And the Wedding Date

Chapter 7

Baird found that Stone had left the Library by the time she and Jones had discussed their plan of attack. There was a bar not too far from the Annex that they sometimes went to after a mission. She found him sitting at a back table, a bottle and a glass in front of him.

She set her own glass next to his and sat down next to him.

"Go away Baird, I'm not on the clock."

"Anyone tell you that you look like shit?"

Four days of growth on his face, rumpled clothes, hair a mess, Stone just chuckled bitterly and took a sip. "Who cares? Now would you leave me alone?"

"Not until you tell me what the hell is up with you."

Stone looked down at the glass, maybe how much he'd had loosened his tongue. "I made a mistake. I know better but I let her in. And she won't GO AWAY."

"She won't go away?"

"I need to let her go . . . need to let her go. But I keep holdin' on. And she doesn't . . .she doesn't love me."

"Cassandra?"

Stone shot her a look that could kill, but Baird was not afraid of him. He said nothing in response though.

"Why do you think she doesn't love you?"

His laugh was bitter. "She loves someone else. I was too late."

"If this girl you love is the one I think she is, she doesn't show any signs of seeing someone else. I don't know if you've noticed but she pretty much just walks around like a ghost these days."

Stone scoffed. "Until she gets one of her precious texts or phone calls from her man. Look Baird, just leave me alone."

"Stone . . . ."

He just glared at her and Baird sighed. Then she got up.

"You aren't going to forget her in the bottom of that bottle. Believe me, I know."

He looked up at her blurry eyed but said nothing.

Baird's expression was kind, "Jacob, I think you're misunderstanding something with Cassandra. I don't think she loves anyone but possibly you. . . ."

He was drunk already so the tears came to his eyes before he could stop them.

"Can I at least take you home? Drinking is just going to make your pain worse. And maybe think about just talking to the girl?"

Stone sighed, but he pushed back on the chair. "Why do you care?"

"I'd give you some song and dance about work morale. But the truth is, I care about you and Cassandra." Baird bit her lip. "You especially, you're like the younger brother I didn't have. And you're hurting and I can't stand to see that."

"Should've took you to that wedding."

"Ha," Baird said, giving him a hand up. "They'd never believe we were in love."

"True that. You're such a pain in my ass." But the arm he'd slung over Baird's shoulder tightened just briefly, letting her know more than words could how much what she said meant to him.

--

Meanwhile, Ezekiel forced Cassandra to go out to dinner with him. She was quiet and picked at her food.

"Haven't seen much of you lately," Ezekiel said casually.

"My clippings book has been silent," Cassandra shrugged. "It's weird. Like no one wants me around . . . ."