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Cassie updated her on the situation, how being into Erin wasn’t a big deal and she was going to keep it up for the rest of the summer.
Acacia [9:53 AM]
Yeah since being in love (maybe?) with someone who doesn’t love you the same way is always so nice
Cassie [9:54 AM]
She can’t hurt me like Seth did, Kaysh. We’ve never been any sort of exclusive—she wouldn’t be breaking my heart sleeping with someone else or anything
Cassie hated the thought, but it wouldn’t be a big deal. She deflected.
Cassie [9:54 AM]
Just like I wouldn’t break her heart if I banged your brother
Acacia [9:54 AM]
Ew
Acacia [9:55 AM]
Also you’re not getting out of this conversation by talking about my brother
Cassie [9:55 AM]
Kaysh, I’m fine, seriously. If you want to bother me about it, do it in person when you come up THIS WEEK
Acacia [9:56 AM]
All right I’ll let you off the hook but only bc OMG I’M SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU AHHHH
Twenty-Four
ERIN
Erin hadn’t planned to invite Cassie up for Friday. But Monday night with her was so goddamn nice. The sex was some of the best yet—Erin had almost passed out at the sight of Cassie with the strap-on jutting out between her legs. So amid the post-coital hangover of the next morning, Erin had simply asked for what she wanted.
Now that Cassie had agreed to it, Erin didn’t know why she hadn’t been coming up on Friday nights the whole summer. They needed to take advantage of any time they could.
Erin danced around the kitchen as she gathered the ingredients for dinner. It’d been too hot all week, the kind of weather she tried to remember in the middle of winter but that also meant she wasn’t willing to turn on her oven. So she was making cold noodle salad with a spicy peanut sauce. There were butterflies in her stomach at the thought of making Cassie dinner. It was ridiculous—she’d made Cassie dinner more than a dozen times by now. It felt different tonight. She’d never cooked just for Cassie. Like a date.
She allowed herself to think about it. Just this once. Everything she’d said to Rachel still applied, but there was no harm in admitting— if only inwardly—that Rachel had been right, too: Erin and Cassie were basically dating. Before spring break, their relationship probably landed more in the friends with benefits category. The benefits weren’teven that frequent—they’d flirted, but never sexted after Valentine’s Day. After their night in Boston—which had definitely been a date—they’d started making dinner together over FaceTime. Since summer break started, they’d had plenty of benefits, Cassie coming up before Parker came back from Adam’s or sneaking down the hallway after she’d gone to sleep, but they’d had dates, too. The times Erin was in Boston for work and they’d go out to dinner before going back to Cassie’s apartment. The times Erin pretended she was in Boston for work then drove down, just to meet Cassie. Once they’d gotten lunch and hadn’t even had time for more than a kiss goodbye.
And now Cassie was on her way over for dinner, just the two of them. Tonight, Erin let it feel real.
Cassie arrived while Erin was cutting cucumbers. She didn’t wait for her to finish before kissing her.
“How was your ride?”
“Good,” Cassie said, running a hand up Erin’s arm. “This is better, though.”
Goose bumps followed Cassie’s touch, but Erin shook her head. “Patience is a virtue.”
“I’ve never been particularly virtuous.” Cassie kissed her again. “Can I help with anything?”
“Nah,” Erin said. “There’s not much to do.”
Cassie let out an exaggerated sigh and took one of the stools at the kitchen island. They chatted about their weeks while Erin sliced radishes. Whenever Erin glanced over her shoulder, Cassie’s eyes were on her, interested, intent. Erin forced herself to focus. It was that or slice open a finger.
