You got that right.
I followed her as she made her way behind the counter, looking for something.
“Let me rephrase my question. I meant, do you want to know what thenewJace does when he’s sad?”
“I’m still scared to ask,” she said as she continued to search for something.
“I like to go for a drive in my truck down the back roads, park somewhere, and stare at the stars.”
That stopped her dead in her tracks.
“What? Not what you thought I was going to say?”
“No, I guess not,” she replied honestly.
“Do you want to go for a drive in my truck? I know a good spot to see the stars this time of night,” I offered.
“I’m sure this trick has worked on lots of girls before, but I’m not that easy or dumb, Jace. What? You get me in your truck, drive somewhere far and dark, then somehow magically end upwith your lips on mine? I’m not some buckle bunny you can have a one-night stand with, but I give you an A for effort,” she deadpanned.
Little did Cassie know, I’d never taken anyone out to Crowley’s Ridge with me. That was the spot I did some of my best thinking—and healing. I would never take someone out there if I thought they might jeopardize that peace for me.
Where most of the girls I had dated in the past were drama and toxic, Cassie was sunshine and positivity. Before tonight, I’d never seen the girl shed a tear. She was one of the strongest-willed, most independent women I knew, and that was my favorite thing about her.
Cassie didn’tneedme, but I wanted her to.
“I promise I wasn’t trying to make a move on you. I just thought a breath of fresh fall air under the stars would help make your clearly shitty night better. I get it though. My reputation definitely precedes me,” I said. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell anyone about tonight.”
Her shoulders relaxed as a large amount of the anxiety she’d been carrying melted away. Maintaining her I’ll-kick-your-ass-and-laugh-while-doing-it image was important to Cassie. Maybe that was how she coped with all the bullshit she had to deal with. Who was I to judge?
“Do you want a ride home at least?” I offered helplessly. I really didn’t want to leave Cassie alone, knowing she’d been crying earlier.
“I’m fine, Jace. I promise. I just needed a good cry. I got it all out, and I’m fine now.”
I wasn’t fully convinced.
Grabbing a napkin off the counter, I took a pen from a cup Cassie had sitting near the register and wrote my phone number down.
“Promise me you’ll call if you need anything. Even just someone to talk to. I won’t even care if you call me names,” I joked, trying to let her know I was serious while still cheering her up.
“If I take it, can this be the IOU for breaking your foot?”
“Not a chance, sugar.”
I could tell she wanted to argue with me about the pet name, but she probably didn’t have the energy.
“Just take the napkin, Cassie. No strings attached. Just trying to be a good guy.”
She stared at me for a moment, contemplating as the gears turned in her head.
“Fine,” she said, taking the napkin from my grip.
I left the coffee shop and walked back to my truck, which was parked one block down, just off the main road, pointed toward the Daily Grind. But instead of going home, I sat there incognito for two hours, watching Cassie paint on the front windows of her coffee shop. When she finally left for the night and went home, I did too.
Chapter 7 – Cassie
I need like three shots of espresso.That was my first thought when I woke up this morning.
I stayed out way past my bedtime working on the window designs for the coffee shop last night. My mom’s unannounced visit had thrown me off schedule by a couple hours, but I decided not to go home after Jace left because the cool air against my tear-stained face felt healing somehow.
