I don’t know if he understood how much that meant to me.
“I’m sorry you had to quit the Force. I know you loved that job,” Cassian said.
I sighed and pulled him into another embrace, resting my chin on his shoulder. Working in the Force had given my life meaning, but now, my life had a new meaning. Cassian was everything to me. “For you, I’d do it again.”
Cassian squeezed me tight, burrowing his face in the crook of my neck. Maybe he did understand.
We stopped at the marketplace on the way home to purchase supplies to make him a dinner of honey-baked potatoes and roasted chicken, drizzled with a raspberry sauce. He had a sweet tooth, and it was the sweetest meal I could think up. I prepared him strawberry tea with honey to go with his meal, which he picked out. I wanted to make the evening as nice as possible to make up for the terrible day, but there wasn’t much that could ease this kind of pain. He still cried himself to sleep in my arms.
In the morning, I suggested we visit Gertrude after our coffee and tea. Cassian was very excited at the idea and dragged me out the door the moment I finished my drink.
“Cassian! I was just preparing to visit you!” Gertrude said when she opened the door, pulling him into a hug. “Please tell me you’re back to finish your training.”
Cassian laughed beneath the hug. “Sorry, I’m just here to visit.”
“Pity,” she said as she released him. Her eyes landed on me. “Oh. Hello, Officer.”
“He’s not an officer. He quit the Force to be with me. Isn’t that sweet?” Cassian shined his bright smile right at me, and I knew I made the right decision.
Gertrude raised an eyebrow. “They didn’t like that your boyfriend was a witch?”
“Oh, yes. They loved it,” I said.
Her harsh frown turned into a smile, and she stepped aside. “Come in.”
Cassian and Gertrude spent a while catching up. Cassian tried to bring me into the conversation occasionally, which I appreciated, but it always wandered back to unfamiliar topics. I didn’t mind. I was just grateful to be beside Cassian.
When they inevitably reached the reason for Cassian’s visit to Ladiall, he broke into tears. He explained everything that had happened with Jasmine, and Gertrude just listened. I rested my hand on his back, trying to support him however I could.
“I’m so sorry, Cassian,” Gertrude said when he finished. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Cassian began wiping his tears away, but I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket to dab his tears, afraid he would get a rash from how much he rubbed his rough sleeve over his beautiful face. It was more intimate than I expected, but he seemed grateful.
“Do you know how to locate the rune stones?” Cassian asked Gertrude, sliding his hand into mine.
“Didn’t your boyfriend tell you? I’ve been finishing up my orders so I could come to you. I might have a method that’ll work,” she said.
Cassian glanced at me, and I squeezed his hand when I spotted the lingering guilt in his eyes. “Things have been a little crazy. I’m sorry,” he answered. “But of course you’re welcome anytime, Gertrude. I’d love to have you.”
“Great. I’ll be there before the end of the week. When are you heading back?” Gertrude asked.
Cassian exchanged an uncomfortable look with me. We hadn’t discussed our future yet. “As soon as I can. I can’t keep my staff waiting much longer.”
Gertrude wished us goodbye, promising to see us again soon. I held Cassian’s hand as we walked back to my house in unusual silence.
“So, um…” Cassian said, looking at me sideways. “What do you plan on doing now that you aren’t an investigator?”
“Hmm… I don’t know. I became an investigator because I wanted to help people, but you’ve shown me how much you can contribute to the community in other ways. Maybe I’ll find a job at an inn.”
Cassian fully turned his head to me, now smiling. “Oh yeah? You know, a position just opened up at Fibbersnap Inn.”
“You don’t say.”
Cassian giggled. “Maybe you’d be interested?”
“Are you sure? I’d have to find a place to live, and you would have to teach me everything.”
Cassian stood on his tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “You can stay with me, and I’d be happy to teach you.”
