Cassie (The Mitchell/Healy Family #7)(40)
“Like I said before, it will get easier. Listen, I need to get ready to head into the office. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us. Take out menus are in the kitchen drawer. There are no prescription meds in my house, so you won’t have to worry about being tempted. I’m going to need your cell phone. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I bring you one on a secure line in case you change your mind about calling your parents. I’ll check in with Charlie on her phone later. She’s off today, so once she wakes up she can show you around more. Do you think you’ll be okay?”
She continued looking around the room. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I didn’t sleep much last night, so maybe I’ll stay in bed for a while.”
“Sheets are in the hall closet. I’m not sure which fit what. Just try to eye it up. If you need anything wake Charlie up. I’ll see you tonight, Cassie.”
“Yeah, I’ll be here.”
I prayed she would be.
Chapter 21
Cassie
As soon as Logan left I brought my things into my new temporary room. I call it that, because let’s face it, I wasn’t going to be staying long. I know he talked about furniture, but I could tell he was walking on eggshells when he had to speak to me.
I couldn’t believe he’d told me about his sister, and how she’d been responsible for his parent’s death. My heart hurt for him, because even though I experienced loss, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to have a sibling murder our parents. I may have been angry at them for leaving me no choice but to move away? but I’d never wish harm on them. The idea of him having to go through it alone was devastating to imagine.
My moods throughout the day were unpredictable. One minute I’d be okay, and the next I was a blubbering mess. Charlie woke up mid-afternoon. She headed right for the kitchen and made tuna. I was elated. It had been months since I’d had that kind of sandwich. I think she might have thought I was a little absurd becoming giddy over stinky tuna, but I didn’t care. Sometimes it was the little things that distracted us the most.
As much as I also enjoyed her company, Charlie had things to do while normal office hours of businesses were open. She made a couple calls and got online to pay bills. I sat watching daytime television, and even called my work to tell them I wouldn’t be returning for a while. I was informed they’d been notified about my situation. Apparently someone in the bureau had contacted the casino manager and let them know I was a key witness in one of their cases. They worked fast.
While trying to stay out of Charlie’s way, I decided to do something to keep myself busy. I started on the kitchen, scrubbing the countertops and doing the little bit of dishes in the sink. I cleaned out the refrigerator, and inventoried what was there to make for dinner.
There wasn’t much.
I found a pack of chicken that had expired months before, a frozen ham bone, and a package of ground beef. In the cabinets, I located a box of pasta and some sauce. Spaghetti would be easy to put together, and I wouldn’t have to go through the take-out menus like I had to do on most nights. Besides, I was craving a real meal, full of carbs to satisfy my starved stomach.
I tackled the bathroom next, scrubbing the tub with an old can of powdered bleach. It reminded me of watching my grandmother cleaning when I was a small child. I wiped down the baseboards, and finally cleaned in and around the toilet. The vanity was the last thing I scrubbed. I made sure I shined the chrome faucet before stepping back and looking at what I’d accomplished.
Before I knew it, the sun had gone down. Charlie was heading out for a bit and I’d be alone in the house. I headed back into the kitchen and started dinner, browning the beef first and then adding the sauce. While the noodles cooked, I opened a cabinet in the dining room to look for plates. I was surprised to find a few boxes inside instead. Normally I’m not a nosey person, but the pungent smell of smoke was very apparent. I crouched down on the floor and opened it, finding a bunch of charred items. One was a book. It was full of half-burned photos.
The painful realization was obvious when I saw a handsome little boy being held by his mother. Then there were family photos and holiday shots. When I heard the front door opening, I shoved everything back into the cabinet and made a beeline for the kitchen.
Logan walked in and sat his keys down on the counter. “It smells good in here. What have you been up to?” He scanned the area, his eyes stopping on the cracked open cabinet.
“I was looking for plates,” I quickly announced.
“Yeah, they aren’t in there.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just, family is important to me. I was curious.”
“I’d appreciate it if you stayed off my personal things,” he snapped before disappearing down the hallway.
I felt terrible. I half expected him to come back and tell me to pack my shit up and leave. Since the food was almost done, I rinsed the noodles and tried to clean up my mess so he didn’t have anything else to get angry about.
Nothing could have prepared me for when he came around the corner in only a pair of basketball shorts. His dark brown hair was still wet from a shower, and he smelled unbelievably fabulous. His washboard abs were well defined, and I couldn’t help but stare at every single crevice of his skin.
Brant had never been built with defined muscles. He hadn’t been that big of a guy. I suppose his unhealthy lifestyle and diet prevented him from having a nice physique.