Page 25 of Castle's Cards

“You still have to use condoms when you’re on the pill.”

I wink as Izzy slams the door.

“So embarrassing,” she mutters before walking away.

I laugh to myself, sitting in the parking lot until she gets into the building. Then I leave to join Cassie for lunch.

“You’re here!” Cassie giggles, standing to greet me with a hug. I wrap my arms around her, smiling at the twins in their high chairs.

“Of course I am! I wouldn’t miss our lunch plans for the world.” We sit in the booth of the familiar cafe that we spent a lot of time at in college. Cassie understands me -- we’re both from similar worlds. Worlds where we didn’t have a ton of money to throw away on houses and fancy cars. “Look at them! They’re so sweet.”

Cassie smiles at her babies.

“They are getting so big. I don’t want them to grow up.” Cassie makes a pouty face before chuckling.

“How are you? I’m glad we came out today.”

“Me, too. I’m doing okay.” I shake my head and look down at the menu. “Had to take Izzy to the doctor this morning.”

“Is she okay?” Cassie’s face spreads with concerns.

“Oh, she’s fine. I just came home from work the other night to find a boy in her room.”

Cassie’s jaw drops.

“No. You don’t think they were…” Cassie trails off.

“Judging by the way they were unclothed and under the covers, I definitely do.”

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe that! Although I guess she is seventeen. Don’t a lot of teenagers start being sexually active around that age?”

“According to the doctor, a little more than half. So I guess it depends on your definition of ‘a lot.’”

Before Cassie can respond the waitress comes over to take our orders. We get the same thing we always have -- a BLT for her and tomato basil caprese sandwich for me with two lemonades -- and Cassie gets a side of macaroni and cheese to split between the babies.

We’re both quiet after the waitress leaves until Cassie looks at me.

“How are things going with Carter?”

“You know, they’ve been great. But…”

“But?”

“Do you know Thalia?”

Cassie scrunches her nose.

“The cocktail waitress? I’m familiar with her.”

“Yeah. Well, the other night when we were working, she said something that made me concerned.”

“What did she say?”

“That I’m just the latest in a string of short-term relationships.” I pause before continuing. “I mean, she didn’t exactlysayit. But she very heavily implied that. She said it’s Carter’s game to wine and dine a woman, give her everything she wants and then leave her in the dust.”

Cassie blinks with surprise before shaking her head.

“Oh, my goodness.”

---