[chapter seventeen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Nya hated herself for having stayed up half the night, watching out her window for Jamie.
She hated even more knowing that he hadn't made it home last night after the race.
She hated herself most for being so groggy this morning, for being out of creamer for her coffee, and for not being able to concentrate on all the notations in the manuscript in front of her.
With a growl, she flipped the page, then jumped a foot in her chair as a loud knock on her door resonated through the house. She leaped up, her heart racing, picturing Jamie on the other side, then harnessed her emotions after a split second.
With cool, icy calm she approached the door and opened it as a butler would open the door at Buckingham Palace.
She blinked in surprise as Casey smiled back at her. "Hi Nya. Join me for breakfast?" He asked, holding up what appeared to be a bag of donuts and a cup of coffee.
"I've had." Nya said, nonetheless letting him in and steering him towards the kitchen table. After a few exchanged pleasantries, and some strained small talk, Nya leveled a gaze at him and merely waited for the purpose of Casey's visit to become clear.
"Okay, listen." Casey finally said with an embarassed grin. "I have a list. I've been sent here as the informer."
"I understand." Nya nodded, knowing full well who sent him on this mission.
"Why didn't you wait around after the race?"
"Traffic."
Nya could tell Casey was contemplating writing down her answers as he looked around quickly for a pencil, then thought better of it and just committed her answers to memory. Nya could also tell that Casey knew she was lying.
"Why did you run away?"
"He was busy." Nya answered truthfully.
"Nya, he was signing a couple of autographs." Casey explained. "That happens a lot. You don't strike me as a really insecure person, so why the 100 yard dash?"
Nya sighed, embarassed. "You wouldn't understand, and neither would he."
"Try me."
Nya's cheeked tinged with red. "Those women...those women look exactly like the women I caught my ex-boyfriend in bed with." Casey's eyes widened and Nya nodded. "Yes, women, plural."
"Huh." Casey said, looking at Nya with sympathy. After a long pause, Casey opened his mouth to speak again. "Do you like Jamie?"
Nya looked down at her table. "Of course I do." She said softly.
"He likes you too." Casey said with a gentle smile. "He really does."
"Yes, but it would never work between us. We're so different, and besides, neighbors shouldn't date. It never works."
"How do you know?" Casey asked.
"I've read it in books." Nya said seriously, making Casey laugh out loud. "I just...I like him, but I don't want to."
"Listen, Nya...Jamie's a really nice guy. He's honest, he's smart, and he's just a big, friendly dork. Don't play him - just go for it."
"I'm scared." Nya whispered.
Casey reached over and gave her hand a friendly squeeze. "Here's some advice: don't be scared. Just go for it."
"Please don't tell him this. Any of this." Nya pleaded softly, looking down again.
"Nya..." Casey trailed off, not sure what to say.
Nya squared her shoulders, nodded her head once and finally looked back up in Casey's kind eyes with renewed confidence. "Listen, Casey...I couldn't help but notice...I mean, I was up late working and I..."
Casey smiled. "He stayed at my place. He was too beat to drive home."
Nya gave a silent prayer of thanks, mouthed 'thank you' to Casey, then gave him a smile. "Did I answer all your assigned questions?"
"Oh yeah."
"Then get out of here. I have
work to do." Nya said with a smile and a playful shove at Casey's shoulder.