Page 59 of The Best Number
“Well, this is good,” she gestures to our close proximity. “I was gonna see if Jack can come over too. I could cook and we could all hang out together?”
“That sounds great. You sure you don’t want to go out and have a night on the town?”
“Honestly? No. I want to have a night in with my guys and as many orgasms as you can get out of me!”
“Sounds like a plan. How about I cook and you can sit back and bask in your writerly success and newly divorced status?”
“Are you sure? I’m not sure what I have, but that would be amazing. I don’t mind cooking, but perhaps baked beans on burnt toast isn’t the best celebratory meal.”
“Can I go and rummage through the kitchen and see what I can find?” I ask as I rise.
“Go for it.”
I look through the pantry and fridge and find a few interesting ingredients. “How do you feel about gnocchi?”
“I feel happy about it. Can you make it? Do I have the right ingredients?” She’s standing in the kitchen doorway, watching me.
“I can. You do. Do you still have the sage I got for you in your window box?”
She nods.
“Excellent, I’ll get the potatoes cooked now so they have time to cool. And then when we know when Jack’s arriving I can get them ready. You’ve got the makings for a decent salad as well.”
I get to work with the potatoes while Cassidy texts Jack to see if he can come over after work. He responds to say he will leave work soon and head over. Cassidy stays in the kitchen and we chat about her book as I cook. Her face lights up as she talks me through the ending of the book and how it all came together better than she’d planned and plotted.
“So what happens with it now? When do I get to read it?”
“I’ll do a read through and any edits I think are needed. Then I might let you guys read it. And confirm my slot with the editor. All going well—I’m hoping to release it in a couple of months.”
We chat for a while before she gets a text from Jack to say he’s on his way. He comes in with a big grin on his face.
“What are we celebrating?” he asks as he comes into the kitchen to give me a hug.
“Cassidy finished her first draft.”
“Clever girl,” he declares, pulling her up in a hug and swinging her around.
“And I’m divorced!”
“You mean I’m not fucking a married woman anymore? Sad times.” Cassidy slaps his shoulder and gives him a glare before breaking into a grin. “I have some news to share too.”
I look at him, trying to get a read on him. “Good news, I hope?” I ask.
“Er, yeah, I think so.” He reaches one hand up to grasp the back of his neck. A telltale sign from Jack that he’s feeling uncertain.
“What is it, Jack? Spill,” Cassidy prompts him.
“See that job in New York that I mentioned?” he asks, looking towards both of us as we nod. “I got it.” I notice that he’s not grinning.
“Wow, congrats, Jack. That’s awesome. You’ve wanted to work there for ages, right?” Cassidy gives him a squeeze and takes a step back as she peppers him with questions.
“Yeah, I have. It’s for three months initially with a bonus tied in to meeting certain milestones. And if the initial project goes well there’s the potential for it to expand into a longer term thing.”
I have never been more grateful for Cassidy than right now. She’s making all the right noises and asking all the questions while I stand in her kitchen feeling numb.
He’s leaving.
He’s talked about it on and off since I’ve known him. But with things feeling as good as they have been, I wondered in the back of my mind if he’d go through with it. Just when this was all starting to feel comfortable and right. When I thought he was coming round to loving me like I’ve loved him for months.Dammit.I try to focus on the conversation, but it’s hard. I can’t feel anything. I know it’s some kind of defence mechanism to prevent me from breaking down, but I feel daft. I can’t move. I can’t speak. I can’t even nod my head or smile along with what they are saying.