Page 62 of Sweet

I’m anticipating a very awkward shift with Jesse. We haven’t spoken at all since I last saw him a few days ago, when Cas came to visit me at work and Jess left shortly after. He’s probably pissed at me, which I can understand, because I just went through the trouble of telling him I wasn’t ready to commit to anyone until I got things straightened out with Mantis, and then I showed up a couple of days later with Bailey as my new boyfriend out of the blue. We get lucky in the sense that there’s a Friday rush that keeps us busy from lunch to dinner. Once the crowd trickles out, it’s just me and Jess.

The store’s quiet aside from the clicking of the sticker gun, and we haven’t seen a customer for the last hour. When he approaches the front where I’m straightening by the register, I figure now is as good a time as any.

“So, you’ll never guess what happened to me,” I say.

Jess scoffs and he’s opening up the sticker gun to change the tape.

“Listen, I didn’t just drop you and jump into bed with Bailey.”

“Really now?” Jess slams the gun back together. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“The guy I had been talking to… well, it was Bailey. This whole time. That’s why we’re… together.”

Jess hums, and the doubt in his voice is evident.

“I’m sorry.” I sigh. “I feel like a dick and I really didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“It’s fine,” he mutters.

“I still care about you. A lot.”

“I said it’s fine,” Jess says again. He pauses to take a shaky breath. “I know you’ve liked Bailey for a while. And if he’s reallythe same guy as the one you were talking to, I never really stood a chance. Yeah?”

“Jess,” I say with a frown.

“It’s okay.” He takes another deep breath. “It’s not like you weren’t honest with me. I knew and took a chance anyway.”

“I still want us to be friends, Jess.”

“Yeah, me too.” He looks down at the sticker gun and laughs to himself before sticking a price on me. “I might need a little time, though. To get back to the point we were at.”

“I get that. It’s okay.” And I smile at him.

“I’m sure you’re busy tonight.” Even if he’s trying not to sound bitter, it doesn’t come across that way. “So, see you Sunday, I guess?”

“Yeah,” I agree. “Sunday.”

Sunday arrives, and it feels like the dawn of a new era. I unload the truck with Jess, same as always, while the crisp and damp air fills my lungs. Right about the time we finish, Cas comes strolling over, adorably anxious as soon as he gets within a few feet of us.

“Hey, baby.” I smile with my phone in my hand and swirl my thumb on the screen to crank a dial all the way up. Before he dropped me off at the farm this morning, I shoved a vibrating plug in him and told him he better not take it out until we’re back home. I’m evil, I know.

Cas smiles back and closes his eyes briefly before looking at me again. He keeps his eyes locked on me this time.

“You need some help, baby?” And I turn it back down with my phone.

“Yeah,” he says with a small sigh.

“I’ll help you, Bailey. Will seems to be too busy playing with his phone.” Jess puts his crate down and jabs me with an elbow before he walks over to help without being asked.

I crank the dial all the way back up again, so much so Cas trembles, then plays it off as being cold by rubbing his arms. “That’s okay.”

Good boy. Back down.

“Oh, come on. I insist,” Jess says.

And all the way back up again.

Cas looks at me with an almost pleading look in his eyes, but he can’t expect me to save him from every interaction. Either he figures it out himself or he deals with the consequences.

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