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Chapter NINETEEN
Casey
Casey opened her eyesand stretched, yawning in the early afternoon sunlight. She rolled and stuffed her face into Austin’s pillow. Running her fingers along the soft bed sheets in his empty spot, she sighed.
“California boy...”
She giggled, summoning from her memory the silly grin on his lips playing Go Fish in the early hours of the morning. “I love you,” she whispered and gripped the edge of the bed.
Her mind returned to the blowout argument they shared, all her feelings of insecurity and unworthiness deposited into the ether, an invisible wedge jammed in the middle of their budding relationship. She shook her head and replayed his reactions, repeating his responses in her brain. “You still never answered my question though...”
She clenched the sheets in her hands and balled her fingers into fists. “I know you love me,” she whispered, breathing in the scent clinging to his pillowcase. “But I need to know what you still feel for her too.”
With a groan, Casey sat up and dropped her feet to the floor. The warm rays of the sun danced across her toes as she surveyed Austin’s room. She observed the ornate furniture and décor, everything in the space clean and organized with perfection.
The sunshine caught the glass of a picture frame on the chest of drawers. Rising to her feet, Casey crossed the room and brought the photo to her nose. She grinned and gazed at the teenage version of Austin in a royal-blue and gold high school football jersey.Well, there’s no mistaking you, is there?As she dragged her finger over him, her gaze drifted to the other familiar faces standing beside him. Without a doubt, the teenage versions of Josh and Mitch wrapped their arms around Mavis and Lauren.
A sudden pain gripped her heart as she returned the frame to its home.I envy you, Austin Templeton. All that you had ... all that you still do have.A shiver ran along her spine, leaving a trail of jealousy in its wake. “Where do I fit?” she whispered, eyeing herself in the mirror. No matter the reassurances he spoke, he had a life in California—a beautiful, supportive family and a promising career, nothing but success earmarked for his future.
She sighed and shook her head, pushing aside the sinking feeling in her gut as her phone pinged. Shying away from her pity party, she crossed the room and reached for the device on the nightstand. An unknown email address flashed across the screen, the wordCongratulations!grabbing her attention. With a deep breath, she clicked it open.
Dear Ms. McDaniels,
Congratulations! You have been selected to fill one of the campaign manager internship positions with the Office of the Chicago Mayor. We were quite impressed with the application you submitted and the promising skillset you’ll bring to the team.
We invite you to schedule your orientation by clicking here.
Thank you for your passion and dedication to local politics. We look forward to working with you soon.
Sincerely,
Veronica Smalling
Human Resources Manager
Office of the Chicago Mayor
Casey reread the email three times, allowing the words to slowly penetrate her brain.Oh, my God. They actually want me?The breath caught in her throat as her heart hammered in her chest. “Austin!” She giggled and with shaking fingers, scrolled to locate his name in her contacts list.
She held the phone to her ear. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Then four. Casey ended the call, disappointment pooling in her belly. She opened a text to him instead and typed out,I hope you’ll be back soon! I have something really exciting to tell you!She added her favorite winking face emoji and clickedsend.
