Chapter 41
Avery
He needs to be okay
I wake up feeling satisfied. I reach out to pull Cas closer to me, only to find it empty.
Sadness threatens to take hold of me, but then I remember our conversation.
I sit up abruptly, running my fingers through my hair, trying to calm down my frantic heart.
He promised things would be okay and he asked me to trust him.
That’s what I have to do. I head toward my closet to put clothes on and noticed one of his shirts mixed in with mine.
I mean, with how often we spend at each other's houses, it makes sense to keep some articles of clothing in each other's closets. Now more than ever, I’m grateful for it.
I need something of his to cling to and on the plus side, it still smells like him.
The sound of the door opening and closing has my heart in my throat. Cas? He’s back already? That was quick. I grab a pair of panties and put them on before heading downstairs. Only it isn’t Cas standing in the doorway, but Bri.
She waves her phone in the air and I know without words why she’s here.
Cas must have called her because he didn’t want me to be alone.
Which means that whatever he’s dealing with is more dangerous than he let on.
I run down the stairs, taking them two at a time before launching myself into her arms, not giving two shits about me being pantless.
The second her arms wrap around me, the floodgates I held back from Cas bust open.
Loud, ugly, and uncontrollable sobbing takes over my body.
Bri just holds me, calming me with her presence.
I don’t remember making it to the couch, but here I am with my head in Bri’s lap as she plays with my hair.
The crying hasn’t stopped and I can already feel the headache forming behind my eyes.
My best friend just continues comforting me in silence and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Eventually, my eyes become heavy with exhaustion and I fall asleep still curled in Bri’s lap.
I wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, waffles, and my stomach making the most obnoxious sound.
On the coffee table in front of me are two Advil and a glass of water.
I pop the pills and guzzle the water before walking over to find Bri at the table with two plates full of food and two cups of coffee. God, I love my best friend.
We eat in silence, which is perfect, because I’m still trying to work out the mess that is my mind. I’m finishing my final bite of food when I hear Bri clear her throat.
“How are you feeling?”
I swallow the remaining coffee in my cup before answering her. “I’m a mess, Bri. So much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. And since you’re here, I’m guessing Cas called you?”
She nods her head. “Yup. Well, he texted me, but same diff. Oh, and don’t worry—I plan to make good on my promise to force feed him his balls if he hurts you.
You’re welcome.” I can’t help but laugh at her.
Fuck, it feels good to laugh right now. The next thing I know, words are pouring out of me like a busted pipe.
I share my fears and concerns about him going back to see his dad.
I told her of our most recent experience of mind blowing sex, as well as the gift he got me.
“It was seriously amazing, Bri. He’s so thoughtful and sentimental.” I pause, looking down at my now empty plate. “He needs to come home, Bri. I can’t be without him again. It was too painful.”
“He’ll come home, Ave. He’s too stubborn not to. Plus, I have to live vicariously through you in regards to your sex life. My vagina is as dry as the Sahara Desert.”
“Well, I’m sure Asher would love to help you with that.” I waggle my eyebrows, doing anything and everything to distract from the darkness of my thoughts.
“Yeah….no. Not happening. He’s not getting anywhere near this pussy.
He can beg all he wants, but it’s not happening.
Now, I’m going to clean up our food while you go upstairs and take a shower.
You need to clear your head. Plus, you smell like sex.
After you’re done, we can watch a movie and binge on popcorn and ice cream.
” I throw my napkin at her before circling around the table to kiss her cheek.
“Thank you for coming, Bri. I love you so much and I appreciate you being here for me.” I squeeze her shoulders.
“I love you, too, Ave. I’d do anything for you.”
I head upstairs and take the longest shower of my life. I cannot fully ease the anxious thoughts and fears from my brain, but there’s something about showering to cleanse your mind and body from stress and tension.
As I’m toweling off, I grab my phone and send a quick text to Cas, letting him know I love him and that I’m waiting for him to come home to me.
Seconds after I put my phone down, it dings with a new notification and my heart flips.
I grin and grab my phone with relief, thinking it's Cas. When I open my phone, it’s not a text notification, but an email alert from the songwriting competition.
I’m already stressed and worried about Cas that I hesitate to open the email, expecting to get a rejection.
It’s now or never. What’s the worst thing that can happen?
When I open the email, my eyes can’t process what they see.
I did a double-take to see if I was seeing things correctly.
I rush downstairs, anxious to tell Bri the news, and I want that damn popcorn.
“I don't smell any popcorn, Bri, and you’ll never guess what happened. But, you better have a good explanation—" I stop abruptly at the sight of her face. Panic instantly fills my body, my heart beating in my throat. “What? Why do you look like that right now?” I ask.
“Avery,” she says with so much emotion behind her words.
“What? What happened?” I demand.
“There's been an accident. Cas, he—something happened, and he's being rushed to the hospital. We don’t know—" but the rest of her words fade to black as I collapse to the floor. My heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest.
“I n-need-to g-go s-see h-him,” I stammer out, my voice coated with panic.
“I'm not sure if he’s allowed visitors yet,” she says.
“I don’t give a fuck, Bri. Take me to him. Now.” She nods her head and we head out to the hospital. The drive over is a complete blur. He needs to be okay. He just needs to.