The Ex by Freida McFadden(65)

There’s no one there.

Cassie’s knees are weak with relief. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”

“It’s okay.” He puts down the knife and hugs her again. “Why did you think there was someone in here in the first place?”

“The vase that’s on my bookcase,” she says. “It was moved to the table by the door. And I wasn’t the one who moved it.”

Joel drops his head. “Oh. That was me. I moved it.”

“You?” She frowns at him. “But… why?”

“I kept almost knocking it over on the bookcase.” He shrugs. “I didn’t want it to break. I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“It isn’t.” Cassie manages her first smile since she got home. “Except I just broke it.”

“Damn.” He returns her smile. “Well, sorry again. I’ll help you clean it up.”

So the two of them spend the next fifteen minutes cleaning up the shards of the broken vase. They talk about their days while they clean, and it’s really nice. She loves being with him. Maybe they don’t have a great love story like Wuthering Heights, but she does love him.

“Are you okay with leftover Chinese for dinner?” she asks him as they clean up the last of the ceramic pieces.

“Of course,” Joel says. “It’s always better the second day anyway.”

Cassie pulls out the container of chicken with broccoli and the second container of shrimp lo mein while Joel gets out the plates. He already knows his way around her kitchen.

“Can you spend the night?” she asks him as they scoop food onto their plates.

He nods. “Yeah, but I gotta bring over more scrubs. I think I’m down to my last pair here.”

“I could wash them for you?”

“No, you don’t have to do that…” He frowns. “Listen, I don’t want to put any pressure on you or anything, but… this going back and forth between our apartments is kind of a pain, isn’t it?”

Her heart speeds up. Not as fast as when she thought there was someone in her bathroom, but not slow either. “Yes…”

“So… how would you feel about moving in with me?”

Cassie takes a bite of chicken, chewing thoughtfully. Moving in with Joel makes sense. The cash she’d get from the sale of this apartment would improve her financial situation—it might be the answer she’s looking for. She’s not sure what he’d expect her to contribute to rent, considering his rent is certainly considerable given how nice his place is. But he wouldn’t ask her to pay anything she can’t afford—she knows that much.

Of course, if they moved in together, she’d have to level with him about her financial problems. She should have told him already. She hates keeping secrets. That was what broke up his relationship with Francesca.

Of course, she can’t tell him everything.

“You can think about it,” Joel adds. He puts a hand on hers. “But I would love to live with you.”

Cassie opens her mouth to say something, but she’s finding it hard to get the air to speak. In fact, she realizes all of a sudden that breathing is becoming increasingly difficult.

“I know this is a little sudden,” he says quickly, when he sees her face. “Don’t feel pressured at all. If you don’t want to, it’s fine.”

She wants to tell him that the reason she’s not saying anything has nothing to do with his proposal to move in together. But all she can manage is a hoarse gasp. Her airway feels like it’s closing up. She hasn’t felt this way in years. Not since the last time…

Peanuts.

Oh my God, are there peanuts in this food?

But there couldn’t be. She ate the exact same meal last night. It doesn’t make any sense.

“Cassie?” Joel looks alarmed. “Are you okay?”

She can’t get out the words to answer him. As she gasps for air, she manages to get to her feet and find her purse on the table by the door. Thank God Joel pushed her to get that Epi-pen. She searches for it within her bag and…

Where is it?

The situation is becoming increasingly urgent. She barely can get in any air with each breath. She fumbles through the contents of her bag with trembling hands. The pen must be in here somewhere. She put it in there. And she definitely never took it out.

And then she can’t look for it any longer. Her airway is closing off and her vision is going black. The purse falls from her fingers, and she sinks down to the floor as Joel stands over her, telling her to hang in there. As if she could…





Chapter 43: The New Girl


“Cassie…” Joel’s voice is clearer all of a sudden. “Cassie, please open your eyes. Please…”

The tightness in Cassie’s throat is still there, but it’s not as bad as it was when she blacked out. She gulps for air and it’s the best feeling in the world. She blinks her eyes and sees Joel’s face over hers, his eyes filled with concern.

“Joel,” she gasps.

His shoulders sag with relief. “Hang in there. I called 911. The ambulance is on its way.”

A minute ago, “hanging in there” felt impossible. But now she is able to get in air again with each breath. Something has changed. “You found my Epi-pen,” she manages.