Chapter 38

Kasey

 

 

 

Following the recipe to the letter, Kasey had just finished prepping the lasagna, sliding it into the preheated oven before hopping in for a quick shower. According to Martha Stewart, the dish needed to bake for thirty to forty-five minutes, and Jay would be arriving in half that time.

 

Having already styled her hair, she quickly washed the smells of the kitchen off before slipping an off the shoulder dress over her naked body. Looking forward to surprising Jay later with her commando look, she rushed back downstairs to begin chopping vegetables for the salad.

 

It was the first time she’d ever cooked for a man, besides a party night she’d hosted with Nicole for friends. Her nerves were getting the best of her, hoping it would be enough for him. Jay was the type of man who ate at five star restaurants, so she had to shake the thoughts of insecurity from her mind.

 

He’d done all a man could to prove his sincerity, but no matter what he said, Kasey could not rid herself of the fear that she would not be enough for him.

 

Just as she finished chopping the green onions, the doorbell rang. After a quick glance around the kitchen, Kasey made her way to the door, happy to see Jay’s handsome face when she looked through the peephole. He was holding a bottle of red wine, he’d asked beforehand if he could at least bring that to dinner.

 

“You look handsome,” she said, when she opened the door.

 

His eyes instantly went to her nipples, poking at the fabric of her dress. “You look naked.”

 

Jay pinched her aroused nipple between the knuckle of his index finger and the pad of his thumb as he planted a wet kiss on her lips, swallowing her gasp.

 

“That was a hell of a welcome,” she inhaled deeply when he released her.

 

“I’ve missed you,” he shrugged, looking around her townhouse.

 

“I missed you, too.”

 

“I like your place. Can you give me a tour?”

 

“There’s not much to see,” she said bashfully. After seeing Jay’s home, she didn’t feel that a tour was an adequate way to describe showing her small two bedroom home.

 

“I want to see it,” he insisted, wrapping his arms around her waist as she led them to the kitchen.

 

“How about you get used to the first level, and I’ll show you upstairs after dinner?” she asked over her shoulder.

 

“Deal.” Jay smiled, and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was.

 

Kasey took the wine bottle, inspecting the label as Jay watched on with pride. She wasn’t a connoisseur by any standard, but she knew a fifteen-year-old Merlot had to be pricey.

 

“How can I help?” He took the bottle from her hand, letting his fingers linger on hers a bit longer than necessary.

 

“I’m finishing up the salad. How about you open that expensive ass wine?” She smiled, and Jay followed her instructions to find the corkscrew and glasses.

 

Kasey chopped cucumbers and added them to the romaine lettuce followed by cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese. The oven timer sounded, indicating the lasagna was ready and she removed the pan from the oven, happy with the top layer of cheese.

 

“Ready?” she asked Jay, who nodded before taking his place at the table.

 

Kasey made each of them a plate of lasagna, a small bowl of salad, and placed a few breadsticks in a small basket, which she sat in the middle of the table.

 

“I know you’re used to having your salad in a different course, but tonight you’re getting it all at once,” she teased as she settled into her seat.

 

“My favorite restaurant is Olive Garden,” Jay chuckled, as he reached across his plate to pick a breadstick from the basket.

 

“It is not!” she exclaimed in disbelief.

 

“I swear,” he raised his hands in the air before taking a bite of the bread stick.

 

“I would have never guessed that,” she scrunched her nose in disbelief. “I figured you’d like one of those super fancy restaurants that serve the tiniest portions.”

 

“I try to stay away from those. I never know which fork to use.”

 

Kasey could only laugh, as she realized that Jay wasn’t so much different than her after all. Maybe it wasn’t so ridiculous that he could be completely satisfied with a simple girl like her.

 

“What’s your favorite restaurant?” he asked, before taking a bite of the lasagna.

 

“Have you ever been to Migos? It’s a Mexican restaurant downtown.”

 

“Oh yeah. I know the owner,” he nodded with a smile.

 

“Of course you do.”

 

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I went to college with him. I wasn’t name dropping,” he looked embarrassed, which only made Kasey more comfortable.

 

Jay seemed to be as nervous about their new arrangement as she was, which was exactly what he said when they first discussed it. He was willing to fumble through this if she was. His words replayed in her mind as she accepted that they were going to try this out, finally releasing the tension in her shoulders.

 

They exchanged small talk and flirtatious smiles between bites as they enjoyed her meal, which Jay said was delicious. Although it was her first time making it, Kasey was impressed with the way it turned out.

 

“Have you told Renee of your plans to leave yet?” he asked, once they had finished their meal.

 

“I have a meeting with her tomorrow. I’m both excited and nervous,” she admitted. Kasey had spent a long time preparing what she would say and how she would deliver it.

 

Renee Rockwell wasn’t the type of woman you wanted against you. The last thing she wanted was to make an enemy, but even if Jay had not offered her a position with Passions Publishing, she knew she could not continue working for Renee. It was a stifling work environment, and she couldn’t trust her.

 

In Kasey’s mind, no healthy relationship could exist without trust, so she knew her employment at Rockwell Publishing was doomed.

 

“I’m doing the dishes,” Jay announced, rising from the table as he grabbed their empty plates.

 

“Oh, you’re telling me?” she joked.

 

“I know you wouldn’t let me if I just offered, so I’m insisting,” he smiled, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her lips. “Dinner was delicious. I didn’t know you couldn’t cook.”

 

“I usually don’t, so consider yourself privileged.”

 

“Believe me, I do. The more I learn about you, the more I like.”

 

His words lingered in the air as he made his way across the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves before washing the dishes by hand.

 

“Jay, I have a dishwasher,” Kasey protested.

 

“I’ve never liked those. Just relax. Pour some more wine,” he nodded to the half empty bottle. Refilling both glasses, she crossed her legs while watching him move around her kitchen comfortably.

 

Jay was the first man she’d had over to her house, but it felt right. Kasey knew in that moment that she’d made the right decision trying things out with Jay. She liked him, and could see the two of them growing together.

 

A loud ringer sounded through the kitchen, causing Kasey to jump, she’d never heard the alarm before.

 

“Sorry. That’s my phone. Can you hand it to me? It’s in my coat pocket” Jay called from the sink.

 

Kasey nodded, taking another sip of her wine before walking to Jay’s chair, digging in the inside pocket to retrieve his phone. It was illuminated with a text from Mitchell, something about golf on Saturday. She didn’t pay much attention, because a small white piece of paper stuck to his phone caught her eye.

 

In red writing, there was a phone number with the name Melissa written, a heart dotting the eye. Kasey’s stomach sunk to her knees as she turned to Jay.

 

“Did you find it?”

 

“I found this!” she held the white paper in the air, her fingers pressed so tightly Melissa’s name had a wrinkle through it.

 

Jay looked to have seen a ghost, his face went pale as he stood so still Kasey couldn’t believe he had any explanation. She turned and grabbed his coat, marching towards him so fast the hardwood floors hurt her bare feet.

 

“Kasey, let me explain,” he rushed the words as she stuffed his coat in his hands, which were still wet from cleaning the dishes.

 

“Explain what? That you wasted my time, telling me all these lies about wanting to try something out with me while you’re still collecting phone numbers from other women?” She spat the words out like they tasted sour.

 

“Kasey, you have to let me explain,” he reached for her, but she backed away too quickly.

 

“I don’t have to let you do anything. You need to leave my house right now.” She pointed towards the door, and Jay again took a step towards her, but she held her hands in the air defensively and he froze mid step.

 

“I don’t know why I ever thought I could trust you. It’s all about money with all of you, just trying to see what you can get and how much you can make. Well, you can forget about me contributing to your bottom line, Jay. I will never work for you!”

 

It was the last thing she said, and the words seemed to hit him like blows to the face as he turned in silence, his head hanging low. Carrying his coat, he left Kasey alone in the kitchen as she struggled to hold herself together.

 

When the front door opened, and closed, she finally allowed herself the emotional reaction she was fighting, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

 

With her shoulders shaking from the violent cries, she kicked herself for ever believing she could be enough for a man like Jay. It was all a game to him, and she was nothing more than a pawn. She thought he was different than Renee, but she was wrong.

 

Now, what was she going to do? He was her way of leaving Rockwell Publishing, but now that he had shown his true colors, she knew there was no way they could work together.

 

Reaching across the table, she drank the rest of her wine, wiping away the tears. It was time for her to create a plan, because no one would ever leave Kasey Wright defeated. Not Renee, and definitely not Jay. She had to depend on herself, and she was ready to do whatever was needed to pull that off.