Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
CASSIE
The café is slammed today.
The line is out the door, every table full, June practically vibrating behind the counter kind of slammed.
“This is insane,” June says, grinning as she hands off a drink. “Do you see this? Do you see this?”
“I see it,” I laugh, dodging around a customer. “I also see that we’re going to run out of oat milk in, like, twelve minutes.”
“I hired someone,” she says, eyes glimmering like she’s announcing she just bought a yacht.
“Seriously?”
“Part-time. Starts tomorrow. I told you—this is happening, Cassie. Your video? Viral. Like, actually viral. It got picked up by some of the Riverbend town pages. You saved the shop.”
My stomach flips a little.
“Don’t say it like that.”
“I’m saying it exactly like that. I just want to thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, seriously. I don’t know how I can repay you.”
“It’s not about the money.”
“Well,” June says, handing off another drink, “you have to make money somehow, right? Maybe this is a new gig for you. Social media consultant.”
I huff out a laugh. “Relax. It was one video.”
“One viral video,” she corrects. “I know at least three businesses that would pay you to do that for them. I’m happy to be your reference.”
I shake my head, but something about it sticks.
The shop is still buzzing. Orders being called, the espresso machine is hissing but suddenly I feel a little…outside of it.
Like everything’s moving forward, and I’m not sure where I am in it. I mean, I like doing kind deeds. But is this my new path? Social media business consultant?
I slip out the back door, the noise of the café fading behind me as I pull out my phone.
So, Avery and I are besties, going way back. And despite all the roommate drama that has unfolded here in Riverbend since I arrived, I haven’t yet updated her on all the happenings.
As in, I didn’t even tell her about the craziness with Logan. AKA Hot Cowboy slash baseball player.
I guess I’ve just been processing it on my own.
Avery picks up on the second ring.
“Well, helloooo stranger,” she says immediately. “Long time no talk.”
“I know. Sorry. Been getting acclimated to the new town.”
“Oh really,” she says.
“Very much so. How’s life?”
“Oh, it’s the same. No updates really.”
“Yeah? My brother’s good?”
Avery clears her throat and pauses before speaking.
“Cass. Griffin, your brother—my man—is fine. But that’s not what this is about.
” I can almost hear her squinting through the phone—she always does that when she’s thinking.
“This is about you and your updates, girl. Also, whatever happened to that sexy cowboy at the Dust Devils concert? You never told me the whole story. Just briefly mentioned it.”
“Oh. Well, about that…” A few students walk past me on the sidewalk, heading into the coffee shop. I pace on the sidewalk until I find a spot in the shade, against a building.
“I need everything. Start from the top.”
I lean against the brick wall, exhaling.
“There’s, ah, not much to tell, really.”
“Cassie.”
“Nothing new to tell.”
“Cassie. Spill. The. Beans.”
I close my eyes.
“Okay. So…first off…I may have gone back to the hotel with that hot cowboy at the concert.”
“Oh. My. God. And you didn’t tell me?!”
“I thought it was going to be one of those nights I just brushed under the rug!”
“Cassie. How dare you?” I can feel her smiling through her teeth. She’s not mad, not really.
Well, maybe a teensy bit.
“Remember who you hooked up with and didn’t tell me?” I fire back.
She clears her throat. “Fair point. Well…was it forgettable? He just looked hot but didn’t back it up? Or what?”
“Oh,” I chuckle. “He backed it up. Unfortunately.”
“Unfortunately?!”
“I’m trying to take a break from men!” I counter.
A group of sorority girls walk by right as I say that, and I realize I may have spoken just a little too loudly.
“Amen to that, sister,” one says. “High-five.”
I slap her hand, and walk further down the block, where—hopefully—I can find some actual privacy.
“Did someone just say ‘Amen to that?’” Avery asks.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Okay, let’s not get distracted. I need the TEA!”
I suck in a big breath. “Unfortunately, he…also happens to be my roommate now. Remember how my brother wanted me to house a minor league baseball from Davenport’s team?”
“Yeah…?”
“Yeah. He’s staying at my place.”
A beat hangs in the air.
“I’m sorry—what?”
“He’s my home stay as a minor league player. You know, sometimes they just stay in random homes? Jackson set it up. It’s temporary.”
“Oh. My. God.”
“And we—” I pause. “We kind of hooked up again.”
Avery makes a noise that’s somewhere between a laugh and a called it.
“I tried not to,” I add quickly. “Like, I really did. Since this was supposed to be the year of healing, and no men. But—it just…happened.”
“Cass.”
“I know.”
“No, listen to me,” she says. “How do you feel about it?”
That stops me.
I pace back toward the shop and look through the window, watching the café—June laughing, customers packed in, everything buzzing.
“I don’t know,” I say finally. “That’s kind of the problem.”
“Well, Cass, just do me one favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Enjoy it.”
“I’m trying to.”
“So what’s the issue?”
“It seems…too good to be true. And he’s a player, Avery.”
“Oh? He gets around?”
“No, not like that. He’s a ballplayer. He doesn’t know where he’ll end up. Just goes with different teams from city to city. Like that rambling man song.”
Avery sighs. “You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“You worry. So what if he’s not end game? Just play the game day by day.”
“I try. My heart gets mixed up though.”
“You like to be in control, Cass. I get it. But sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind. And just throw your chips down. Have a little fun.”
That night, I’m in bed by the time I hear the door swing open.
I won’t say I’m consciously avoiding being up when Logan comes home, but I definitely don’t want to see him.
His footsteps echo on the stairs a minute later. They slow until they stop outside my door. My heart kicks. I don’t move. Don’t breathe. Like somehow he’ll hear it through the wall.
A beat passes, and then…his steps continue down the hall.
A few minutes later, my phone lights up on the nightstand.
Logan: Hey. You up?
I stare at it for a second.
Cassie: No.
Logan: Lol liar.
My lips twitch.
Cassie: Go to sleep.
Logan: I can’t. I’m not tired, unfortunately.
Cassie: Sounds like a you problem.
Logan: It is. You’re in the next room.
My stomach does the flipping thing again.
Cassie: We said separate rooms.
A few seconds pass.
Logan: Yeah. We did.
There’s another pause.
Logan: But I can’t stop thinking about earlier.
I exhale slowly.
Cassie: Don’t do this.
Logan: It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?
My fingers hover over the screen.
Cassie: I really have to sleep.
Logan: You didn’t seem to mind.
Heat creeps up my neck.
Cassie: Goodnight, Logan.
Logan: Night, Cass.
I set my phone down and stare at the ceiling, wide awake.
Then my phone lights up again.
Logan: Wait. One more thing.
My heart races.
Cassie: What?
Logan: Just wanted to remind you how good I looked earlier.
I bite my lip, curiosity piquing. Then the photo comes through.
It’s a photo of him that he clearly took after his game today. Abs glistening under the light, his smirk playful yet challenging.
Logan: Just a little reminder of what you’re missing.
A rush of heat floods through me.
Cassie: You think that’s going to work on me?
Logan: Thought it was worth a shot.
Cassie: You are so full of yourself.
Logan: I’d rather be full of something else…or wait…I think you’d rather be full of me.
I swallow, and take a moment, heart pounding, before replying.
Cassie: Fine. Let me show you what you’re missing too.
I snap a quick photo, biting my lip. The playful side of me takes over, and I send him a shot of my bare shoulders up to my mouth and nose, with no eyes. Just enough to tease.
Logan: Damn. You’re killing me.
Cassie: Goodnight, Logan.
Logan: Night, Cass.
I can’t help but smile, feeling the buzz of excitement that comes with our banter. I set my phone down, thoughts racing, and when I wake up the next morning?
My blue yoga pants are hanging on my doorknob.