Tutus & Cowboy Boots (Part 2) (23 page)

Beth, thank you for continuing your journey
with me. You are an amazing person and I’m thankful to call you my
friend. My sister, Pam Baldwin, at Paperclutch, thank you for
another awesome cover. You never cease to amaze me, sunsets and
all. <3 you, Tutta!

Billy and Carlee, thank you for loving me
and being with me through the ups and downs. You two are number one
and I’m blessed beyond measures each and every day!

About the Author

Casey Peeler grew up in
North Carolina and still lives there with her husband and
daughter.

Growing up Casey wasn't an
avid reader or writer, but after reading Their Eyes Were Watching
God by Zora Neal Hurston during her senior year of high
school, and multiple Nicholas Sparks' novels, she found a hidden
love and appreciation for reading.  That love ignited the
passion for writing several years later, and her writing style
combines real life scenarios with morals and
values teenagers need in their daily lives.

When Casey isn't writing,
you can find her near a body of water listening to country music
with a cold beverage and a great book.

Visit my website for a FREE
download of Our Song

Website:
www.authorcaseypeeler.weebly.com/

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YouTube:
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Thanks so much for your support! Here’s a
little surprise!

Extra Scene

Jade

I’m so exhausted from dance
and all I want to do is catch up on
Pretty
Little Liars
. As I flop on the couch my
mind drifts to the new city girl I met in class today. She may have
a hoity-toity attitude but man can she dance. I hope she decides to
give the studio a shot. We could really use her on our
team.

Barrick flops down on the couch and steals
the remote.

“
Hey, I had that
first.”

“
So. We’re not watching
your
Liars
again.
At this point, they could all be A.”

“
You know you love
Pretty Little Liars
.”

“
Well, I have to admit,
they are hot.”

I start cracking up. I know he says he hates
watching the show, but I love that he’ll watch it just for me. He’s
a great big brother.

“
So, I met Ms. Mae’s
granddaughter today. You didn’t tell me how cute she was,” I say
casually, trying to gauge his reaction.

“
Oh yeah?” Barrick keeps
his eyes on the screen.

“
Yeah. She came in the
studio and she’s freakin’ amazing, Bare. I’ve never seen anything
like that.”

“
Yea, she is pretty
impressive. She’s been helping me, if you can even call it that, on
the farm so Ms. Mae would agree to take her to dance.”

“
Wait, when did you see her
dance?”

“
Whenever she gets pissed
off, she runs off and dances out on Ms. Mae’s back
porch.”

“
How am I just hearing
about all this now?”

“
I don’t know, I guess I
just didn’t think about it.”

“
Uh huh. She’s been here
all summer and you’ve been working with her but you never thought
we should meet?”

“
Look, I just thought you
already have one friend with an attitude, why have two?”

“
You know Maddie’s not a
true friend. I just don’t want to be on her bad side. So, what’s up
with Cadence anyway? Does she have a mama and a daddy? She’s got an
accent that makes her sound likes she’s better than everyone else
and the attitude to go with it.”

“
Oh, she’s got an attitude
alright!”

“
So, come on, spill. What
do you know?”

“
She and her mama came from
New York. I don’t know where her dad is but I don’t think they have
a good relationship. Ms. Mae’s been riding her ass about being
respectful and somehow thinks having her help me on the farm will
set her straight. I sure wish I knew what I did to deserve that.
She’s the most frustrating person I’ve ever met. But, I have had
some fun showing her the ropes.”

“
Oh, no, Bare, what did you
do?”

“
Oh, nothing.”

“
Bare...”

“
Let’s just say I enjoyed
watching her take the wheelbarrow of manure down to the compost
pile.”

“
The wheelbarrow? Don’t you
use the tractor to do that? Bare, you’re terrible. What
happened?”

“
Well, she may have fallen
into the pile while dumping out the wheelbarrow.”

“
You are awful. That poor
girl.”

“
You only just met her,
Jade. She is a major pain in the ass.”

“
Well, you better be nice.
I want her to join the studio and I don’t need you running her off
to New York.”

“
Fine. Now aren’t we
supposed to be watching your
Liars
?”

Two Days Later

As I’m walking out the door to go to dance
class, the phone rings. “Hello?”

“
May I speak to Jade?” a
female voice asks.

“
Speakin’.”

“
Hi Jade, it’s
Cadence.”

“
Hey Cadence, I’m just
walking out the door to go to the studio. You’re still coming
aren’t you?”

“
Yea, that’s why I’m
calling. Gran can’t take me to the studio today. I know it’s last
minute but can you pick me up?”

“
Sure. I told you I could
pick you up anytime. I’ll see you in five,” I say as I grab my bag
and rush out the door.

I speed down the driveway and park in front
of Ms. Mae’s house. Cadence runs down the steps and hurries to my
car.

“
Hi Jade, thank you for
picking me up. I’m so glad I don’t have to get all my dance clothes
dirty in Gran’s truck.”

“
Like I said, I can just
start picking you up on my way.”

“
Okay, I’ll tell Gran she
doesn’t have to worry about taking me anymore.”

As I turn the car around to leave, I see
Barrick outside the barn and wave. I notice Cadence gives me a
strange look.

“
What?” I ask.

“
Do you like
him?”

“
Barrick?” I try to hide my
smile as I pull out onto the main road.

“
Yea, he helps my
grandmother on the farm and he’s made my life a living
hell.”

“
Really?” I almost giggle
but need to hold it in because I want to hear what she has to say
about my brother.

“
Yea, he’s been a complete
asshole. I mean he’s freakin’ hot so if you want to call dibs, I
can see why but you should know he’s not nice.”

I can’t control my laughter any longer.

“
Why are you laughing at
me?” Cadence asks.

My eyes start to water and I consider
pulling the car over until I can control myself. “I can assure you
I’m not attracted to Barrick.”

“
You aren’t?”

“
Nope.”

“
Not even a little bit? I
mean have you seen his ass in those jeans?”

“
Cadence, stop, I can
barely see the road from laughing so hard.”

“
Fine but will you tell me
what exactly is so funny?”

“
Cadence...Bare...Barrick...is my brother!”

“
What?! You’re kidding me,
right?!”

“
Nope, seems no one told me
about you either. You’ve been here all summer and he never thought
to tell me about this awesome new dancer in town.”

“
Oh my God, you’re not
going to tell him I think he’s hot are you?”

“
Girl, no way.”

“
So, since someone didn’t
think to introduce us, care to help me pull a little prank on your
brother?”

“
I’m listening.”

When I get home from dance, Barrick is
pacing the floor.

“
Hey, Barrick.”

“
Jade. Did Cadence say
anything after you waved to me at the farm?”

“
Why do you want to know?
You like her or something?”

“
I just want to know if she
said anything about me.”

“
Yea, she may have said
some things about you.”

“
Jade...come on, what did
she say?”

“
Hmm...something about how
she can’t believe you never introduced us, how if I liked you, I
should be warned that you are an asshole. I almost had to pull the
car over from laughing so hard.”

“
She thinks I’m an
asshole?”

“
Yea, but if you don’t like
her, why do you care what she thinks?”

“
I don’t but you know I’m
not really an asshole. Did she mention all the crap she’s done to
me?”

“
She may have mentioned
something about a prank.”

“
What?”

“
Oh, nothing, but Bare, be
careful, she might have mentioned something about Rascal and your
jeans.”

“
What’s that supposed to
mean?”

“
I don’t know but I’d watch
your back, hottie-sexy-pants,” I say as I cackle and head to the
shower.

“
Hottie-sexy-pants? Does
that mean she thinks I’m hot?” he calls after me. I continue to
laugh as I shut the bathroom doo