CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
Haden
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Olympia Sports Center this electric.
Not when CeCe holds her annual festival.
Hell, even when Cole proposed to Ginger here the crowd wasn’t this full or wild.
I can’t help but think about Cassie at this moment, since she was instrumental in making this all happen.
I’ve kept myself busy for the last few days to try to stop myself thinking about her, though I made sure to tell Ivy to cheer Cassie on for me at Wagon Wheel before she left.
I’m so tired of missing her I almost thought about not coming tonight.
But there’s no way I would miss being here for Penny.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Penny asks me now. We’re on the floor, almost level with the center of the stage.
I give her a curt smile. “Of course I am.”
“You love her.”
“I do,” I answer firmly.
“Then you have to tell her.” She says it like it’s the simplest thing on earth.
“I did, but it’s just not that easy, Pen.”
“Oh, get your head out of your ass. It absolutely is that easy. If it’s love, it’s easy.” She guffaws, turning her attention to the crowd. “If Will could see this … he would be amazed that all of these people paid money for a show supporting the little ranch we started.”
I give her a squeeze. “Yeah. I’m sure he really would.”
“I’ve been without him eight years now. They’ve been the fastest and longest years of my life.
” Penny faces me. “If you love her, you have to tell her how much. Otherwise, you’ll regret it forever.
I know things haven’t always been easy with your mama leaving and your dad doing a number on you. But you deserve to be happy, Haden.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. It hurts, knowing she’s right but that there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I can’t ask her to come back. I won’t ask her to give up her music career.
” I look around at the crowd. “And it would be hard to give up the ranch. It’s my passion, but if she asked me to travel with her I am honestly starting to think I would.
” I take a deep breath. “But begging a woman to stay with me feels a little too close to home. I guess I was hoping … it would work itself out.”
Penny nods. “I know, honey.” She slinks her weathered arm through mine and pats my hand. “I think these things do have a way of working themselves out. The Beatles said it best, ‘All you need is love’.”
As the lights lower and the crowd goes crazy, I find myself wishing it really was that simple.
The crowd is on their feet for the entire opening act of Evan’s show—a band from Louisville—and they stay this way for his too.
The Silver Pines crew are in the building except Cole and Ginger, because Mabel has a stomach bug.
CeCe and Nash are watching through the glass of CeCe’s office so she doesn’t have to mingle in a crowd of concertgoers with her growing baby belly.
Wade and Ivy, however, are kid-free for the night, drinking beer and having the time of their lives.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wade dance. And now, I can’t unsee it.
Evan is high-energy as he plays to the screaming crowd. He finishes one of his most popular songs and then takes a big sip from his red solo cup of Jack.
“I, uh … have a special treat for you tonight,” he croons.
“I recently got to tour with an incredible artist. She’s insanely talented.
But more than that, she is truly the nicest damn person you’ll ever meet.
And when she asked if she could come out tonight and join me to sing a brand-new song, I had to say yes. ”
The crowd roar as he finishes his speech. “So let’s give a big old Kentucky welcome to Miss Cassie Spencer.”
My heart drops to my feet as Cassie walks out onstage.
I’ve never seen anything, or anyone, look as beautiful as she does right now.
Her golden hair is curly and free down her back and she’s poured into a pair of faded bell-bottom jeans and a tight, long-sleeved white shirt.
Over the top of it, she wears a sixties-style fringe vest and has completed her outfit with a pair of cowboy boots.
Every part of her is glowing as she waves to the crowd. She was born to do this.
I watch, dumbfounded, as she gives Evan a friendly hug and they say something to each other none of us can hear, before he backs up and puts his guitar on.
“Hey y’all,” Cassie calls to the crowd. Another chill runs up my spine with the sound of her raspy voice through the mic.
I’m broken out of my trance as Penny pats my arm.
I look down at her; she’s smiling, really fucking big, like a proud mama.
I glance past her and see Glenda and Jo grinning at me too.
The trifecta of mamas swooning over something I’m clearly not in on.
I shake my head before turning my attention back to the stage.
“Thanks for letting me crash this party!”
The arena is pulsing with energy as someone brings Cassie her guitar and places a stool behind her. She sits down as a soft spotlight floods her. The room goes dark.
“I’m about to get real raw with you here.
” She smiles as she puts her capo on her guitar.
“Kentucky raw. I think there are very few times in life when you go through storms but aren’t sure you’re gonna make it out the other side.
Y’all know last winter was one of those times for me.
But I came back, even though I wasn’t sure the stage was the place I was always meant to be. ”
What’s this woman talking about? She was born for this stage.
“When I was going through it, I mean really going through it, the person who helped pull me through was the last person I expected. But he came in and picked me up. Literally, y’all.
” She laughs. “And he gave me some great advice. He told me that fresh air and horseback riding don’t fix every problem, but they sure are a damn good start. ”
The crowd goes crazy at her words. Fucking Christ. I swallow down the sting in the bridge of my nose. If this woman makes me cry in front of thousands of people … She begins a soft strum on her guitar as she continues her story.
“Recently I was faced with another choice. And it was his words, some intense therapy, and my time in this great state that helped me through. It took some time but I, uh …” She looks around.
“I realized I was in love with this man in every single way that works. And when it works, you don’t need to figure all the details out right away.
Cause those little things … well, they’re just white noise. Semantics.
“So. To my man, thank you for loving me and for being patient as hell. For reminding me this life isn’t someone else’s.
It’s mine, and sometimes, well, you just have to be yourself and follow your heart.
Even if you have no idea where you’re headed.
” She takes a beat before pressing on. “Haden. It may have taken a while, but l know now that what I need in this life is a front porch to write on, a little Kentucky, and you.” She winks as she starts to strum on her guitar.
“And in case you’re wondering, Cowboy, I made sure I used only the best notes. ”
I choke back tears as I watch her, and let what just happened wash over me: the most incredible woman I’ve ever known just told me she loves me in front of thousands of cheering concertgoers. Cassie came back. No one ever has. But she did. She left and came back. For me.
The lights dim as the slow, steady twang of her acoustic guitar fills the arena.
Evan joins in and plays soft chords in the background while she plays the melody.
Almost instantly the whole place is lit up by people’s phone flashlights.
I brace myself as her sweet and raspy voice fills the air around us.
I don’t know lonely ’til the sun goes down,
Another night, another show, I don’t know which town,
These passing souls just keep eating at my bones
But under those neon lights you felt like home
The last place I expected to breathe
Was in your arms with your hands on me.
But in Kentucky and you I found all I need
You fed my restless heart like a wild grown weed,
You taught me to chase all that I ever dreamed,
In Kentucky and you I found my melody …
I’ll be your shotgun ride, a million stars above,
The snow can keep coming down as we fall in love,
An ocean of nights could never drown the fire of us,
Just promise me baby that I’ll be enough …
And I’ll promise you baby that I’ll never give up.
In Kentucky and you I found the place I belong
No space in your eyes that I could do wrong,
You taught me to chase all that I’d ever need …
In Kentucky and you I found my melody.
And if I stay will you stay?
And if I fall will you fall?
And if this is our heaven and it’s meant to be …
Will you find the same peace in Kentucky and me?
Cause in Kentucky and you I’ve never felt so free,
You showed me that home isn’t just a dream,
And baby, cross my heart you’ll never be alone,
Cause in Kentucky and you I’ve found my home.
Yeah … in Kentucky and you I’ve found my home.
Cassie’s voice breaks on the last note and I’m not ashamed that I’m full-on fucking crying as the mama trifecta hugs me when the song ends, and the crowd explodes around us. I rub my eyes with the heels of my palms as Wade leans in.
“Thought I told you she was off-limits?” he jokes. I laugh as I pull Ivy in for a hug.
“I love the hell out of your sister,” I tell her. “Enough to forgive you fuckers for not telling me she was gonna do this.”
Ivy laughs and winks at me. “Go get her. Cowboy.”
I nod and turn to kiss the top of Penny’s head. I’m full of adrenaline and the only thing I can think of as I watch Cassie wave and head offstage is finding her. And then never, ever letting her go.