She puts on her leather jacket and heads to a dark brown coated American Quarter Horse tied to a metal post.
“You’re the last one. We’re gonna miss you, Betsy Sue; you’re going to a good home. You be good, now. You’re representing us,” Ashton says as she combs hay from the horse’s thick coat of hair.
Faith kicks on the gate with her pink boot. Her hands are full with corny dogs and beers. Ashton walks over to the gate and grabs the corny dogs from her. She starvingly eats them both. Faith looks at her in amazement. “Hungry Much?”
“I don’t know what it is; maybe I’m eating my emotions, but I just can’t stop eating.” She says between bites.
“I guess so. How’d we do?”
“We, huh? Well, I did amazing, if I do say so myself. We got good money for everything. You ever have one of those days where just about everything is going your way?” Ashton says and grabs a beer from Faith.
“Well, that’s good, sis. Pops will be happy. I wish he still came out to these. He used to love them.”
“I know.”
A red-light shines, and beeps emit from a truck backing up. Ashton unlocks the gate and opens it to let Faith in. A red truck and trailer back up to her gate. Ashton hands Faith the small remainder of her corny dogs to hold before heading to Betsy Sue. She takes the reins of the muscular horse and unties them from the nearby fencing. The truck door slams and a tall, muscular cowboy (like in one of Ashton’s books) steps out and toward the back of his trailer. Tight blue jeans and a vibrant button-up shirt hug his built body. He opens his trailer door and then heads to the gate and stops in his tracks.
Faith, never missing a chance to flirt with an attractive man, introduces herself.
“Hi, I’m Faith.”
“Oh, uh, hi,” says the handsome cowboy, barely paying attention to her. His gaze is transfixed on Ashton.
Ashton walks the horse toward him. “Oh, hey you. She’s all ready for you.”
He smiles and walks to Ashton and stares into her eyes. “Thank you.”
She hands him the reins. He grabs her hand and the reins and hesitates to let them go. Faith watches on in disbelief. First, the guy practically ignores her, and now he’s love-struck over Ashton. No one’s ever picked Ashton over her.
“Oh, sorry. You have such small, sweet hands.”
“Um, thank you…I think.” Ashton, flattered, doesn’t know what else to say.
He takes the reins and walks Betsy Sue back with him toward the horse trailer. “Come on, girl,” he whispers to the horse, but stares at Ashton.
Faith takes a swig of her beer and looks at her shirt and clothes wondering if something is wrong with her.
“You going to the dance tonight at the warehouse?” he asks after helping the American Quarter Horse up into the trailer. He locks the trailer. “If you are, I’d appreciate it if you saved me a dance.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” Ashton says more interested in food at the moment.
“Until now. Until now, is what she meant. We’ll see you there. Thanks for buying …the horse. We’ll see you there,” Faith says before grabbing Ashton and closing the gate behind her and pulling her to a corner.”
“Okay, then. Look forward to it,” he says with a big smile. His tight blue jeans walk back to his truck.
Once he’s out of sight, Faith yells in a whisper at Ashton. “Are you out of your mind? You said you were having a good day, but this is ridiculous. Did you see how he was falling all over you?”
“Well, I thought so, but I thought it was just in my mind. I felt like guys were just nice to me all day.”
“Nice, nice. Geez, girl, you wouldn’t know a flirt if it came biting you in the ass…though I’m sure you’d love for him to come bite you there.”
Ashton jokingly hits her to stop. “Really?” She finishes the last bites of her corn dogs and throws them into a nearby trash. She sips her beer. Faith does a double take, then squeezes Ashton’s breast. Ashton spits out her drink.
“Your breasts have gotten bigger. I’m sure of it.”
“I think it’s from all the emotional eating,” Ashton says, while looking down at them.
“Well, until you blimp up, it’s working for you. Maybe that’s why sex in a cowboy hat looked you up and down.”
Faith goes to squeeze Ashton’s boobs again and is interrupted by an uncomfortable cough. They look over, and it’s their dad. They are both shocked. Ever since his accident, he stopped going out as much, especially to events that had lots of walking and standing.
“Pop? You made it!” Ashton says, surprised and excited at the same time.
“Looks like just in time too, right before your sister was about to milk you.”
“Oh, Pop, you wouldn’t understand,” laughs Faith.
“And I don’t want to know either. So give me the news. Good? Bad?”
“We did great, Pops. All good. I’m so glad to see you out here. You have no idea,” Ashton proudly says.
“Well after our talk yesterday, my hitch in my giddy up seemed to go away. Not sure why, but I feel like a new man.” He then looks over at Faith.” That and Misses Reynolds from Maypearl ringed me up and said she was dying for me to come out here and taste her cherry pie. Now, I don’t know if that’s a euphemism or what, but either way, I like pie.”
“Gross, pops,” Faith says shaking her head, knowing her dad was trying to shock her. “Well, I’m glad you’re out here. I’m dragging Ashton to the dance.”
Ashton goes to hug her dad. Their touch shocks them both again. “Ouch! Dang that static electricity. It keeps getting us. Sorry.”
“No worries, hun. You enjoy the dance.”
Chapter Nine: The Dance
Ashton eats a fried turkey leg as she walks toward the warehouse on Main Street holding the dance. A Ferris wheel in the distance, and hundreds of dancing lights grab her attention for a fleeting moment. She sighs wishing she had someone to go to the Midway with.
Faith was overly excited about the dance. She practically skips by Ashton’s side.
“I wonder if the sexy cowboy will be there. I can’t wait to see who I end up with.”
Ashton rolls her eyes. She hoped a great day wouldn’t be ruined by a repeat of every weekend. Most weekends Faith gets courted by a handsome suitor, and Ashton normally gets ignored in the corner. Dances were the worst. Other than line dances which she loved, most guys paid no attention to her.
Pumpkins sat on steps in front of huge warehouse doors. Stacks of hay made a makeshift entryway. Country Honky Tonk music belts from inside. A couple with colorful duds and starch ironed clothes pass Ashton and Faith to enter the social. Faith grabs her sister’s fried turkey leg and throws it away.
“Hey! I wasn’t done with that.”
“Stop eating already! You’re gonna scare the guys away,” Faith says as she wipes barbecue sauce from Ashton’s cheek. She grabs Ashton’s hand and drags her inside.
Lights shoot back and forth. A tapestry of colors moves in rhythmic motion. Ashton stops and feels an overwhelming emotion. It reminds her of the spaceship and Orion. Faith tugs her again and brings her to the wooden dance floor. A line dance was starting, and guys and girls in boots and jeans were scooting and sliding to the song. Faith throws Ashton into it.
“I’ll be back. I’m gonna go get us some drinks,” Faith says before running off.
Ashton follows the others sliding and stepping and clapping. Two more steps and turn. Slide, slide. Something was always therapeutic about this to Ashton. It was the one thing that let her fit into a group when no one would normally notice her. The dance fizzles to a stop, and the music changes to something slow. Ashton didn’t realize a line of guys watching her from the side. Faith muscles through them with drinks in hand. She looks back at them and sees they are gawking at Ashton.
“What is going on? The world is upside down. This whole day all the boys want you over me. No offense, but...” She hands Ashton the beer and looks over at her boobs, then
her own, debating whether to try to prop them up more.
“Believe you, me. They don’t want me,” Ashton says in denial.
“Excuse me, miss. Would you like to dance?” says a blonde-haired 6ft one Brad Pit looking fellow.
Faith rolls her eyes and takes a drink before for storming off. Ashton agrees to dance.
“My name is Bradly.”
“I’m Ashton.”
Bradly puts his hand firmly behind her back and one on the other at her hip. Ashton puts her hands on his shoulders. Normally her anxiety would go through the roof. “This guy is nice to look at,” she thought, but she just wasn’t feeling any emotion. She found herself distracted, watching the moving lights in the distance and thinking of her night with Orion. Bradly was very smitten with her, but when the song ended, she said thanks and walked away.
Faith runs up to Ashton.
“Wow, he’s hot, what happened? Did he get your number? Did you get his??”
Ashton shrugs.
“No, we didn’t really talk.”
“You don’t need to talk! Just make out. What’s going on with you? You make up stories about space creatures sweeping you off your feet, but when the real thing is here, you just ignore it.”
“I didn’t make it… I just didn’t connect with him.”
“Brad Pitt in boots wasn’t your type? Or are you still hung up on what happened to … Bobby!”
Faith is startled to see Bobby Darren. He walks up to Ashton and Faith with an “I’m sorry” smile on his face.
“Uh, hey you two. Can I talk to Ashton?” Bobby Darren says looking for permission.
“How dare you…” Faith says before Ashton waves her off to stop. “Well, I’ll kick your ass if you hurt her again.”
“It’s okay, Faith. Can you get me another corn dog? I’m starving.”
“How about I get you something? It’s the least I can do.” Bobby says, and Ashton agrees. He puts his arm out, and Ashton wraps her hand around it. A slight spark happens, and Ashton passes it off as the static electricity that’s been bothering her all week.
Chapter Ten: The Midway
Carnies on the left and right scream and taunt for attention. Tents line up as far as the eye can see with games of skill and chance, but mostly cons of some sort. Kids run around eating cotton candy and holding small prizes their parents probably paid a hundred times their worth for. The smell of fried everything and spilled beer mix in the air. “Step right up, prove your skills. Show your little lady what a man you are. She’s worth a prize for sure,” says a game barker next to a booth full of numbered holes and animal-shaped items to knock over with a mini football.
Bobby and Ashton find themselves staring at the booth. She has two corn dogs, cotton candy, and soda in hand. He looks over at the game barker calling him out and then back at Ashton.
“I’d throw, but my throwing arm…I can’t really move it that way since I broke it. You’re worth the prize for sure.”
“Sure I am.”
Ashton enjoys giving him a hard time after the other night.
“See that fella, I don’t know if she rightfully believes you. If she were my gal, I’d be pulling out my wallet and fighting for her honor or for at least a kiss at the end of the night. I bet it’s worth a kiss am I right little lady.”
Ashton nods in agreement.
Bobby shakes his head but was called out and has no choice. He pulls out his wallet and gives the game operator five bucks. The operator gives him a basket of mini footballs. Bobby tosses the first ball with little energy and makes it nowhere near the hole.
“Hey, don’t worry about it; not everyone can make it into the hole,” Ashton jokes, and realizes it was almost as bad as something Faith would say. She felt bad and put her hand on Bobby’s arm and kisses him on the cheek.
“Just playing. You don’t have to do this.”
After she touched him, he felt a tingle through his hand and arm as if blood rushed to it. He picked up another ball and tossed it with such force and velocity that the game operator and Ashton were shocked. Even Bobby was a little shocked.
“Woah nelly. I think you’re trying to hustle me Mr.”
“I guess second times the charm.”
Bobby throws another bullet straight into the hardest hole to get. Before long a crowd gathers around. Bobby is throwing like his old quarterback self. He can’t miss. People start taking pictures with their phones and cheering every throw.
Thirty minutes later Ashton and Bobby found themselves walking down the Midway with two oversized stuffed animals and three smaller stuffed prizes. Both laugh as they walk.
“I can’t believe that. What happened? Did you see that crowd cheering for you?”
“I don’t know. I guess your kiss was magical.”
“Yeah, a little kiss on the cheek brought you back to your quarterback days.”
“Maybe it did. Imagine what a full kiss would do.”
“You’re so bad.”
They stop next to an old cobblestone water fountain shooting water ten feet in the air. A popular make-out place at the fair, but they’ve managed to find it empty. Bobby places the animal prizes down and helps Ashton sit on the concrete bench nearby.
“Well, this is nice.” Ashton looks all around. She wasn’t used to all the attention the day has brought her, and to be here with her high school crush was something she’d not soon forget.
“I’m so sorry. I’ve regretted that night. I had a chance to be with you, and I blew it. I’ve thought about you every day since,” Bobby says with that quarterback charm Ashton’s always swooned over. “And seeing you now. You’re ten times more beautiful than I even remembered. When I saw you at the dance, I realized I had to steal you away before all those other guys jumped in.”
“Steal me away, huh?” Ashton says, then looks away to the steady stream of water arching from the nearby fountain. Bobby places his hand to her chin and turns her head toward him. He looks into her eyes and kisses her. Her heart skips a beat. His hand slips around her side, and Ashton closes her eyes, enjoying his hard and passionate embrace.
Fireworks crackle in the night sky signaling the end of the State Fair. Ashton reluctantly pushes Bobby away. Bobby stops his kiss. “Sorry, I thought you wanted me to.”
“The first kiss is free. The next one will cost you a date,” Ashton whispers into his ear.
Chapter Eleven: The Date
The town square looks much like it did fifty years ago. A large clock tower overlooks eclectic shops and red-brick buildings. Families and couples walk from shop to shop. A group watches a fiddler play a classic country tune for a change. Men on horseback ride down the streets leisurely. A few classic 1950’s cars sit next to each other in the parking area. A car enthusiast meetup group gets together on weekends. The air is brisk.
“That’ll be $2.50,” a tattooed girl behind the coffee counter calls out as she slides a steaming hot chocolate and coffee toward Ashton and Bobby. The couple stands under a small awning with the words “Country Coffee” sprawled across the top. Ashton’s never had a real date. Boys would mostly take her to parties and drinking at the lake. Ashton, the hopeless romantic was enjoying this. Bobby held doors open and paid for anything and everything. He even laughed at some of her lamest jokes. She wasn’t completely sure if she could fully forgive Bobby for the lake, but this was nice, nonetheless.
“Thanks for the coffee,” Ashton says with her first sip, as they walk down the sidewalk past a boutique clothing store for pets.
“My pleasure,” Bobby says before getting distracted by something in the window display.
“Suit and tie for a baby pig? Now I’ve seen everything.”
“Well, you can’t have them going around all naked for Sunday service. That would be unsightly,” Ashton jokes.
Bobby laughs and touches his hand against Ashton’s as they walk. “I can’t believe we never really talked much in school.”
“Well, we were in different circles, I guess
.”
“I guess. Oh, hey…look at that,” Bobby says, pointing to a picture of his younger self in a football uniform in the hobby shop. “I guess they still have that hung up here. Back during the championships, my mug was on all these shops.”
“I remember,” Ashton says, almost rolling her eyes from what sounded like a big Ego.
“The good ole days.”
“Yep.” Ashton smiles, but disagrees. She was never real popular. She was glad to be done with high school, though at the time she would have done anything for Bobby to notice her. Maybe then she would have been part of the cool clique.
“My hair hasn’t changed much, I guess.”
“Oh, hey, that’s neat,” she says to change the subject. “A telescope.” A shiny black star 1000 telescope sits on display behind the glass.
“Looking to spy on the neighbors?” Bobby laughs. “Maybe catch some couple doing the nasty?”
“Well, maybe. But I could gaze at the stars.” Ashton realizes how nice it would be to gaze at the stars. Maybe she’d see Orion, or his ship. She’s thought about him a lot. She’s tried to radio a couple of times since that night but received no response. She’s even been out to the field, begging to be taken again. It was all a distant dream. She begins to wonder if it was real at all.
“Star gazing, huh? I never got that...why anyone would look to the skies for anything. Everything you need in life is down here. Staring at some bright lights in the air ain’t gonna do anything for ya.”
“You never wanted more than this? This life? This world?” Ashton asks.
“There you go again with all your ambition talk. It hurts my head,” Bobby jokes.
“Sorry.” Ashton apologizes despite feeling an emotional dagger stab her. She realized the dream of Bobby Darren was looking much better than the self-centered reality. She decided to put up a strong wall and finish the date, no matter what happened.
“Hey, Bobby!” A group of young, flirty girls giggle as they pass by.
“Uh, hey,” Bobby says back, almost embarrassed.
“Your fan club, I see,” Ashton says, disapprovingly.
The Campus Jock: A College Bad Boy Romance Page 74
