Page 61 of The Story We Wrote

Aspen

It’d been a couple of days since the blowout with my parents and I still hadn’t heard from them. I needed to take a step awayand gather my thoughts before broaching the subject again. After talking with Parker, I thought a lot about what I was going to say or how I would say it without sounding wicked. Now, I was about to put my thoughts into actual words. Parker texted me to meet him at our parents’ house. It was the perfect moment to come clean and have the tough conversation knowing Parker would be by my side.

I decided to tell my parents that I respected their opinions and could see where they were coming from, but I didn’t plan on changing my choices. I’d apologize for how I reacted and for my own part in what happened the other day. That was the adult thing to do, not continue to fight like children having a tantrum.

Boone didn’t know what happened the last time I saw my mom and dad. That night, I didn’t tell him the details because I didn’t want to hurt him. He understood it didn’t go well and left it at that. I spent the night on the swing, letting him console me. Boone didn’t need to know the details to understand how upset I was, which said a lot about the connection we shared.

Pulling up to the house, I put my car in park and took a deep breath. My hope was that seeing my parents with Parker would give me someone on my side, it wasn’t two vs one. Using the confidence I had from my mental pep talk, I walked up to the front door and knocked. I didn’t feel like I could barge in like I used to, given how things went last time. I waited a few moments before knocking again. No one answered, which left me one choice, and that was to let myself in.

Doing that, I stepped sheepishly inside, peering around to see if anyone was there. The television was off, and my dad’s recliner chair was empty. I softly shut the door. Maybe they were taking a nap? Tiptoeing towards the kitchen, I heard a light chatter coming from the back porch. The sliding glass door to go outside was right off our kitchen, I stood by the window to see who was out there.

“Thank you for letting me come over, Mr. And Mrs. Westgrove. I hope I’m not intruding.” My jaw flew open, nearly hitting the floor, when I heard a voice I’d recognize anywhere. Peering outside, Boone was sitting with my family at the patio table. I saw the back of his head, topped with his cowboy hat. There was no mistaking that man; he went very few places without it. Always in the same white t-shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. My dad wore a straight face, not a frown or smirk. He sat with his arms crossed firmly across his chest. My mom sat beside him, blonde hair in a slick back bun. Unlike my dad, she had a faint smile.

Refusing to make myself known, I crouched down and stayed close enough I could hear the conversation.

“You came over unannounced, so I’d say you’re intruding,” my dad replied.

“I’ll make it quick then,” Boone quipped, not taking the sarcastic tone from my dad. “I like your daughter. It’s clear you don’t accept me or our relationship. I wanted to be a man and sit down with you both to address any of your concerns.” Boone put on his serious tone and spoke eloquently. It was kind of hot.

My mom interjected first. She was always softer than Dad. “We just want what is best for our daughter. Her success and happiness is our priority. We don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Not that we have anything to explain to you,” my dad chimed in. I rolled my eyes, groaning to myself.

“I get that,” Boone responded. “But her happiness and success are also my top priority, and I know her better than you think.” He was right. Boone knew me and my goals better than my parents did. I shared more with Boone in the last few months than I did with them in over twenty years.

“I know what’s best for my daughter. I raised her, and a Cassidy isn’t it. She’s better than this place and deserves toexplore what the world has to offer. She needs that,” my father replied.

“She needs it, or do you?” Boone spat back, keeping a calm tone. I gasped, my hand covering my mouth. “Aspen is a woman who enjoys the comforts of familiarity. She does the same routine every day and every night. She sticks with the same friends and has had the same hobby since she was a kid. She doesn’t need adventure or exploration. She needs someone who will respect her wishes and grow with her here in Faircloud.”

The corners of my eyes began to prick with tears. What Boone just said hit me hard. The way this man understood me, almost more than I understood myself, was unbelievable. My entire life, I’d done the same things, followed the same people, and wanted the same goals. I was a creature of habit, just like Boone. He meshed into my world so effortlessly, because deep down, we were the same.

My dad scoffed, speechless. My mom spoke instead, “She has always been gentle, easily bruised.”

“Ma’am, your daughter is stronger than you think. You’ve both done an amazing job raising her into the woman she is today. The way I feel about her isn’t something I’ve felt for anyone before. You can dwell on my past when I was a stupid boy. Today, I’m a man who cares about your daughter.” Boone spoke sweet and gentle just like he had when he was teaching me to ride a horse. He’d make an amazing father one day.

Hearing Boone say those things about me made my chest ache to the point I physically rubbed it with my hand. I was falling for this man and taking things slow was beginning to be much harder than I thought.

As a young girl, I read books about summer flings and thought,How could someone fall in love in one summer?Well, I was living proof that when you felt a connection as strong as I did with Boone, anything was possible. For the first time in mylife, I felt enthralled by a real man and not a fictional character. It was consuming and velvety, I wish everyone had a chance to experience it.

Standing up slowly, I showed myself. When I walked outside, all eyes snapped towards me. I didn’t feel shy or nervous. I felt empowered by Boone’s words. For the first time, I stepped foot into the same room as my parents and didn’t feel small.

“Hi, sweetie,” my mom said, standing to greet me with a hug. I didn’t say a word, but I hugged her back, staring right at Boone. Smiling, I mouthed,Thank you.

He tipped his hat towards me and winked, those damn butterflies being awoken once again.

Letting go of my mom, I sat next to Boone, who pulled out the chair for me. He was laying it on thick for my parents, and I didn’t mind it one bit. His hand found my thigh under the table, a reassuring touch that everything was okay.

“Dad,” I said, trying to engage him. Instead, he said nothing and barely looked in my direction. His attention was solely on Boone, who also refused to back down. “I’m sorry for how I handled the other day. I didn’t mean to come off as hateful or nasty and I’m owning up to it.”

My mom smiled, her shoulders sagging slightly. I continued, “But, I meant what I said. I’m not going to stop seeing Boone, and I’m not going back to school. I’m writing a book.” Now, I was smiling. It felt damn good to say that out loud. “I’m proud of myself for the farm stand, and I’m happy.” I placed my hand on Boone, squeezing it.

“That’s all we want,” my mom cooed. I knew that’s all they ever wanted, but their distorted version of my happiness was them projecting the life they wanted onto me.

“I am. I don’t know how else to prove it to both of you. I need you to take my word for it,” I said.

My mom nodded, and so did my dad. He was done with the conversation, and there was no convincing him until he saw it with his own eyes. I was taking the nod, the surrender, as a win. With time, I’d prove to them both that Boone and I were perfect for each other. I’d show them that being an author was right for me, and they could worry less.

I don’t know how long that will take. I was willing to go the extra mile every time to convince them it was okay to loosen the reins and let me take control of my own fate.

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