“Huh?”
“Okay, that’s my sign to get back to work and your sign to get some sleep. You look exhausted.” Cas chuckles.
“I’m not surprised. She didn’t take a single break.” I’m not even going to ask how Ben knows that. At this point, I’m convinced he spends his days behind the walls.
“I noticed. Not even a lunch break. Need me to order that too, Jules?” Cas jokes.
“You should, just so she remembers to eat,” Ben teases.
I lift my hands and cover both their faces with my palms outstretched until I can no longer see them. “Oh, shut up. What a pair of old nags. I’m fine. You forget I ran my life on a scrap of breakfast. Whole days fuelled by a single croissant.”
“That’s not something to brag about,” Cas chastises, discarding our takeout boxes in the recycling. “You have the time and ability to look after yourself, Jules. It’s important for you prioritise yourself.”
“I do!”
“You don’t!” Ben joins in. “You’re so determined to reach your end goal that you discard everything else. I get it, but you can slowdown now. You need to, or you’ll not be healthy enough to see your work through to the end.”
Tension flares. I’m not keen on being chastised. “You talk as if I’m hurting myself. I’m not deliberately avoiding food,” I snap.
“Maybe not, but you are neglecting yourself. If you watched your siblings doing this to themselves, what would you do?” Ben fires back. Trust him to hit the bullseye.
“I’d make them food and feed them if I had to.” I nod. “Okay. I hear you. I’ll take breaks. I’ll eat regularly.”
“You’ll train with Cas for an hour every morning,” Ben adds, “I know he offered, and I know you were interested.”
Why? Why do I have to be interested in another high-handed male? Christ. If this is the way it’ll be, maybe I’ll just change my mind about all of them.
Ah, who am I kidding?
“And how did you know what I was thinking?” I argue.
“I could see it written all over your face.” I can’t even deny it.
“This stalking thing is suddenly feeling very intrusive.” Both Ben and Cas laugh. “Fine. Training too.”
“Good.”
Cas stands up and claps his hands. “I’ll make arrangements. Kellan is doing the night shift in the security office, but I’ll ask Paul to do my morning shift, and we can head straight to the gym. Six—”
“Seven!” I negotiate. Like hell am I getting up that early for anyone but Charlie and Koko.
“Fine. Seven,” he concedes easily. Too easily. I should have tried for eight. “Meet me at the elevator in the garage.” A dark grin crosses his face, and I know I’m going to be in for a world of trouble and hurt.
“God, I’m already regretting it.”
“You’ll enjoy it,” Cas insists. He crosses the room and drops his foot onto the top step. “Or you won’t. One way to find out.”
“Arsehole!” I shout after him and grin at his returning chuckle.
The security door bangs closed downstairs before either of us speak.
“He’s a good guy,” Ben says, watching the empty stairway like he can’t bring himself to look at me as he says it. “You could do worse.”
“What? Cas?” Is Ben being dense or jealous? I have no interest in Cas beyond the easy friendship we seem to have struck.
“He seems to like you.” Ben stands and busies himself fixing the objects on the coffee table.
“Cas already has someone he likes. You should hear the way he talks about her. Ashlyn, I think he said her name is, and anyway, don’t you think I’ve got enough on my plate with three of you constantly on at me?” My thoughts stall as I register what I’ve admitted.
