Cass: I’ll let Aunt Jolene know that you think her scent is yummy. How early do you want me to be ready?
I put my phone down but was surprised when it beeped right away.
Cash: Why would you do that to me?
Be ready for us at eight. I’m serious about dressing comfortably. No heels.
Cass: You’re joking right?
I’ll be ready at eight fifteen. It’ll do you guys some good to practice your patience.
Cash: I’ll be at your door at eight and if the door isn’t locked in your room by eight oh one, I’m coming in. I wanna see all the things Hayes got to see.
Cass: You’ve seen way more than Hayes.
Just an FYI.
Cash: Seven fifty-nine.
I laughed and checked the time. I had plenty of time so I took a long shower and then sat on the bathroom counter and tried to braid my hair. I had a video playing on my phone and both hands holding knots when Aunt Jolene walked in.
“Jesus Christ. You look like an ape trying to pick up a toothpick. Just let go of your hair and let me help.” She swatted at my hands when I didn’t move them fast enough. “I will never forgive your momma for leaving us before she taught you a thing about your hair. Or your daddy for never becoming one of those internet dads who get three million views and probably hundreds of tit pics because he can put his kid’s hair in a messy ass ponytail that falls down within the kid’s first ten breaths.”
I grinned. “You woke up peachy.”
She’d picked up a brush and she waved it at me in the mirror. “I’m about to untangle your hair. You wanna try again?”
“Good morning, Aunt Jolene. You look beautiful and like sweet birds came inside during the night and combed your eyelashes.” I laughed when her face pinched together and her lips puckered like she’d sucked on a lemon. “Kidding. I know you don’t comb your eyelashes. You brush them.”
She stared at me for a moment longer than was comfortable and then her whole face relaxed and her mouth fell open. “You got laid.”
I gasped. “No!”
She grabbed a handful of my hair and waved the brush over it. “Do not lie to me, Cass. I will brush your hair starting at the top and I will not do it gently.”
“What’s wrong with starting at the top?”
“Oh, my god.” She stepped back and looked up at the ceiling. “Sweet baby Jesus, give me strength. We’re going to have a little class on how to brush your fucking hair right now, young lady. And then you’re going to tell me who you screwed and how it was.”
“Can’t. I have a date at eight.” My smile was too wide for me to play off that I wasn’t excited to see the guys.
“You have time for me to brush your hair and you can talk while I brush. And braid. You’re a mess.” She started brushing and shook her head. “Talk. Talk, talk, talk.”
By the time my phone showed it was eight, someone had already knocked on the door. I looked at myself in the mirror once more, wondering if I looked okay. I was in shorts and a tank top with my hair in dutch braids, as Aunt Jolene was sure to inform me. I never really wore makeup but the nervous flutter in my stomach wondered if I should.
“Cass! There’s a hot young man at the door for you and it’s been a few days since I felt the touch of a man so you might want to hurry!” Aunt Jolene sing-songed the last few words and I rushed out of the bathroom grinning.
Cash stood at the front door with a slightly horrified look on his face until he saw me. A grin stretched across his mouth and his eyes fully crinkled in the corners. He had his baseball hat in his hands and for a moment he looked so sweet and innocent that it took my breath away. Then I saw something hungry in his gaze before he could hide it. He hadn’t hit his head or anything then.
“Have fun. Don’t do anything I haven’t done and if you do, name it after me!”
I grabbed Cash’s hand and tugged him away from the house, a huge smile on my face. “Thanks, Aunt Jolene! Love you!”
37
***Weston***
Cassidy was different that morning. Her smile was real and she looked so happy that it confused me. I wasn’t sure what’d changed but something had. Things had been good at the field party so maybe it was that? Before I looked away, though, I saw her bite her bottom lip and lean closer to Cash so he could whisper something to her that made her cheeks turn pink.
