After the introductions, Dom, Ben, and I decided that Dom would no longer be seen alone with Benjamin in public.
This turned me into the third wheel, just sitting there while they dated.
I didn’t mind the situation; it got me out of the house, and I felt safe.
When Ben dropped me off at the house after the movies following our family lunch, and he and Dom drove off, it was quite late.
Still, I desperately wanted to talk to Caspian.
I hadn’t told anyone that we already knew each other, but I hoped that knowing I was there would make the family lunches less boring for him.
I wanted to see if he felt the same way.
I had no luck.
By the time I got home, Caspian was already in his room, and it was loud and clear that he was with a girl.
I’d always known he wasn’t attracted to me, and I completely understood that, but hearing him with someone else broke my heart.
I’m such a fool for falling for him.
Since I had no one to share this with, I cried quietly into my pillow while Cas and the girl enjoyed each other’s company.
Eventually, sleep came, aided by the white-noise earbuds I’d bought years ago during a bout of insomnia.
That night, I texted Marco to ask him to take me to the gym the next day.
I wasn’t sure if Cas would even feel like working out.
When I woke up, the girl was sitting at the kitchen island, eating the leftovers from my Friday dinner—the food I’d planned on having for lunch today.
“Can I help you?” I asked the tall, dark-haired girl.
“Cas said it was fine if I ate this,” she smiled.
“That’s great,” I said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Except that was supposed to be my lunch.”
Caspian walked out of the bathroom shirtless—something he had never done before.
I didn’t understand what was wrong with him, though I had to admit he looked incredible.
“Can we talk?” I asked Cas.
I went into his room, and he followed.
He shut the door, but I pushed it open just a crack.
I hated closed doors.
He shut it again.
His room looked like a bomb had gone off.
There were sheets and pillows on the floor and the bed; apparently, the bed hadn’t been enough for them during the night.
“What is going on here?” I asked, opening the door an inch.
“We agreed you wouldn’t bring anyone up here.
You promised.”
“People promise a lot of things,” he smirked and shut the door again.
“What’s wrong with you?” I asked.
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing,” he replied dismissively.
“Please don’t bring anyone over,” I said, opening the door slightly once more.
“You know strangers make me uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t seem that uncomfortable yesterday, Virginia,” he said, pulling on a T-shirt.
“Whatever,” I sighed.
“I wanted to ask you not to make a big deal out of my relationship with your brother, and in return, I won’t tell anyone who you really are.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were dating my brother?” he asked.
“I didn’t know Benjamin was your brother,” I replied.
“And besides, it’s not like we report to each other about who we’re dating.”
“I don’t hide my relationships,” he said arrogantly.
“Yeah, you made that pretty clear last night,” I remarked.
“I thought you were bothered by people touching you,” he said mockingly.
“I’m trying to open up to the world, and your brother is helping me a lot with that,” I answered.
“I bet his wallet is helping, too,” he shot back.
“I really don’t get you, Cas,” I said, bewildered.
“Since you’re clearly impossible to talk to right now, I just want to know if we’re both keeping our mouths shut.”
“We are, Virginia,” he replied mockingly, throwing the door wide for me to leave.
“And in case it wasn’t obvious,” he added flippantly, “the car is mine.”