Page 108 of Freeing the Wild
“I think so!The guys are putting the finishing touches on the barn as we speak; Wade has Asher working on internal beam details in his free time and he’s got a construction crew building three new cabins next to the venue too.”
“I still can’t get over a firefighter who dabbles in construction and bartends,” I muse.
“We don’t mess around in Kentucky.These men are multipurpose.”
I smile and look out the window as we cruise towards the Olympia Sports Center.By my judgment, we’ll make it just in time for the start of the concert—when I’ll finally get to turn the page on this new chapter of my life.I just hope my cowboy has a good seat for the show.
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
Haden
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Olympia Sports Center this electric.Not when CeCe holds her annual festival.Hell, even when Cole proposed to Ginger here the crowd wasn’t this full or wild.I can’t help but think about Cassie at this moment, since she was instrumental in making this all happen.I’ve kept myself busy for the last few days to try to stop myself thinking about her, though I made sure to tell Ivy to cheer Cassie on for me at Wagon Wheel before she left.I’m so tired of missing her I almost thought about not coming tonight.But there’s no way I would miss being here for Penny.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”Penny asks me now.We’re on the floor, almost level with the center of the stage.
I give her a curt smile.“Of course I am.”
“You love her.”
“I do,” I answer firmly.
“Then you have to tell her.”She says it like it’s the simplest thing on earth.
“I did, but it’s just not that easy, Pen.”
“Oh, get your head out of your ass.It absolutely is that easy.If it’s love, it’s easy.”She guffaws, turning her attention to thecrowd.“If Will could see this … he would be amazed that all of these people paid money for a show supporting the little ranch we started.”
I give her a squeeze.“Yeah.I’m sure he really would.”
“I’ve been without him eight years now.They’ve been the fastest and longest years of my life.”Penny faces me.“If you love her, you have to tell her how much.Otherwise, you’ll regret it forever.I know things haven’t always been easy with your mama leaving and your dad doing a number on you.But you deserve to be happy, Haden.”
I swallow the lump in my throat.It hurts, knowing she’s right but that there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I can’t ask her to come back.I won’t ask her to give up her music career.”I look around at the crowd.“And it would be hard to give up the ranch.It’s my passion, but if she asked me to travel with her I am honestly starting to think I would.”I take a deep breath.“But begging a woman to stay with me feels a little too close to home.I guess I was hoping … it would work itself out.”
Penny nods.“I know, honey.”She slinks her weathered arm through mine and pats my hand.“I think these things do have a way of working themselves out.The Beatles said it best, ‘All you need is love’.”
As the lights lower and the crowd goes crazy, I find myself wishing it really was that simple.
The crowd is on their feet for the entire opening act of Evan’s show—a band from Louisville—and they stay this way for his too.The Silver Pines crew are in the building except Cole and Ginger, because Mabel has a stomach bug.CeCe and Nashare watching through the glass of CeCe’s office so she doesn’t have to mingle in a crowd of concertgoers with her growing baby belly.Wade and Ivy, however, are kid-free for the night, drinking beer and having the time of their lives.I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wade dance.And now, I can’t unsee it.
Evan is high-energy as he plays to the screaming crowd.He finishes one of his most popular songs and then takes a big sip from his red solo cup of Jack.
“I, uh … have a special treat for you tonight,” he croons.“I recently got to tour with an incredible artist.She’s insanely talented.But more than that, she is truly the nicest damn person you’ll ever meet.And when she asked if she could come out tonight and join me to sing a brand-new song, I had to say yes.”
The crowd roar as he finishes his speech.“So let’s give a big old Kentucky welcome to Miss Cassie Spencer.”
My heart drops to my feet as Cassie walks out onstage.I’ve never seen anything, or anyone, look as beautiful as she does right now.Her golden hair is curly and free down her back and she’s poured into a pair of faded bell-bottom jeans and a tight, long-sleeved white shirt.Over the top of it, she wears a sixties-style fringe vest and has completed her outfit with a pair of cowboy boots.Every part of her is glowing as she waves to the crowd.She was born to do this.
I watch, dumbfounded, as she gives Evan a friendly hug and they say something to each other none of us can hear, before he backs up and puts his guitar on.
“Hey y’all,” Cassie calls to the crowd.Another chill runs up my spine with the sound of her raspy voice through the mic.
I’m broken out of my trance as Penny pats my arm.I look down at her; she’s smiling, really fucking big, like a proud mama.I glance past her and see Glenda and Jo grinning at me too.The trifecta of mamas swooning over something I’m clearly not in on.I shake my head before turning my attention back to the stage.
“Thanks for letting me crash this party!”
The arena is pulsing with energy as someone brings Cassie her guitar and places a stool behind her.She sits down as a soft spotlight floods her.The room goes dark.
