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“He- this is going to sound so crazy, but he must know this guy from work. Some other rich guy who just wants to get richer. My dad sells shoes. I mean, he designs shoes. It’s complicated.” She coughed nervously. “The point is, this other guy is in the shoe business, I guess you could say, and he and my dad cooked up this stupid idea that if we got married it would be good for someone? I don’t know. I have no idea why or what really happened. All I know is that this guy, the shoe guy, wants to marry me because he just wants my dad’s connections over in Europe. I’m just guessing. But it’s the only reason why he’d agreed to marriage to a complete stranger.”
Cason’s mouth dropped open and her eyes were involuntarily drawn there. God, on top of the perfect everything else he had, he also had really nice lips. Not too full and definitely not thin. He was probably a good kisser. My moral compass is so screwed right now, it’s probably pointing due fricking south.
“What? That’s…”
“The craziest thing you ever heard? Me too. My dad just sprung this on me, and I refused to listen past the whole loveless marry a stranger sight unseen kind of a deal to actually pay attention to any of the details. I locked myself in my room and refused to come out until he was asleep and then I packed a bag and just- left. I flew across the country and ended up in Denver and drove out- out here, because it was the last place I thought he’d look for me- and also- it seemed kind of nice.”
Cason’s smile created actual bubbles in her blood. She felt like a fizzy glass of soda with all those bubbles popping and fizzing right up into her brain. And into a few other select places that she was not going to think about.
Oddly enough, she’d never felt like that with Rob.
He’d made her feel okay, but- it was never like heart stopping, pulse pounding passion. He was good looking. Tall. Athletic. Blonde. He worked in finance. He had his shit together. He was decent in bed, not that it was at the top of her list back then. She’d thought he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
Maybe he did have a butt hole in his forehead because that shit all got sucked down the pooper real fast.
“It is nice here. You asked me why here. That’s why. I don’t ski. Never did. Never will. You got me on the hikes, though. I do like to be out there. It’s just nice. Beautiful. Quiet. Gives me the space I need to think, away from the city but it’s close enough that I can always go back when I need something, if I can’t get it here.”
Noemi sighed. She found herself slouching in the bench a little, towards Cason, and she corrected her posture real fast. “Yeah. If I had to end up anywhere, I’m almost glad it was here.”
“So, you’re alone. You just ran from home. You have no family here. No one at all. No job, no place to stay?”
She nodded slowly and blew out a breath. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to make things worse. I was going to say, if you need a friend, I’m here. I know it’s weird and that’s probably what all creepers and serial killers say when luring in their prey, but I promise you, I’m not either of those.”
“Says all creepers and serial killers.”
Cason laughed. The sound was magical. It flowed through her ears and entered her bloodstream like some crazy awesome sort of drug that wasn’t approved for any kind of market use and never would be because it was too potent and too dangerous and promised to get the user immediately, stupidly, amazingly high.
“I have a house- if you’re looking for a place to stay. Or maybe if you want those waffles I promised, because it looks like we’re seriously not going to get any service here today.”
“I thought you said this place was good.”
Cason shrugged. “Maybe I just wanted to have lunch with a beautiful woman.”
“I’m not-”
“Don’t even go there.” He grinned. “I know it’s hard to accept a compliment, but you are beautiful. That’s how I know your ex-boyfriend must have been an actual giant gaping anus. Like it consumed him and turned him into this walking, talking butthole, because no one should ever cheat period, but on you? That guy was fucking nuts.”
“Thanks for the sentiment.” She ducked her eyes, embarrassed and flushed again.
“It’s one you need to hear. I think you need to hear that you’re going to be okay, too. One day. Everything is going to work out. Was the guy you were supposed to marry really that bad?”
