Page 50 of Casita Casanova

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I open my mouth to answer, but…

I don’t actually know.

Eddie and I always—

No.No more Eddie. I give my head a quick shake, then focus on Cas. “It’s Taco Tuesday.”

“It is.” Cas nods slowly.

I don’t know what the hell has come over me, but I have nothing to lose. “Let’s go eat. Do you like margaritas?”

“I do.”

“Good.” I turn back to the house. “I’m going to shower and change. I stink like a bar towel.”

Cas chuckles. “You spilled a lot today.”

“Hey now, can’t I get a pass? It was my first day.” I turn around and he’s right behind me at the base of the porch steps, looking up at me with those beguiling green eyes.

I pull in a shaky breath.

“You looked good, Maryn. Happy.”

Dropping my gaze to the floor, I whisper, “Thank you.”

“Hey, look at me.”

When I meet his gaze, he says, “Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Feel ashamed of being happy.”

I breathe deeply, then turn back to the door and slip my key into the lock. “I need about a half hour.” I hurry inside and close the door behind me, putting solid wood between me and those disarming eyes.

Disarming. Yes, that’s the perfect word to describe Cas West.

And it intrigues me a little more than I’d like to admit.

It’s also terrifying.

Did I just ask him out to dinner?

“Good grief, Maryn.” Shaking my head, I make my way back to the master bedroom and strip out of my clothes. I turn on my stereo and queue up my favorite playlist. As the first chords of Maxwell’s “Sumthin’ Sumthin’” fill the room, I allow myself a moment to feel that happiness Cas spoke of.

He’s right. I was happy today. Even as much as I messed up the POS system—which stands forpoint of sale, apparently, notpiece of shit; who knew?—and spilled pint after pint, working outside of the home fed my soul in a way it hasn’t been fed in some time.

Smiling, I dance into the bathroom and turn on the shower, then dance back out into the bedroom, twirling and stretching my hands up into the air as Maxwell croons.

Happiness.

It feels good on me.

Chapter Seventeen

Ridge

I’m a schmuck for watching her. A peeping Tom.

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