UNEDITED
Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After a...
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Cassian
The disappointment on Penelope's face still haunts me.
The moment I saw that, felt that emotion radiating from her, I realized something important. That's what I'm terrified of. Disappointing her. It's the reason I second-guess myself. Why I continue to question how fast this relationship is moving. I don't want to fuck up and disappoint her.
I'll admit, now that December's arrived and we've gone on a few dates, the intensity of my second-guessing has diminished. Doubt is still a lingering ghost, though. Which I think is good. I'm aware of what I'm doing and how I make Penelope feel. I don't want her to feel insignificant or unequal. Adding to her disappointment would only make me feel like a terrible person.
I slide the razor down my jaw, shaving away the rest of my stubble. After I've rinsed the razor off, I wet a cloth and wipe away any residual shaving foam from my skin. I then apply some moisturizing cream. It feels good to have a clean face again.
"You better clean the sink out," Penelope says. She walks past me and stops in front of the other sink, grabbing her toothbrush.
I wrinkle my nose. Her comment surprises me. Jake teases me all the time about being a clean freak. I can't stand it when things are messy. Just looking at the mess of shaving foam streaks and stubs of hair makes me cringe. Pen should know me by now. "You honestly think I was going to leave it?"
Penelope runs her toothbrush under the tap and then squeezes some toothpaste onto it. "No," she smiles, stuffing her toothbrush in her mouth. "I'm teasing you." She presses the button, filling the bathroom with the hum of her electric toothbrush.
Rolling my eyes, I get to work on cleaning the sink. Hair is annoying to clean. Every time you think you're done, you spot another piece. It's a never ending game. While I'm fighting with the remnants, I ask Pen about her plans for the day. "What are you and Patrick planning on doing?"
Work has slowed down due to the upcoming holidays. We're past the intensive work; all drywall dust is gone. Now, we're waiting on orders to arrive. We need to install kitchen appliances, decorate, and finish painting. After that, it's all about exposure and our soft grand opening. That's why they're taking the day off and I'm the only one going in today.
Penelope spits and rinses off her toothbrush, setting it in the cup next to the sink. "We're going out for lunch to review our approach." She flicks her gaze to her hands, and I see she's picking at her nail polish again. It's something she does when she's anxious.
"Hey," I say, taking her hands. "You and Patrick'll be okay. Even if it doesn't work out, you've still got your family and friends. And if Patrick's parents are jackasses and refuse to acknowledge how he feels, we'll induct him into our group."
Pen smiles up at me and squeezes my hands. "We can always count on you, can't we, Cass?"
I lift one shoulder in a shrug. "That kid's grown on me. Jake likes him, too."
