Page 18 of Playing With Fire
Cass shifted slightly, careful not to wake Evelyn as she slipped out of bed. She ran a hand through her hair, frustration prickling at her nerves. What the hell was she doing? Whatwerethey doing?
She grabbed her clothes from where they’d been hastily discarded and dressed quietly, her movements stiff with unease. Glancing back at the bed, she saw Evelyn stir, her eyes fluttering open. For a brief moment, their gazes met, and Cass saw a flicker of something in Evelyn’s expression—uncertainty, perhaps, or maybe regret. But then Evelyn’s lips curled into a faint smile, and the tension between them seemed to shift again, like a pendulum swinging back and forth.
“Good morning,” Evelyn said softly, her voice husky from sleep.
“Morning,” Cass replied, her tone more gruff than she intended. She sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing the back of her neck. “You, uh…sleep okay?”
Evelyn chuckled lightly, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around herself. “Considering this bed is barely big enough for one person? Surprisingly well.”
Cass smirked despite herself but quickly sobered. “Look, Evelyn…” Her voice trailed off as she searched for the right words. “About last night, I don’t know what to say.”
Evelyn tilted her head, her expression unreadable again. “You don’t have to say anything, Cass. It happened. We can’t change that.”
Cass nodded, but the knot in her chest only tightened. “Yeah, but we can’t just…ignore it either. This complicates everything.”
“Complicated seems to be our default setting,” Evelyn replied, a hint of wry humor in her tone. But there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes, a vulnerability that mirrored Cass’s own.
Before Cass could respond, her phone buzzed on the desk across the room. She grabbed it, grateful for the distraction, and saw Becky Thompson’s name on the screen.
“I need to take this,” she said, glancing at Evelyn.
Evelyn nodded, her expression guarded. “Of course.”
Cass stepped outside, the cool morning air hitting her skin like a wake-up call. She answered the call, and Becky’s warm, familiar voice greeted her from across the world.
“Morning, kid. Or I guess it’s evening there, huh?”
Cass exhaled, the sound carrying all the tension she’d been holding. “Hey, Chief. Yeah, it’s morning. How’s Italy?”
“Beautiful as always,” Becky said with a chuckle. “But I’m guessing you didn’t answer just to hear about my pasta and wine adventures. What’s on your mind?”
Cass hesitated, her fingers tapping against the phone. “It’s…complicated.”
“Everything worth doing usually is. Spill it.”
Cass sighed, leaning against the wall. “It’s Evelyn. The consultant.”
“The one trying to gut your budget?” Becky’s tone sharpened.
“Yeah. But it’s not just that anymore.” She paused, the words heavy in her throat. “We’ve…gotten close. Too close.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before Becky spoke, her voice gentler now. “How close are we talking?”
“Last night kind of close.”
Becky let out a low whistle. “Well, damn. Didn’t see that coming.”
“Neither did I,” Cass admitted. “And now, I don’t know what to do. It’s like every time we’re in the same room, I can’t think straight. But she’s still pushing for changes that could hurt my team, Becky. I can’t let that happen.”
Becky was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her tone was thoughtful. “Cass, you’re one of the most grounded people I know. If this is throwing you off that much, it’s worth paying attention to. But you’re right—you can’t let it interfere with your job. You’ve got a responsibility to your people.”
“I know,” Cass said, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s what scares me. What if I can’t keep it separate?”
“Then you have to figure out if this thing with Evelyn is worth the risk,” Becky said simply. “And if it is, you both need to be honest about it. No more dancing around the truth.”
Cass nodded, even though Becky couldn’t see her. “Thanks, Becky. I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime, kid. Just remember, you’ve got this. No matter what happens.”