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."On a casual basis.It’s just physical between us.I can’t see myself committing to an actual relationship with her like I can with you.You’re truly the only one I can imagine sharing my life with.”He took a couple of steps toward her, but with each step he took, she stepped farther away from him moving closer to the kitchen.“I’m sorry.I just can’t be with you when you’re with somebody else.It doesn’t matter how you look at it, or whether you love her or not; the fact remains you are still hooking up with some other girl.You feel a physical attraction to her.That has to count for something or you wouldn’t be doing it.”Cassie left him standing all alone in her kitchen, pondering over the decisions he had made in his life.After a few minutes, she returned wearing her own clothes and handed him his shirt back, their fingers grazing as Jordan took it from her.She still felt that same desire to be with him, but knew she couldn’t risk another broken heart.“I think you should go,” she told him.“Well, what about the cookies?” he asked her.He wasn’t going to even bother asking about his offer to have his way with her in her bedroom.Obviously, it was a no-go zone now.“It’s okay.We got most of them done already, so I can handle the remaining ones by myself,” Cassie assured him.Jordan followed her to the door.“Cassie—” he started, but she cut him off with a shake of her head, holding the door open for him.“There’s nothing to say.What happened was a one-time thing that will never happen again.It was just sex between two people who used to mean something to each other.That’s it.Nothing more, nothing less,” Cassie insisted, using words Jordan recited earlier.“I have nothing more to say to you.Please, just go home.”And just like that, Jordan brushed past Cassie, his face portraying all he wanted to do was sweep her up in his arms and tell her how much he loved her.When Cassie closed the door without a second glance at her ex-boyfriend, she slowly slid to the floor with her back against it, holding her knees tight to her chest and shedding a tear or two.She wished she hadn’t taken Gabby’s advice, knowing it would ultimately lead to more heartbreak.It was very obvious that she and Jordan were simply not cut out to be together forever.The following morning, it was a beautiful spring day despite the previous night’s events.Cassie was working behind the counter at Patty-Cake Bakery while Gabby served as a customer, happily chatting to her best friend as she worked.Gabby, didn’t have to start work until midday, and she was making the most of her late start as she perched at the front counter with one leg crossed over the other and sipped on a chai latte and ate a banana muffin that came fresh from Cassie’s oven this morning.“So, you took my suggestion seriously, huh? I’m glad to see I’m slowly rubbing off on you after all these years,” Gabby said.“Now he’s finally out of your system and you don’t feel anything for him, right?“As long as he’s seeing someone else in Miami, I won’t be with him,” Cassie said, fixing the hairnet wrapped around her bun.“You know me—I don’t do casual flings.I don’t even know why I would let you put the idea into my head.It was so stupid to think it might actually work.”“In most circumstances, it probably would have worked,” Gabby twirled a strand of her straight black hair around her index finger, “but you’re not like most people.You don’t really know the meaning of something insignificant or off-the-cuff, especially with Jordan, whom you’ve got a complicated history with.Just keep telling yourself how much better you are by not being with him.And okay, so you don’t want to have a random, hot, sweaty night with a total stranger, but what about a date? I know of plenty eligible men who would love to go out on a proper date with you.Besides, when was the last time you actually went out on one?”“I date,” Cassie protested.Gabby pointed a finger at her while picking at a piece of muffin and stuffing it into her mouth.“Nick, Jake, and I don’t count.”“For your information, Jake and I happen to love our mother-son dates to the movies.I’m making the most of them before he realizes how uncool I really am and chooses not to hang out with me.”“That’s unfortunate for you.For me, I will always be cool.But you at least need to consider going out on an actual date at some point.Maybe not right now, but later.You can do it for me; make it my birthday present.I will be eternally appreciative.” Gabby flashed a wink in her direction.“And speaking of dates, I saw Nick having a great time last night.”Gabby’s spoken words made Cassie stop what she was mixing in a bowl and turn to her best friend.“Do I sense some envy there, Gabby?”Gabby was ultimately perplexed by Cassie’s question.“Why would I be jealous? I was the one who turned Nick down.I just assumed he would take a little longer than a couple of days to actually get over me.I am irresistible, after all.”Gabby struck a pose that made Cassie laugh, and then she turned serious, giving Gabby a straight face.“Are you sure you’re not a little bit jealous at the fact Nick has seemingly moved on from you so quickly?” Cassie asked her.Gabby shook her head, her black hair swaying about [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]