Chapter 9 #2
“Oh, it was nice. Just a low-key night at home. Did you go trick-or-treating?” Cassie smiled and Drea wasn’t sure if she was being serious.
“Nah, I had a family thing.” She took a hefty swig of whiskey and watched the people dancing.
“Are you close with them?”
She felt her jaw clench involuntarily in response to the question. She wasn’t ready to talk about her parents with Cassie. With anyone. She met Cassie’s eyes and shook her head.
“What about you?” She realized she didn’t know if Cassie had family here other than her sister. “Are you from here?” She watched something sad pass through Cassie’s expression, gone almost as quickly as it appeared, and sipped her drink, more curious now.
“I’m from Boston originally.” Cassie swept the lilac hair out of her eye.
“Ah, that would explain it.” Drea grinned.
“Explain what?”
“Cah. Pahk the cah.”
Cassie laughed, almost spitting out a mouthful of iced tea. “I’m not that bad.”
Drea laughed. “Yeah, you’re not. But,” she held her thumb and index finger an inch apart, “a little.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “I’ve lived here long enough that some of the southern words have slipped in. I’ve been known to fling a y’all or two.”
“Impressive,” Drea teased.
“And what about you, Miss Sexy Southern Drawl?”
Drea held Cassie’s gaze, noticing her eyes widen for a brief moment as she seemed to realize what she had just said. “You think my drawl is sexy?” She couldn’t hide her grin or the pleasure Cassie’s comment inspired.
Cassie shook her head and took a big gulp of iced tea, seeming uncomfortable with how the conversation had turned. “You must know that everyone . . . you know . . . everyone . . .” Her words died on her tongue and her shoulders slumped as if she was in an impossible situation.
Drea didn’t care about everyone. She cared about Cassie. And she desperately wanted her to finish that sentence, but she could see Cassie felt stuck, so she gave her an out.
“Do you want to check the meteh on the cah?”
Cassie shook her head again, but this time it was accompanied with soft laughter. “Whatever.”
The music slowed and the dance floor cleared out as Laura’s dad took her hand and they started to dance.
Drea suddenly felt annoyed by weddings and all of the expectations they brought.
She glanced at Cassie who was watching Laura dance with her dad with an expression Drea couldn’t place.
She finished her whiskey and leaned toward Cassie.
“Sure you don’t want something stronger? ”
Cassie turned to Drea and her brown eyes seemed lost for a moment before she blinked, noticing Drea. “What?”
“Do you want something stronger?” Drea nodded at her iced tea.
“Oh, no thanks.” Cassie focused on the dance floor again.
Drea walked to the bar and, as she waited in line, thought back to the times she’d seen Cassie at Rosie’s.
She had never seen Cassie drink anything other than water or iced tea before, and felt like a jerk for not realizing sooner.
She got Cassie another iced tea and headed back to the table where Laura and Nick were chatting with her.
“Hey, Drea.” Laura beamed as Drea handed Cassie the tea.
“I was telling Cassie what a wonderful team you two are. All the things you did to get us what we wanted within our budget: the sign and the table decorations.” Laura shook her head.
“You two are incredible. Thank you for everything.” She gave them each a hug and started to head off to talk to the next table but called over her shoulder.
“You should dance. Have some fun! You earned it.”
Cassie held up the iced tea Drea had placed in front of her. “Thanks for this.”
“You’re welcome.” Drea couldn’t help but notice the blush on Cassie’s cheeks.
There was a long pause. Drea focused on the music, but couldn’t miss the slight tension in the air.
“What do you think about that?” Cassie finally asked.
“What Laura said?” Drea asked.
Cassie nodded.
She wasn’t sure which part of Laura’s comments Cassie was referring to, but judging by the slight blush still on Cassie’s cheeks, she figured it was the initial comment. “I’d agree. We aren’t too bad at this wedding stuff.”
Cassie nodded and bit her lip.
Drea sipped her whiskey, waiting her out.
“I really appreciate everything you’ve done. This wasn’t your obligation, at all. But you’ve done more than I could ever ask. So, I just wanted to thank you.” Sincerity filled Cassie’s eyes.
“Does that mean the weddings are done?” Drea felt confused by the finality in Cassie’s words.
Cassie hesitated. “No, there’s one more left, but I feel like you’ve already done so much. It doesn’t feel right asking more of you.”
“Good thing you didn’t ask then.” Drea grinned and clinked glasses with Cassie.
They stood in silence, watching the people around them, a hint of expectation still in the air. Damn it, Laura. She probably hadn’t meant anything by the dancing comment. She probably saw them as coworkers, which they were, so why should this be awkward. Fuck it. Drea turned to Cassie. “Want to?”
Cassie looked confused. “To what?”
Drea held out her hand and grinned. “Dance.”
Cassie held her gaze for a moment, seeming to weigh the question thoroughly. Just when Drea thought she was going to say no, she replied. “Sure.”
She placed her hand in Drea’s, the warmth comforting Drea, and they walked out to the dance floor as the band started an upbeat tune.
They stopped and faced each other, then looked around at the other couples dancing hand in hand around them.
Not exactly Drea’s first choice in music or type of dancing, but she doubted the band would switch to electronica in the next minute.
She held out her right palm for Cassie to take. “Here goes nothing.”
Cassie took her hand with a grin. “Indeed.”
Drea stepped closer and placed her hand on Cassie’s waist and as they gazed into each other’s eyes, her breath caught.
She had danced with many women before, but even when it was flirtatious and fun, she had never had a physiological reaction to any of them.
Ever. She had built some pretty solid walls around her heart, and she had always been able to separate the two.
To avoid any further confusing thoughts or feelings, she swung Cassie out and they began to hop, skip, and glide along the dance floor amid the other dancers.
She was surprised how easily they moved together.
Sure, she didn’t often dance hand in hand with a woman.
Grinding was the more typical movement at Rosie’s, but even then sometimes things clicked and sometimes they didn’t.
There was a give and take, a negotiation on the dance floor, and she and Cassie seemed to flow naturally.
As the final notes rang out, Cassie spun into Drea and Drea dipped her.
Cassie beamed in her arms, and it was one of the most beautiful sights Drea had ever seen.
She didn’t want the moment to end, wanting Cassie to stay in this flash of joy for as long as possible after all she had been through over the past month.
But the music had stopped, so Drea raised Cassie until she was back on her feet and their faces were mere inches apart.
The smile slowly faded from Cassie’s lips as they held each other’s gaze, breathing in each other’s ragged breath.
Drea had made avoidance an art form, but this time she stood there, letting the sparks hit her.
After a long moment, a nervous chuckle escaped Cassie’s lips and they both took a step back.
“Water,” Cassie’s voice croaked. “Let’s get some water.” She turned on her heel and hightailed it to the table, leaving Drea to follow, confused at how she felt both grateful and sad the moment had ended.