My Casey

“There is always a reason to stay.”

“Yeah, but when it comes to the matters of the heart, there is always more of a reason.” Lionel signed his name and left.

“Great, just great.”

There was no denying what was going to happen. The entire town would know he and Casey were making out in his workshop. It wasn’t so bad, or at least, he didn’t think so.

Chapter Five

“I’m just saying he’s a nice guy,” Abby said.

Casey rolled her eyes as this had to be the hundredth time her mother had said the exact same thing. It wasn’t anything new.

“I know.”

And he was a damn good kisser, but she hadn’t told her mother any other of the finer details of her make out session with Rusty that was brought to an end much too soon.

“Will you be going on a date with him again?” Abby asked.

“I don’t know. If he asks?” They hadn’t gotten a chance to talk about their kiss as everyone who was anyone suddenly arrived at his shop needing help from changing tires to checking brakes.

She knew without a doubt people wanted to see if she and Rusty were making out again. This town didn’t know when to stop when it came to gossip, and well, she couldn’t blame them.

This was her first time back in forever, and the gossip was already wild.

There had to be something else going on apart from her and Rusty’s love life, but it seemed everyone just wanted a piece of their action for now. She ended up escaping without too much damage.

“Why does he have to ask?”

“I thought you always told me it wasn’t polite for a woman to do all the work.”

“Pfft, don’t listen to me. Honey, you’re living in the now, not the then. Your father did all the work, but it didn’t mean I didn’t love him just as much. He always knew I was with him every single step of the way.”

“What are you getting at right now?”

“There’s nothing to stop you from making the first move. I don’t like this all-new nonsense that says you’ve got to wait around. Rusty’s probably closing up his shop right about now, so why don’t you go and talk to him?”

“It’s nearly eight o’clock.”

“I know, and he’s a hard worker. Here, take him this.” Abby pulled out a lasagna. “Yum. He will love this.”

Casey took the lasagna.

“Did you know vegetarians can have lasagna as well?” Abby asked.

“Yeah, Mom, I know. Seriously, you want me to take this?”

“Yes, give it to him. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“What about Dad?”

“Sweetie, I’m politely trying to get you out of the house for a reason.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll distract your father so long as you promise me to at least consider giving your guy a chance.”

“I will. I will.” She grabbed her jacket and left her home. Her parents were crazy, but she loved them.

She was just heading back to Rusty’s, to see him about a kiss. That had been some kiss. The moment Lionel had taken him away, she had sat down and hadn’t written, but she’d started to think about what she could write. A story had started to bloom in her mind, and it had been a relief because for the longest time, she’d truly thought she was a fuck-up.

Complete with lasagna, she walked back to Rusty’s, expecting him to be closed, but much to her surprise, the gates were open and there was a light shining in the garage.

Entering the building once again, she cleared her throat, and out came Rusty. He was underneath a car.

“I didn’t think I’d see you until tomorrow.”

“My mom sent me with lasagna.”

“She knows about our kiss?”

“Yes, and it would seem every single person knows about our kiss. It does suck a whole lot.”

“Does it?” he asked.

“I don’t know, you tell me?” She was rambling. Of course it didn’t suck. Why would a kiss between them suck?

It was the most natural thing in the world.

A kiss.

He got up from the floor and wiped his hands on a cloth that looked far too dirty to do the job right.

“You came back here to bring me lasagna?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And my mom thinks I should come and ask you what that kiss meant.”

“Would you believe me if I told you I don’t know?”

“Yes.”

“You would?”

“I don’t know either. I don’t know anything anymore, and I’m a little confused.”

“Tell me what you’re confused about, and I’ll try to figure it out.”

“Okay,” she said, pushing some hair off her face. “First, we go on a date, and it is amazing. I’ve got no complaints about our date. I loved every second of it. Only, when our date ended, you decided not to kiss me. I come to work at your place, and then you kiss me and it was a kiss. The town now knows, and I’m confused.”