The Spinster's Club

CASS: Three

Cass' phone pinged. She fished it out of her handbag to find a message from Amy. Cass smiled at her friend's thoughtfulness in wanting to check on her after the interview.
How did it go? I bet you knocked it out of the ball park.
Cass fingers flew over the keys, glad to be able to vent her injured feelings. 'Ughh. Terrible. I'm at Aromas. Want to join me?
Can't. Sorry. Got a stack of paper work I need to finish or I won't be ready for my hot date tonight.
Hot date? God, you work fast. Who with?
Dr Izambard.
Seriously? I thought he was g.... Cass quickly backspaced and retyped. It wasn't her place to comment. Besides, her own track record with men was hardly stellar. She didn't tend to meet many eligible men in the maternity ward. Instead she typed. Good for you.
Thx. So what went wrong?
Only two things.
That's not so bad.
Yeah, but it was everything I said, and everything I did!
Should I send over chocolate? Romy sent over an indecent amount today. I need to get rid of it before I eat the lot. I'm willing to share. See. I'm being good to you.
Thanks
I might have to save some for Cece though.
Why?
She lopped off all her hair.
OMG How do u know?
I saw her last night.
Where, what, how. And most importantly, why? I want details
Sorry, gotta go. Later, OK?
OK

Cass shook her head in disbelief. Amy was going out with Dr Izambard tonight? How had that come about? And Cece's hair? What a travesty. She had the most gorgeous red hair. And it always looked so smooth and shiny. Unlike her own nothing coloured locks that never did what she wanted it to do, like look professional. Like today. In a chignony thing.

As much as she have her own love hate relationship with hair, there was no way she was prepared to chop it all off. Her hand crept up to the hated bun and she quickly took it down. The throbbing in her head eased along with the tension easing in her scalp. She gave her hair a quick finger comb then smiled up at Sue, arriving with her coffee order and an unasked-for sticky bun. Cass' eyesbrows rose and Sue smiled sheepishly. "I know you didn't order it, but I thought you might need a bit of a boost."
I'm going to be the size of a house with this and Amy's chocolate, Cass thought privately but managed a wan smile. "Thanks. I need all the help I can get today."
"Was it really that bad?"
"Worse. I thought I went in prepared, but I felt off-balance the whole time. I'm kicking myself at the easy questions I missed."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Right now – or for the rest of my life?" Cass looked dolefully at the sticky bun.
"I'll settle for right now. As for the other, I never saw you as a Rehab Supervisor. You're too 'hands on' – and the new mums on the Maternity ward seem to really like you. I know you were great when I had Maddie."

Cass smiled. "How's she doing?"
"She's coming up for her third birthday soon"
"Wow. That's really flown by fast, hasn't it? Are you still doing your pelvic floor exercises."
Sue grinned. "I remind myself to clench every time I grind those beans."
Cass held up a hand. "Please. TMI"
Sue laughed out loud, then frowned at Cass' slumped shoulders. "Seriously, you're not going back to work like that, are you?"
"I only had time off to do the interview. I'd rather not go in today, but I've got a full list to get through."

"You're too damn conscientious. You know that, don't you?"
Cass shrugged and tried to smile. "Yeah. I know. But what you gonna do about it?" and she tore off the corner of the packet of sugar.
As Sue started to turn away, she paused, then leaned down to whisper in Cass' ear. "Don't look now, but I think you've got an admirer."
Cass straightened up in shock. "You're kidding me. I look a wreck today."
"Over by the door. I swear that gorgeous man is staring straight at you. No." she hissed. "I told you. Don't look now. Wait 'til I've gone." She winked and sashayed back behind the counter.
Cass casually poured out the sugar, not looking up until she reached for a spoon – and she nearly dropped it right into the cup. A man was staring directly at her, but this was not one of the usual hospital suits who scarfed down their morning coffee and danishes here. No, this man took her breath away. He epitomised tall dark and handsome in her imagination. Well he was definitely taller than her, and his hair was long and a shade or two darker than hers, and she assumed his eyes were dark because of his sunglasses. It didn't matter, he was leaning up against the wall nearest the doorway, arms folded over his chest and, God help her, he really was looking right at her. His motor cycle leathers fit him like a glove, and Cass - as an experienced Physiotherapist - had no difficulty working out what went where. She knew exactly what it took to fill such an outfit.

She tried to take a sip of her coffee and check him out at the same time. It was not easy but if she angled herself just so, she could watch him out of the corner of her eye. He had the kind of athletic physique she'd always admired in her anatomy textbooks: broad of shoulder and narrow of hips Despite the leather gear, he was not overly bulky but was very nicely muscled. But there was a stillness about him that made his attention really, how could she put it? Intense? She decided it was highly flattering to be so closely regarded. Perhaps this day wasn't quite the write-off she'd assumed it to be.

But then common sense kicked in. Why on earth was he looking at her? All she'd done was take down her hair. Was that it? Did he think she was flirting with him?
She stole a glance in his direction. He still hadn't moved. He seemed to be regarding even more intently. Her heart fluttered and her imagination proceeded to ramp up into overdrive.

This could get dangerous, she thought. I need Amy to talk me down, and she reached for her phone. Amy will know what to do, and she started composing another text. There's a major hunk in motor cycle leathers giving me the eye here at Aromas. Advice please?
She willed Amy to respond quickly and tried to look unconcerned as she drank her coffee and picked the sultanas from the bun. Five minutes later, her phone chirped and Cass tried not to pounce too eagerly.

Amy's advice was short and to the point.
Go up to him then. Show him you're interested.
Oh I couldn't. He looks rather dangerous. What if he bites?
What if he doesn't? Stick out your chest and bat your baby blues at him. Give him something worth looking at.
Are you sure?
Are you kidding me? You're in a frigging coffee shop in the middle of the day, not a dark alley way. Do. It. Now.

Cass tried to ignore the pounding in her chest. She'd never been so forward in her life. She put her hand to her hair to see if he would react this time.
She frowned in confusion. His gaze hadn't shifted at all. Perhaps he isn't looking at me after all? She turned around but there was only the wall behind her. What the Hell is going on here?

Now more puzzled than shy, Cass gathered up her belongings then stood up to her full 5'4" inches, She buttoned her jacket, then remembering how it gaped, quickly unbuttoned it again. She threw back her shoulders and started for the door, making sure she walked past leather guy v-e-r-y slowly. Maybe he'd be the one to strike up a conversation. That would be ok, wouldn't it? The thought filled her with equal amounts of terror and excitement. Her love life might be sterile but there was nothing sterile about her imagination. Nothing. At. All.

Funny, he's still looking at my chair, she thought as she drew closer. Then she heard it: a quiet rumble coming from his throat.

Oh my God, he's snoring! She gasped as the realisation hit her like a ton of bricks. He hadn't been checking her out at all. He hadn't been looking at anyone. He'd been fast asleep the whole time!

In her mortification, she must have gasped out loud. Or maybe she swore. Possibly she did both because his head suddenly jerked up – and this time he really WAS looking right at her.

She stood there, stock still – staring at him – too stunned to move and too stupid to speak.
Then, making her humiliation complete, he slowly took off his sun glasses regarding her in surprise. He blinked. Twice. "Can I help you?" he said in a voice that resembled warm molasses.

Brown eyes met hazel for a long moment until Cass flinched and turned away. She couldn't bear any more humiliation today. "Excuse me." She said on a squeak and she fled, the coffee shop's bell jangling in her wake.

Why had she even bothered getting up today? Could things get any worse?

The man hesitated, then stepped up to the counter past the still jingling door to place his order.