Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I need to make myself relax about this whole thing, because if I keep turning every damn situation into a mess, I might lose my Cass for real. So I take a deep breath and press my knee against his. No biggie.
When he speaks, I barely remember it’s an answer to my own question.
“Oh, it was over a dating app.” Cass offers Logan a half smile that used to be reserved for me.
I manage not to barf into the coffees Quinta brings over.
“And you… dated him too?” I ask Aaron when he gets his bony fingers on the tiniest coffee cup.
His thin hand trembles as he glances Logan’s way. “What? No! We know each other from the stables. It’s a small town, but come on. Besides, I don’t have time for dating, I’m going to law school once I’m done with my degree.”
I smile. “Oooh! Okay, okay, now I know who to call if I have trouble with essays.”
Aaron pulls out a little metal box and offers me a card. For a moment, I feel like I’m in a period movie, but he is so casual about it I don’t comment. “I do tutoring on the side. So give me a call if you need help.”
“Look at him, not only smart but also a real businessman,” Logan leans to Cass. I stop breathing when his lips brush my best friend’s skin. They’d have landed on the mouth if Cass hadn’t moved away in surprise.
Once again, I have fire simmering down my throat.
I was pretty much okay with seeing the cashier kiss a guy before, so why is this so agitating? Fire ants crawl under my skin, and I want to throttle Logan. Like it’s my job to protect Cass from this other guy. Which is absurd since Cass wants it.
Cass is gay.
Get over it, Matt.
I’m hardly able to swallow a bit of cake, but I make sure to chew, because I’m not letting Logan to be the hero. Again.
“This is a great cake,” I mumble, unsure what else to say.
“I love peanut butter. I actually make my own for blending into shakes,” Logan responds, ready to boast again, but Cass doesn’t seem to see it and just smiles, drinking from his cup.
“He is good at smoothies.”
Because of course he is. He’s probably good at everything. Including sex.
“Oh come on, it’s just smoothies. But it is nice to wake up and grab something healthy in the morning.”
Aaron nods, sipping from his tiny cup. "It's true. My nanny used to make the best croque monsieur."
I refuse to ask if he still has a nanny, or if he’s reminiscing. Or what a croque monsieur is.
“That guacamole I showed you in photos? He made it,” Cass says with enthusiasm and moves his hand under the table in a way that makes it obvious to me that he’s squeezing Logan’s hand.
I swallow the lump in my throat, but who am I to criticize, when I burn eggs in the pan as often as I make them edible?
“That’s some real talent. What else do you do?” I ask, desperate to like Logan despite the circumstances.
“I just finished my business degree last year, but decided to stick around.” He winks at Cass and it dawns on me that Logan must have stayed here for him.
“And how long have you been together?” I ask with a sinking feeling, because now I’m thinking of Cass hiding such a big part of his life from me.
The lovebirds look at one another and both crack up at the same time.
“It’s complicated,” Logan says, putting his arm around Cass’s shoulders.
How was it fucking complicated? You’re either with someone or not.
“Depends on whether you count all the time we talked online or starting with our first real meeting,” Cass admits.
Oh. That does make sense.
“So… what? Shall we say six months?”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.”
It was nothing in comparison with Cass’s long friendship with me, but then why does this short time with Logan seem more significant? So what if they were having sex or kissing? It wasn’t Logan Cass decided to move into his apartment after his previous roommate graduated.
But then it strikes me.
What if Cass wanted Logan to move in, and Logan who rejected the offer? Should I even ask when we’re alone?
The last piece of the cake tastes bitter.
I meet Cass’s soft eyes, take in his long lashes, at his kissable (if you’re gay) mouth, and I can’t fathom a reason why Logan wouldn’t want to wake up to that every day. As far as men go, Cass is a treasure. Logan has the charm of a player and the boastful personality to go with it, but I keep that to myself until first Aaron, and then Logan excuse themselves and leave us alone.
Despite his promise to Quinta, Logan leaves the tables shuffled together.