Finding Charley (Full Circle) (22 page)

When I reach the top, I gasp. 
“Cash!  You shouldn’t have.”  The club is lit up on the inside with Christmas lights from top to bottom.  It’s like a mini prom just for us.  Looking at the small table, I see a twenty ounce Choice Cherry Gold and two goblets.  Cash excuses himself and places a CD into the player.

“Wh
en did you have time for this?”

“I wanted to do it last night, but it didn’t work out.  I made a CD of all the songs that make me think of us the other night.  I wanted you to hear it with me for the first time.  When those plans changed last night, I thought I was going to have to wait for who knows how long. Then, you told me he was gone, and I spent my free time today on this."

“It’s like a fairytale.  I love it… and you.”  Cash starts the CD, stands and walks toward me.  Track number one is a no-brainer; it’s Luke Bryan’s “Crash my Party”.  He sings every word as he holds me in his strong and safe arms.  I close my eyes and soak him in.  He smells like clean sweat and the woods. His touch is rough, yet tender, and his voice is like liquid gold.  Without opening my eyes, our lips meet and he tastes like wintergreen mixed with sweet cherries.

As the song ends and track two begins, I get lost in where I am, who I’m with, and what is going on outside these four walls.  I need Cash Money.  I want every p
art of him.

Trying to make sure that Cash knows what my mind is thinking, I feel him pull away.

“Cash, please don’t pull away.”

“Char-coal, I promised you that nothing would happen until our wedding night, and I mean that.”

“But, what if that doesn’t happen?”  He stops and a streak of pain flashes in his eyes.

“What do you mean, Char-coal?”

“What if the plan doesn’t work, and I can’t escape him?  What if you don’t get the chance to show me?”

“Listen to me.  Remove that thought from your mind because we will get our happily ever after.  Don’t you ever doubt
that!”

“It’s just that even Tessa was starting to doubt Dustin today.  It made me think that I can’t control everything but here and now… and right now, I want you.”  I trail my index finger down his chest.  I can feel his breaths increase even as he tries to slow them.

Cash closes his eyes when my hands reach the top of his belt.  “Char… we can’t.  This isn’t what tonight is about.”

I pause and give him a quick kiss.
“Then. What. Is. This. About?”  I slowly punctuate between each kiss.

Taking every ounce of control, Cash answers, “Tonight's about the start of a foundation. 
One that we will base the rest of our lives upon.  I want you, Charley Anne, more than anything I’ve ever desired in my entire life. But, when we become one, I don’t want any what ifs, fears, or unknown outcomes.  I want you completely.  That’s why we can’t.”

Knowing that I will not win this, I pull myself close to him again as we sway our hips back and forth to the music.  I close my eyes and forget about everything but Cash Money and me.

Chapter 24

I awake to the sound of the wind blowing outside the club.  I smile once I take a minute to realize where I am.  Last night was perfect. 
Our club, Cash Money, and I… alone.

Cash’s arms are wrapped around me, and I want to stay in them forever, but I know I need to get back before Mama realizes I’m not home. 
Shit! 
  I hope Dad’s not out on the farm already.

I begin to move, but Cash squeeze
s his arms tighter.  Deciding exactly how he needs to wake up, I roll toward him, trail my hands up his chest, and place my lips onto his.  Once he is very much awake, I pull away from him.

“Mornin’, Cash Money.”

He smiles a half-grin and guides my lips back to his.  Our make-out session continues, and then Cash slows the movements.  He stops and stares at me.

After not being able to take it anymore, I speak.

“What?”  I say sweetly, tilting my head and allowing my hair to brush his face.

“I just want to take every bit of you in and sear it in my mind, so that no matter what is going on, we are together.”

“Cash, we will always be together.  You’re my forever, and I’m yours, right?  You’re not doubting, are you?”

“No, but I do have to share you with someone… someone that I want to hang out back and skin him like a deer.  You are what
gets me through this.”

“How about we make the best days of our lives while Dylan’s gone?”

“Sounds like a perfect plan to me.  Where do you want to start?”

“Well, I have an idea,” Cash says
as he pulls me closer to him.

“I think
I like your idea.”

Cash’s lips ignite mine, and I do have to say that I’m starting to understand the importance of us waiting because there is so much more
that can happen besides that.

Seeing the sun begin to get higher in the sky, I know I have to leave Cash, but knowing with the absence of Dylan I don’t have to put him in a bad position makes the day brighter.

“Hey, Cash, I need to get back.  Dad will be at the barn soon, if he isn’t already.”

“I know.”  He kisses me briefly, and we make our way out of the club.

“Look. I’m going to try to get you as close to the house as possible, but help me look out.”

“Maybe I should call Tessa?”

“Great idea, Char-coal.  Sometimes I miss the obvious.”

Grabbing Cash’s phone, I call Tessa.  Dad is in the house, so we know we have a few minutes.  Jumping on the four-wheeler, we make our way to the barn.  Cash kisses
me quickly, and I hurry to the house and into my window where Tessa is standing to help me back in.

Turning around, I see Cash watching.  I blow him a
kiss, he catches it, and pulls it to his heart.  My heart just melted.

Rushing to help Dad with the morning chores, I change clothes and hurry
downstairs to go to the barn.

“Hey, Charley!
  Glad to see you this morning,” Dad says from the living room.

“I was just about to go to the barn to help ya.  You’re a little later than normal, aren’t ya?”

“Yeah, this old man needed a few extra minutes.  My back is all stove up.”

“You really need to take it easy.  I’ll be glad to help while I’m home.”

“I know, but you also have to train and your friends are coming.  It’s just all those years of football catchin’ up with me.”

“Well, ol’ man, I might be able to help ya out.”

Dad and I make our way to the barn.  I take the bale of hay to the horses, slop the hogs, and check on the goats while he collects the eggs from the chickens.  We take care of everything in record time.  Dad informs me that he needs to do a little maintenance to the tractor shed.

“You want me to help?”

Dad gives me a look that expresses the need for me to drop the subject.

“Char, I might have been a little slow moving this mornin’, but I ain’t going to the old folks home just yet.”

“Aight, I get it, Dad.  I’ll see you after practice.”

I leave Dad while he gathers his tools to work and go back to the house.  While Mama is putting the finishing touches on breakfast, I hurry upstairs and grab my bag. I walk through the kitchen, talk to her a minute, grab two pieces of bacon, a Choice Cherry
Gold and make my way to GPAC.

The sets aren’t too bad today.  Enjoying the fact that Dylan won’t be there, I soak in the environment.  Since this is like my second home, I take a few extra minutes to enjoy it w
ithout any games being played.

As I get out of the pool, Coach motions for me to come toward him.

“What’s up, Coach?”

“Just checking to see how your holiday has been. I wanted to make sure everything was okay… with you and Dylan.”

That catches me off guard.  “Everything’s fine.  Why do you ask?”

“Charley, you are one of the top swimmers to ever come through GPAC.  You are so much stronger than Dylan, but don’t tell him I said that.  You could have easily gone Division One, but you didn’t.  Just don’t let him hold
you back.  You have bigger and better things in your future.”

“Thanks, Coach.  Coming back to the pool is the best decision I’ve ever made.  If the girls at Southern hadn’t pushed me, I wouldn’t be here now.”

“I’m glad you have a strong foundation, and I think you might have some awesome news once you get back.”

Coach has my curiosity piqued.  I wonder what he knows.

Coach dismisses me, and I hurry to get back home.  I have a lot to do before the Kluft girls arrive, and I know that Mama isn’t gonna let me out of her sight until that house is put back to her standards.

On my way to the house, my phone rings, glancing at the screen I cringe… Dylan.  Putting on my game face, I answer with the giddiness of a teenage
r at a Justin Bieber concert.

“Hey!”

“Well, hey, Charley!  You sound like you’re having a great morning without me.” 
Crap!  That wasn’t what I expected. 
“Was the pool that much better without me?”  he questions.

“Uh…It was nice to have it all to myself, but Coach said something to me that has me excited.”

“Really?  What?”

“I’m not sure.  He just said that I have some news waiting when I get back to Southern.”

“I’m sure it will be well worth the wait.  So, what do you have planned today?”

“Mama has my day planned, but I was able to help Dad on the farm before practice.  Let’s just say that since the Kluft girls are coming, Mama wants the house spotless.  Other than that, I’m sure Piper, Tessa, and I will hang out.  Maybe I can talk Piper into helping me clean.”

“Yeah, good luck with that!  That’s about like Tessa helping out.”

That comment makes me laugh because it is so true.

“I guess you’re right, but hey, it was a thought.”

“Well, we are going to visit more family today.  Then, all the cousins are going to some bar later.  They said it’s like Turtle’s, but with a dance floor.  It should be interesting.”

In a pouting voice, I reply.  “Just make sure you miss me.  I sure could use a dance or two with you.”

“Oh, no one will take your place, and I agree a night of dancing is what we need.  Too bad we didn’t get to at Whiskey River.”

“I know… there will be another time, I’m sure.”

“You can bet on it.”  The comment sends chills up my spine, and I’m glad I’m now on my long driveway.

“Well, I’m home.  Guess I better get this cleaning over and done with.”

“Good luck, Charley.  I’ll call you before we go out tonight.  Oh, and I miss you.”

“Sounds good.  I miss you, too.”

We disconnect, and I enter the house.  I can see that Mama has already gotten the boxes down to put away the Christmas decorations.  Tessa is cleaning the kitchen.
Impressive.

“Want some help, Tess?” 

She tosses me the drying towel, and we finish in no time.  Within seconds of finishing the dishes and wiping the counter, Mama is waiting to get started on removing the ornaments from the tree.

“Girls, y’all get the ornaments off while I gather the other whatnots around the house.”

“Yes, ma’am,” we both say.

Tessa turns on
CMT
, and we sing and dance as we undress the tree.  We laugh, act silly like we are five years old, and enjoy our time together.  One other constant in my life is Tessa.  She’s the one that understands me and what I’m going through.  She’s also the one who has covered for me in ways that I didn’t know were possible.  Even though I give her a lot of crap about always being gone when work is to be done, she’s never missing when I need her most.

“Hey, Tessa… thanks.”

“For what?”

“For not leaving when I needed you most,” I say as I bump into her shoulder.

“Char, you know I’m always here.  I’d never run when you need me to stand beside you.  You’re my sister, and I will never break that promise to you… never.”

Our loving moment is interrupted by Mama. “Great!  Now let’s get this tree to the burn pile and these boxes to the loft in the barn.”

After helping Mama remove the decorations from the house, we then begin the task of cleaning.  Starting with downstairs, Tessa dusts while I clean the bathrooms, and Mama vacuums.

Once we finish our tasks, Tessa and I head to our rooms to clean our disaster areas.  Surprisingly, it doesn’t take as long as I had imagined, but I’m exhausted once we are done.  I’m not sure if it’s from cleaning or everything else going on in my life—my late night with Cash, practice, or working on the farm.  Regardless, I’m ready to sit back and relax for a little while.

A week without Dylan has been exactly what I needed.  I spent it with Piper, Tessa, and Cash when no one was watching.

“Charley, I need you to help me finish getting the house ready for the Kluft girls.”  I snicker at Mama as she refers to them as the Kluft girls.