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Cassie tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry,” she says with a grin. “I can handle Iris.”
“Good,” I chuckle.
There’s awkward silence that settles once again because I don’t know what to say, the soft sound of crinkling plastic crackling in the air as I anxiously squeeze the water bottle. Again I tell myselfto go, to leave her here and go on about my business, but I’m still finding it difficult to do so, not quite ready to be done talking to her.
“So, you said you had labs this weekend, right?”
“Yeah. Is that okay? I’ll be back in time to make Sophie dinner.”
“Oh, of course. Sure. I was just getting it in my head so I wouldn’t forget.” I nod aimlessly. “How did you meet Wanda, anyway?”
At this point, I’m grasping at straws to talk to her a little longer.
“She was my neighbor at my old place. I got locked out of my apartment back when I first moved into the building, and she made me tea while I waited for the locksmith. She’s ornery as shit, but I love her.” Cassie grins as she shakes her head. “Even if she was pretty convinced you might have been some sort of criminal luring me here with a fake kid.”
I snort. “Why does that sound like something I might worry about if Sophie was in your position?”
“Don’t worry, I promise you can’t be as paranoid as Wanda.”
“What a relief,” I deadpan.
“Seriously, it’s sort of hysterical that she would even worry about me like that. She’s the one picking up random bingo dates every other weeknight and bringing them back home.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. The woman gets more action than I ever will.”
Don’t think about that statement. Just don’t.
“She sounds... like a character.”
“She’s kind of wild. Honestly, her dating life is sort of impressive. She’s always trying to give me tips, and I swear to you, they are just as ridiculous as you might imagine. Thank God I’m not worried about it right now.”
Don’t ask. Don’t you dare ask, Aiden.
“So, you don’t date?”
You ass. You utterly dense ass.
She looks surprised by the question, and why wouldn’t she? It’s an inappropriate question. I quickly try to correct.
“I just meant—” Surely, she can tell I’m floundering. I hope it isn’t showing on my face. “I realized that we never discussed, ah, how we’d handle it. I mean, of course your dating life is a private matter, but it might confuse Sophie if you were to bring anyone here.” I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. “I mean, maybe if she was asleep, and you stayed downstairs—”
“Oh.” It takes her a moment before her eyes widen with realization. “Oh.” She laughs, which makes me feel slightly less ridiculous, but only slightly. “No, no. Don’t worry. It’s not going to be an issue. I don’t exactly have a lot of time for it either. School keeps me busy. Doesn’t leave a lot of time to meet Mr.Right, you know?”
There’s no reason for this news to please me. Absolutely none. I shouldn’t feelbetterhearing that she won’t be bringing some random man into my house, because it shouldn’t matter to me in the first place.
“Sure,” I say finally, unable to look her in the eye. “That’s... understandable.”
She laughs again. “The only boyfriend I’d have time for at this point would have to be a live-in willing to get down at the weirdest hours.” I think I stop breathing, but only for a second. I watch her eyes go wide and her cheeks flush ever so slightly as she seems to realize what she’s said. “Wow, I didnotthink before I spoke. Sorry. I sort of lose the whole filter thing when I get nervous.”
I know the longer I don’t respond the more awkward it will be, but my tongue feels glued to my mouth at the moment. I can’t stop wondering why she would be nervous. Is it because of me?
Doesn’t matter. End this fucking conversation.
“No worries,” I say tightly. “It’s fine.”
And I’m going to leave now, because it’s clear I can’t have a conversation with Cassie today without making a total ass of myself, and I’m about to make an excuse and leave when she says, “What about you?”
