Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
"Cassidy," River tried.
Their voice was rough and tears still welled in their eyes. They didn’t know how to thank him in a way that felt commensurate with their feelings.
"River," Cassidy replied, as if that had been a full sentence. "I’m totally falling for you in case you can’t tell."
Me too! screamed the voice inside River that wanted to meet Cassidy halfway in everything. But Scary, scary, scary was there too.
"I’m … I can tell," is what came out of their mouth.
Cassidy looked surprised, then laughed.
"Well, I guess I’m not one to hide my feelings."
"I am," River admitted.
Cassidy nodded thoughtfully.
"If, hypothetically, you weren’t hiding your feelings, what might they say?" he asked.
River stepped into Cassidy, whose arms instantly enfolded them. They rested their head on Cassidy’s shoulder and breathed him in.
"I’d say, me too," River said softly into the cotton of Cassidy’s T-shirt.
Cassidy’s heart sped beneath their hand.
"I’m pretty enthusiastic about that," Cassidy said.
"I’m pretty enthusiastic about it too," River said.
Their stomach growled.
"Do you know how to make pancakes?"
"Mhm," Cassidy said.
Of course he did.
"If you make me pancakes, I’ll love you forever," River teased.
Cassidy sprinted to the kitchen, leaving River laughing. They followed to find Cassidy already flipping through the cabinets.
"You don’t have any butter, syrup, or baking soda," he said, at a loss. "Is this a weird challenge, like make pancakes out of cat food or something? Because while I really, really want your undying love, I assure you, I don’t think I’m up to the task. Neither’s my gag reflex."
"Oh, right."
Cassidy laughed.
"Why don’t you let me take you out for pancakes at Peach’s Diner?" he offered. "Have you been there?"
"Once or twice." River grinned. "That sounds perfect."
"Okay, good, because I have a lot of questions about this whole you falling for me thing."
River felt their cheeks heat.
"Yeah, I could maybe be convinced to answer some of those questions for you," they said. "If you can make it through the gauntlet of cats that stand between us and your truck."
"I would go through any gauntlet to get you pancakes," Cassidy proclaimed bravely. "Shall we?"
He tossed the spatula on the counter and held his elbow out, all chivalry.
"Hold on, I have to feed like a million cats first."
Cassidy brushed his thumb over River’s cheekbone and River leaned into the contact.
"Well then, that’s the gauntlet I will go through," he pledged. "Show me where the cat food is? The faster we do this, the faster we get pancakes."
They fed the cats together, and River let themself imagine what it might be like not to be alone.
They were standing where River had first seen Cassidy. How could that have been only a month ago? How could everything have changed this quickly?
But things changed when they changed, River knew, and only a fool said no to the chance for a life they had dreamed of.
“You with me?” Cassidy asked.
River couldn’t know what the future would hold, couldn’t know what barriers or problems they might face. But what they did know was that Cassidy Darling was standing in their foyer slash cat shelter front desk area, waiting to whisk River away for pancakes, and offering to be a continued part of their life.
And that was all they needed to know to say, "Yes."
THE END …