Chapter 36 #2
“You look like a man who’s made a decision,” Reggie tells me.
“I have to go.” I’m up and out of my seat in the blink of an eye. “Thank you,” I call over my shoulder, already striding from their kitchen.
* * *
After leaving Francis and Reggie’s place, I made a quick stop at Quill and Dagger to grab what I needed from Jeremy, then texted Cassie asking her to come over tonight after she finishes her shift at Bowman’s at five.
Now I sit at my kitchen table, facing the window, watching for any sign of her arrival like an eager puppy.
I force my leg to stop bouncing as I look down at the small piece of plastic in my hand.
Earlier, when I raided the cupboard in Jeremy’s office where he stores all the games for our Sunday evening game nights, the gesture seemed like a good idea.
Now that it’s almost five-thirty and Cassie will be here any moment, I’m worried it won’t come across the way I intend it to.
I glance up just in time to see a flash of long brown hair pass by my kitchen window, shortly followed by a light, almost hesitant knock on the front door.
It appears I’m not the only one nervous for this discussion.
Tucking the small lump of plastic into the front pocket of my jeans, I go to let Cassie in.
“Hi. Thanks for inviting me over.” Her voice is soft.
Tentative. There’s almost no sign of the confident woman I’ve got to know over the past couple of months.
It’s like she’s already decided that I’m going to end things.
Even though I know taking time to get my head on straight was the right thing to do, I hate that I’m the reason for her uncertainty.
“Come here.” I open my arms wide and, after a split-second of hesitation, Cassie steps into them, resting her head against my chest.
“Does this mean?” As if afraid to say the words out loud, she doesn’t finish the sentence, but I know what she’s asking.
“Yeah. You’re stuck with me, Trouble.”
Her relief is palpable, and her body relaxes against mine even further now she knows I’m not choosing to end things.
After a few minutes of simply enjoying holding her in my arms, I step back. “Let’s go sit down. We still need to talk.”
“OK.” Cassie nods, tension creeping back into her shoulders now that we’re not touching, but there’s also a spark of determination in her eyes that wasn’t there before.
I lead her through to the kitchen where I pour us both a glass of water. “Do you want to sit here or in the living room?”
“Here, I think. At least while we talk things out.” She pulls out a chair, choosing to fold up her small frame to sit on it cross-legged instead of with her feet on the ground.
A smile plays at the corners of my lips over how, even now when she’s full of nerves, Cassie is still doing the unexpected. Setting the glasses on the round table, I slide one towards her waiting hands, then take my seat opposite her.
“I have a lot of questions.”
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” Cassie replies earnestly.
“Thank you, but first there’s something I need to say.
” Clearing my throat uncomfortably, I shift in my seat to pull the small piece of plastic from my jeans pocket, keeping it hidden in my hand for the moment.
“I’ve not always been the best with words, but that’s something I’m working on.
I want to be better at telling the people in my life how important they are to me. ”
With my free hand, I reach for my glass and take a gulp of water to settle my nerves. “When you told me your secret, I felt like I’d fallen for a lie.”
“Austin, I—”
“No, let me finish. Please.” Cassie nods, and I search for where I left off.
“Right, so at first, I was hurt and confused. I, er, stayed up all night going down a Melody Night research rabbit hole,” I admit sheepishly.
Cassie cringes but doesn’t say anything, letting me get through what I need to say.
“After I calmed down a bit, I realised you’ve never truly hidden that part of yourself from me—the part that loves music.
You might not have been upfront about your level of success, but after seeing the sheer number of results that come up when I searched for your stage name online, I can understand why. ”
Cassie relaxes enough to take a sip of water, and I’m glad she no longer looks like she thinks I’m about to send her to the gallows.
Fiddling with the small piece of plastic in my hand, I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.
“Before we got together, I worried Pine Grove wouldn’t be enough for you.
You’re young and so fucking talented. Even after you told me you were thinking of staying, in the back of my mind I worried you’d regret it.
I love this town, the people, and the slower pace of life, but I understand it’s not for everyone.
Now I know that you’ve already lived the kind of life I was worried you might end up feeling like you were missing out on, I think I understand you better. ”
I set the green plastic on the tabletop. Cassie’s coffee-brown brows pull together in confusion.
“I’ve never been great with grand gestures or pretty words.
Knowing who you are now, I’m well aware there’s nothing I could get for you that you don’t already have, so I’ve decided not to go big.
You left big and flashy behind for a reason.
I think you came to Pine Grove looking for a home, even if you didn’t realise it at first. That’s what I’d like to give you—when you’re ready.
” I nudge the green Monopoly house towards her. “I know it’s not much, but I—”
“No, this is perfect,” Cassie’s voice cracks as she picks up the tiny house, her baby-blue eyes shining with emotion. “There’s nothing that you could have given me that’s more you.” She smiles softly and meets my gaze. “You used something you love to tell me you love me.”
“You’re supposed to let me actually say the words first.”
“When have I ever done what I’m supposed to do, Boss?”
Grinning, I shake my head. “Before you came into my life, whenever I thought of the future, all I thought about was what I wanted to achieve with the bar. Now when I look forward, I think about building a life with you because you’re right, I do love you.
You challenge me, you inspire me, and you remind me to be present and have fun. ”
Cassie stands and walks around the table to sit across my lap. Stroking my unruly copper waves from where they’ve fallen forward into my eyes, she replies, “I love you too.”
Our lips meet, and it feels like reaching dry land after being lost at sea.
Her full lips and subtle curves soften my rough edges and hard angles.
I hold on to her as if I never want to let go, and she kisses me like she could do it forever.
Time loses all meaning as my focus narrows down until Cassie is all I see.