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He takes the keys from my hand and nods. “Thanks, bro. I really appreciate it.”
Before it gets too late, we say our goodbyes, and he walks out the front door. Is this how it will be every time he comes to talk to me now? Me worrying that he’s here about Casey?
***
When I walk through the front doors an hour after I was supposed to be here, choosing instead to get a bit of extra sleep since Casey wants to haunt my dreams now, Fran is waiting for me at the elevators with a frown.
“Emmett, we have a problem,” she mutters, stepping into the elevator with me. “Casey called off again.”
“The same excuse?” I ask, irritation taking root inside of me.
It’s been weeks since she started at the casino, and I thought things were going well. No one ever had any complaints about her, and the few times I poked my head onto the floor, she was smiling brightly at the guests and now that’s all going to shit.
This is the second day in a row that she’s called off, and the first time was for her being sick. Fran nods and clears her throat. “What do you want me to do about it?”
“I’ll get in touch with Dominic. If she continues in this direction, we’ll have to let her go.” As a casino, we strive for good service, and that can’t happen when one of my staff members keeps calling off, leaving us down a person. “Thanks for letting me know, Fran. Is there anything else you have for me?”
“The real estate agent said everything is good to go, and the contractors are wanting to set up a meeting to discuss more about the timeline of the newest casino. When would you like me to schedule that in?”
I sigh. “Just pick a day and time. Let me know when it is, and I’ll prepare everything.”
When I slip into my office, the first thing I do is bring up Dominic’s contact, dreading the call I’m going to have to make. It rings a few times before he finally picks up. “Hey, man, what’s up?” There’s people talking in the background, and it turns to a low muffling as he takes the call into a separate room.
“We need to talk about Casey,” I mumble.
He groans. “I know she’s been missing work. She’s been getting sick a lot lately, throwing up throughout the day.”
I should be worried more about my company and where it stands, not if Casey is doing okay, but that’s the only thing I can seem to think about. “Is she okay?” I’d thought she was fucking around, trying to get out of the job, but that’s clearly not the case, and now I’m itching to go see her.
“I think so,” he says. “Look, there’s a lot going on at work today. Can we rain-check this conversation for later?”
“Sure, no problem.” When I hang up, I beep Fran from the office and wait for her to walk inside. “Can you order some chicken soup from the restaurant downstairs? Have it made to-go, and make sure my schedule is cleared for the next couple of hours.”
She nods. “Of course. Is everything okay?”
“Turns out Casey really is sick, and I want to take her something that may help her feel better.”
“Alright, I’ll call the order in right away. You don’t have any meetings today, so there’s no need to clear your schedule. I’ll take messages for you while you’re away. They’ll be on your desk when you get back.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Fran, thank you.”
It’s been a few weeks since Casey and I spent the night together, but it’s still as fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. Every time I close my eyes at night, hers are always staring right back at me, and that’s put a dent in my sleep schedule. I’ve spent most nights tossing and turning, willing the images of her to flee from my mind, and it’s done nothing but make them worse.
All I’ve wanted is to feel her body against mine, and that’s a terrible thing to feel right now, especially when I’m already barely able to be around Dominic without thinking of his sister. She’s still getting over everything that happened with Michael, yet I’m sitting here wondering what she would look like bent over the desk in my office.
Everywhere I go there’s a new fantasy of her being conjured in my mind.
It’s an unhealthy obsession at this point, which is something I never thought I’d have for her in the first place. She’s beautiful, I always thought she was, but I never let it go further than her being more of a sister to me – not anymore, though. Casey is all woman and eager to be pleased, which I seem to do a fantastic job of accomplishing.
How much longer can I go without feeling her skin against mine?
It’s only a matter of time before Dominic figures out what’s happened between the two of us and I’m not prepared for how that conversation will go.
“The soup is ready for you,” Fran’s voice echoes through the intercom connected to my phone.
“Great, let them know I’ll be down to retrieve it.”
And now I’m making a special trip to see if she’s okay.
