Chapter Seventeen

 

<><> Chris <><>

 

When I arrive at the Prichard house on Thursday, there’s this strange vibe around the place. It’s quiet as I walk down the side of the house even though all the guys’ trucks are out front. The music’s usually blasting by this time and everyone should be hard at work. Not today.

Coming around the corner to the backyard, I see the guys standing around Casper. He’s telling them something, all animated with a smile so big I can see all his gleaming white teeth from this distance. Movie star teeth, though I’d never say that out loud. When he sees me, he kind of flails his arms and runs over.

“I got in!” he shouts.

I place my cooler down and slip on my work gloves.

“Huh?”

“I got into training. You know, Medieval Ages. I’m gonna be a knight!”

“How do you know?”

“Got a call late last night from the head trainer guy. Sounded really excited to have me join them.”

I walk toward a pile of interlock and start counting the rows, taking inventory so I know how many to use for around the gazebo. This takes a few minutes and Casper’s like my shadow the whole time, as if he’s waiting for my reaction to the news. Thing is, I’m not quite sure how I feel about it all. I could really use a hard working self-starter like him on my crew indefinitely, but I know Casper’s meant for better things. I guess part of me is sad because I know he’ll leave for good.

As if reading my mind, he says, “I hate to leave you, Chris, I really do. It’s gonna be weird.”

“When do you go?”

“Three weeks.”

“Where?”

Casper looks back at the rest of the guys who are now mulling about, half working and half trying to hear what we’re talking about. “A Ranch in Giddings County.”

“Giddings County…where’s that?”

“Texas.”

“Texas!” I stammer, looking up at him and then back at the brick.

“Yeah. We train there and then we’re reassigned someplace with a position open.”

“Shit. That’s far. For how long?”

“About two months, maybe three. Hell, could be four. Don’t know.”

I stop gazing over the interlock and turn to face him, really giving him my full attention. I know he isn’t given anyone’s full attention too often at home, so I want to make what I’m about to say seem significant. “I’m really proud of you, Cas. Way to go. You really deserve this. I mean it with everything I’ve got.”

He beams that movie star smile and a little piece of me crumbles in envy. He’s heading for the stars, no doubt about it. With some people, you just know. My brother Kyle’s the same way. It’s impossible to be jealous over it too because they’re just so damn nice and talented. Deep down, you can’t help but feel like they truly deserve what they get.

“Three weeks, huh? We better get started with our goodbyes then. Starting tonight. My house for beers.” I slap him on the back and he grins.

“Back to work, boys, show’s over.”

Three hours in, as we’re all grunting and lifting and covered in dust, the sound of gentle giggling perks our ears and the crew kind of stops cold as Bailey and Jacinta come walking around the corner of the house. Miriam must have seen them through her bedroom window because a second later she comes out the sliding patio doors and joins them. Since our little meeting under the bridge, things have become more relaxed around here. She doesn’t drop and dart when giving us goodies, but lingers a while to talk to me about what we’re doing back here and she even talks to the other guys too. It’s like her anxiety has cooled its jets a bit. She’s the ultimate distraction for me, but I’m sure as hell not complaining.

The girls stand around talking at a distance as we kick it up a notch in an effort to impress them. I notice Casper swing the hammer a little harder than he had a minute ago and Cowboy seems to be closer to the girls than he should be, maybe trying to listen in as he shovels soil into the flowerbeds lining the new flagstone path. Danny has this look of awe sliced across his face, like being around hot sophisticated girls is a foreign concept. He’s young and impressionable and can’t help but stare. Kyle isn’t fazed at all, which is to be expected since he’s so involved with Bettina, another hot sophisticated girl, although Jacinta seems pretty focused on him.

I watch as Miriam pulls her long, silky hair into a ponytail. I don’t know what it is about that small little act, but when she does it – the way she brings her arms up and casually arches her back – it drives me wild! I swear, if I could drop this wheelbarrow and jump over that row of boxwoods, I would in a second just to get closer to her. She looks incredible. Not to be comparing her to Donna all the time, but Miriam seems so much more relaxed in her beauty. It’s almost effortless, natural. Donna never had her hair up. Ever. It always had to be down, all seductive and messy. What’d she call it? Tousled, or something like that. Said it made her feel complete when it was down. Funny, I didn’t realize hair had that much power. Girls are totally neurotic. Well, most of the ones I know anyways. Some of them will do anything just to get our attention, even if it means degrading themselves. How can I ever respect a girl who’s willing to cast her reputation aside for a guy? I can’t. Why the hell have I been allowing my dick to dictate? That can’t happen anymore.

“Bailey! How’s it going?” Cas hollers from on top of the gazebo frame.

This seems to catch everyone’s attention, especially the girls as they look up in his direction, shading their eyes from the sun.

“Hello. Fine,” Bailey says all dry and distant.

Ouch. Not quite the reception Cas was hoping for I’m sure. Now, whether it’s heatstroke or the fact that Cas is feeling on top of the world today with his recent news, I don’t know, but he keeps it going. Apparently the guy has no filter.

“Want a private tour? I can show you around the yard if you want.”

The silence is crippling and I feel for him.

“No thanks.”

Cas climbs down the gazebo framing and walks toward the girls. We slow the pace down, doing our jobs half-assed while we watch for potential fireworks. This should be interesting.

Casper’s eyes take a slow, sexy wander up the length of Bailey’s body as he approaches and I see Bailey practically squirm in discomfort.

“I was wondering what your last name is, Bailey?”

“Why?” She crosses her arms defensively.

Some of Cas’s long blond hair has fallen out of his ponytail and he pushes it behind his ear. “So I can look you up.”

“Look me up?” she asks.

“Yeah.”

“It’s Ulrikson, Cas,” Miriam offers and Bailey’s mouth gapes in shock.

“Ulrikson…is that Swedish?”

“Yes,” Jacinta says.

“Like, were you related to the Vikings or something?” Casper asks hopefully.

Bailey looks right at him with no expression, just stares at him and it’s as if Casper’s caught off guard. He seems to choke on air and starts coughing uncontrollably. It’s painful to watch him fail dismally and so unlike him to freeze in front of a girl.

“Are you okay?” Bailey asks. She looks really concerned, like this guy’s going to croak right in front of her. This is, by far, the most bizarre, out of character kind of behavior I’ve ever witnessed by Casper Best. His face is turning red. He nods between coughs and his eyes start watering.

“Need some water, man?” Nick asks, coming over to save him.

He and Nick walk toward our water coolers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cas stayed away after that crash n’ burn. As he’s drinking, the girls go inside the house and close the sliding doors behind them.

“Cas, what the hell were you doing?” Cowboy laughs hysterically.

“Just getting some info.”

“What happened?”

Cas ignores the question and asks one of his own. “Isn’t she amazing?”

We all stay quiet, shocked that he thinks that interaction went well.

“She is, she’s the best. Hey, get it? Bailey Best? Maybe she will be someday.” Casper looks off into the distance, completely lost in thought.

I can’t even believe what I’m hearing. “Cas, what the hell’s wrong with you?”

“I’m going to call Bailey. Do you think I should?”

“Just out of the blue?” I ask. “You know she has a boyfriend, right?”

“That doesn’t matter right now. This girl is fucking amazing. You saw what she does to me.”

“What she does to you? How are you supposed to have a conversation with her when you turn into a complete dolt?” says Nick with a laugh.

“You kind of went all spacey, Cas. I think she thought you were dumb.” Danny seems confused since he sort of worships Cas.

“I blew it, I know, but I’m better now. I’ve recovered. Besides, if I call her later I’ll have all day to think about what I want to say to her. This meeting caught me off guard.”

We shake our heads, already knowing Cas and Bailey are a lost cause.

“Hey, maybe Bailey’s middle name is Irish Cream. Gotta love it when parents give their girls a name like that,” says Danny, though I have no idea why he even has an opinion since he’s young and inexperienced. Talking big, nothing more.

“Yeah, like Sherry or Brandy or...” Nick scratches his head. “Can’t think of any more, but you get it, right?”

“Stripper names?” Cowboy comes in. “Is that what we’re talking about?”

“Okay, that’s enough. No more talk about Bailey having a stripper name,” Cas warns.

“Cinnamon, or how about Destiny?”

“Or Sugar, now that’s a stripper name.” Cowboy grins like he’s reliving a memory.

Casper gets up and walks toward the gazebo. He climbs up the framing and ignores the onslaught of demeaning comments as they trail off. He’ll get over it. Just like he’ll get over this girl...I hope.