Chapter 60
***Cass***
“You naughty, naughty thing. You didn’t come home last night.
” Aunt Jolene circled me on the couch and frowned before bending over and scratching at a dried fleck of mud I’d missed while scrubbing myself clean.
“Well, hell. I think I need this story. Hurry up. I have ten minutes before my new beau shows up.”
I’d tried to sneak in that morning and I thought I’d succeeded but I should’ve known better.
I’d been embarrassed at the idea of getting caught doing a walk of shame but as I looked at Aunt Jolene, fully engaged and eager to hear what I had to say, I decided I needed to stop being ashamed.
I told her everything, laughing when she guffawed, loosening up with every word.
“Then we tracked mud all through Sam Ford’s house and used his very fancy bathroom to get cleaned up.” I grinned up at the ceiling and shook my head. “We slept under the stars in the back of Cash’s truck. I never thought I’d say something like that but it was perfect.”
Aunt Jolene whistled. “You’re in love.”
That knocked the smile off my face as I tried to deny it. It was one thing to admit it to myself and to West in the throes of sex but admitting it to Aunt Jolene made me feel silly. The way I’d always felt with Cole at the end of the day. “N-no.”
She sank onto the couch next to me and a wave of her perfume and hairspray settled over me with a comforting warmth. I’d grown so used to her presence in the short time we’d been together. “Don’t lie to me. I can see it all over you. Have you told them?”
Groaning, I rested my head on her shoulder. The shoulder pads were wildly comfortable. “I told West.”
“And?” She took my hand and looked at my chipped nails. “You have to get a manicure. Did he say it back?”
She really knew how to cut to the meat of the matter. I swallowed and shook my head. “No.”
She sighed. “Men are stupid so that doesn’t mean anything. You’re being careful?”
“I take my birth control on time daily.” I blushed. “We haven’t been using condoms, though. I think they like…”
“Being cavemen and pretending to breed you?”
I sat up. “What?”
She waved her hand. “Nevermind that. I wasn’t talking about sex, babygirl. I was talking about your heart. You’re not giving it away to men who don’t deserve it, are you?”
“I…” I hadn’t thought I was the first time around. I’d been convinced that Cole would open his eyes and see me eventually. It didn’t feel that way with Cash, Hayes, or West, though. It really felt like they saw me and cared about who they saw. “I think this is real, Aunt Jolene.”
“I think so, too.” She laughed at my shock. “I’ve seen the way those boys look at you. I saw them drop you off this morning on the cameras. I’ll cut you a copy because it was adorable. None of them wanted to leave you. They looked heartbroken when the door shut with you on the other side.”
“Oh.” It was impossible to not feel like I was on cloud nine. “Yeah, I’d take a copy of that.”
There was a heavy knock at the door but instead of the excited way Aunt Jolene used to greet Elvis she looked down at her nails and took a deep breath. “That’ll be my date, Joe. Joe, the wrestler.”
“You don’t seem excited, Aunt Jolene.”
“He’s a professional wrestler who takes his craft very, very, very seriously. What’s not to be excited about?” Her smile turned real for a moment. “I do like how red his face gets when I mention thinking it’s all fake, though. That part’s fun.”
“You could always just stay home with me. In this episode of Ginger Love Mary M tells Paul that she slept with Mary B on the night of their engagement party.” I grinned. “Can you imagine calling out your own name during sex?”
“You assume that I don’t? I’m amazing and deserve the accolades.” Aunt Jolene winked and walked towards the door. “I love you, kid. Have I told you just how happy I am that you’re here?”
“I love you, too, Aunt Jolene. Try to have fun.”
After she was gone and the house was quiet I had time to think about how much things had changed for me. I’d gone years in LA feeling unloved and lost. Since getting to Texas, though, I felt more and more loved every day. I felt surrounded by it.
I’d been so wrong about LA being home and my entire life there.
My home was in Texas, with Aunt Jolene. And hopefully with the guys.
The more time I spent with them the more I felt like they were mine and the more I felt like theirs.
Maybe West hadn’t said he loved me back but I’d felt it.
I didn’t think I was stupid enough to get it wrong twice.
Especially when I’d never felt an ounce of the care I felt from the guys from Cole.
Even when we were officially dating. It was just different with them.
If that was what Savannah felt about Cole, Jax, and Ryder, then I was glad she’d found them. As much as I’d hated her, I was starting to think maybe I owed her for setting things in motion. She’d driven me to the place I felt like I really belonged.
I knew that it was probably wrong to still hold a grudge against her but she was the easier target.
As much as I knew I was over Cole, it was still hard to place all my past anger and hurt on him because it made me feel like such a fool.
I’d been so wrong for so long and it was just easier to let Savannah be the bad guy.
I loved her brothers, though, so I was going to have to figure it out eventually.