Chapter two

Chapter 2    

            The next week went by in a blur for Cassidy; classes had started back up and she was able to pick some extra hours at the bookstore. The weather remained pretty tame with no snow and mild temperature, which in turn caused extra foot traffic for the store.  The spring like temperatures in the middle of January brought out a huge crowd for this stretch of the city.

            Since the weather was no nice she took her morning muffin and coffee and the book she was currently reading to the small park located just down the street from the bakery. There were no tables at the bakery to sit at anyways. She walked down the street for a few minutes enjoying the scenery and the people shopping at the many shops located down the street. The shops were lined up neatly like dominoes, all ranging in size from one story to up to three stories. The park was located next to a two story grocery store with a small café on the top story and the small one story laundry mat that many of the college students took advantage of.

            The space that the park was located in used to be a movie theatre she was once told. It was torn down due to age and the city council said it would lower the local crime rate if it was torn down. Homeless men and women used it to make it a home or just for a night out of the elements. Many other undesirables used it to hide after committing some petty crime. Now in its place was a beautiful green space for those who reside on the street to enjoy.

            Cassidy would use it during warmer days to study or read a book. She would sit on her favorite bench located in the center of the park next to the small fountain. It was a simple fountain, no statue graced the center of it just the bubbling of the water recycling through it. There were three other benches located around the fountain and all a different color. The one she liked to sit on was purple and it provided shade from the glaring sun on sunny days. The other two did not have the pleasure of being located next to a tall oak, they only had small planters on either side of them and during the spring and summer they were filled with petunias. This time of year they were barren.

            There were a few evergreens in the park; they were planted on the borders of the park to give it a more inviting look. Though they we were sparser in the entrance to the park where a black iron fence marked the entrance. It was planned this way to give it a more invited safer feel to the park. The walkway cut curved around the fountain sitting area and also created a circle around the outside of the park. It encouraged those who liked to run outside instead of on a treadmill to use the park. There was even a small swing set located to one side of the park, for those parents needing to get their little ones outside to burn some energy off.

            She made herself comfortable on the metal bench and opened her book, prepared to read a few chapters before she had to get to class. She was just a few pages in when she saw David waving to her from the opposite side of the fountain. She had originally thought him as a tourist but since he was still in town he might be a local after all.

            So not be rude she sent him a small wave and smile and went back to her reading.  Hopefully he would invite himself to her bench like he did at her table at the bakery.  She was surprised to see him approach her with a friendly smile just as she started to read again. She held the question of why he was here in her eyes as she looked up at him.

            “I was hoping to see you again.” He started. “I wanted to apologize for our earlier meeting. I realized I came across as a little creepy.”

            She agreed that he was creepy and that the meeting was a bit awkward. She did not understand why he was making a point to apologize. Her confuses must have showed on her face as he continued with his apology.

            “I told my wife about and she said that it probably looked like I was hitting on you. I promise I was not hitting on you.” He was so sincere in his apology and his face showed his concern that she may have been offended. “You have such a friendly look about you and you seemed like a good choice for meeting someone here. I am just visiting for a little bit and thought it would be nice to know at least one person in this area.”

            She felt a little sorry for him knowing how it felt being to new the area and not knowing a single soul. She could be nice and take a few minutes of her time to talk to the guy.

            “Where are you from?” She was mildly curious to where he was from and what brought him to her small part of Boston. He sat down next to her on the small bench in response to her implied invitation.

            “I live and work on a ranch out of Texas. I am here for both business and pleasure. I am enjoying the city; I am thinking I might bring my wife next time I have a chance to come.”

            “It is a beautiful city, I love it.” She said while looking out over the park and the people taking advantage of the sun. “What type of business does a rancher out of Texas have in Boston?

            “Mostly Cattle, we are expanding our business farther north. We have been mostly delivering to the Midwest and Southern part of the U.S.” He started fidgeting on the bench. It could not have been comfortable. He was over 6 feet and these benches were built mainly for children and women. “We also train and breed horses, but we keep that part of the business for the locals.”

            He was looking miserable, so she decided to put him out of his misery and get to class. She told him so and got up to leave; when she stood he lightly grabbed her arm. She looked down at where his hand was on her arm and he quickly removed it. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his Levis.

            “I will be here only a few more days.” He shrugged. “I would love to continue our conversation. If you are not doing anything tonight, how about meeting me down at Cattys around seven tonight?”

            She looked him in the eye trying to judge how serious he was. Married men do not ask other women to meet them at a bar.

 “First you tell me you were not hitting on me, and now you are inviting me for a drink?” She was furious at him. “I do not go on dates with married me.” This is what she gets for feeling sorry for a stranger. He really was a creep.

            “I am not asking you on a date!” His voice was raised in voice in frustration.” D****t Cassidy…look my whole purpose for coming to Boston was you. Somebody back home wanted me to come here and look you up. It is really important that we talk.”

            “Ok, I get it, jokes on me!” Lexi was so going to pay for this prank. “Lexi has made her point, you can go back and tell her I fell for it and I have learned my lesson.”

            Only Lexi would get a complete stranger to teach her a lesson about stranger danger. She was 24 years old and did not need a lesson. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She turned and stomped off towards the entrance of the park.

            “I promise this is not a prank.” He said as he caught up with her. “Just meet me tonight and I will explain everything.”

            “I have no plans or the desire to meet you anywhere.” Not caring if he responded as she quickly walked down the street towards the University. First chance she got she was calling and telling Lexi how she felt about her lesson, and to cover all her basis she would call her parents and see if they knew any Davids from Texas.

            Assuming it was a prank, Lexi might have told him she liked to visit the bakery most mornings, but that does not explain the park. Was he following her? If he was that would give more credence to Lexis’ paranoia, but that is exactly what she would want Cassidy to think. She was probably working herself up for no reason. It could be as simple as mistaken Identity. She comforted herself with that thought to get her thru her day.

            She had a busy schedule of classes and the hectic nature of her day helped her push the whole issue to the back of her mind. She was taking 6 classes this semester and with that she would have enough credit hours to graduate in May. A few of her classes were just filler classes. She was taking a cooking class, a basic psychology class, and a creativity class; the rest were required business courses for her degree.

            She was getting a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. She wanted to prove to her parents that she could be successful in a career and not just in the kitchen. While she respected the choice her mother made, being a stay at home wife was not her dream. She felt she had more to offer to the world then her basic cooking skills and her uterus.

            She hoped she will be promoted to Store Manager at the bookstore when she graduates. She could not imagine working anywhere else than at a bookstore. She loved the smell and feel of books. It made her happy to immerse herself and see other immerse themselves in different worlds and realities; but for now she would be happy shelving and doing inventory for someone else.

            It was after six when she finally made it home. She worked a few hours at the bookstore so between work and school she was exhausted. She tried calling her parents but there was no answer. Her parents were probably eating dinner. Her mother had strict table manners and answering the phone during dinner was a big no-no.            She decided to call Lexi and she what she had to say for herself. She should have tried her before her parents in case this was just some elaborate prank.

            “Happy Friday my dear friend!” Lexi never answered the phone with a simple hello.

“Hmmm…that remains to be seen.” She wondered how long it would take Lexi to fess up.

“What’s wrong with you? You drop a book on your head again?” Lexi was forever bringing up her mishap with a bookshelf at work. She was stretching to put a book up on a high shelf in the back room of the store when she lost her balance and fell against the shelf. Several books fell and a heavy hard back hit her on the head. She ended up with 5 stitches on the top of her head. She wore a hat for week afterwards to cover the bald spot. She kept her hair shoulder length but when the hair grew out a little she chopped it off in favor of a pixie bob to even it out. Her hair had finally grown back out to reach her shoulders.

            “Actually you may be the cause of my bad mood.” Talking of her accident made her head hurt so she started rubbing it. “At least I hope you are.”

“Well as I have not seen you this week I do not know how it is my fault.” Lexi was sounding insulted. Maybe this was not a joke.

“Play any pranks on anyone this week?” Cassidy was silently begging that Lexi would tell her she did and she herself was the butt of the joke.

“Not this week. Work has been crazy and I actually have to study this semester.” Lexi was an average student; she stayed that way because she was smart enough that she did not need to work at being an average student. Even with her lack of discipline for schoolwork she still liked to keep her average GPA.

Cassidy told her about her second meeting with David.

“I told you!!! He was a serial killer!” She actually sounded excited about the idea. “Next time you will listen to me. Just wow!!

“This stuff only happens in books, or at least it never happens to me.” Cassidy was starting to feel really creeped out. She really needed Lexi to playing a prank on her.

“Maybe he only thought it was me he needed to find, what if I am not the right person and it is a case of mistaken identity?” Hoping Lexi would agree and she could relax again.

“I seriously doubt it. His story is off. Who would send somebody thousands of miles away to look up somebody else? They would at least make the trip themselves. Do you even know anyone in Texas?”

“No. Maybe I should meet him, just to see what he wants and to tell him he has the wrong person.” She was getting closer to making that decision anyways. Curiosity always got her in the end.

“Absolutely not!!” Lexi screamed at her. “What if he really is a serial killer? Are you crazy?”

“It’s a bar, it will be crowded, lot of people to prevent me from being murdered and stuffed in a freezer.” She scowled at the phone even though Lexi could not see her.

“You still should not go alone.” She was probably right; safety in numbers and all.

“Then come with me.”

“I can’t, I’m at work.” She gave a frustrated sigh. “You caught be on my break. I have to head back in. Do not do it!”

They hung up without Cassidy making a promise not to go. She would not feel as guilty now if she did end up going. She decided to get some studying in before her parents called her back. They always did so it was just a matter of time. She had a couple of notes copied when Lordes’ Royals, her ringtone, interrupted her. It was her parents calling her back.

She hoped that this phone call did not turn into of their many arguments. Her father was upset she chose a school so far away from Tennessee and her mother did not understand her need to prove herself. Her mother thought college was to find a husband, not to build a foundation for a career. She was determined to get her home and her start producing grandbabies. One day her mother would realize her dreams for her daughter, were not her daughters dreams.

“Hi mom or dad!” She made her greeting cheerful, if she gave a hint that something was wrong that would at the chance to get her home.

“Hey dear, we were eating dinner when you called.” Her mother was the one to call her back. Cassidy prepared herself for the lectures and arguments to come. “We are just fine. Is everything ok Cassidy?” She could never fool her mother.

“Yea everything is great. I have some tough courses this semester but I should be fine.”

“I am sure you will do great. You have never had trouble with grades.” No it was following the path her mother laid out for her that she had trouble with. It did not make her less of a daughter, but her mother made it feel like it did.

“I was actually calling because I ran into someone you might know today?”

“In Boston? I do not know anyone in Boston I don’t think.”

“Actually he is from Texas. His name is David. He seemed to think I was familiar.” Not exactly true, but she did not want to alarm her parents.

“I don’t know anyone is Texas.” She seemed to be thinking about it.

“He owns a ranch…..”Hoping to jog her memory, she really needed for them to know this guy.

 

“Not ringing a bell let me ask your father.” There was some slight muffling while she put her hand over the receiver, they were big on phone manners also, and then she could hear some murmuring while she asked her dad if he knew a rancher in Texas.

“You father has no clue. “Cassidy’s heart dropped. “He said there is a possibility he might have done business with some people in Texas, but without knowing exactly where in Texas or any other specifics he cannot be sure. But he does not remember any David.”

Cassidy was even more confused now. Why else would someone be looking for her from Texas? She was starting to get that uneasy feeling in her stomach.

“Didn’t you live in Texas before you met dad?” She remembered her mother mentioning that a time or two in the past. She did not talk about that time in her life very often as it always seemed to upset her when she did. Cassidy never asked her mother what had happened, but maybe this had something to do with that.

“I lived in Austin for a couple of years while your grandparents were still alive.” She spoke quietly. “Did you happen to get his last name?”

“Um no…we did not talk a whole lot.” She should have gotten a last name and the city he was from. She was not big on details. She also did not want to stick around longer than she did to find out those little details.

“Well how do you expect me know when you don’t know his last name or where he is from?” Her mother was starting to sound angry. What was wrong with her? This was nothing for her to get angry over.

“Mom.” She sighed. Sometimes she had a hard time figuring out her mother’s mood swings. “I just found the encounter strange and was curious if was through you that he thought he knew me.” It was a legitimate reason.

We could have almost been twins but for the eyes. While mine were blue hers were green. We had the same light mahogany hair color, the same long straight nose, full face with high cheekbones, and their lips were both in a permanent pout. Cassidy had considered having plastic surgery to stretch her lips a bit wider, but decided she was happy with the way she looked. They also both stopped growing at 5’5’’. Her dad was 6’1’’ and a relatively big guy. She was thankful she took after her mom on that front. She liked being short. It made her feel like a pixie at times.

“I’m sorry, but no, no man named David is familiar to me or your father.” She sighed again. Her mom only sighs when something is bothering her. “NCIS is on now so I will talk to you later. Love you.”

“Love you t…” Her mother had hung up on her. Cassidy pulled the phone from her face and just stared at it. Her mother never hangs up on anybody. Bringing up Texas really did upset her mom. She knew there was a story there; hopefully her mom would finally share it with her one day.

            Cassidy was even more confused now and really wanted to figure out what was going on. She looked at the clock hanging on the wall in her living room. It was a quarter to 8. She wondered if David was still at Catty’s and decided she wanted some answers. It was a public place and it would be full of people on a Friday night. There should even be a few people she knew there tonight as it was the closest bar to campus. She had been in there a several times since moving to Boston. It was not the type of place she liked going to, it always smelled of stale beer and pretzels.

She spent the next 20 minutes changing into something more going out appropriate then her sweat pants and t-shirt. Her hair was haphazardly thrown into a loose ponytail so she brushed it out and put into a more organized one and threw on some lip gloss and eye makeup before heading out the door. She was determined to figure out this mystery. David better have some good answers. She made sure to bring her pepper spray, just in case.

Author's Note

Please concentrate on grammar or anything else that is major. Let me know if I need to reword anything. Thanks!!

Reviews

[Jake Donald Stephens]

Great descriptions of places in this one. I'm enjoying reading a chapter of this every night. Hopefully I won't
run out of them soon, because Cassidy has already become a friend!!
In the paragraph that begins, "We could have almost been twins but for the eyes"....I got very confused here, and it took me almost the whole paragraph to figure out she was comparing herself to her mom. So, maybe a better clarification is needed here.
I might read the next chapter later tonight, if I find I can't stop myself. Which may be likely.
Keep them coming!

[Amanda J Hopwood]

That makes me feel good. I have a friend who is reading them as I write them too. She called me all sorts of names this evening because there is nothing else to read at the moment. lol

[Hatter57]

Amanda,

The one thing that popped out at me here is that Cassidy is following up on the possibility that one of her parents knows David, but I didn't find anything in Cassidy and David's exchange that would lead her to that conclusion. David said that "somebody" had wanted him to look her up, but why would she assume it was her Mom or Dad, or that there was any connection at all? I think you intended tomake one of David's remarks a little more pointed, but it didn't come through in my reading.

As far a grammar is concerned, if I can find the time I will send you a copy of this chapter edited to what I think makes more sense if you like. Then you can compare the two versions. It might be a few days before I can find the time though.

[Amanda J Hopwood]

Aww that would be awesome!! In the next chapter that connection will become clear. :)

[Yaseen J Malik]

Woooooooooaaaaahhhhhh amanda I love this!
I was reading this on the train and cursed out loud when in read the bar scene!

Leave it alone and then Re read your work after a couple of days. It will being to light typos that you might have missed in the past. But honestly I love this so far, cant wait to read more

[melissa]

Awesome chapter i cant wait to read more of this book

[Yaseen J Malik]

I like this!! A spicy intro into a promising romance. On to the next one
A few typos but not enough to take away from the writing.
On to the next one!