Page 44 of The Other Half

Feeling like I’d made progress tonight, I fought to contain my smile while we drove the mile home. When he pulled up in front of my cabin, I turned and leaned around Hank’s enormous head. “Thank you for a great night, Jake. That was a lot of fun.”

“Yeah. It was,” he said, but this time he didn’t look at me. His eyes bore through his steering wheel while he wrung his hands around the wheel like a lifeline.

Silence settled over us only broken when I cleared my throat. “Well, I guess good night.”

No kiss. I shouldn’t have been surprised, and though part of me was grateful I wouldn’t be kissing him with onion breath, the other part longed to taste those lips every second more I spent with him.

“Good night, Cassie.”

I reached for the door and heard his sigh even over Hank’s panting.

“Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow and I’ll make you fish?”

Glad I was turned away so he couldn’t see the elated expression on my face, I bit my lip. “Yeah. I’m off Sundays and Mondays, so I’m free. That sounds really fun.”

“Okay,” he said, and the insecurity that peppered his tones when he asked remained.

“Should I bring anything?”

“Um, maybe wine or something you like drinking? I only have whiskey.”

“Okay. I’ll get us a bottle of wine.” I smiled, but he couldn’t see it with Hank in the way.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow. Like six-thirty?”

“Perfect. I’m looking forward to it.” Trying to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest, I opened the door. The dome-light illuminated the truck and just before I climbed out, I looked over and saw him staring at me.

“Don’t fall,” he said. The anxiety in his voice was absent now and that familiar grin lifted his lips.

“Shut up, Jake.” I grinned back.

“Night, Cassie.”

Hopping out, I jogged back to my cabin. Just like last time, he kept the lights shining on me until I got safely inside. I waved at him from the door and the truck started up and pulled out. Poppy leapt up off the couch when she saw me, and I caught her in my arms.

“Poppy! I’ve got a date! I’ve got a date with Jake!” I spun her in circles, kissing her face while I wondered what it would be like to kiss his.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jake

After I finished filleting the walleye I’d snagged off the dock an hour ago, I tossed the rest to Hank, who was licking his chops below me.

“I shouldn’t give you this. You don’t deserve it. You had one job, Hank. One job. Bite me in the balls if I started staring at her with stars in my eyes. And what did you do when I did? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, Hank. Where were you on that one? Nice wingman you turned out to be.”

Ignoring my taunts, Hank ate the remains of the de-boned fish and looked up at me hoping for more.

“That’s all, buddy.”

Taking the fillets inside, I popped them in the fridge before going to the sink to scrub my hands. I never cared if my hands smelled like fish, like they often did, but knowing Cassie would be here soon had me sweating to get everything just right. While I put on the third round of soap, I looked at the clock. Six twenty-five. I scrubbed harder. I’d already shaved and put on my best white t-shirt. After several back-and-forths debating about cologne, I’d opted against it, but slapped some aftershave on my skin instead.

Five minutes.

In five minutes, Cassie was coming to my house.

What the hell did you do, Jake?

Saddle meet horse.