5. Christian #2
“Absolutely not,” she said with a patronizing laugh.
“Chris, you’ve got that spare room, don’t you?” Mom asked.
When I saw the state of the cabin, I knew that’s what the situation would probably come down to. But just because I was resigned to it didn’t mean I liked it.
I sighed. “You got some spare sheets I can borrow? I haven’t had a chance to catch up on laundry.”
Cassandra’s steel eyes darted around the table.
“Of course,” Mom said with a smile.
I withheld an eye roll.
I had snapped at Bree for rolling her eyes at me yesterday, and if she caught me doing it, she’d never let me forget it.
“Wait—what?” Cassandra stammered.
I wiped my mouth and tossed my napkin onto my cleaned plate. “I have a spare bedroom.”
She cut her eyes to Becks. “I’ll just go back and get a hotel room in the town I came through.”
Becks gave her a pitiful smile. “Trust me, you don’t want to do that. Not unless you want bedbugs. There are no good places to stay around here.”
Cassandra’s perfectly arched eyebrow twitched. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. On the overdramatic exhale she said, “Fine. Given that I’ve been awake in this nightmare for longer than I’d like, I’ll stay there tonight and find more appropriate accommodations tomorrow.”
“Good luck,” Dad said with a chuckle. “The only better accommodations you’ll find will be if you sleep in the stable like the baby Jesus. The barn cats do a good job at keeping the mice away.”
Cassandra groaned.
“This is gonna be the best night ever ,” Gracie squealed as she bounced in the backseat.
I cut my eyes to the left, watching Cassandra as my parents’ house faded behind us.
“Can we stay up and watch a movie with Miss Cassandra?” Bree asked.
“No,” Cassandra and I said together.
I tacked on an, “it’s a school night,” for good measure.
The girls groaned like I had just told them they were going to the dentist.
I pulled up to the house and cut the engine.
Usually, I would have opened their doors and told the girls to go on inside while I checked something inexplicable outside.
That was just code for me needing a few minutes alone to breathe before I oversaw their bedtime routine.
The girls were older now and generally autonomous, which helped.
Still, there was always an argument.
Always a complaint.
Always one of them “forgetting” that brushing their teeth was a prerequisite to going to sleep that had been done since before they could remember.
Always something that needed to be done for school that hadn’t been mentioned. I had a stockpile of art supplies and presentation necessities like poster boards for the semi-regular occurrence of “it being a last-minute assignment.”
But I couldn’t steal those coveted three minutes tonight.
“Get inside and get ready for bed,” I told the girls as I popped their doors open.
I saw Cassandra getting antsy, but she didn’t reach for the door handle. I opened it for her. “You too, Princess. We’re early risers.”
She sat stock still; her back straight and eyes closed. “I need a minute.”
Her words were emotionless.
My eyebrows lifted, but I didn’t argue with her. “Come on in when you’re ready, then.”
I stood at the sink washing lunchbox containers when the front door finally opened. Cassandra strutted in. The steady rhythm of her stilettos on my hardwood floor was a beacon for the girls.
They bounded out of the bathroom and down the stairs in their pajamas, nearly knocking each other over.
At the giggling chaos, Sadie popped up from her favorite spot on the couch and darted into the kitchen.
“Miss Cassandra, are you actually engaged?” Bree shouted as she beelined for her.
“When are you getting married?” Gracie chimed in.
The fur missile bolted, herding Bree and Gracie into a cluster. Cassandra was caught in the middle of the child and canine tornado. She put her hands up to protect her face.
I whistled, calling off the dog and the girls. They settled instantly.
“Bedtime,” I said as I cut the water off. “I’ll be up in a minute.”
“But we wanna hang out with Miss Cass,” Gracie whined.
“Cassandra,” she corrected as she massaged her temples.
“Can we see your wedding dress?” Bree begged with clasped hands and puppy eyes.
“I don’t have a wedding dress,” Cassandra said.
The girls froze, but not for long.
“Why don’t you have a wedding dress?” Gracie asked with shock and horror.
Cassandra hadn’t opened her eyes yet. “I will tell you if you promise to stay at least two feet away from me at all times.”
“Hey—” I said in a warning tone.
She plastered on a smile. “I like my personal bubble.”
The girls backed up.
“Better,” Cassandra said as she lowered her hands.
Sadie’s furry ass was still planted on the floor beside her high heel.
Cassandra raised an eyebrow and glowered at the dog. “You too, fur ball.”
To my surprise, Sadie wandered back to the couch.
Cass laced her fingers together and turned her attention back to the girls. “I don’t have a wedding dress yet because I don’t have a wedding date yet. Why would I wear a summer dress for a winter wedding or lace and sleeves in the middle of July?”
“Why don’t you have a wedding date yet?” Bree prodded.
“My, my, aren’t you inquisitive?” Cassandra retorted. She bent down, bracing her hands on her knees to get on their level. “I don’t have a wedding date because I’m busy building my empire, not adding clout to his last name. Be your own happily ever after and you don’t need a prince to save you.”
“You’re so cool,” Bree whispered in sheer reverence.
Now I was the one rubbing my temples.