UNEDITED
Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After a...
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Penelope
I rearrange the fork, knife, and napkin in front of me. I'm sitting at a booth at Gabriel's restaurant, waiting for Patrick to arrive. He called last night, asking if I wanted to go out for lunch. I agreed. Patrick plans on apologizing profusely for the unexpected interaction with our mom. It's easy to assume because of the look on his face yesterday. And while I appreciate the sympathy, he has no need to apologize. Our mom showed up unexpectedly. How was he supposed to predict her arrival?
But Patrick isn't at the forefront of my mind.
Cassian is.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around him asking me out. I know it doesn't mean we're instantly boyfriend and girlfriend—only a fool would believe such a thing so soon. Which is why I'm trying to keep an open mind. I'm also trying to tone down my excitement. Allowing myself to succumb to the excitement could cause disappointment. Cassian is still trying to make his way through the weeds. I'm grateful he's given me a chance. There's something between us, but he needs to deal with the blurry lines and see if he can overcome his fear of losing me as a friend. Once he figures it out, I'll be there, ready to support whatever decision he makes—even if it hurts. There are predicaments where friendship is too valuable to risk. Cassian, I know, is one of those people. He stated so himself. But if he's willing to try, then there's some hope after all. I will not rely on it, though. I still need to continue living my life. There's a business I need to help run.
That being said, there's no shame in letting a little of the happiness seep into my body. I love snowshoeing. Before I moved to Vancouver, snowshoeing was one of my hobbies during the winter. When the snow is magical, as opposed to being an annoyance. I haven't been snowshoeing for two years. It'll be fun to spend some time with Cassian on a date.
A date.
I press my lips into a firm line and exhale through my nose.
"Somebody's daydreaming."
Gabriel's voice removes me from my inner thoughts, bringing me back to the restaurant. I flatten my hands against the soft wooden tabletop, inhaling deeply. "I was not daydreaming," I reply. But I was thinking about Cassian.
"Cut the bullshit, cousin," Gabriel grins, sitting down across from me. His hair is damp with sweat and he smells of cooking oil. It amazes me how he can work over heated surfaces all day. I love to cook, but I fear I would get sick of it if my career revolved around food. Gabriel's passion for food is mighty. "A smile like that isn't caused by daily routines. You don't see me smiling at a head of lettuce that way."
"Fine," I sigh, picking at my nail polish. While nail polish looks good on my nails, I only paint them to avoid biting my nails. Picking off the nail polish remedies such an unsanitary habit. God knows what could be under my nails. "Cassian asked me out on a date."
"What?" my cousin exclaims. He drops his phone to the table. "When?"
"Last night," I reply. A flake of cranberry-coloured nail polish falls to the table. "When we were picking out a Christmas tree."
