After double checking my alarm, I try to get comfortable on the hard mattress. My inner doubts turn into nightmares. One was of Cassie leaving me for good and I even had a dream that Cassie left me for another guy.
My alarm on my phone startles me as it keeps blaring an annoying noise. Six a.m. on the dot. Yawning, I shake Bo, waking him up. Then, I do the same with Jess. Only with her, I get whacked in the head with a pillow.
“Let’s go. I have the other half of my soul to get back.”
Running up the sidewalk to her Aunt’s door, my heart is pounding as I bang on the red wooden door before me. “Cassie! Cassie, open the door, please!” A minute passes by and still no answer. She has to answer. “Cassie!” I yell one last time.
“She’s gone,” a male voice states behind me.
Whipping around, Seth stands at the edge of the steps with his hands shoved in his pockets. “Where is she?”
“I don’t think you deserve to know the answer to that, J,” he replies nonchalantly.
I don’t have time for his games. “If you’ve put one hand on my girlfriend I swear I will knock you flat on your ass.”
“Cassie and I are only friends. You are all she talks about. Cassie would constantly gush over you like you were the other part of her soul. But then when she texted me saying she needed me, I was there. Now, I know what that sounds like, but I have no intention of being anything other than friends with her.”
Seth just spared his life. Thank goodness, if he is being honest, he isn’t after Cass or I would have to beat the shit out of him. He seems to be telling the truth about only being friends with her. My gut is telling me the same. “We’re just friends, J,” Cassie’s voice rings in my head. “Look, I never slept with Heather or any other girl for that matter. Cassie is my life. I’m so fucking lost without her. Please, just tell me where she is. I need to set things straight with her. I need the other half of my soul back.”
He breaks out into a grin, which I can only hope is a good sign. “I was hoping you would come after her. Seeing her so broken has been breaking my own heart.” Pulling an envelope out of his pocket, he studies it a moment before handing it to me. “Here, I bought this hope that you would come for her. If not, I was going to go visit her in a few days.”
Opening the envelope, I pull out a ticket for a flight to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “Thank you for telling me where she is.”
“All I ask is that you take care of her and treat her like she should be treated.”
“Cassie deserves nothing less, Seth. I love her more than life and I’m never letting her go again. Ever.”
“Good. Your flight leaves in two hours. Go get her and take her home.”
Wasting no time, I quickly shake his hand and then run to my truck.
I’m coming for you, Cassie.
When the plane lands in Myrtle Beach, I jump out of my seat, trying to get out before I get stuck behind a bunch of slow people. I sprint through the jet way zig-zagging through people to get to Cassie. When I reach the gate, I come to a halt, my eyes landing on my brown eyed girl. Our eyes meet at the same time from across the room. “Cassie,” I breath in relief. She is still the most beautiful girl around. Her eyes immediately tear up and her lips part slightly. I make my feet carry me toward her. I wasn’t sure how she would react to seeing me, but her running in my arms kind of surprised me. Seth must have told her I was coming.
“I swear I didn’t do anything with Heather. She is lying. Please, Cass, you have to believe me. I know all you have to go on is my word, but you know me,” I plead, begging for her to see the truth. Cassie sighs and takes a step back, putting some distance between us. I don’t want her to even a little bit of space between us. “Don’t pull away from me, Cass. I need to hold you, I need to feel your arms around me.”
“J,” she begins. The next words out of her mouth will either crush me or have me spinning her around. “In my heart, I know you didn’t have sex with her. But you had been pulling away since my birthday and when she showed me that picture of you and her, I let all the doubt overshadow the truth. I should never have doubted your love for me, J Michaels.”
“I should have never given you a reason to doubt me.” This mess is my fault. I placed the doubt in her mind because I was an asshole for not being able to handle her being away from me for so long.
“Let’s go home,” she concedes.
“First things first.” Tightening my arms around her waist, I spin us around in circles of happiness. “Now, we can go home.”
Cassie genuinely smiles at me, making my heart rise in my chest. “Home, to me, is being in your arms.”
Threading my fingers with hers, I smile down at her, only to find a scared look on her face. “Cass?”
“Um…before we go, I need to tell you something and I am not sure how you’re going to take it,” she murmurs softly. My heart instantly beats faster than ever. The words “I need to tell you something” is not a statement anyone in a relationship wants to hear. “I found out April thirtieth that we are going to have a baby. And I know with what Heather just pulled it may seem like a joke to you, but it’s not. You may be mad at me for not telling you either, but I wanted to wait to tell you in person.”
“How far along are you?” I question. This is Cassie, she can’t be lying. I shouldn’t be doubting the fact of the baby being mine either, yet I wonder if it could be Seth’s. Seth and Cassie are supposedly friends, but I don’t think guys and girls should be friends as it leads to mixed feelings. Bo is different, but Seth?
Cassie looks surprised I would even ask that. “When I found out I was eight weeks, but now I am thirteen weeks. The weekend you came up for my birthday is when I got pregnant.”
I remember that weekend vividly. Cassie and I forgot to use protection. Placing my palm against her stomach, I can tell her stomach had grown a little. My heart warms at the thought of a part of me growing inside her. Having kids with Cassie was a future dream of mine. A dream which is now a reality.
Realizing I haven’t answered her, I smile at her reassuringly. “I feel like I have been apologizing a lot here lately, Cassie, and I probably don’t deserve you at all, but I want you and I want our child.”
Cassie’s whole body relaxes like she is relieved. “I admit I am scared. For a moment, I thought you were going to walk away from us.”
Us. Yeah, I had a moment of doubt, but I knew better than to believe it. Letting my mind go there was a mistake, to begin with. Cupping her face, I stare deep into her soul. “We can be scared together, okay? I’m right here with you, where I will always be.”
There is no place like home. Brilliant sort of wasn’t home for me for a while since Cassie wasn’t here, but now all is right in the world.
Everyone was shocked to learn Cassie and I are expecting. There was a lot of yelling and hugging. My mom was crying, Dad looked proud. It was a good day. Not to mention our acceptance letters from the University of Alabama came in. Cassie and I have some decisions to make about our future, yet still, I accept the challenge life brings. As long as Cassie is by my side, I know we can make it through.
Cuddling Cassie close, I breathe in her vanilla perfume, grateful I have her back where she belongs.
“We can do it, you know,” Cassie says out of nowhere.
“Do what?” I ask, lost in the euphoric state I am in.
“College, work, and raise a family. I have faith we can do it.” Cassie never ceases to amaze me with her strength.
It would be tough as hell, but yeah, I think we can definitely pull it off with both of us supporting each other. “Tuscaloosa is an hour and a half from here so if you think about it, we wouldn’t have to move. Get all of our classes in within two days so we’d only have to drive down there twice a week. You know mom will want to babysit.”
“What about jobs?”
“I will start looking tomorrow.”
“What about me?” Cassie huffs.
“All I want is for you to focus o
n staying healthy. Once the baby is here, then we will talk.” Cassie wants to help and I am grateful for that, but if I can help it, I want her to be a stay at home mom. I want to be able to come home to her every evening and sweep her off her feet and kiss her until she can’t breathe. Not only that, but I want to see my son or daughter on her hip greeting me when I come in for work.
A light knock on the door pulls my attention from Cassie. Dad sticks his head in. “Family meeting in the living room.”
Placing a kiss to Cassie’s forehead, we climb out of bed to go see what the family meeting is all about. Cassie stands beside the bed awkwardly gazing around the room. “Cass, you coming?”
“I’m not sure if I am considered family.”
Crossing the room, I take her hand in mine. “You are part of our family, Cass. Always remember that.” Lifting our joined hands, I kiss her knuckles. Cassie has been part of the family since the first time she met my parents. I wish I could erase all the doubt enclosing her.
Bo and my parents are waiting in the living room when we walk in. We take a seat on the couch next to Bo. Cassie grips my hand as we wait for someone to speak up. Bo pats her knee, silently reminding her that everything will be okay.
Dad clears his throat, gaining all of our attention. Mom sits quietly, holding my dad’s hand. “This meeting was called because I have some news to tell you. I’m retiring from the police force as of tomorrow. Randy is having to step down from managing the ranch because of health issues and as you boys know I have been wanting to expand the ranch. Now seems like the perfect time to put all my plans in motion. Which brings me to my next point. I want my sons helping me. Both of you know how I run things and since both of you have finished high school, it’s time for you both to get jobs. Especially you J with my grandchild on the way. You both have already been helping me, but I want to make sure you know it’s a permanent position. If you decide you want to work elsewhere then there will be no hard feelings.”
We all know Dad has had these plans for years and I’m happy to see him finally take a chance. Dad loved being Chief, but his heart is in this ranch.
“I’m happy for you, Dad. You’re finally getting the ranch you’ve always wanted,” Bo comments.
“Thank you for the job offer, Dad. I wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.” Dad just lifted a load off of my chest. Not many companies will be willing to work with my school schedule.
“Have you two decided on your majors yet?” Mom asks me and Cassie.
I glance at Cassie and smiled. “I want to major in Business Management so that one day, I might take over the ranch.”
Dad beams proudly.
Cassie squeezes my hand. She told me what she wanted to major in and I think it’s perfect for her. “I was thinking about becoming a counselor for kids,” she says shyly.
“Oh, that’s wonderful honey,” Mom gushes.
After all that Cassie has been through, becoming a counselor would be perfect for her. I couldn’t be more proud of her for wanting to help kids.
Dad looks to Bo. “What are your plans, son?”
“I’m not sure if college is for me. For now, I will help you and then if I ever decide to go, I will.”
Unlike some parents, mine don’t force you to do something you don’t want to. I have heard a couple of the guys telling me how their parents are pressuring them about college. I’m thankful mom and dad are understanding and I know Bo is too.
The meeting is over so Cassie and I go hide out in our room for the rest of the night since we are both exhausted.
It’s midnight when my phone goes off. It’s a number I don’t recognize, but I answer anyway.
Quietly as possible, I answer.
“J, it’s Heather.”
“What are you doing calling my phone, Heather?”
Just as I am about to hang up on her, she says, “Listen to me or I will be forced to release those pictures of us.”
“What pictures, Heather?”
“Be at my house in ten minutes or everyone will know about them, including Cassie.”
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I stare at it in disbelief. Not only is she being very evasive, but she is also blackmailing me. Shit, what have I gotten myself into?
Untucking my arm from Cassie, careful not to disturb her, I throw on some jeans, slip my shoes on and hightail it out the door. Heather better not be fucking with me.
I make it to Heather’s house in time, still wondering what the hell she has on me. She has to be bluffing, right?
The front door opens before I reach the steps. Heather walks out onto the porch, smiling like she has just won the lottery. “Come inside, J,” she tells me in a sultry voice.
Hell no, I don’t want to go inside. “Can’t we just talk out here?”
“What I am about to show you needs to be seen in private.”
“Just show me the damn pictures, Heather, I’m tired of your games.”
She huffs, retreating back inside. It doesn’t take her but a minute before she is back outside with an envelope in her hand. Without hesitating, she passes it over to me.
What I find has my mind reeling. There are pictures all right, only they are of me and Heather. Not only that, it looks like we hooking up, but without actually having sex. Other people wouldn’t know it if they saw these though and that’s where the problem becomes major.
“The night Bo said he found you with me, that’s when you took these?” I remember vividly of Bo yelling at me that night.
A satisfying grin appears on her face. “You were so wasted and I took advantage of the opportunity.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I curse myself for being so stupid. Heather plainly wants something, that I am sure of. It’s what she wants that has me freaking out. “What do you want, Heather?”
“It’s simple, just leave Cassie for me.”
Simple? She thinks leaving the girl I would die for is going to be simple?? “What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would I leave Cassie and our child for you and a child that is not mine?” Shaking my head in disbelief, I knew better than to come. “Leave me and Cassie alone, all right?” With the pictures gripped in my hand, I turn to leave.
“If you leave I will have no choice but to post them on the internet for the world to see,” she threatens, her voice shaky.
“I’ll take my chances,” I say over my shoulder.
“Cassie will leave you once she sees them,” she says like it’s going to make me change my mind.
She might, but there is still no way I would get with Heather. These pictures will hurt her and I can only hope that Cassie believes me when I tell her the truth.
Ignoring Heather’s yelling and empty threats about how the pictures I have aren’t her only copies, I get in my truck and head back home.
Cassie is sitting up in our bed with her phone clutched in her hand when I open our bedroom door. Her head whips over to where I am standing in the doorway, a scared look on her face. At first, I think something has happened, but then, she says, “You left.”
Closing the bedroom door, I move to sit on the bed next to her. “Cassie, I need to tell you something and it’s going to hurt you.” Her painful gasp is like a dagger to my chest. “Do you remember the night I got so jealous about Seth? Well, I went to the party with Bo and I got trashed. I don’t remember a lot from that night other than being an asshole to you.
Bo found me passed out drunk and took me home. The next morning, he tells me Heather was with me.” Seeing the hurt flash in her eyes is killing me. “I swear to you, Cassie, nothing happened. You can ask, Bo. Apparently, Heather took some photos of us, making it look like we did. Bo said that she was practically naked and my shirt was off. I didn’t know about them until Heather called my phone a little bit ago and tried to blackmail me with them. She wanted me to leave you and our child to be with her.” Reaching for Cassie’s hands, I am relieved when she doesn’t pull away. “There is no way in hell I am leaving you, I don’t care what
it’s for. You two mean the world to me. Y’all are my life, Cassie.”
“I’ve seen the pictures, J,” she says. “I woke up to you gone and my phone started going off repeatedly so I looked to see who was blowing up my phone.”
“Please tell me you believe me, baby.”
When her gaze drops to the comforter, my heart plummets in my chest. “I’m hurt, J. When I look at you, I see you with her, just like the pictures.”
“Cassie, I didn’t touch her. I haven’t done anything with her. She’s tried to come between us before with her lies and accusations. Don’t let her win now.”
Cassie’s gaze meets mine once more. “These pictures are real, J. You don’t remember most of that night, you said so yourself. What if you did sleep with her? What if you did kiss her? How can you prove to me that you didn’t?”
“Dammit, Cassie, I didn’t do anything with her!” My outburst has Cassie jerking back out my reach. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, Cassie.”
Cassie stands, moving away from me. “I want to be alone, J. I’ll go sleep on the couch.”
“No,” I interject. “I’ll give you time, Cassie, but you’re not sleeping on the couch, I will.”
Cassie only nods and gets back in bed. I grab a blanket out of my closet and head for the couch. When I reach the doorway, I look back at her. “I love you, Cass.”
“I love you, too,” she murmurs. It’s faint, but I hear it. It gives me hope for our future.
The couch isn’t comfortable at all to sleep on. I can’t shut my eyes because my mind is running a million miles a minute. I need a plan. A plan that will prove to Cassie that I didn’t sleep with, touch, or kiss, Heather.
Sleep doesn’t come easy knowing I have upset Cass. By morning, I have slept a total of three hours. Sitting up, I rub my eyes, trying to wake up.
Footsteps pad down the hall to the living room. “You sleep on the couch?” Bo asks, almost laughing.
Trust in Me (Saved #1.5) Page 8
