Page 61 of Espresso Your Love

“I thought it would be calm, but it really is just a different kind of chaos.” I laugh with her. “But I needed that change. And when the incident happened at the Autumn Festival, it just brought everything back. Losing my dad, almost losing Max and all those people. And while it ended up being nothing, the mere thought of losing you…It was all too much.”

My voice trails off as a lump forms in my throat. “My mom made me realize that I was living in fear. I started to build walls around myself and distance myself. Every time I saw you, I wanted to tear down the walls though because, Cassie, I’m falling for you. I’m freefalling from a plane, and while I’ve tried to pull the parachute, it doesn’t last long, and so I fall even faster.”

She’s just staring at me, her eyes wide, but I can't read her expression. Is she surprised? Disgusted? Did I say too much?

“Cassie?” I squeeze her hand.

“I’ve never been kissed.” She covers her mouth with her hand. “I didn’t mean to say that. I mean, it’s true, but I didn’t mean for that to come out right now. I was going to tell you that later.” She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes shut. “Can we pretend the last ten seconds didn’t happen?”

I nod, pressing my lips together.

“I like you, too. And I’ve liked you since the moment I met you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Maybe,” she replies coyly.

“Well, is it a maybe or a yes?”

“Yes.” A smile spreads across her face.

“Well then, we’re on the same page.” I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. “I’m not running anymore, walls are staying down.”

“Good.”

She nestles into my side, and I wrap my arm around her shoulder.

“Thank you for listening to me,” I say gratefully, pulling her in closer.

“Thank you for sharing it with me.” She looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to share it with me. I want to know every detail about you, Cassie Thompson.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” she says.

“Eh, I can handle it.” A smile spreads across my face.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She picks up her coffee mug and leans back on my arm. “Cassandra Mae Thompson, born on March eighth. Little Cassie had an obsession with stuffed animals and space. I wanted to be a veterinarian astronaut when I grew up.”

I chuckle. “Veterinarian astronaut?”

“Yes, I wanted to save the sick space bunnies and interstellar dolphins,” she says matter-of-factly

“That’s quite a career choice. It’s not one you hear every day.”

“I was an ambitious eight-year-old.” She shrugs. “What did you want to be?”

“A race car driver.”

“Have you ever been in a high-speed chase?”

“Actually, yes.”

“Well, there you go. You got to live a part of your childhood dream.”

“I guess I did.”

We sat there for another hour talking about little things and laughing. While I could sit here all day with her snuggled next to me, she has to get to work and I have a date to plan. I haven’t left yet and I’m already planning the next time I get to see her.

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