christ.
“I drove my old Dodge up here,” he continues. “I’m hoping you have my torque wrench? I had my winter tires taken off the other day and I need to retorque the summer ones. Then we can go.”
I nod. I’m driving him to have a scan on his back. It hasn’t been right since he threw it out shoveling after the storm.
I nod. “Sure. Head on up to my place. I’ll be right there.”
My dad nods and tips his hat to Cassie. “To reiterate, it’s a pleasure to meet you, young lady. Anyone entertaining the idea of a cowboy for their future deserves to be told they’re a special kind of woman.”
Cassie smiles. “Well, sir, cowboys are my kinda people if they’re like Haden.”
She and I haven’t even uttered the word future between us yet, and here my dad is bringing it up two minutes after meeting her. I wait until he leaves the barn.
“I’m so fucking sorry. He’s always just gotta open his yap,” I say when he’s out of sight.
Cassie looks up at me. Her thick black and white flannel is open just enough for me to see the outline of her waist and the curve of her hips in her painted-on jeans.
Her long hair peeks out from under a cowboy hat.
Damn, I could stare at her all day. Especially after she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me.
She doesn’t push me to explain my dad or tell me what a prick he is for insulting what I do for a living.
Instead, she just reaches up on her tiptoes to kiss me.
“Well, you heard the man. Stop apologizing and start telling me what a special kind of woman I am so that, tonight, when I’m with the girls, I can remember how much you appreciate me.”
I kiss her deeply as I pull her close. Fuck. Just the thought of being away from her tonight is enough to make me feral. I groan as we separate.
“I’ll walk you out,” she says. “I’m gonna throw Marlow’s blanket on her so she can get some fresh air anyway.”
She wears a pensive expression as we walk.
“So. Are you boys gonna behave tonight? Does your night out involve women?”
“Not a chance on earth of that happening,” I chuckle. “I’ve never met a group of men so obsessed with their women in my life.”
“Sounds like a good group of men to spend the night with then.”
I’m struggling not to say too much. Hell, I’m struggling with everything that has to do with keeping the way I feel about Cassie in.
I have no idea how to handle the fact that Cassie feels like mine but isn’t.
I have no idea how to ask her to stay, or how we could ever make this work when her time is up.
So, instead, I just stop walking, wrap my arms around her and kiss her one more time.
“Just so we’re good and clear, Cass. There isn’t a woman alive that could hold my attention now.
In fact, the only thing I’ll be thinking about when I’m out tonight is all the ungodly fucking things I’m going to do to you tomorrow.
” I drop a kiss on her forehead. “There could be a stadium full of women and the only one I’d see would be you. ”
“Well, I like the sound of that,” Cassie replies.
I reluctantly let her go as we start walking again. The next twenty-four hours are going to go by as slow as molasses without her.
“In that case, have fun celebrating the groom-to-be,” she says as we enter the tack room.
I chuckle, doing my best to lighten the mood.
“Funny story. Can you keep a secret about Ginger and Cole?” I ask her.
“Always.”
“Well, there’s this rumor going around the ranch that this isn’t actually their first time getting married …”
“She’s real pretty, Haden, and seems sweet too,” my dad says as we leave Pendalton Community Hospital later that afternoon.
Turns out he has a lumbar strain and needs to take it easy for a couple weeks.
I look ahead and feel my brow furrow. I don’t really want to talk about Cassie with anyone, least of all my dad.
“Whose daughter is she? She doesn’t look familiar.”
“She’s not from town,” I tell him as we drive through the countryside. I keep my eyes fixed on the fields. It’s only late March, but the sun feels warmer on my arms through the windshield. If this keeps up, the snow will be melting before we know it.
My dad chuckles. “Well, is she a secret?”
“No,” I bite out.
“I figured you’d be happier than a pig in shit. It’s not easy to find a good woman … If she’s willing to get serious with a ranch hand, you need to hang on to her, son.”
My knuckles turn white around the wheel. Why? Why does he always have to get his dig in about my career?
“Well, I wouldn’t say she’s getting serious about me. She doesn’t live here. She’s just here temporarily.”
My dad starts to chuckle and then lets out a low whistle.
“Seen a lot in my day, kid. That girl was looking at you like you hung the moon.”
She was?
“You don’t even realize it, do you?” he asks, still chuckling.
“It doesn’t really matter much. Like I said, she’s only here temporarily. Then she’s going back on the road.” Fuck. The moment the words are out of my mouth I regret giving him any info on her at all.
“What does she do? Barrel racer?” I stay silent as he continues on. “You gotta watch out for those. If they get hurt, or can’t ride for any reason, you’re left supporting them. And no offense, son, but you don’t want to have to make that your problem.”
I grit my teeth at his unrealistic assumption about barrel racers.
My dad can be such a prick, and he has no idea that Wade pays me well.
Very well in fact. A lot more than the norm for a top hand.
One thing Wade does is look after all of us.
But my dad has never once asked how I am financially.
All my father sees is that I don’t support him, so anything I do that doesn’t give him a break isn’t good enough.
And the idea of me supporting someone instead of him?
He can’t even stomach that thought. In this moment, his selfishness and years of belittling the future I’ve chosen punch me square in the chest.
“All you see is that I didn’t make you rich so you could live the good life.
You look at all the years and time you spent carting me to football practices, how many weekends we had to stay in hotels when I played, and you act like I owe you.
But Dad, I don’t owe you anything. You wanted me to play. You pushed me to play.”
I’m saying more than I should, but being with Cassie these last weeks, day in and day out, has shown me what it’s like to have someone care about you just because you’re you. That your dreams are okay even if they’re what other people see as simple.
“I gave up my retirement for your football career,” he replies. “And that’s my mistake. All I’m asking is that you check in on me once in a while.”
I almost feel bad for a moment. I almost get the feeling this stems from him being lonely.
“You seem to have time to check in with little buckle bunnies on the Ashby ranch.”
Moment lost. I grit my molars at the idea of him calling Cassie a buckle bunny, but I won’t tell him what she does.
I won’t give him even an inkling of her success.
My father is like a vulture when it comes to seeking out people that can better his situation in life, and Cassie will never be one of those people.
I shake my head as our conversation turns silent. Just another typical fun-filled afternoon with my dad.