Tutus & Cowboy Boots (Part 2) (20 page)

“I have.” I give him a puzzled look until I
realize he’s talking about my sister. I frown and his face goes
pale as a ghost. It’s hilarious.

“I’m joking, but you better keep it ‘PG’
rated with her,” I say with a serious tone.

“No worries, man. I’ll be a perfect
gentleman with her,” he says.

I look back at Cadence and laugh as I listen
to the song lyrics. It’s almost the story of her life and she has
no clue. I ask Aaron to request a song for me and then head to the
dance floor as the song ends and bleeds into the next.

We spend the rest of the night on the dance
floor. It doesn’t matter what’s played. My girl loves to dance and
I love her in my arms. When there’s a pause in the music, people
begin to clear the dance floor. Cadence looks at me as I pull her
in tight and dance to the rhythm of our hearts.

After a few beats, a guitar
begins to strum the opening notes of “My Church”
through the speakers. Cadence smiles at me before
she begins to sing and get lost in the music. The way her body
moves to this song like the waves of the ocean does me
in.

As she continues to sing, Jade and Aaron
meet us on the dance floor and join in. When the song ends, she
jumps into my arms and plants a kiss on my lips.

“How’d you do that?” she questions.

“I had some help,” I say, looking at
Aaron.

“Dang girl! To not like country you sure
looked like you loved that one,” Jade says with a smile.

“Maybe it’s rubbing off on me.”

Chapter 31

Cadence

Barrick pulls me into his chest and we
continue to dance to whatever song is played. At this point I don’t
care what it is. I just want to be held in the most loving arms I
know. As the house lights begin to rise, Barrick looks at me.

“Want to go wish on our own stars?” he
asks.

“You bet!” I say as we walk out to his
truck.

When we get to our spot, Barrick and I walk
to the tailgate. He lifts me onto the back like he’s done before,
but instead of sitting beside me, he places himself between my legs
and caresses my face with his hands.

“Tonight has been perfect,” he says,
tenderly.

“As long as I’m with you, life is perfect,”
I reply.

I can feel my nerves rise as he looks at me
with a hunger I’ve never seen before.

“Barrick, I’ve never…” I start.

“Me either,” he replies and I’m completely
caught off guard. “And I don’t plan on doing it tonight. You’re
worth more than the bed of a truck, Cadence. One day when the time
is right it will happen, but right now I just want to fall head
over boots in love with you,” he says with a smile.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and
hits play before pulling me down from the tailgate. He softly sings
the words as I sway in his arms and listen. He’s swept me off my
feet tonight. He is everything I need and I’m glad that I’ve found
the one person who has made me worthy of their love.

As the song ends, the sounds of spring fill
the air and we dance to the world around us until we can’t dance
any more.

Barrick

Holding Cadence in my arms tonight made
everything right in this world. Looking at her and then to the
stars above, I count my blessings. I never knew what I was missing
in this world until she came in like a hurricane. Watching her slow
down and grow over the past few months has been good for me as
well.

She’s helped me realize what I want for my
future. I’m going to go to ECU and get a degree. I want to be able
to support her and take care of her and I know that getting a
degree will help make that easier. I hope and pray that now she’s
turned down Boston she’ll go to ECU with Jade and me.

As Cadence lets out a yawn, I scoop her into
my arms and take her to the truck. “Let me get you home,” I say as
I sit her in the passenger seat.

She looks at me and my heart flip-flops.
“Can’t we just sleep out here?” she questions.

“I… I...” She cuts me off.

“I’ll call my mom. Please?” she pouts.

She takes her phone from her purse and calls
her mom. I can only make out half of the conversation but Regina
seems to be giving her a lecture of some sorts. Cadence looks at me
then hands me the phone.

“Yes, ma’am,” I say as politely as
possible.

“Do you intend to have sex with my
daughter?” she questions and I want to crawl in a hole from
embarrassment.

“No, ma’am. I do not.”

“I’m trusting you with her. Do not let me
down.”

“Never. I respect Cadence more than to do
something like that. I’ll have her home by daybreak,” I say,
handing the phone back to Cadence.

“Yes, Mom,” she says, turning away from me.
I give her privacy and lay the blankets out in the truck bed.

As I lay on my back, I feel her come up
beside me. “Are you ready to wish on some stars?”

“As long as you’re beside me, I don’t have
to wish on the stars any more.”

“Why is that?” she says as she rests her
head on my chest.

“I don’t need to wish on the stars because I
already have you,” I say as I lean down and kiss the top of her
head sweetly before we fall asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter 32

Cadence

As the sun begins to peek above the horizon,
it begs for me to open my eyes. When I begin to stir, I feel
Barrick’s strong arms still around me and I feel safe.

“About time you woke up,” he says as I look
up to meet his eyes.

“How long have you been awake?” I
question.

“Not too long, but when the sun comes up
it’s like my alarm. It happens almost every day.”

We lay there for a few more minutes before
Barrick helps me from the bed of the truck and places me in the
passenger seat to take me home.

“Did y’all have a good time?” Gran questions
as we step in the door.

“We did,” I reply, giving her a hug.

“Ms. Mae, I’m going home to change and then
I’ll be back shortly to start work.”

“Okay, Barrick. Thank you. I’ll see ya in a
bit,” Gran says and takes a sip of her coffee.

After Barrick leaves, Mom gives me the
once-over to see if we lied. I don’t know how she’d actually know,
but I smile knowing that she can trust that we were true to our
word. She lets out a sigh of relief and I laugh as I walk to my
room.

Barrick

Dad is in the kitchen when I get home. “Long
night?” he questions.

“Yeah. I guess you could say that,” I say as
Jade sleepily walks in.

“Are you just getting’ in?” she
questions.

“Yeah.” She looks at me for an answer.

“Nothin’ happened,” I state flatly to both
of them. They can read me like a book and know I don’t lie so they
let it go.

I change and grab a quick bite to eat before
going back to the farm. Dad stops me on the way out to let me know
Mom is cooking a big supper tonight and that I can bring Cadence if
I’d like.

Cadence, Ms. Mae and Regina are already hard
at work when I walk into the barn. I quickly join in with them and
we get things done in record time. After we finish, Cadence and I
check on Paisley.

“Mom’s cooking a big supper tonight and
wanted you to come too,” I say.

“I’d love to,” she says as she laces her
hands in mine.

Cadence fills Paisley in on prom night and
then we visit with Ms. Mae and Regina on the porch. As dinnertime
approaches, I excuse myself to go home and change.

“If you’ll give me about fifteen minutes,
I’ll go with you,” Cadence says.

“Sure, I’ll wait here. I’m sure Jade will
love that.”

I call for Jade when we arrive. Of course,
she’s in front of that TV with a book in hand.

“Hey y’all! I’m in here,” she says, putting
the book down. She stands to give Cadence a hug and I leave the two
of them to do what girls do and get ready.

I quickly shower and shave before going
downstairs, but the sound of giggling from Jade’s room stops
me.

“So… y’all didn’t, ya know?” Jade
questions.

“No. Why does everyone think that?” Cadence
asks.

“Duh, because it was prom night but,
honestly, I figured you already had.”

“What about you and Aaron?” Cadence asks,
but I quickly tap on the door before Jade can answer. I don’t need
or want to know that answer.

“What y’all talkin’ ‘bout in here?” I say
with a smirk.

“We were just having a little girl talk,”
Jade says as we all walk downstairs and have supper with my
parents.

After supper, we help clear the table and
Cadence and I walk out on the front porch.

She starts to take a seat on the step and I
shake my head no. I want to show her something. Leading her past
the barn, she gives me a questioning look until she sees the old
swing hanging from the tree.

“It’s not going to break is it?” she asks as
she takes a seat.

“Nah. Mom and Dad come out here all the
time.”

“That’s sweet,” she states as I start to
push her. I continue to push her in silence as we watch the sun set
behind the trees. When the first star appears Cadence whispers,
“Barrick, do you ever wonder why those stars are placed in the sky?
I mean, like, their location.”

“Not really,” I say as I push her
gently.

“I’ve been thinking. Do you think people are
put in our lives at certain times just like the stars above?”

“Absolutely,” I say as she leans her head
back to look at me and I kiss her lips gently before taking her
home.

Chapter 33

Cadence

The next two weeks fly by and I’m still
anxiously waiting for an acceptance letter. On Tuesday afternoon, I
swing by the house to check the mail before going to the studio.
There’s nothing in the mailbox and I can only assume that Gran has
already gotten the mail. I quickly go to the house to ask, knowing
I have to be at the studio within the hour.

“Gran!” I call as I walk in the house.
“Anything…” I start to say as I see two monster envelopes on the
table. One is from East Carolina University and the other is from
the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. My heart begins to
beat rapidly.

“So, you gonna open them or what?” Gran asks
as she walks in the room. I didn’t think one would arrive today,
let alone two.

“I don’t know if I can. What if they don’t
want me?” I ask her.

“Then they are dumb as rocks, and bigger and
better things are on your way. But I’m guessing the bigger the
envelope, the better,” she says wisely.

I take the envelope from UNCG, which is on
top, and rip it open.

Ms. Lewis, Thank you for your application.
You have been accepted for the Fall 2016 semester at the
University…

I stop reading at that point and then take
the other envelope and tear it open; I can’t believe what I
see.

Ms. Lewis, we would like to congratulate you
on your admission to East Carolina University.

Dropping the letters on the table, I look at
Gran. “I told ya so,” she says as she gives me a great big hug.

I take a few minutes to process what has
happened. I’ve been accepted to both schools. They are the two best
in the state and Jade is going to one of them. We could be
roommates but I’m drawing the line at matching comforters. I can’t
wait to tell her.

I know I’ve got to get to the studio but
when I see that Barrick’s truck is still at the barn, I sprint down
and find him in the tool closet.

“I got in!” I exclaim, as he turns to face
me with the biggest smile on his face. I jump into his arms as he
spins me around.

“Which one?”

“Both ECU and UNCG!”

“I never doubted it for a moment,” he says
as he looks me in the eyes and kisses me sweetly. “Aren’t you
supposed to be at the studio?”

“I had to check the mailbox first,” I
shrug.

“I’m so proud of you! How about we celebrate
tonight? Me and you under the stars?”

“Sounds perfect! I’ll be finished at the
studio around seven,” I state.

“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at eight after I
clear it with Ms. Mae,” he winks.

“I love you, Barrick Carpenter,” I say as I
leave my arms around his neck.

“I love you more than life itself,” he says
as we stare into each other’s eyes and I swear I can see into his
soul.

I can’t contain my excitement when I get to
the studio and tell Jade about the acceptance letters. We jump up
and down while Ms. Lyndsay congratulates me. She declares that we
need to celebrate, so instead of flex we have freestyle hour. I’m
truly blessed that I have a dance family that celebrates each
other’s accomplishments. Before leaving, Ms. Lyndsay pulls me to
the side and tells me how proud she is of me.

“Thank you. I’m excited I got in but what if
I don’t get into the dance program at either one?” I ask with
concern.

“We will worry about that in the future, but
right now you have one foot in the door. You also have two options.
Take a moment to think about where you see yourself. Is it UNCG or
ECU? Where does Cadence Lewis feel at home? The choice is yours,
but I have a feeling your heart already has an answer.” She’s
right. I know exactly where I belong.

Barrick

When Cadence pulls out of the driveway, I
walk up to the house to ask Ms. Mae for permission to celebrate
tonight since it’s a school night.

“Hey Ms. Mae,” I say as I sit on the front
porch. “How about our girl?”

“I know! I’m so excited. Two schools in the
same day. Which one do you think she’ll choose?”

“Honestly, I think she’ll go wherever she
gets into the dance program. I’m not sure if she has time for a
company to pick her up,” I state as I take a seat beside her.

“Good point. I just want that sweet fireball
to be happy. She’s had to deal with so much shit. She deserves to
be happy,” Ms. Mae says with so much heart.