October 2014
Cassie's POV
I looked in the mirror one last time checking my makeup and grinned. I had on my favorite Dawgs jersey with a pair of black skinny jeans and my red Converses. I'd left my long hair down and curled the ends. I had the weekend off from filming and tonight was the UGA homecoming game. Caroline and Luke were in town and had gotten a box to watch with a few friends.
Even though Brantley and I had been split up for over a year, I had still kept up my friendship with Caroline. She had begged me to fly out for some of Luke's stadium shows this summer, but I had refused because she had always planned for the ones Brantley was at. I had shaken my finger at her telling her I knew what she was doing.
I heard the honk of a horn in my driveway and grabbed my phone and wristlet before darting out the door. Caroline waved at me from the drivers seat of Luke's truck. I paused for half a second at the blonde in the passenger seat but smiled when recognition hit. I opened the back door climbing in and leaned over the console to give Caroline a big hug and smacking kiss on the cheek.
"Well damn Cass," Caroline said with a wink. "If being single this long is making you swing that way I just may have to divorce Luke. I bet you snore less."
"Please," I said with a laugh pushing her arm. "You love that man too much. I can't quite shake it for you like he can."
"Aghhh," Lauren groaned from beside me as I turned to wrap her in a hug. "Please do not get her started on the merit of Luke's assets. I may just puke."
"I agree," the woman in the front said with a laugh earning a smack from Caroline before she pulled out of my driveway. "We all see just how tight those jeans are. I'm Brittany."
"Cassie," I said giving her a grin then smirked. "I do believe that man of yours rocks some pretty tight jeans as well."
"Good God does he!" Caroline said fanning herself as she turned into the stadium parking lot. "I've been trying to bounce a quarter off Jason's ass for years."
"Woman!" Lauren said as we all cracked up. "For once in your life behave yourself."
"Not possible!" Brittany and I both said between laughs.
"What???" Caroline huffed as she parked the truck climbed out. She looped an arm around my shoulders as we headed into the stadium. "Ok Cass..... Spill."
"Spill what Caroline?" I asked pulling my ticket out of my pocket.
"Oh shit," I heard Brittany murmur. I gave her a funny look but got one in return telling me I was on my own with this one.
"Crap," Lauren said shaking her head and looking heavenward. "I knew this was coming. After that last concert, I knew this was coming. Half drunk and whipped the ruler out on the poor man."
"What?" I said narrowing my eyes as Caroline smirked and pointed towards the elevator we needed to take.
"Well, you've got to get back on the horse at some point so to speak honey," Caroline said giving me a wide smile. "I need to know what your measurement requirements are so I can help a sister out."
"Shiitttt...." Brittany squeaked.
"My what...."I asked whirling my head around with wide eyes. "Caroline? Are you asking me what dick size I prefer? First of all, I am not dating! Let alone sleeping with anyone. I don't have time."
"Pretty sure she's asking about just one in particular?" Lauren whistled out trying to not laugh.
"I just want to make sure you are getting what you are used to sweetie," Caroline drawled with a wide smile. I narrowed my eyes and raised an eyebrow at her.
"Caroline, are you trying to ask how big a certain person is?" I asked through gritted teeth shaking my head at her. Bless Luke, poor man had his hands full.
"That's exactly what she is asking," Brittany said with a snort. "She tried to get measurements with a damn ruler this summer. BG tried to climb PJ to get away from her."
My jaw dropped as Caroline whipped said ruler out of her bag with an evil grin.
"Now Cass," she said trying to keep a laugh in. "You don't have to say anything honey. You can just show us. Because sweetie, I know with that strut and that smirk, that man is packing."
"Caroline!" I yelped pushing her shoulders then cracked up laughing. We all piled out of the elevator headed to our box with a laugh. I didn't worry about drawing anyone's eye as we walked. I knew that the men these three were with would catch attention way before I would. I felt a little bit of envy towards them. They all had what I'd had but could actually make it work.
I shook off the melancholy feeling and followed Caroline over to the bar on the back wall to fix a drink. I had turned my head to listen as Lauren asked Brittany how the wedding planning was coming along, and I saw a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye. No, surely not. Caroline wouldn't do that to me.
"Caroline Boyer Bryan," I growled under my breath grabbing her arm pulling her over to a corner. I could see Brantley glaring at Luke who was raising his hands up in defense. "What the hell?"
"What Cass?" Caroline said batting her big blue eyes at me innocently. "I said it was friends hanging out. You knew the boys would spend time watching the game while we gossiped and yelled at the refs."
"But you didn't tell me he would be here," I grumbled cutting my eyes over to a glaring Brantley who was growling at Luke as Jason laughed. "You know we haven't seen each other."
Caroline leaned closer to me and grinned poking a finger into my shoulder. "That's bullshit sweetie. Everyone knows his truck was in your driveway a few months ago," she said giving me a look.
"And I just got the gossip columns to shut up about it," I snapped then sighed. "It was the anniversary of my parents death Caroline."
"I know honey," she said squeezing my arm." He told me. If it bothers you that bad I can take you back."
"No," I said sighing with a shrug. "I don't get to see y'all near about as much as I would like. I can handle it."
Brantley's POV
I was helping Thomas tweak a lyric for a song idea he had just before the game kicked off. We were sitting in the seats outside the box shooting the shit. It felt good to finally have a little down time. It had been a while since I'd slowed down long enough to go to a game so when Luke had called I had been all for it. I had asked where the girls were at when I arrived, but Luke had shrugged saying they had taken his truck to go pick something up.
I didn't think anything of it until we walked back in and I looked across the room to see Cassie standing there. I stopped so fast in the doorway Thomas, who was texting on his phone, ran into my back.
"What the hell BG?" he mumbled taking a sip of his beer then looked over my shoulder. "Oh shit."
"Luke," I growled under my breath and cracking my knuckles. "What the hell man? You said it was just a group of friends hanging out."
"What?" Luke said looking around then over at the girls. "Oh yea.....ummm...."
"Ahhh," Jason said with a wide smirk earning an elbow from me. "This ought to make the game even more interesting."
"BG, man," Luke said holding his hands up as I glared at him. "I didn't lie buddy. I can't help it that she and my wife are friends."
"A little warning would have been nice," I grumbled then looked over to meet Cassie's eyes. I nodded my head at her as she gave me a small smile before turning back to the conversation with Lauren. I stood still just watching her as she threw her head back laughing at something Caroline said. I turned on my heel and walked back outside to sit down. Luke followed me a moment later and leaned back in his chair propping his longs legs on the railing in front of us.
"You ok man," he asked looking over at me. I leaned forward bracing my elbows on my knees and nodded my head.
"Yea," I said quietly as we watched the teams warm up. "Just threw me for a second seeing her. But she's got as much of right to be here as I do."
"Man," Luke said taking a sip of his beer then looking at me. "If you miss her so damn much why don't you tell her?"
"Because nothing has changed," I said shaking my head. "We both are still just as busy, hell if not busier than we were. It wasn't that we didn't love each other man. We just couldn't make the time for each other."
"No, you just didn't want to," Luke said giving me a knowing look. "I know all about that. So, do Jason and Thomas. I know that with the two of you things are a little different because her career is just as demanding, but it's all about finding that balance. Just have to want it and then figure it out."
"We gonna sit around and talk about our feelings all night," Thomas said jumping over the back of the seat by me and settling in. "Or are we gonna watch the Dawgs kick some Tiger ass!"
Jason gave me a smirk and tossed me a bottle of water as he kicked back in the seat by Luke.
"Damn right," he muttered with a grin. "Let's watch some football."
Thomas leaned closer to me and turned the camera around on his phone with evil grin then flipped the camera off and I followed suit.
"What was that for?" I asked with a laugh as he furiously started typing.
"Sending that to Justin with the caption of Go Dawgs," he said cracking up.
"Oh lord," I heard behind us. I turned my head to see Lauren leaning over the railing with a grin. "Let the shit talking begin."
"Damn right," I said with a laugh.
Later on during the third quarter I had gotten a call from Mama letting me know that she had made it Indiana just fine. I was reading a text and looking at my phone as I walked back through the box and ran into someone. I heard a yelp and shoved my phone in my pocket then reached out to catch them from falling.
"Dammit B," I heard grumbled and looked down into a pair of glaring brown eyes. "Watch where your big ass is going. Run a woman over why don't ya."
"Well darlin," I said tightening my grip on Cassie's arms and smirked at her. "I can't help it if you have always falling at my feet."
"Pfttt...." She said rolling her eyes and then smiled patting my chest. "Keep telling yourself that hotshot."
Out of habit I reached over to tuck a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. Cassie sucked in a breath as my hand brushed her cheek. I kept it there as she looked up at me.
"You been doing ok?" I asked quietly. I hadn't seen or heard from her since that night in May.
"Yea," she said giving me a soft smile. "Thank you for that by the way."
"I meant what I said Cass," I said leaning closer. "Anytime you need me, call."
I leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. Damn, the smell of her perfume was driving me crazy. Even if all I got was these couple of minutes alone with her I owed Caroline for her scheming. I heard a whimper low in her throat as I pulled back. She spun on her heel taking a couple of steps then stopped with her back to me. Cassie turned her head slightly looking at me over her shoulder.
"Brantley," she said quietly. I almost didnt hear her over the roar of the crowd outside. I walked forward and stood behind her as she leaned back into my chest. I lifted my hand to brush her curtain of dark hair away from her neck leaning over to nuzzle my chin against her neck.
"Yes," I rasped into her ear. I felt Cassie suck in a breath.
"I need you," she whispered as I wrapped an arm around her pulling her tighter to me.
"What do you want?" I asked biting down gently on the curve of her neck making her shiver.
"Take me home," Cassie said linking her fingers with mine. "I don't want to be alone tonight."
"That all you want?" I asked chuckling darkly in her ear earning me an elbow to the ribs as I spun her around draping my arm around her shoulders.
"If I have to spell it out to you hotshot," she grumbled pushing the button for the elevator. "Then you are getting rusty in your old age."
"I'll show you old woman," I growled as the doors opened and I shoved her in making her laugh as I backed her into the corner. "Just you wait."
Group POV
"Ha Thomas Luther!" Caroline said with a laugh smacking Luke in the chest after looking over her shoulder. "Pay up! I was right!"
"Dammit Caroline," he grumbled glaring at her as Jason laughed. "I hate it when you are right."
"That's just because you can't stand to lose," Lauren said lifting her head from Thomas's shoulder smirking at him. Luke flipped her off and sipped his beer. Jason laughed at Brittany fanning herself as they all watched the elevator doors slide shut.
"Damn," she said chugging her drink. "Y'all were not playing when you said all it would take is getting them in the same room and sparks would fly."
"Why they deny it I will never know," Jason said shaking his head and kissing her cheek.
"Because they are a pair of chicken shits," Caroline grumbled and crossed her arms. "One of these days."
"Caroline," Luke said covering his eyes and groaning. "You've had your fun meddling now leave them alone. Hell, I'm pretty sure they are off to a good start even before they reach the parking lot."