Bait: The Wake Series, Book One(39)

Well, I could.

Every time he replied with an LOL I let my mind hear it. The best part about my memory was it did this funny thing with his laugh. It wasn't the same laugh every time. My imagination would invent laughing sequences for a guy who I'd only met briefly. It was the strangest and most wonderful thing.

I stood there running the hot water about to get in, when I thought about Grant. Which I did a lot when I was thinking about Casey.

I'd become accustomed to comparing the two.

Casey was devilishly playful and crass. Grant was sweet and smart and thoughtful. But both were genuine.

Casey was low maintenance. We could text, stop for a while and then hours later pick up our conversation. Or we’d start a new one. It didn't matter. He was easy.

Grant was higher maintenance. He liked a schedule. He'd admitted that me taking the new job was awesome and that he was proud, but he was so minute-to-minute. He wanted to know where I was going, what I was doing, and did I like it so far? All things a boyfriend should. And even though I was excited about all the things he'd asked me about, everything always fell flat when he asked. It felt a little suffocating at times. It was probably just me, though, right?

Every girl wants the man with a steady job and a huge heart. Everyone wants the man who would spend time with your parents and—to the best of your knowledge—enjoy doing it. Grant wanted a family and home, a good life, which I was sure I'd have with him. The perfect, traditional life.

Casey lived out of a suitcase and hadn't slept in his own bed for days. He sold beer and needed a haircut. All right, I liked the hair. He was two years older than Grant and me, yet he acted like he was twenty-one, I thought, but I didn't know him that well.

I stepped up to the mirror and wiped away the steam from the water, which was hot enough to distract me and clear my head for an evening with Grant.

I noticed my bangs were growing out fast. They needed trimming already. I made a snap decision to get the kitchen scissors and trim them myself.

After rifling through drawer after drawer, I finally found them in the dishwasher. I shut the dishwasher door and I saw my phone light up and heard it vibrate. Maybe it was him, but I told him I'd text first and so far he'd always waited. I hadn't wanted to be rude to Grant and text Casey back right in front of him. Grant wouldn't think anything of it. I text my family and friends all the time. He'd never acted the slightest bit jealous or suspicious.

Why would he then? And I'd be guilty, because I'd answer him. I just knew I would. I couldn't help myself.

The screen said I'd got a text, but the number didn’t jive with my contacts.

Unknown Number: Why are you texting my boyfriend?

I read. Blinked. Read it again. My heart raced.

Casey told me he was going to get a shower and something to eat. Then he'd be around later. I couldn't understand. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to delete it and block the number. I didn't want to respond.

I needed to take a shower. I needed to get ready for Grant.

Casey was someone's boyfriend. What the f*ck? I felt ill.

I'd known what we'd been doing was wrong on some level. All right. On every level. I'd been unfaithful to Grant, but I honestly hadn't thought about the girl Casey was with at Micah's since he’d said they'd broken up that night in my hotel room, when I was drunk.

I supposed things changed.

Maybe they'd gotten back together.

Maybe that was a different girl.

Maybe he lied about all of it. I felt a cold sweat break over my chest and back. I felt lightheaded. My clammy and nervous hands held the phone out in front of me and every time the light on the screen timed out, I'd press the button and swipe it open to re-read it over again. Minutes passed and I did it over and over.

It wasn't like I'd thought Casey and I would ever have a chance or that we'd even see each other again. Although, in the back of my mind, I thought it was possible if Micah and Cory ever got married. But that wouldn’t be for a while.

I hadn't spent a whole night with Grant since we started texting. Not that I was afraid of getting caught. Honestly, I wasn't. It was that I liked being alone and with Casey at the same time. I didn't want to be around anyone when he was giving me his warped brand of attention. It felt all my own. My crazy secret.

I loved talking, well texting him. Lately, it was the highlight of my day. Where I never wanted to talk to Grant when he asked me about anything and everything, Casey not asking made me want to tell him every minute detail. Having that small connection with him had been awesome. Every night I looked forward to hearing my phone buzz. I anticipated what he would text; he always told me the strangest things. Things I didn't even know I cared to know.