Tutus & Cowboy Boots (Part 2) (4 page)

“Oh my freaking gosh! What the hell?” she
screams, pushing my hand off her face and pushing both hands on my
chest. “What did you do?” I start to laugh. “Was that cow shit?” I
start laughing harder. “Barrick, I’m not joking. If you put that
shit on me. I’m going to—”

“You’re gonna do what?” I ask as she looks
around the barn. She takes a step toward me like she’s about to
attack but when she reaches me, the attack fades and she nuzzles
her face into my chest. I now have cow shit on my shirt but as she
wraps her arms around my waist and kisses me, I couldn’t care less.
She kisses me hard, and I follow along with her. As our kiss heats
up, she pushes me until my back is against the barn wall. As she
slows the kiss, I relax and then she pulls away.

“Looks like you could use a shower to cool
off,” she says as she grabs the water hose hanging to my left. Cold
water sprays me as she steps away and stands as if she’s got a
loaded gun.

“Ah!” I yelp, trying to shield myself as she
starts to laugh. “Cadence, you can stop now. I’m sorry,” I say as I
try and hide my face from the water hose. As she laughs she lowers
the hose, and I know it’s my chance. I grab her and pull her into
my soaking wet body as she lets out a high-pitched squeal.

“Barrick, stop!” She squirms but the smile
on her face lets me know she’s having fun.

“Hand me the hose and no one gets hurt,” I
say.

“Truce?” she asks.

“Truce.” I drop the hose but don’t let go of
her. “I think you owe me an apology.”

“Oh really? You started it,” she says as she
pulls her head away from me.

“I’m not going to apologize, but maybe I can
make it up to you. Want to go on a date tonight?”

“I’d love to, but it’s New Year’s Day. I
doubt anything is open around here. You guys close for
everything.”

“Good point, but I happen to know the movies
are always open.”

“I think I’d like that.”

“Good,” I say as I kiss her
forehead. “Now I’ve got to change since
somebody
thought I needed a shower.
I’m going to run home. Let Ms. Mae know I’ll be right
back.”

Chapter 6

Cadence

I can’t wipe the smile off of my face. I’m
cold, wet, shaking and need a shower, but all I can think about is
Barrick and how he makes me feel. I open the door, and all it takes
is one look from Gran to know I’m in trouble.

“Sit. I take it he’ll be a few minutes,” she
says, staring me down. I do exactly as she says. “Care to explain
yourself?”

“He started it!” I say in defense as I start
to laugh when I remember the look on his face.

“Listen to me, I know you
two have something going on. Be careful, Cadence. Barrick’s a good
boy, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a boy.”
What is she talking about?
“He thinks
with his penis, not his brain.”

“Ew, Gran! Please don’t say anymore!” I say,
covering my ears.

“It’s the truth. He’s as good as they come,
but they get those hormones going and it’s like they’re from
another planet. Believe me I know. Your gramps and I were young
once.” I stop her right there. I can’t handle this
conversation.

“Gran, stop! I don’t want to hear about you
and Gramps.” Just the thought makes me sick. She starts to
giggle.

“Your gramps was a good man, but he was hot
stuff back in the day. All the girls thought he was the cutest, and
how I got him, I’ll never know.”

“I do, Gran. It’s your snarky attitude and
no filter.”

“Hey, I just call it like I
see it, and right now, I see two young’uns starting to fall like me
and your gramps.” I shake my head. There’s no way. I like Barrick a
lot, but I’ve got so much I want to do. I want to perform and that
can’t happen here.
Performing… shit! It’s
freaking January and I’ve got to get my routine down and get my
applications in.
Even if something happened
between us, it’s not like it would last forever. We’re teenagers,
and we all know how those statistics work out. “You okay, Cade?”
Gran asks.

“Um, yeah. Just realized I forgot to do
something,” I say. She turns to the stove.

“Will you put ice in the glasses?” Gran
asks, and as she starts to ask about last night, we hear the front
door shut.

“We’re in the kitchen,”
Gran yells.
Crap!
I’m still in my wet clothes. Gran turns and tells me to wash
my hands thoroughly and I’ll be fine. I do as she says, and as I
dry my hands on the dishtowel, I feel him walk up behind
me.

“Want some help?” he questions.

“Sure. I’ll get the ice if you pour the
drinks,” I state. “Oh and I want water, not tea.” The thought of
all that sugar still makes my teeth hurt.

Barrick helps me like this is a normal thing
for him. I think about Dad and how we never did this as a family,
and here Barrick is helping in the kitchen. Thinking of Dad makes
me think of all I left behind and my mind begins to race as I think
about next year. How could I have been so stupid to lose focus? All
I wanted to do was dance and now I don’t even know where to apply.
When Gran gets my attention to let me know everything is ready, I
notice Mom isn’t in the kitchen.

Where’s Mom?

“Regina!” Gran yells down the hallway.
“Food’s ready.”

“Just a second,” she says.

“Y’all go ahead and fix your plates. I’ll go
and see what she’s doing.”

Gran exits the kitchen, leaving Barrick and
me alone.

“I thought you would’ve changed by now,” he
says.

“Gran stopped me to talk and I didn’t have
time. I did wash my hands though,” I say as I wiggle them in front
of me.

“Everything okay?” he asks as he sees me eye
the food on the table.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” He looks at me like he
doesn’t believe me and starts to laugh.

“Country ham, black-eyed peas, greens, and
cornbread. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

“I beg to differ. We look like we’re eating
Daisy’s food,” I say as I wrinkle my nose.

“You have to eat it today. It’s New Year’s.
The greens bring you wealth and the peas bring good luck.”

“What are you talking about?” I
question.

“Y’all don’t do this up there?” He motions
toward the ceiling, and I find his sense of direction super
cute.

“Nope. Sometimes Mom would make pork and
sauerkraut, but most of the time it was Chinese or chicken wings
while we watched the bowl games. This is crazy.”

“You have to at least eat a bite of each,”
he says.

“Fine,” I say as a put just a few greens on
my plate. As for the peas, I like them so I add several spoonfuls,
then I take a small piece of ham and cornbread. I notice that
Barrick has poured vinegar all over his greens. “What are you
doing?”

“Tastes better this way.”

“Let me try,” I say as I pour a dab on mine.
We take a seat and wait for Mom and Gran. I wonder what they are
doing and then I hear Gran talking to herself as she’s coming down
the hall.

“Gran, everything okay?” I ask.

“Your mama! I don’t know what I’m going to
do with her.”

“Do I even want to know?” I question.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough,”
she says and for some reason, I don’t like the sound of that.

A few minutes later, Mom walks in wearing a
cheesy grin. She makes her plate and takes a seat.

“So Mom, what’s up?” I ask as I take a bite
of ham. “Oh my gosh! What did someone do to this pig? Soak this in
a tub of salt?”

“Pretty much,” Barrick states as he takes a
bite of his like it’s the best thing ever.

“I’m going to blow up like a balloon. What
is this?”

“Country ham. It’s my favorite,” Gran says
and I shake my head while I turn my attention back to my mom.

“Mom?” I say, waiting for an answer.

“I’ve got a date tonight.”

“Huh?”
My mom has a date? How did this happen?
“With whom?” I ask, unable to eat another bite.

“Hamilton Parks.”

Why do I know that name? Then it hits me,
The Loft. “The man from The Loft?” A smile escapes Mom’s lips.
“When did this happen? Oh wait, I don’t want to know.” Barrick
giggles and I elbow him in the side.

“It’s just a date, Cadence. It’s not like
I’m going to get married again,” she says as she looks at Gran to
compliment her on the greens. I guess I better get that bite over
with as well.

They look like blades of
grass that have been soaking in a pool. I stab them with my fork
and as I place them in my mouth, the tartness of the vinegar
overpowers the greens and I swallow quickly.
Yuck!
Glad I only have to eat those
today.

As I finish eating, Barrick looks at me, and
then my mom. “Regina, would it be okay if Cadence and I went to the
movies tonight?” he questions.

“I think that would be fine. You know
break’s almost over Cadence, and you know what that means.”

A smile spreads across my face. “It’s crunch
time at dance.”

“Oh believe me, I know,” Barrick says,
shaking his head.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hello, have you met my sister? She’s a
nightmare to live with during this time of the year. She has been
since she started competing. I probably won’t see you now until the
summer,” he says with a laugh, but it kind of hurts my feelings. I
don’t want to see him this summer; I want to see him from now until
then.

He must recognize my expression. “I’m just
kidding, well kinda. I’ll still be around here, but Ms. Lyndsay is
no joke. You’ll be lucky if you get a break at Easter.”

Suddenly, I realize how my life has changed
in twenty-four hours. I wanted out of here and away from these
people. And now I want to spend every moment I can with Barrick. I
know I need to focus on dance but I also need to figure out what
I’m doing next year. Barrick definitely complicates things. And now
my mom is dating and Dad’s moving to Sweden. There’s just so much
to think about.

“Cade, are you okay?” Barrick asks, bringing
me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure, Cadence?” Mom asks.

“Yes, I was just thinking about what movie
we should go see.”

“Okay, well I’m going out to the barn to
finish up for the day,” Barrick says as he excuses himself from the
table.

Barrick

I excuse myself to finish
my chores but Cadence stays inside to talk to her mom. I’m not sure
she’s ready for her mom to date, but I know there’s something else
on her mind. She used the word
fine,
for crying out loud.

I can’t shake the bad
feeling as I work, and then suddenly I hear music.
She’s dancing.
I glance
out of the barn, and see her near the fence line.
Doesn’t she know it’s freezing out here?
I quickly finish the chores, and then watch her
from the barn. Her music is deep. The beat is strong, but it’s
obvious that whatever is going through her mind isn’t fine.
Do I go talk to her? Do I go home?
I’m not sure if that is the new or old Cadence out
there.
Screw it.
I
close up the barn and walk toward her.

As I approach, I take in her amazing body
and how it flawlessly moves to the beat. I can’t take my eyes off
of her and as I get closer, I can see the determination on her
face. She sees me out of the corner of her eye, but doesn’t stop
dancing. Instead she smiles, and I stop at a safe distance as I
wait for the song to end.

On the final beat, I take a step toward her.
“Does this have to do with you being fine?” I question.

She places her hands on her hips as she
catches her breath and places the music on pause.

“Maybe.”

“Want to talk about it?” I ask.

“Nope,” she says and just like that the old
Cadence is back.

Taking another step toward her, I grab her
iPod, and hit play. I’m shocked that I know the song. It’s a slow
one and definitely not country. I take her by the hand and pull her
in close as we sway to the beat without saying a word.

When the song ends, I pull away from her.
“I’ll pick you up at six,” I say as I back away and let her finish
what she started.

Chapter 7

Cadence

Holy cow! Literally. A cow
moos from the fence line when Barrick walks away.
What was that?
Right now
every thought I had about my future, Mom, and Dad has disappeared.
All I can think about is Barrick Carpenter and what he has done to
my world—he’s rocked it.

It takes a few minutes for my mind to focus
on anything but him walking toward his truck. When he opens the
door, he looks my way and smiles. I swear I melt into a puddle on
the ground. I take the happy place I’m in and focus on my routine.
Barrick’s sweet gesture has given me inspiration for my duet with
Jade. I finally know what this piece is missing. Heart.

When I can no longer stand the cold, I walk
to the house. I’m surprised to see Gran sitting on the front
porch.

“That was amazing, Cade,” she says.

“Thanks.”

“Have a seat,” she says as she hands me a
cup of hot tea. I’m freezing and take it graciously. “I’m not sure
what goes through that pretty little head of yours, but I know one
thing. You express it with dance. You’ve always done that. I know
your mama going on a date is big news, but there’s something else
you’re not talking about. Don’t say it’s your dad either.”

Taking a deep breath, I know I might as well
tell her because she won’t let it go until I tell her what’s wrong.
“I might have forgotten to do something.”

“Oh Lord, please tell me you’re not
pregnant!” she says with no filter.