Chapter 4 #2
Apparently, Cassie was pretty cool after all.
She wasn’t like the other women Drea typically interacted with.
They always had an angle. And Drea was pretty good at satisfying them.
Okay, very good. But Cassie didn’t seem interested in Drea like that, at least not as far as she could tell.
She didn’t seem to notice that she had an effect on Drea either, thankfully.
And that had died down over the week as banter became more of their thing rather than a prelude to something else. Maybe they’d end up being friends.
Drea shook her head. How quickly things change. It had only been a few weeks since she wanted nothing to do with Cassie at all. And now. Now she was a little sad tomorrow was Friday because she was going to miss the banter over the weekend.
Even the slightest feeling of wanting someone to be around shook her deep down.
People viewed Drea as the funny, good-time girl who took nothing seriously.
Drea had purposely crafted that perception so no one ever got close enough to see the darkness she struggled with.
She knew she was broken inside, so she created this outward life, leaving the rest for only her to see.
A tugboat passed by on the river, and Drea followed its progress. She had promised herself long ago never to invite someone into the dark part of her life. The banter with Cassie would stay where it was, at a distance.
Drea rolled her shoulders to release the tension and went inside, filling her glass again, before heading to her bedroom.
Pickles followed dutifully. She selected an EDM playlist on her phone and sat down in front of a blank canvas.
As the bass pumped from the speakers, Drea closed her eyes, letting the beat of the music sync with the beat of her heart until both hammered through her chest. Flashes of color and composition swirled in her mind as the buzz from her drink let creativity crystallize.
She opened her eyes, grabbed a paintbrush, and entered the one safe space where she was truly herself.
“Yeah, well, maybe if you spent more time practicing your pool skills rather than your other skills at the club, you’d win occasionally,” Cassie jabbed. She leaned against the counter in the break area, staring at Drea over the rim of her coffee cup.
Drea knew there were other people in the break area, but she was only interested in watching Cassie. Fire flickered in Cassie’s eyes, and Drea geared up for another exciting sparring match.
Someone cleared his throat, and Drea glanced around to see Tom, whose eyes were about to bulge out of his head as he looked from Cassie to Drea standing a few feet apart. “Shots fired. I’m outta here.” He grabbed his coffee mug and rushed from the break area.
Drea laughed as he hightailed it away, but in an instant her attention was back on Cassie. “I don’t hear many complaints about my other skills,” Drea said, matching the challenge in Cassie’s eyes.
“But, honestly, do you ever stick around long enough to hear them?” Cassie’s tone was conspiratorial as she sat down, which took the edge off her words.
“Not if I can help it.” She waggled her eyebrows and they both burst into laughter.
“Y’all seem to be having fun.” Drea turned to see Sam standing behind her.
“Hey Sam,” Cassie and Drea said simultaneously.
“Hey Cassie.” Sam smiled at Cassie before meeting Drea’s eyes. “Drea, can you chat for a minute?”
“Of course.” Drea raised her eyebrows at Cassie as she followed Sam to her desk. “What’s up, boss?” Drea said as she took a seat.
A curious expression filled Sam’s face. “I wanted to touch base because this week has flown by. And one reason for that is I couldn’t help but notice you and Cassie have really been getting along.
There’s been more laughter in the office this week than in the last couple of months. It’s been . . . nice.”
Drea nodded. “Yeah, she’s pretty funny.”
“That’s interesting. I haven’t had the chance to see that.” Sam’s voice held a tinge of sadness.
Drea shrugged. “Well, you’ve always been her boss, right? So, it’s probably just that.”
“And yet it’s never stopped you.” Sam smiled at her.
“I respect you, but we were friends first. Since birth basically . . . or at least tween years, same diff.”
Sam gave her a knowing look. “Well, I’m glad everyone’s getting along. I enjoy things being light. And how are things with Erin?”
Drea sensed there was more to the Cassie subject but welcomed the change in topic.
“They’re good.” She ran a hand through her hair thinking through her time with Erin.
“It took a couple of weeks, but she caught on fast and we’ve worked out a rhythm.
” Drea felt a sense of pride bubbling up in her chest. She had worked with interns before, but this time felt different.
She had been more of a mentor and helped Erin find her strengths, whereas before she had spent most of her time plotting the next prank.
“I know you didn’t doubt me for a second. ” Her words dripped with sarcasm.
Sam chuckled. “Not one.” They passed a knowing look to each other, because of over two decades of friendship. “Anyway,” Sam continued, “the real reason I wanted to chat with you is to see if you’d be up for Charlie’s tonight. It’s been too long.”
Drea held in a sigh of relief. For some reason, she’d been worried Sam was going to tell her to stop flirting with Cassie. She didn’t want to unpack why the idea of that request made it hard to breathe. Relieved, Drea practically jumped out of her seat at the change of subject. “Yes!”
“Cheers.” Drea clinked her margarita glass against Sam’s as they both licked the salt off the rim and took a sip.
Charlie’s was their place. The gay dive bar had been like a home to Drea and Sam for years.
It sported the typical bar accoutrements, pool tables and dart boards, but the clientele was a little more colorful than the typical New Orleans bar, which was saying something.
Drea looked around, enjoying the mix of people, a table of guys in varying stages of drag catching her eye.
She took in the elaborate brows, huge eyelashes, severe cheekbones, and luxurious curves.
Drag queens played with the hyperfeminization of women in a way that had always spoken to Drea. It was an art form she respected.
Drea returned her attention to Sam and took another sip of her drink. They used to come here every Friday to relax, catch up, and commiserate, but since Sam met Ash and launched the company, they barely saw each other monthly outside of work.
Sam closed her eyes. “Damn, I forgot how good these are.”
“Me too.” Drea took another sip. “I’ve missed you, bud.”
Sam grimaced. “I know, me too. I’m sorry. It’s just been so crazy with the launch and Ash and everything. Thanks for not giving up on me.”
Drea shook her head. “Never.”
“I’m glad you and Cassie seem to be hitting it off. I was a little worried there for a minute.”
Drea noticed the strain in Sam’s voice and frowned. Something about Sam’s tone put her on guard. “Worried? Why?”
Sam took a moment, seeming to search for the right words. “It just seemed like you weren’t clicking, which was weird because you’re both awesome people.”
Drea shrugged, a little ashamed by her initial walls with Cassie. “I guess it took a minute to figure out the dynamic.”
She tensed, waiting for more, but Sam just nodded.
If Sam sensed there was more that Drea wasn’t sharing, she hid it well.
The waitress came to the table with chips and salsa that they hadn’t ordered.
“It’s great to see you both back here.” She smiled at Sam, then placed her hand on Drea’s and winked as she turned to leave.
Drea watched her go. When she turned back, Sam was shaking her head. “Some things never change.”
Drea put her hands up in the air and shrugged, before grabbing a chip.
Sam rolled her eyes, then grabbed the chip from Drea and bit into it.
“Hey, boss.”
“Uh-uh, I’m not your boss here. We’re off the clock.” She dipped another chip into the salsa and crunched away.
“How are things with Ash?” It had taken a while for Drea to come around to Ash.
It was a bit of a sticky situation given their high school history.
But since Sam had found a way to forgive Ash for being part of the bullying crew that had tormented her back then, Drea did too.
People grow and change, and for Ash it was growth for the good.
And now that Drea had seen how happy Sam and Ash were together, she was supportive of their relationship.
Sam’s face lit up. “It’s really good. It almost scares me because I keep thinking it can’t stay this good, ya know?”
“Why not?” Drea grabbed another chip, but when she saw the expression on Sam’s face change, she knew the answer.
Sam shook her head and forced a smile. She took a sip of her drink, then grabbed her napkin and dabbed at the corner of her eye. “It’s stupid, I know.”
“Hey.” Drea took Sam’s hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
Sam’s eyes held worry. “And what if it’s not?”
“Then we’ll get through it together.” She squeezed Sam’s hand. “Like we always do.”
Sam smiled at her and squeezed back. “Thank you. For the ‘we.’” She grabbed her margarita and took a long sip.
Drea waited as a sense of calm came back to Sam.
Sam met Drea’s eyes and continued. “Anyway, enough of that. I asked Jake what he wants to be for Halloween, and he said you’d explain it to me.”
“Mmhmm.” Drea nodded and grabbed her drink to buy some time. How exactly to explain a Jon Snow costume without admitting to binging Game of Thrones with a six-year-old? She grabbed a couple of chips and started munching while giving Sam her warmest smile.