Cassian
In the Verandah Café, Cassian was sitting in one of the wicker chairs, his hands forming a steeple in front of his chest while one foot rested atop its opposite knee. Watching the ocean through the room’s large windows, he ruminated on the state of his engagement with Ethel. While deep in thought, his eyes wandered over to the ivy-covered trellises. He followed their length before surveying the rest of the room. Mostly white, but beautified with many potted plants, the restaurant was bright and cheery—a stark contrast to his current mood—and that realization alone made him consider leaving, though he was still so hungry from not having had breakfast that morning.
Soon, a steward started toward his table, but before the man reached him, Cassian caught sight of James serving a family several tables over. Immediately, Cassian stood, his negative emotions vanishing in an instant, and then, as though in a bit of a trance, he pushed past the steward who had been coming to serve him so that he could sit at an empty table near James instead.
“Why, if it isn’tTitanic’s most competent server,” Cassian said as he took a seat in the chair nearest to his new friend. “I’ll be sitting here. If this is, indeed, your section to wait on.”
“It is,” James said with an uncertain-looking smile, one that then became a bit playful. “Are you following me, Cassian?”
Hearing his name on James’s lips sent Cassian’s heart aflutter.
“I’m simply in search of middling service,” Cassian replied with a smirk.
James raised a hand to his chest and recoiled. “Middling?! Ah, well, I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere, then. Because I only provideexceptionalservice.”
“Do you?” Cassian asked, crooking an eyebrow. “I’d like for you to prove that to me.”
Without hesitation and in the sincerest sounding tone, James simply replied, “I will.”
Cassian’s cheeks warmed, and he had to purse his lips to keep himself from smiling too much.
“Would you care for some coffee?” James asked.
“Only if it’s preparedpreciselyhow I like it,” Cassian replied.
Bantering with James was simply too much fun.
“It will be.”
James left. He returned a minute later with a cup of coffee, made exactly the way that Cassian liked it. Cassian had expected as much from James. But as soon as Cassian swallowed his second sip, the memory of that morning’s breakfast came back to him, souring his mood instantly.
“Is it not to your liking?” James asked, his voice a mixture of tease and concern that Cassian couldn’t help but find incredibly sweet.
“No, it’s not that,” Cassian said through a sigh as he set the cup back on the table. “Breakfast this morning was...”
But Cassian couldn’t bring himself to say more. Instead, he closed his eyes and scrubbed his face with his hand. He came out a moment later to see James kneeling in front of him. His heart stuttered from the sight of James’s genuine worry.
Cassian huffed a dismissive laugh. “I’m fine, James.”
“You’re not fine. What happened?”
“I can’t relive it completely right now,” Cassian said. “I’ll say this, though: Ethel and I can’t seem to find pleasure in each other’s company. And it’s bothering me.”
James continued to look at him with unbridled concern. Cassian only wished that he could reach out and smooth away every single one of those ripples of worry that were etched across the man’s forehead.
Before Cassian could tell James not to fret, someone at the next table asked for more tea.
“Sorry,” James whispered before pushing himself to stand.
Seized with a fierce twinge of possessiveness, Cassian suddenly stood too. He hated being interrupted. Despite the fact that James was working, he wanted them to finish their conversation. And, luckily, he had the means to make that happen.
Cassian fished for his wallet and pulled out several bills, not even bothering to count them.
“Excuse me.” Cassian snapped his fingers a couple of times to snag the attention of the steward who had almost waited on him earlier. “Come over here, please.”
“Uhm, Cassian?” James said through a breathy laugh. “What—”
“Not now,” Cassian clipped as the other steward approached. Cassian handed him the money. “I need Mr. Morrow here to help me with something. And, therefore, I needyouto wait on his tables for the next thirty minutes or so. Do you think you can do that for me?”
