Chapter 7
Emmy
I’m back in my room, sitting on my new bed, processing what happened today. Part of me is glad that Cas showed up when he did, but the other part is embarrassed that he heard the things Chad was saying to me. I was having such a lovely day, and everything Cas did for me was so thoughtful. However, when he left, Chad somehow turned up and started telling me how horrible I was being and how awful I was treating him. He made me feel terrible for him for a moment, and I thought he was hurting. That was until I saw the furious look in Cas’s eyes when he overheard what Chad was saying. As soon as I saw him, I felt so relieved. He was supposed to be working tonight, but instead, he decided to get covered and stay home. I feel sorry for him, but I'm glad I won’t be alone tonight.
I head downstairs, and Cas is just finishing a phone call. He smiles. “How are you feeling? Do you want a drink?”
I nod, “Yes, please.”
I go over to the island in the kitchen and sit on a stool. He starts to make us both lattes from his fancy coffee machine, and I watch and admire him from the back. He turns with our coffees and catches me staring at him. I look away quickly, but not before I see him smirking at me. “So, I was thinking we could order some pizza and have a movie night tonight? You can pick the movie if you like?”
he says, smiling at me over his coffee cup, and I can’t help but smile back at him.
“Yeah, that sounds like fun. How about we watch a horror film?”
“Sounds good to me. I have to nip out for a bit, but I won’t be long. Feel free to relax and help yourself to anything in the kitchen,”
he says, walking out of the kitchen, stopping, and then turning around to look at me. “You know, Emmy, I’m happy you’re not with that jerk anymore.”
His eyes are so intense as they bore into me I blurt the first thing that comes to mind “Count Dickless”
Cas bursts out laughing and I correct myself “I mean, that’s what Hayleigh calls him, Count Dickless”
still laughing he shakes his head and makes his way out and I release a breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
I get myself a cold drink from the fridge and turn to see Scruff looking at me with his head cocked and wagging his tail, I grab him a treat and move to the living room, plopping down on the couch. Scruff jumps up next to me. I’m not even sure if he’s allowed on the couch, but he must sense I need a hug, so I tickle behind his ear, and he snuggles further into my side. Grabbing my phone, I rang Hayleigh, and she answered on the first ring.
“I've been waiting for you to call. How is the caveman today?”
Then she bursts out laughing, and I realise that word must have gotten around to Cas and Chad today in the café.
I groan “Urgh, don’t. I’m not sorry for what happened, but I'm sorry for any trouble it may have caused for the wedding.”
She scoffs, “Don’t you dare say sorry. If anyone should be sorry, it’s Count Dickless. Even Pete is getting sick of his shit now. He’s close to telling him he doesn’t want him at the wedding; if it weren’t for his mum, I think he would have done so already. I’m sorry I ever introduced you two”
I shake my head and bite the inside of my cheek, hating the fact that I’m getting upset and part of me realises it isn’t even because I’m sad, it’s because I’m angry that Chad is still getting involved with everything I do.
“Honestly, Hayleigh, don’t worry about it. I’m just looking forward to starting afresh on Monday with this new job, but you’re never going to guess who my new boss is going to be”
“Ooh, let me think, a very fit billionaire who will sweep you off your feet?”
I giggle at her and her imagination “No, at least I don’t think they’re billionaires. It’s Cas’s brother! The company I am going to work for is Peterson Construction. His dad owns it, and his brother runs it. There are six of them altogether”
“Hmm, it sounds like you two have really gotten to know each other in a short time. Do I sense a blossoming romance?”
I can hear Hayleigh giggling on the other side, and I shake my head.
“You know Hayles, I should be cut up about wasting all those years on Chad, but I’m not. I’m not saying I’m quite ready to jump head first into something with someone else because it wouldn’t be fair on either of us, but I do think he could be a really good friend to me”
“Yeah, all I heard there was that you think he’s amazing and you most definitely would jump his bones given the chance”
I burst out laughing at her but don’t confirm or deny what she’s saying “HA, I knew it Emily Hart!”
“Oh, shush you. I’m going to switch to video call and show you what he did with my room. Hang on”
I switch to the video call, and Hayleigh’s grinning face fills my screen. “Ok now here is the living room and this right here on the couch is Scruff”
Scruff lifts his head and cocks it to one side as he studies the phone and Hayleigh start’s talking to him like he’s a baby “Ok enough of that now, Scruff stay there. This is the kitchen and dining area…”
Hayleigh interrupts with a well-timed “Perfect for your couple dinner parties. Okay, got it.” I shake my head at the screen and continue, “…anyway…here is the back garden.” I open the patio doors and show Hayleigh the gorgeous back garden.
“Oh, Emmy, that garden is perfect for your kids' swing set and maybe even a tree house in that lovely tree at the end of the garden. Where’s the pool?”
I roll my eyes at her being ridiculous, but then, of course, an image of Cas and me sitting together, watching our kids play in the garden, pops into my head.
“The pool is around the other side. now stop interrupting me”
I shake my head and go back inside. I pan the camera out again and show Hayleigh where I am walking. We get outside my room, and I open my door and hear Hayleigh gasp.
“Oh my god, Emmy!! He did this for you? Wow, it’s pretty beautiful”
I turn the camera back around so my face fills the screen, and I see Hayleigh’s eyes are glassy. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
she shakes her head and smiles.
Her lip trembles. “I’m just being silly, Emmy. It’s just so nice to see that someone is treating you right.”
I laugh softly, “I know what you mean, but remember we aren’t a couple, we’re just roommates and friends”
“Yeah, for now, Emmy. I’m calling it right here that you will both be madly in love before long.”
I hear the door go downstairs and turn to Hayleigh “…and on that note my beautiful friend I think Cas is back. I’m going downstairs, we’re having a movie night tonight”
her face breaks out into the biggest smile and before she starts saying something I shake my head “…yeah no we aren’t going there! I’m ending the call now. I love you. Goodbye now!”
I end the call just as I hear Cas come up the stairs, my door is still open from before and he peeks in and then leans a shoulder on the frame, crossing his arms and one foot over the other, and I really must be losing it because it is one of the hottest things I have seen. He must catch me looking because I swear he flexes his arms. Is being attracted to arms a thing? Because I think I am attracted to his arms.
Cas clears his throat and I worry that he expected me to clean up while he was gone, I scramble off the bed “Sorry I was just on the phone with Hayleigh, did you need me to do anything? Cleaning?”
something crosses Cas’s eyes and I don’t know if he’s annoyed with me or someone else. He unfolds his arms and steps into my room, but then thinks better of it, shoving his hands into his pockets and standing inside the doorway.
“Just to be clear, Emmy, I don’t expect anything from you. You aren’t my maid, and any cleaning that needs doing is split between us. If you wanted to spend the full day in front of the fire curled up with a book that’s up to you, you don’t need to explain yourself to me or justify what you have been doing”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak words right now, when I lived with Chad I could never just sit down and relax, he would always find me something to do or criticise me for being lazy or ask me what it is I have been doing if I wasn’t making sure the place was clean. “So, I was thinking we could order something to eat. Do you still want pizza?”
“Pizza sounds good, unless you’re one of those crazy people that puts pineapple on their pizza?”
Cas shudders dramatically at my words, as if they’re the worst thing he has ever heard.
“Imagine the horror of pineapple on pizza! Ok, meat pizza it is. Now, if you could watch a horror movie, would it be a slasher or a paranormal movie?”
I think for a second, “It would be a slasher; paranormal movies creep me out too much,”
I say. He held out his hand to me and smiled. I take it and head downstairs with him. I must have been on the phone with Hayleigh longer than I realised because he’s somehow managed to transform the downstairs living room into the perfect movie night room. He’s drawn the curtains, so the room is darker than before, and he’s pushed the couches back, creating a square in the middle of the room filled with cushions and blankets that faces the TV on the wall. On either side of the pillows and blankets, he’s moved the nest of tables so we have one next to us. On top of them, he has put a tray with popcorn, chocolate, sweets, and a drink.
To finish, he lit candles all around the room, creating a soft glow. I look around in awe and cannot believe he’s done this just for me. I look over at him, and his hands are in his pockets; his eyes are so vulnerable, as if he’s worried this will upset me. My face breaks out with the biggest smile. “This is amazing, Cas. When did you have the time to do this?”
He smiles back and nods. “You were busy gushing to Hayleigh on the phone for a while. I wanted to do something nice for you, especially after this afternoon. Go on and get settled and pick the film while I go and order the pizza”
Cas goes to the kitchen, and I take my phone out of my pocket and snap a picture of the room. Then, smiling, I head over to the blankets and sit down. He already loaded up the TV, and I scroll through the horror selection and stop on one that looks to be about some axe murderer. Cas comes over with some plates, glasses, and ice for our drinks.
“Food should be here in about half an hour. Nice choice on the film, I’ve heard it’s supposed to be gory and pretty scary, so if you need me to protect you say the word”
Cas pins me with a stare so serious I can’t help but burst out laughing at him, he gives up and starts laughing with me and we settle in to watch the film.
Two of the survivors have made it to their house and are hiding out. We watch as the axe murderer gets closer to the front door as they scramble around trying to block it up, and just as he swings his axe down…BANG…BANG…BANG…
“Aaaarrrgggghhhhhhh”, I scream bloody murder at the sound of someone banging on the front door. As I scream, Scruff starts barking and jumping around, and Cas jumps and throws popcorn into the air. It’s utter chaos. He pauses the film and gets up laughing his head off “It’s just the pizza, Emmy”
I calm Scruff down and start to clean up the mess made by Cas’s popcorn, chuckling to myself how ridiculous I was being, my heart still beating out of my chest.
Cas comes back over, carrying two massive pizza boxes and two more drinks for us. He sets them down on the floor in front of us and opens the lids. Poor Scruff whines at the smell, but Cas chucks him a chew stick, and he trots off again, happy with his treat. “Dig in”
Cas grabs a piece of pizza and settles back to start the film again.
I grab a slice and take a bite, and it’s probably the tastiest pizza I've ever had. With the pizza almost gone I’m stuffed but can’t resist another piece I take a bite and moan at how good it is, when I open my eyes Cas is staring at me with an odd look in his eye and I realise that I probably look like a right fat pig shovelling pizza into my face. I put the piece on my plate and wiped my mouth with a napkin.
“Sorry. I’ve not eaten since we went for lunch, and I had no breakfast…”
Cas’s hand lands on mine, and he shakes his head “Don’t do that, Emmy. The arsehole that made you feel like you have to explain every little thing you do or don’t do, that’s not me. I love that you are so unapologetic about what you do, especially what you eat. You’re pretty perfect just the way you are”
I can’t breathe, and the look in Cas’s eyes is so genuine that it makes me want to cry and jump him simultaneously. His eyes flick down to my lips and back up to my eyes, and a small smile plays on his lips, lifting at one side. We inch closer, and oh, sweet baby Jesus, I think he's going to kiss me, but I’m not scared. If anything, I want it to happen. My eyes drift closed, but right before I think we’re going to kiss, something small and furry barrels into us. When I open my eyes, Scruff is lying between us, paws up, with my slice of half-eaten pizza hanging out of his mouth. The tension breaks, and we’re both laughing.
I tickle Scruff's tummy, and Cas clears his throat “Well, I better get tidied up here. You can go to bed if you want; I’ve got all this.”
Cas said, getting up and backing away while holding one of the cushions in front of him. I feel my cheeks heating, and I nod, okay, and head up to bed, wondering, what if?
**********
There’s a banging and clanging noise outside as I wake up. I groan and grab my phone, seeing it’s almost 8 am. I fling the covers aside, shocked that I’ve slept in till this time. I bet Cas thinks I’m so lazy. I’m just about to head to the shower when I look outside and do a double take, seeing him shirtless outside, lifting weights. I watch as the muscles underneath his skin move when he lifts, and I almost lose my tongue when he takes his water bottle and tips it over his head. I imagine following one of those water droplets with my tongue.
I move closer to the window but trip on the bag I’ve left on the floor, and my head bangs on the glass, loud enough for Cas to hear it and look up. I think I managed to dive out of the way in time. Shaking my head and laughing at how stupid I am, I head to the shower to freshen up and get ready for the day. It’s the last day before I start my new job, and I want to ensure everything is prepared. Maybe even later on, I’ll cook some batches for lunch. I wonder if Cas would like some lunch? I’ll make sure to make enough for him, too. When I finish in the shower and get dressed, I take another peek out the window, making sure not to fall over this time, and see that he is still working out.
The doorbell rings, and I head downstairs to answer it. I see a good-looking guy smiling on the other side. He was a little shorter than Cas, with blue-grey eyes and shoulder-length, messy blonde hair, which contrasted with his smart, well-fitted suit.
His smiling face made his eyes twinkle. “Well, hello. Where has Cas been hiding you then?”
His flirty hello makes me bristle, and I have no idea what to say to him. He’s obviously a friend of Cas’s, but I don’t want to let him in just in case, so I pull the door closer to me. Like warm water washing over me, I calm at the sound of Cas’s voice.
“Knock it off, Vik. Emmy this is my best friend and pain in the arse Vik and Vik this is my Emmy”
Cas’s eyes go wide and Vik bursts out laughing.
“Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Cas’s Emmy,”
he says, grabbing my hand and kissing it on the back.
Cas’s jaw almost snaps; he’s clenching his teeth that hard. He seethes, “You know what I mean. My roommate Emmy.”
Cas’s eyes held a warning, but Vik didn’t pay any attention, and his eyes twinkled even more. He grabs my arm, loops it through his, and walks me into the kitchen, leaving Cas staring at us at the front door. He slams the front door and stalks over to the fridge to grab some drinks. Even though I can tell he’s annoyed, he still has manners. He chucks a bottle of water at Vik. “So, what brings you here this morning, Vik?”
His smile is strained, but Vik laughs it off.
“Well, since you didn’t show up at the club last night, I wasn’t sure why. I just wanted to check that my best mate was okay.”
Cas softens a little at this and rubs the back of his head. “Yeah, sorry about that. I forgot to call to let you know; it was a bit hectic yesterday.”
Cas looks at me and smiles.
Vik looks between us, “So are we still on for tonight…?”
Cas swears and shakes his head “Shit I completely forgot Vik.”
Vik nods and turns to me “When he told me he wanted to be a silent business partner I thought he would at least turn up now and then”
when Vik sees the blank look on my face he realises he must have said something he shouldn’t have, he turns to Cas who’s staring daggers at him. My phone ringing upstairs breaks the tension, and I excuse myself to get it.
Upstairs, I grab my phone and see Hayleigh ringing me. I answer, and her face fills the screen. “Good morning, my beautiful friend.”
She sings songs, and it makes me laugh.
“Good morning to you, too; you seem to be in a good mood,”
I sigh. “Oh, Hayleigh, I think I might be in trouble, you know.”
I see her sit up, ramrod straight.
“Oh no, why? What happened? Is it Chad again, do you need me to kick his arse?”
I laugh at her ramblings and shake my head in disbelief.
“No, for once it isn’t Chad, and I think it’s trouble in a good way. Here, let me send you a picture and tell me what you think,”
I said. I sent her the picture of last night and what happened throughout the night, including our almost-kiss. “So, what do you think, Hayleigh?”
She looks at me and asks, “Weren’t you the one who tried to convince me you didn’t want to jump headfirst into something yesterday? I would say that someone doesn’t do something this nice for someone unless they think highly of them.”
I nod, knowing she’s right, and smile. “I know I did, but I don’t know. With everything that’s happened, he’s just been a good friend, and it’s been nice having someone think about me and do nice things for me.”
Hayleigh nods. “I get it, Emmy. I really do, and I want nothing more than for the two of you to fall in love and be happy. You should also be a bit careful with your heart. You love hard and fast and also don’t forget that he hasn’t fully come clean yet about his night job.”
Hayleigh looks pointedly at me, and I know she’s silently asking if I have even bothered to ask him. I shake my head, but she rolls her eyes.
“I haven’t found the right moment to ask him. I mean what the bloody hell am I supposed to say ‘oh Cas by the way not that long ago you did a dance for me and it was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced, but don’t worry I won’t make things awkward’ yeah Hayleigh that doesn’t sound awkward at all!”
I whisper to her; she cracks up laughing.
“Yeah, why not? If it were me I’d just come right out with it”
when she sees the look on my face she just laughs at me “Ok well let me know how it goes, I’ve gotta go Pete wants me to go for Sunday dinner with his mum and Count Dickless. Pete says hi and he misses you!”
she puts on a fake smile and we say goodbye.
I’m mulling over what Hayleigh was saying as I walk down the stairs “You look deep in thought”
I jump at the sound of Cas’s voice which makes him laugh “Shit sorry Emmy, I didn’t do that on purpose. I’m just about to go for a walk with Scruff if you want to join us?”
I smile at him. “Sure. Just let me get my things, and we can set off.”
We spend the rest of the weekend walking Scruff and doing some batch cooking together for the week ahead, and it scares me how well we work around each other. As I lay in bed Sunday night, I can’t help but wonder if it would be a terrible thing to fall in love with my roommate.