“So, you’re just going to run away like
Cowardly Custard?” Cade sleep roughened voice said from behind Dixie, making
her whirl around in surprise and shock.
She sighed and put her hands on her hips,
squinting in the dim light of the early morning sun. “How is it possible you
are even up at this hour? When I made flight arrangements out of Denver, hired
the car, and then went to bed, you were hip deep in tequila with the boys and
making up alternate lyrics to ‘Wheel in the Sky’ by Journey. For what it’s
worth, I think you should probably hang up any designs you have on joining a
band as a lyricist, and I’m just saying that as a friend.”
Cade half heartedly flipped her the bird.
“No wonder Metallica hasn’t been returning my calls. But more importantly, are
you running away like Cowardly Custard?” he repeated, and she rolled her eyes
slightly.
“Are you still drunk?”
“No, I’m just very hung over and not in
the mood to talk you off some ledge this early in the morning,” Cade said,
disguising a yawn and running a hand through his unruly blond hair.
“No ledge,” Dixie said brightly. “Both
feet are solidly on the ground, and heading for the airport. I’m going home.
I’m not running away, I’m not being cowardly, but I’m thinking that right now,
Nicky and I don’t have a relationship enough to work together. Maybe, in time,
we can come to an agreement, but right now, I truly think it would be
detrimental for me to work as his trainer. And believe it or not, I’m really
bummed about leaving.”
“You guys fought?” Cade asked simply, sinking
down on the front step and watching her.
“Um. Yeah. To say the least,” Dixie
replied softly, her chest constricting at the thought of the words they had
said to each other in the darkness. “It started off really… and then it got
really… and then it really wasn’t. You know?”
Cade nodded sagely. “That makes absolutely
no sense whatsoever. You know that, right?”
Dixie sighed in frustration. “Yes, I know
that. We almost hooked up, then we fought about it, and then we broke up before
we ever went out. And if you repeat that to anyone, I will deny any and all
knowledge and then I’ll break both your legs. Well, I probably won’t do it myself,
but I’ll hire someone to do it for me.”
“You were gonna hook up with Gamble?” Cade
asked, trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably.
“Like you didn’t see that coming ages ago,”
Dixie said, finally flopping down beside him on the stoop, the hired car still
not in sight on the property. “You’ve been plotting it from the start for him
and I to hook up, and don’t even deny it. I’m on to you.”
“I won’t deny it, but I’m kinda pissed it
didn’t take. You guys would be adorbs together.”
“God, you are still drunk if you are using
the words ‘adorbs’,” Dixie said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “What are you,
a fifteen year old girl? Adorbs?!”
“What did you fight about?” Cade asked, ignoring
her accusation.
He’s an emotionless automaton, I’m scared of
intimacy, and we’re too stubborn to do anything about it so instead of trying,
we just going to, you know, not try,” Dixie said, noting how idiotic the fight
sounded in the plain light of day.
“Sounds pretty true to me,” Cade confirmed
and Dixie poked him in the ribs once.
“Gee. Thanks.”
“So what?” Cade replied, flicking her ear
in retaliation for the poke. “You work through it, you fix it, and then you get
together and get started on happily ever after. And you, missy, need to get
over your hang-ups about your—“
“Don’t,” Dixie interrupted and Cade
shrugged, his eyes meeting hers.
“You do. I swear by all that is holy, it’s
not as bad as you think it is.”
“I know, and I’m working on it, but...”
Dixie trailed off.
“Just tell him. He’ll understand – God, if
anyone would understand what you went through, don’t you think it would be
him?”
“I don’t know, Cade. I don’t know where we
are. So until I do, I’m leaving. Tell Earl thanks for the birthday party, and thanks
to you too, because I know it was your brain child in the first place. So thank
you.” She leaned over and kissed his stubbled cheek as the sleek black car
pulled into the circular drive, a driver hopping out as soon as the car was
parked and began loading her luggage. “Go back to bed, kiss Jackie good
morning, and then tell her to call me later so I can tell her what’s going on.
I know her flight home isn’t until later tonight, according to what I remember
from what she told me last night.”
“How on earth would I kiss her good
morning?” Cade asked, his voice a tad too innocent.
Dixie cocked her head and rolled her eyes
at his plot. “Please. I totally know you guys went to bed together. Spare me
the innocent act. And please call her afterwards – I don’t want you being ‘that
guy’. We hate ‘that guy’,” Dixie added and Cade smirked.
“I promise,” Cade said, slowly standing,
then turning and tugging her to her feet by the hands before pulling her into a
warm, crushing hug.
I know he’s difficult, but he’s a good man,
and I think you guys would be so good together, and I’m not just saying that because
I want to world to pair off. Don’t dismiss this forever, just go to your neutral
corners work through your shit individually, and then get back together. You’ll
see… it will all work out in the end.”
“I hope so, but until then, take care of yourself,
and please take care of him,” Dixie said, her voice soft. “I’ll see you on the
flip side, yeah?”
“Love ya, Dixieland,” Cade said, releasing
her and giving her a wide smile. “And that’s not the tequila talking, I swear.”
32605 / 50000
No comments:
Post a Comment