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“I make a great scramble.”

“Says you. Do you ever think you do anything wrong?”

“If you leave, I’ll have done something wrong.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Have a quick bite, Cass.”

She flashes her teeth and makes a chomping noise. I stick my finger across the island and she nips the tip of it playfully. Treyvon cracks up.

Then she blushes. I love when she loses all sense of herself in our back-and-forth—like last night when she actually stuck her tongue out and licked my palm. Though, I was in danger of pulling her to me and kissing her then.

I set the plate in front of her.

“Stubborn man,” she says, grabbing her fork, but looking up at me through her lashes.

“Headstrong woman,” I retort.

Trey shakes his head and takes a sip of his coffee.

He’s got this look he’s giving me. It’s one I can read easily because we grew up together. He knows I’ve got it bad. Funny, I don’t think Cass can tell. She probably assumes I’m still acting—like she is.

She digs into her breakfast and I watch her. When her eyes lift and she says, “Thank you. This is really good,” I can’t help but smile.

After she finishes eating, I try to think of reasons to make her stick around.

I can’t come up with one that’s good enough to keep her here, so I watch as she rinses her plate and thanks me for breakfast.

I walk her to the door—like a good boyfriend would.

“I’ll have Darlene and Helen treat your sweater, and I’ll get it back to you,” I say.

“That’s not necessary, Marcky,” she smiles a playful smile.

I raise my pointer finger and wag it at her. “Uh-uh.”

She just smiles. “Your mom seems sweet. Good people.”

“She’s the best,” I say.

“I really did have fun last night,” she says, bending to slip her feet into her boots.

“Me too,” I say.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” she says.

“Never,” I tell her, pulling her into a hug despite the fact that Trey is in the kitchen and can’t see us. “Have a good rest of your day.”

“I will. And I’ll see you … when I see you.”

I hate that we don’t have a time planned. But it doesn’t make sense to plan anything right now. The season is in full swing and I need to focus.

Cass opens the door, turns to look at me, and walks out with one final, “Goodbye, Marcus.”

I turn back to the kitchen, girding myself for the taunting I know I’m about to get from my best friend.

“Game tape,” Trey says with a chuckle.