Page 2 of One Night In Winter

“Hi Devon, there’s a seat at the counter. Cassy will be right with you.” She gave me a knowing smile that told me she knew all too well why I was there. I looked into her eyes and didn’t see any animosity. Her smile deepened and with a slight nod to me, she returned to the tables.

I settled down at the corner and was distracting myself by looking at the menu when I heard a soft, “Hi, Devon.”

I looked up into the face of an angel and her gentle, shy smile. “Hi, Cassy. It’s been a long time. You’re even more beautiful than I remember.” Cassy’s pinkened cheeks as her smile deepened caused the ice in my soul to instantly start to melt.

“Welcome home. You were gone for a long time.”

“I joined the Army right after high school.” I watched as her face reflected the surprise that was in her eyes.

“Oh. I didn’t know you served. Are you home for good or just on leave?”

I smiled at her knowledge of the lingo as I replied, “For good. My parents are getting older and with Chris having a new baby his hands are quite full. So, it was time to come home. I’mrenovating the guest house and plan to live there. But enough of me, how are you and your sisters doing? This old diner looks great and seems to be hoping.”

“We’re doing well. Dina’s idea to buy this place has been a lot of hard work but good hard work. The kind we all needed to keep us busy and help us move forward. Anyways, what can I get for the prodigal son returning home?”

I chuckled softly at her reference. She wasn’t far from the truth. “Just a cup of coffee and a slice of pie. Any kind.”

“Any kind?”

“Yup, surprise me.” Her giggle as she nodded gave me such joy it almost took me by surprise. I watched as she placed a mug in front of me and filled it up with coffee before placing a slice of lemon meringue pie in front of me.

“All of our pies are from the bakery down the street. Katrine and Dina are the cooks but none of us can bake to save our lives. So the bakery was the best bet.”

I take a bite and moan. “This is delicious!”

Cassy blushes the prettiest color of pink. “It’s one of my favorites. I love the sweet and sour flavor mix.”

“I can see why.” I look up at her and take a deep breath. “Umm… Cassy, will you be taking a break any time soon?”

Cassy stood blinking at me and then she whispered, “N-no, but I’m off when Dina gets in. Why?”

“It’s a chilly night but it’s a beautiful one and I wanted to know if you wanted to take a walk with me around town?”

Cassy’s blush deepened and she nodded shyly. “I’d like that.”

Chapter 3

Cassy

Devon and I walked around town viewing the decorations. “I didn’t expect you to remember me, Devon.”

“Why not? I always noticed you all through high school. I’ve wanted to ask you out so many times but I was a punk, a total asshole. You were so sweet and I didn’t want to be a stupid jerk that only ended up breaking your heart. To be honest, I didn’t like who I was.”

I looked at him in surprise. ‘He noticed me? Wait… what?’

“I.. umm.. I had a crush on you then. So I liked you.” I was shocked that I admitted that to him so easily but the fact that we didn’t have the town gossips listening, I think I felt much more comfortable.

“You did? I wish I had known.” As we continued to walk my hand banged his once and the second time he gently took my hand in his and entwined our fingers together. “Cassy, I had a major crush on you from the moment I saw you entering the high school on your first day.”

I knew I was blushing fiercely but learning that he liked me even then was like a dream come true for me. “Devin, there is one thing I don’t understand. Why did you leave so fast? I know you joined the army but one day you were here and the next you were gone. If we’re being honest, knowing you were gone and I might never see you again left my young heart bereft.”

Suddenly he stopped and looked at me so seriously. “I left to join the army because I realized that I was not the man you would ever deserve. I spent the last five years working to become someone who could make you proud.”

“Me? You were always deserving of love, whether from me or someone else. I would have never thought I was so important to you. That just blows my mind. I was so shy, talking to anyone much less the handsome boy I was crushing HARD over.” Putting my hands up to cover my heated cheeks. “Just thinking about it makes me blush like crazy.”

Devon pulled my hands down from my cheeks and cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs caressing my cheeks. Leaning in he murmured against my lips, “They make you even more beautiful and make me want to do this.” Leaning forward my eyes drifted close as he claimed my lips in a soft kiss that was filled with so much hope that it left me breathless. One of his hands slipped around the back of my neck as I tipped my head back so that he could deepen the kiss. It went from a soft first kiss to a passion-filled claiming kiss in a matter of seconds.

With a gasp, I broke apart so that our lips still just barely touched. “Wow! For my first kiss, you’ve set a high bar. I don’t know if any other guys can top that.”

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