Chapter 64
CHAPTER 64
CASSIDY
I stepped onto the lush green of the golf course. This was not in my wheelhouse. I was hoping I could tap into some hidden athletic ability that had been dormant my whole life. I kicked ass when it came to ranch chores, but actual sports? Not so much. I didn’t get to play basketball or football in school.
Archer’s bachelor party was a little different than anything I was used to. I had been expecting a little more drinking and partying. I was prepared for a night of wild bar hopping and strippers. Karen had told me a little about them. I knew they were all filthy rich and all had reputations for being playboys.
But these guys were nothing like what I expected. Their idea of a bachelor party was a game of golf, cigars, and a steak dinner. It was all very tame.
“Are you ready for this?” Archer asked.
“I think this might be payback for the axe throwing,” I said with a laugh.
“You’ve never golfed?” Jameson asked.
“Nope.”
Simon handed me a driver. “You’re up first.”
“How about you go first and let me at least see how this is done?”
“Because I have a feeling you’re going to kick our asses again,” Archer said with a laugh.
“Give me a fighting chance.”
“I’ll go,” Ward said.
He grabbed a driver from the bag and walked to the tee. I watched him, noting the way he stood and held the club. He swung in one fluid movement. The ball soared onto the fairway with a satisfying ping.
“Alright,” I said. “I think I’m getting it.”
Maybe there was a golfer hidden in me. I doubted it but maybe.
After Ward, Jameson took his turn. His shot veered wildly to the left, disappearing into a thicket of trees. “That’s going to be fun to find,” he muttered, but there was a good-natured grin on his face.
“And that’s not what I want to do, right?” I teased.
Jameson laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, yeah, cowboy.”
Archer was next. Clearly, he was a golfer. His swing was perfect.
“I’m guessing you’ve done this before,” I said.
“Learned in prison,” he said.
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. Then I vaguely remembered Karen telling me he had done some time. I thought she was joking. Now I realized she was very serious.
“Alright then,” I said. “I guess I’m up.”
I took the driver from Archer, feeling its weight in my hand. It was nothing like the axe. This was all about precision and control rather than blunt force. That was not my style. I positioned myself at the tee, trying to emulate Ward’s stance.
I swung.
The sound wasn’t as satisfying as when my axe had hit the target back at the throwing range, but when I looked up, the ball was flying straight down the fairway, further than Jameson’s but not quite as far as Ward’s.
“Not bad for a first timer,” Simon said.
By the fourth hole, I felt like I was getting the hang of it. I had to admit, it felt good to be out here. Even better to know I’d finally had the chance to get to know Karen’s friends. They knew her in ways I didn’t.
Yet.
Jameson clapped me on the shoulder. “Not bad.”
I grinned. “I usually keep my hands busy with ropes and horses instead of clubs. This might be something I’m going to do more of.”
“Something tells me Karen likes you just the way you are,” Jameson said with a grin, stepping up for his own swing.
Archer nodded. “She’s changed.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“She’s softened up a bit since she’s been in Kentucky,” he said.
“No shit,” Ward said.
I raised an eyebrow, curious to hear more. “Oh really?”
“Oh yeah,” Simon said. “Karen was the kind who would be the first to tell you your shirt wasn’t tucked right. Or that you’d forgotten your own birthday. She was as prickly as they come.”
The guys laughed. Karen could be pretty particular. “She knows what she likes and what she doesn’t like,” I said.
They chuckled.
“She’s a lot more relaxed,” Ward said. “Maybe it’s the pregnancy thing.”
“I bet she’s going to get pretty cranky in the last trimester,” Jameson said. “You better be careful.”
I felt like I needed to stick up for her a little. “She’s smart. Driven. And she doesn’t take shit. That’s what it takes to be on a ranch. She’s earned the respect of everyone there.”
The guys laughed again.
“We’re just happy for her,” Archer said. “Karen deserves someone who will stick by her side, who can handle that fiery streak. Someone that’s going to push her and stand by her and not try to pull her down. And it’s obvious you do.”
There was a round of agreeing murmurs, each one of them nodding. I could see then that this was their way of testing me.
“She’s disciplined,” Ward said. “You won’t find a harder worker than Karen. Whatever she puts her mind to, it’s happening. Just a fair warning.”
I nodded. “No kidding. She doesn’t quit, that’s for sure. I have a feeling my biggest battle is going to be getting her to slow down the further along she gets in the pregnancy.”
“She also doesn’t put up with nonsense,” Simon added. “You won’t find a more honest person in your life. The woman has a moral compass that could lead a ship across the Atlantic.”
“Mother material,” Ward added with a wink. “And more.”
That caught me off guard, though I tried to hide it. Mother material. I realized just how true it was. Karen had that strong, caring streak in her that would make her an incredible mom. She was fiercely protective but also patient and smart. I had witnessed her handle my own rough edges. She calmed me down when I needed it and even when I didn’t want it. The thought of her with our own child someday made my heart race in a way I hadn’t felt before.
“Not only is she mother material, she’s wife material, too,” Ward said. “So, when are you going to make it official? You’re doing things a little backward here.”
They were teasing but not entirely unserious. All I could think about was the truth in Ward’s question. Before Karen, I’d never once thought about marriage, let alone kids. But with her? It was different. Suddenly, I could picture a whole life together that I didn’t even know I wanted until I met her.
“If you don’t do it, Karen will find a way to make it happen herself,” Jameson said. “You know how she is.”
That, I didn’t doubt for a second. I could already picture her taking matters into her own hands if I dragged my feet. But the thought of proposing? Actually settling down? It should have scared the hell out of me. A month or two ago, it would have.
“Well, I suppose you’ll just have to wait and see,” I replied with a smirk. My mind was racing. For the first time, it didn’t seem crazy to think about taking that next step.
We wrapped up at the course. Archer announced it was time to hit the cigar lounge he’d reserved. I had never been much of a cigar man, only when Don and I wanted to celebrate something, but I was up for the full experience. Again, I had never been to a cigar lounge. If I was going to do the city thing, I was ready to do it all. The limousine delivered us to the lounge. We walked in. I was surprised it didn’t smell like stale smoke. I could smell the familiar sweet tobacco smell, but it was good. The lounge was dark and masculine with soft leather chairs and low lighting.
I watched the guys settle in, each picking out cigars with the air of seasoned experts. I took one, not really knowing what to expect.
After clipping the end and lighting it, I took a careful puff. It was a lot smoother than the cheap ones Don and I smoked.
I settled into the plush chair, letting the flavor soak in, and I listened to the guys talk about their women. There were some stories about Karen sprinkled in, giving me a little more information about the woman that came into my life and turned it upside down in the best way possible.
“Karen used to be the one telling us what not to do,” Ward said with a shake of his head. “She kept the house running.”
I smirked, unsurprised. “That sounds exactly like her. When one of our hands broke her ankle, Karen stepped up. She didn’t know the first thing about any of it, but she was determined to keep the ranch running smoothly.”
Everyone nodded.
“Sounds like Karen,” Archer said. “She’s got grit.”
“If not a little bossy,” Simon said.
Everything they said about her was true and all of it was exactly why I was crazy in love with her. I loved that she didn’t take any shit.
“You know, Cassidy, when Karen first told us about you, I could tell she was serious. And seeing you now, I get it. She’s in good hands. That’s all we’ve ever wanted for her.”
“I’ll do my best. She deserves someone who’s there for her no matter what. I’m committed. I’m not letting her go.”
Jameson got up and returned a minute later with a very expensive bottle of scotch. I had to remind myself I was playing with the big boys.
He filled five glasses. I picked up mine, hoping I didn’t embarrass myself.
“To Archer and Mary Ellen’s wedding,” Jameson said and raised his glass.
We all lifted our glasses and took a drink.
After we finished our cigars, it was back in the limo and off to a swanky steakhouse. Once again, I felt a little out of place.
The ma?tre d’ greeted us and led us to a private room. The place had an opulent feel to it, dark wood and soft lighting. Jameson ordered for the group, which I was grateful for. He ordered a selection of aged steaks, sides of creamed spinach and potatoes, and an assortment of appetizers to get us started. He knew his way around a premium menu.
As plates arrived, filled with the kind of meals I usually saw in glossy magazines, I couldn’t help but compare it to the simple suppers back home. Bodie was a damn good cook, but this was just plain fancier. The first bite of steak melted in my mouth. I groaned, earning a few laughs from the guys.
“Damn, this is good,” I said.
“Karen mentioned you guys have one hell of a chef at the ranch,” Archer said.
“We do. Bodie. He makes a damn good steak. Brisket, too. There’s not much he can’t cook.”
“Karen mentioned you might be buying the ranch,” Simon said casually.
“That’s the plan.”
“Does that mean you guys are setting up house there?” Ward asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
The night wrapped up with another round of toasts. The limo drove me back to the house. Before I climbed out, Archer stopped me. “Take care of her.”
“You have my word.”