Chapter 56
Fifty-Six
Cassie told herself to breathe.
It was ridiculous, really. She’d held her nerve in tie-breaks with the whole crowd riding on her serve. But Delilah took one bite of pudding and looked at her like that, and Cassie’s brain left the building.
She had this lightness to her, a way of laughing that made everything feel less serious, even the things that usually tied Cassie in knots.
She was sharp, quick, and fun, didn’t take herself seriously, but she looked at Cassie like she was the only person in the room who mattered.
Every tilt of her head, every teasing smile made Cassie’s pulse jump.
It was ridiculous, it was thrilling, and it made Cassie feel like she didn’t know how long she could continue being a functioning participant of this date.
She focused on the dessert, spooning up another mouthful without really tasting it. Her knee brushed Delilah’s, just lightly, but Delilah didn’t move away.
Was it a signal? Should Cassie do it again?
Cassie tried to shift it again, a little more deliberately this time, and ended up knocking the table, and with it, Delilah’s glass. It wobbled perilously before spilling a tiny arc onto the tablecloth.
God, smooth, Cassie.
Cassie mopped it quickly with a napkin. ‘Oh, Christ,’ she muttered.
‘You always this nervous on dates?’ Delilah asked, voice lazy.
There it was again. The word ‘date’ and everything it implied. Cassie realised that she was going to have to admit something very embarrassing.
‘I don’t know. I’m not sure I’ve ever really been on one,’ Cassie told her and then braced herself.
‘What do you mean?’ Delilah asked, not unreasonably.
‘I mean, I haven’t really done the date part of it all. When I was young, I didn’t have time because of tennis. And then, with Petra, we didn’t really start like… that. And then after that, I’ve been more casual. If you know what I mean.’
God, this sounded really bad. Cassie had either made herself seem socially stunted or a total sleaze. She didn’t know which was worse.
But Delilah was smiling. ‘This is your first date?’
Somehow, Cassie hadn’t quite thought of it in those terms. But it was true. At thirty years old, she was on her first date. ‘I guess so.’
‘Lucky me,’ Delilah grinned.
Cassie let her shoulders, currently up near her ears, drop a bit. Delilah had decided to find Cassie’s inexperience charming. It was a lottery win of a result.
They let the silence stretch as they polished off the dessert. Cassie took the last bite, and Delilah made a show of rolling her eyes.
‘Cheeky.’
‘You snooze, you lose,’ Cassie said.
‘I haven’t quite lost yet.’ Delilah wiped her finger through the remaining sauce, then licked it off. Cassie had to look away. She hoped her cheeks weren’t doing that stupid pink thing they’d started doing of late.
The plates were cleared. Neither of them moved.
‘Do you want to… walk a bit?’ Cassie said eventually. ‘It’s a nice night.’
Delilah hesitated, then nodded. ‘Sounds nice.’
There was a brief dispute then, over who would pay the bill.
Delilah argued that she’d suggested dinner, and Cassie pointed out she’d picked the place.
Cassie had to consciously tell herself not to be competitive for once in her life and let Delilah pay.
Though Cassie, not being able to be completely un-Cassie, insisted on getting the tip.
They stepped out into the dark. The street was mostly empty, lit by streetlamps that gave the country road an ethereal glow.
They headed out into the almost silent village, where narrow lanes curved between stone cottages and the faint glow of lamplight spilt across the cobbles.
The only sounds were the distant bark of a dog and the soft crunch of their footsteps in the cool night air.
They fell into step, shoulders just brushing.
Cassie shoved her hands into her jacket pockets so she wouldn’t do anything stupid like reach for Delilah’s.
‘You’re very quiet,’ Delilah said.
Cassie laughed, embarrassed. ‘Sorry. I think I’m just—’
‘Nervous?’
Cassie looked over sharply. Delilah was watching her, but there was no mockery there.
Cassie wanted to say, What, me? Nervous? Maybe laugh. The idea of admitting any vulnerability was mildly horrifying to Cassie. But somehow, she managed to admit, ‘A bit.’
Delilah’s lips curved. ‘Good.’
Cassie didn’t know what to do with that, so she looked ahead and tried to stop herself from visibly sweating.
They walked a little farther, the tension growing, it seemed to Cassie, with every step.
Cassie dared a glance sideways. Delilah caught her looking and didn’t look away.