Page 93 of Freeing the Wild
“Stardust,” I correct him, pointing to the wooden sign out front.“What can I do for you?”
He turns and walks up the steps to Stardust.I think I hear him say something like “you’re not Cassie, so nothing.”Hearing Cassie’s name makes my ears prick up.But I’ve already pegged this guy for her manager.He’s exactly how she described him: shiny and highly strung.
“You’re wasting your time.She’s not here,” I call over to him.
He turns.“Well, since you seem to be her keeper, maybe you know where she is?”
This fucking guy.
“She’s with friends this morning—”
“I’m right here,” Cassie’s voice calls as she emerges from the path to the big house.“Jesus, Dax.It’s seven in the morning.What are you doing here?”
Her eyes flit to mine and I stand back.For now.Cassie is a tough cookie.So as long as this fucker doesn’t get rude with her, I’ll hang back on my own porch, though there’s not a chance I’m moving from here.
Cassie is dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a hooded sweatshirt with a puffy vest overtop to keep herself warm on the walk here.It’s almost April but the air is still chilly in the mornings most days.
Dax comes back down the porch steps to greet her on the front lawn.
“I’ve been texting every day but rarely receive an answer.Did you decide to give up on the music industry and not tell me?We have just over a week to get the rest of this album recorded inthe studio and I have show requests coming in from all over the country with festival season coming up.They want you to play Wagon Wheel.”
EvenIknow that’s a big deal.Wagon Wheel is in Palm Springs and is the biggest country music festival of the year.All the big hitters play there.
“I was planning on calling you tomorrow.”Her eyes flit to mine then back to him.“I know I have to use my studio time.I have two songs left to record.But I was seeing out the month.I’m not due back until next Friday.”
As I listen to her talk, it hits me.Wake the fuck up, Haden.That glimmer of whatever I’ve been holding onto – which I now realise is hope – is instantly extinguished.Of course she’s still leaving.
“Nope.It isn’t Cassie Spencer and The Spin when there’s no Cassie Spencer.You have to record and be done by Thursday.If you had called me back, I could have explained all of this.”
“I’m not quite ready to—”
“Oh yes you are!”Dax raises his voice to her and I see fucking red.“I didn’t come out here to Buttfuck-nowhere, Kentucky …”
I can’t see Cassie’s face because her back is to me, but my coffee is set down on the railing and I’m down my steps and in his face in less than ten seconds flat.I grip him by his turtleneck as he spews the tail end of “you’re coming with me.”
“Haden!”Cassie calls as Dax does his best to escape my grasp.I have so much adrenaline coursing through my veins right now I could pick him right up off the ground one-handed.But I miraculously manage to keep my voice calm and even.
“I don’t give a fuck where you’re from.We don’t raise our voices to women here.Ever.That’s a real quick way to get your head knocked into next fucking week.”I grip him tighter.“Now, apologize and speak to Cassie like a man with some fucking manners.”
This piece of shit starts laughing and stops struggling.“You’rethe cowboy.I recognize you from the video.”Video?I look back at Cassie.
“Someone filmed us at the Horse and Barrel when I got here,” she tells me quietly.
“So this is what’s really going on?”Dax turns to Cassie.I’m still holding him up.“Got yourself a piece of country ass and everything I’ve worked for over the last two years for you, everything I’ve given you, is out the window?You ungrateful little sl—”
I don’t even hesitate.I draw back and punch him square in the mouth.He drops with a thud to the damp grass below.
Cassie screams, “Haden!”
I turn to face her.“I’ll never let a man talk to you like that.Not a fucking chance.I’ll knock his ass out every single time without hesitation.”
She runs over to where I’m standing, and reaches up to place her palm to my face.I can’t read the look she’s wearing.
“What the hell is going on?”I look up to see Wade and Ivy, who is holding Billi on her hip, in the middle of the gravel trail between their cabin and Cassie’s.We must have been loud enough for them to hear our conversation.Dax has gotten up now and is wiping the blood from his mouth.
Wade instantly comes to my side to address Dax.“We got a problem?”
“I’m here to getmy artistto stop looking through the rose-colored glasses of your ranch.But apparently she has a bodyguard I was unaware of.”
