Page 14 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
Cassie
The floor was as good a place as any to eavesdrop. Cassie sat with her back against the wall next to the cracked open door of her bedroom. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them.
Jesse was a dead man.
She’d been prepared for Roman to leave and even accepted it. It wasn’t like they were friends anymore. So, a few days later when he showed up with boxes after hockey practice, she didn’t know what to think.
Her brother hadn’t thought to tell her. Dad was silent as usual.
“Welcome to your new home for the next few months,” Jesse huffed as he carried a box up the stairs to the guest room, a guest room that happened to share a bathroom with Cassie’s.
She tried to distract herself with her Kindle, but not even a romance could take her mind off the current situation. How was she supposed to live in the same house as Roman, a man she couldn’t even speak around?
Anxiety roiled in her, making her limbs heavy. She should move, get off the floor, but she couldn’t as dizziness overtook her.
Fumbling her phone out of her pocket, she dialed Annie’s personal cell. The therapist picked up after two rings. “Is everything okay, Cassie?”
“No.” Her voice shook.
“Remember your breathing exercises.”
Cassie nodded as if Annie could see her. “R-Roman is moving in.”
“Your old friend, Roman? That’s wonderful, Cassie. This could really push you further along.”
“I d-don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t do anything. Just try to be around him. Eventually, the words will come to you. I really think this is a good thing, Cassie. Don’t fear the anxiety. It will always be there, but what have we been working on?”
“Mastering it.” She sucked in a deep breath. Annie always told her the issues she had wouldn’t go away on their own, that she’d have to master them.
“Proximity, Cassie. Try it. Hang out where he is in the house. Just be around.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the door. “I can do that.”
“Good luck. I’ll see you Friday, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.” She hung up and practiced breathing deeply as Annie taught her.
When a presence loomed over her, she opened her eyes to peer up at Jesse.
“What are you doing down there?” He tried and failed to hold in a laugh.
“Maybe hiding because my own brother didn’t tell me we’d be gaining a houseguest.” She pushed herself to her feet, anger overcoming her momentary paralysis.
“Crap, I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair, looking truly apologetic. Her anger faded. She could never be mad at Jesse long.
“It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“I was just so focused on making sure he didn’t have to leave. I didn’t even think, Cass. Are you okay with this? You should have seen him, how upset he was.”
She did see him, but she didn’t tell her brother that. Instead, she pictured how broken he’d looked that morning. It wasn’t something she’d forget because it was so unlike Roman. “It’s okay, Jesse. You did the right thing. Just give me a little warning next time.”
“Warning about what?” Roman poked his head through the door, a wide smile on his face. “My awesomeness?”
Cassie stared at him, realizing he hadn’t set foot in her room in a long time. She didn’t move and didn’t take her eyes from his face as his smile fell, and he squirmed under the intensity of her gaze.
Cassie suppressed a smile. She’d perfected the dead-eyed stare, the uncomfortable silence. She could do it all day.
