No one said another word to the volatile man for the rest of the night. He lay there stewing in his anger until he finally fell into the abyss of sleep. Joaquin dreamed of the lovely Cassie. She smelled of sweet apples and honey. Her soft skin was glowing in the sun as they walked down by the stream. He held her hand and confessed his love to her before taking a taste of her lovely lips.
In a flash, the dream changed from a sweet walk on the ranch to a fiery explosion in the middle of the Syrian desert. In a short minute, things went to hell. His skin was on fire, and he couldn’t feel his arm. Even with all that, the only thing he could think of was if Cassie was safe. Where was she? Had she been hurt?
The dream was so disturbing that he refused to go back to sleep. He lay there thinking about Cassie and how much he wanted her. He decided right then and there that he wanted her. He needed to do something about how he left things with her. It was time to tell her the truth.
Nine
Cassie
The Hen House was as good as advertised. Cassie had enjoyed the thick burger and fries she ordered. Not to mention the best beer on tap that she had tasted in a while. It all paired well with her shots of Jack. She stayed there for quite a while watching the cowboys and cowgirls interact. Some were on the prowl, looking for an easy victim. Some were looking for love. But the most intriguing were the couples. She watched them, making up stories in her head of how they met and fell in love. She longed for what they had.
The faint sounds of the football game on the television above the bar caused her to long for past days. She and Joaquin enjoyed watching NFL™ games on YouTube™ when they were overseas. He was a ‘Dirty Birds’ fan and she loved America’s team. The memory made her sad. She longed for the days when they were happy.
Now she didn’t even know if there was a ‘they’. He rejected her. Cassie had no intention of giving up on him. She just didn’t want to be that thirsty girl that chased a man who wasn’t interested. Joaquin had a limited number of times to reject her. After that, she would return home tail tucked and begin a new life without him.
She was lost in her thoughts when a woman approached her booth disturbing her. The minx was a petite bleach blond with big blue eyes and even bigger cosmetically enhanced tatas. That snarky smile told Cassie that she was up to no good.
“Hey, you new around here? I’ve never seen you before.”
Cassie, weary of strangers, simply nodded her head in greeting but refused to answer the female’s questions. Who the hell was she to question her? It was obvious this viper wanted something. Cassie knew the woman would reveal her angle soon enough. Without warning or invitation, the chick plopped her flat ass in the booth across from her. Cassie’s right eyebrow shot up in question, but she refused to verbalize her discomfort, just yet.
“The name’s Merlene and I just came over here to warn you. I saw you earlier out at the Silver Creek and then again at the Blue Lizard Inn. I also saw who you were with.”
No, this bitch didn’t. She was either stalking her or Joaquin. One guess which one. Amused, Cassie wanted to see where this was going.
“You ain’t got nothing to say, huh? Well, let me just tell you that Tanner is mine. We’ve been together for the last six months. And just so you know, he’s gonna be a daddy. I suggest you leave my man alone. My baby needs a father in his life.”
Cassie wanted to choke on the air she was inhaling. She stayed real still and shielded her eyes. There was no way she would let little miss Merlene get the upper hand. Everything in her was screaming to lash out at this tramp. But inside she was dying a little. If what this woman was saying was true, she was done. There was no way for her to compete with a baby mama. Nor did she have any desire to be a stepmom. Not that the choice was hers. Joaquin had clearly made his choice.
Enough was enough. Cassie stood from the booth and found her waitress. She paid her tab and walked out of the bar. She did not do drama and that seemed to be Merlene’s middle name. What the woman told her made sense. Maybe that waswhy Joaquin ghosted her. It didn’t seem like him, but like he said, he was a different man now. She didn’t know him anymore.
After returning to her hotel room, she wanted to call her brother but knew he was asleep. She decided she would wait until she spoke with Joaquin and then she would know for sure where she stood.
Morning came sooner than expected. She wasn’t very eager to have her dreams crushed, so Cassie decided to sleep in a bit longer. After showering and dressing, she packed her bag just in case. She knew Joaquin was working the ranch, so she figured the best time to talk to him would be on his lunch break.
She decided to walk around the town a bit and get a feel for it. It was a quaint place where the people were nice. To her surprise, there were quite a few black women and men milling around. One such lady approached her with a welcoming smile.
“Hi there. My name is Reyna. Welcome to Ironhaven.”
This woman wasn’t giving off bad vibes like that chick last night. Cassie decided to take a chance on this sista. Maybe she could recommend a good spot for lunch.
“Hi Reyna, my name is Cassie. It’s nice to meet you.”
The ladies shook hands and smiled at each other.
“I’m guessing you’re new in town.”
“I am. It’s good to see such a diverse culture here. I must say I’m surprised.”
“Yeah, over the last few years, there has been an influx of color around here. Are you thinking of moving here?”
“No, I’m just visiting for a bit. I have a friend out at Silver Creek Ranch.”
“Oh yeah? I heard they are doing great things out there. Let me guess, you’re former military, right?”
“Guilty as charged. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Semper Fi.”
“Oh, my goodness. Not a female jarhead.”
