Home is Where the Heart is (2 page)

Cassie took in the awe-inspiring landscape of tall trees and plants that surrounded the creek they were sitting near, remembering the stolen moments and kisses they once shared here, their two shadows becoming one and reflecting off the murky water. She knew this place wasn’t
really
their spot, but with so many moments that defined their relationship happening here, it could have been renamed ‘Jordan and Cassie’s Creek’. They shared their first kiss under the tree after Jordan organized a candlelight picnic for their first date. They ended their Homecomings and Proms here dancing under the moonlight. Recently, Jordan and Cassie enjoyed one last hoorah here with their closest friends after their high school graduation to mark the next chapter of their lives.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s attention lay elsewhere than the setting they were in. His dark brown eyes wandered up and down Cassie’s body from head to toe as though he was taking a mental image to capture the very essence of his high school sweetheart. He didn’t want to forget a single moment with this stunning beauty while he was away. He took in the way her long blonde tresses were parted over one bare shoulder. He took in every curve of her body, the way her skinny-leg jeans hugged all the right parts, and the way the strapless flowery top fit her without looking like she was going to pop out of it like a lot of girls did.

She was beautiful, but what he loved most about his girl was the way her whole demeanor changed when she experimented with different recipes in the kitchen, baking all kinds of delicious goodies. He was going to miss being the one to sample everything she made. Cassie was a natural in the kitchen, and the two of them only hoped she improved on her culinary skills even further.

The couple’s one-on-one time came to a quick end when Jordan’s mobile phone buzzed from within his pocket. Cassie frowned. Reality had a funny way of creeping up on you when you least wanted it to. She wished she could stop time and stay this way forever—peaceful and still-like, but life had its special way of working out sometimes, and it had other plans for Jordan and Cassie.

Cassie pushed herself to a sitting position on their grassy spot to allow Jordan to slide his phone out and read his messages.

“They’re from my dad,” Jordan said, shutting the power off on his phone. Cassie nodded her head, her lips making a straight, narrow line; of course, it was his father. For as long as Cassie had been dating Jordan, his father was always trying to find ways to break them up. Too bad for him—they hadn’t worked.

“I guess we better go then; you don’t want to keep him waiting.” Cassie didn’t need another reason to make his dad hate her. He already disliked her, because he failed to keep them apart. She was still his only child’s girlfriend.

When Cassie tried to rise to her feet, Jordan pulled her back down to his level.

His fingers traced along her cheekbone, cupping her face in his hands before giving her one final, fervent kiss, making it longer than all the others while his finger slowly grazed her face tenderly. “Wherever I am, always know you have my heart, and no one can ever take it away from you. You’re my forever and always, baby.” His voice was bottomless and gruff. Cassie tried desperately to believe him. She only hoped their love would stand the distance, and that she would be enough to keep him going throughout his college experience when he’d come home to visit.

Present Day…

“I’
m so glad you decided to take Nick and me up on coming out with us tonight,” Gabby chortled broadly, tossing her straight black mane over one shoulder. She directed her eyes toward her blonde-haired best friend sitting nonchalantly on a bar stool next to her.

“I am too. This is just what I needed,” Cassie responded, lifting her glass of white wine to her mouth to take a sip.

“I could not agree with you more. I think we both need a good looking man to tell us how pretty we are and show us a good time.” Gabby showed a high-spirited grin.

Cassie shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. I’m not here in search of a man; I’m not interested in a relationship right now. I have enough baggage in my life as it is. I definitely don’t need anymore. I just came for the good company, but it also doesn’t hurt to browse the eye candy even though I’m not looking to go home with anyone tonight. After all, I’m not blind yet.”

She was referring to Gabby and Nick; the trio had been friends since they were five years old. She and Gabby had been friends for too long not to have some of her men antics rub off on her. Yellow Valley was too small of a Texas town, where you always knew everyone residing here, and your personal business didn’t stay personal for very long. Sometimes Cassie wondered if the townspeople discovered information about her life even before she did.

“Of course, your reason for ditching the track pants in favor of a sparkly dress has
nothing
to do with a certain tall, dark, brown-eyed man being back into town. Mm, yeah, I would want to distract myself too. We don’t want Yellow Valley’s golden-boy interrupting your life again—not when you’re just now getting over him in the first place and moving on with your life,” Gabby said. “Lord knows, he’s done enough damage already.”

Everyone knew Cassie’s ex-boyfriend. He was the town’s local hero. He was a resident boy who was the only person to ever make the big leagues in the NFL—the
only
big thing to come out of Yellow Valley really. His name was legendary around town thanks to his starting position with the Miami Dolphins, but to those who personally knew of Jordan Castillo, he was simply once known as Cassie’s boyfriend, and the one who got away.

“May I say—he also happens to be a very good friend of mine,” Nick interrupted, speaking for the first time since they arrived at Mickey’s Tavern, one of the only places you could go to unwind from the workweek.

Gabby rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Nick.

“I think you mean you
used
to be good friends. Not anymore—since he ditched us for his fancy football scholarship at the University of California. When was the last time you talked to him? He was my friend too…until he dumped Cassie through a freakin’ text message. Now I’d like to kick his ass and give him a piece of my mind for breaking my friend’s heart the way he did.”

Nick grasped the handle on his mug of beer, ready to take a sip of beer. “Whatever, but just so you know, I didn’t decide to come hang out with you ladies tonight so you could discuss how you’re interested in hooking up with other men. I think you’re both forgetting something very important here,” said Nick.

“What’s that?” Gabby questioned him in a challenge-like tone.

For as long as Cassie had known Nick and Gabby, they were always testing the water with each other through their quick-witted banter aimed at each other amongst challenges and dares to outwit and outsmart the other. Relationships were never their strong suit, opting to go for something much more casual but they each thought they were better equipped to be in a relationship than the other.

Nick pulled the sleeves of his crisp, blue, collared shirt up around his elbows. “I’m a building contractor and I’m fit. I can kick any guy’s ass that messes with my friends. Besides, I’ve known the both of you for a very long time. I know things about you. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me spilling them to other people.”

“And as much as I would love to hear all about what you know about us, I’m going to stop you right there,” Cassie interposed, and then turned to Gabby. “I’m flattered you’re willing to help me find a good looking man to date, but it’s not necessary, because I’m not interested in dating anybody right now…and it’s not because I’m still hung up on Jordan. I’m simply content in my life at the moment. While the little time we’ve been here has been fun, I’m going to have to be the party pooper of the evening and say I’m leaving now.”

“Better offer?” Nick quizzed.

Cassie beamed and tossed a strand of her long golden tresses over one shoulder as she hopped off the bar stool, finishing the last of her drink. “You could say that. Have fun guys; don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Cassie flashed a wink, leaning in toward her best friend and whispering in her ear, “But maybe not too much fun.”

Gabby gave a short little laugh. “Yeah, like that’s possible when I’m with him,” she muttered, pointing at Nick.

“It’s been really nice being in your company, considering you don’t get out much at night—like you’re some kind of hermit crab—but it’s been fun, just like old times,” said Nick, running his hands through his dirty blonde hair as he briefly stood up and squeezed Cassie in a hug. “With the exception of one thing, of course,” he voiced inaudibly, taking in the scent of Cassie’s sweet, strawberry-scented hair. His remark—referring to Jordan not being with them like he always was in the past—didn’t go unheard by Gabby though, to which she replied, “Thank God.”

There was definitely no love lost between Gabby and Cassie’s former flame.

Cassie and Nick chose to disregard her sharp comeback about Jordan.

“Are we still on for tomorrow?” Cassie asked Nick.

Nick nodded his head with a huge grin. “Absolutely, I’ll see you then. Have a good night.”

One thing Cassie loved about her friends was that they were always there for her, and God knows, she had given her friends plenty of reasons to ditch her in her time of need. In the past six years though, when life threw her too many challenges and curveballs to even name, she knew—despite how arduous those tests proved to be at times—she always had the encouragement of her friends standing next to her. She was very appreciative to have them as a part of her life, like they were her second family.

After exchanging good nights with each of her friends, Cassie turned and made her way toward the exit door of the tavern, sidestepping and nudging through the maze of people currently occupying the room tonight. There were more than usual, or so Cassie assumed; it wasn’t like she was a frequent visitor of Mickey’s Tavern, and she hadn’t been for quite some time. Something was definitely up tonight.

As she wove around everyone—realizing she hadn’t known Yellow Valley was home to so many people—bodies brushed past her without so much as a ‘sorry’ or glance in her direction. It was like she was invisible, and before she knew it, she was pushed to the ground, falling down on her knees.

Yeah, what an awesome night I’m having
, she thought to herself as she blew loose hair out of her face.
Rude people!

You’d think that as small of a town as she lived in, someone would come help her, or at the very least have the courtesy to watch where they were going and lookout for the people around them. Who would just push someone over, not apologize, and help them up?

This was her life, she realized, and one of the many reasons why she didn’t go out at night.

Then suddenly, help came in the most unlikely of people. Slowly, a hand reached down to pick her up, and without a peep, Cassie held onto the hand for support. As she ungracefully rose to her feet, she fell into the arms of someone who was most definitely no stranger to her. She didn’t need to see his face to know who had rescued her from getting trampled by the crowd, and she was instantly taken back to a time in her past she could remember very well.

He was here.

In Yellow Valley.

And she was in his arms again, just like old times.

Cassie leaned in closer, smelling his masculine fragrance. His smell hadn’t changed. He still wore Calvin Klein, a cologne she had given him as a Christmas present one year.

She was snapped out of her familiarity-haze when she felt the resilient presence of his hands on her waist, and then he spoke to her, his voice still the same profound timbre.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

Cassie nodded her head, shaking him off and managing to collect her thoughts enough to let the word
yes
stumble out of her mouth. Then, when she could muster the right words together, she thanked him.

Cassie was simply not expecting to literally run into him tonight, despite knowing he was back home. Did he still think of Yellow Valley as his home? This was his first time back since leaving six years ago, and she knew he had made a home for himself in Miami, where he was now based. This was simply the town he was born in, used as his launch pad to stardom in the NFL. There was nothing keeping him from leaving again anyway, and for Cassie, she liked it that way.