Page 264 of Well Played

“Cassie, what can I get you?” Reagan Greene, the owner of the coffee shop, greeted like it was a normal thing for people to act this way.

“My usual, but bonus if you can make that stop so he can order his own coffee and maybe, I don’t know, breathe?” She rolled her eyes as she pointed behind her.

Reagan grinned. “I got you, girl.”

What came next was so unexpected it worked. Reagan stuck both fingers in the corners of her mouth and let out a shrill whistle that stopped all the noise in the coffee shop. She climbed onto the stool that sat behind the register and shouted at the customers.

“If y’all don’t let him through, I’m going to close for the next two weekends and none of you will get any coffee. That means ALL of you need to leave the man alone and let him up here to order. You will leave him alone after he orders. If you want to fangirl, do it after a game.”

Reagan was barely over five feet tall, with short dark brown hair and usually the quiet one. Today was not the case. Cassie was stunned.

“That was the best thing I’ve ever seen.” Cassie slid a twenty-dollar bill in the tip jar.

“I owe you,” Grant came up behind Cassie, speaking to Reagan.

“It’s all good. They do mean well.” She squinted at two women who were now in a corner booth with their cleavage on full display. “Well, most of them do. What can I get you?”

Grant ordered and when she turned back to make their coffees, he put several bills in her tip jar.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at him in question.

“I don’t think I would be getting coffee if not for her.” He shrugged.

“Didn’t know she had it in her, to be honest. I casually mentioned you needed help and suddenly she was on it.”

Reagan thanked them for coming in as she handed over two to-go cups of coffee. “I didn’t think you planned on sticking around.”

“Definitely not,” Cassie confirmed.

As they walked out, Grant leaned down to speak. “I think I’ll take you up on the ride to the grocery store if that’s still on the table?”

4

It had beena full week since her new neighbor had moved in and they spoke at length in the hallway, when they saw each other, but that was it. Her family had all popped in at least once and that included her brother, who was currently deployed overseas, who arrived on video call with Jack one night. Grant had managed to avoid them.

“No family tonight?” Grant asked as Cassie unlocked her door.

She snorted. “Don’t jinx it.”

“They aren’t so bad,” he told her.

“I love my family, don’t get me wrong, but this is too much. Next time, you should move into a place with better security. Or even some security.”

“Jack was here earlier.” He skipped over her comments. “Said he was looking for you.”

“Oh my gosh.” She heaved an exasperated sigh and leaned against the open door jamb. “He knew where I was, even stopped by to say hi.”

Grant threw his head back and laughed. “I kinda figured that.”

“Can you ban them from a game or something in threat for staying away?”

He shook his head. “I actually was hoping to catch you. Do you have any spare air filters? I don’t think mine was changed before and I didn’t want to run out right now, but I can’t stop seeing it.”

Cassie laughed. She understood that. “Sure, come on in and I’ll get you one.”

She left the door open for him and walked into her apartment, setting all her stuff down on the bar as she did. Her yoga class had been more exhausting than she would have liked, but she’d been tricked into teaching a hot yoga class and she hated it.

“There’s in the hall closet. Let me just get you one.” The apartment was small, two bedrooms, with one being more like a walk-in closet and one bathroom. There was a hall closet that she kept all the house related things in, along with her coats and stuff.

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