Someone Like You

Chapter Twenty-Five

Zander

I've spent the week preparing for our trip to the city. We are leaving on Friday and returning the following Monday. I'm looking forward to having a few days off. I haven't taken any sort of holiday or leave in years. Even though this is a short one, and half of it will be Brea tying up loose ends and dealing with parts of her life that I know nothing about, I want to be there for her.

I want to prove it her, and to me, that we are more than just a casual fling, or people that are just attracted to each other. This is serious, and the more I get to know her, the more I crave more of her. I want to be the man that she deserves.

It's time to stop running from this, and tackle it head on, like I should have from the beginning.

The farm is dealt with, and now it's the pub. The pub is more difficult, because everyone is young and casual, unlike the farm who have workers who have been on the farm even longer than I've been alive and know the place like the back of their hand. They also depend on it for their livelihood and take everything I say very seriously. I have a handful of people I am truly comfortable leaving the farm to while I'm away, but the pub is a different story.

Out of everyone, I trust Cassie the most, but I don't feel comfortable with her locking up alone at night, and she already has a lot on her plate.

After finishing my final, dreaded invoice, I lean back in my office chair, my eyes feeling strained. Finishing my beer, I get to my feet and head out to the bar. Cassie is totalling the cash register as the last of the customer waves and waddles out the door.

"Finished with your paperwork?" Cassie asks, looking over her shoulder. I notice that she is looking a little less tired than she has been lately, which is good. I hope she isn't working herself too hard.

"Finally," I nod, placing the glass into the dishwasher, which is already borderline too full, but I can't be bothered to deal with it right now. "Remind me to never leave that many invoices to do in one go, again."

"I would but you never listen," she teases. She neatly stacks the pieces of paper together, staples them, before handing them over. "I can look after the place on the weekend, Boss. If you're comfortable with it."

"You are the one person I trust to do that, Cassie, but I don't want to overload you. I'm also concerned about you being here alone at night."

"You're very sweet, Boss, but it's literally Glendale. And besides, it's just a few days, and I don't have classes over the weekend. I'm fine with it if you are."

"Really?" I ask, leaning my hip against the counter. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"I will organise someone to be here with you, for lock up."

Cassie smiles. "Whatever you want, Boss."

"Thank you," I say earnestly. "I appreciate it, and everything else that you do."

"Just promise me you will have fun, okay?" Cassie says, as we head out the back so she can gather her things. "You never take time off, and you never leave this place. You deserve to go have fun, and make sure you treat Brea right."

"I will," I promise.

"Good."

Turning off the lights, we lock all the doors, and check the windows, before I walk her to her car.

When I arrive home, the place is dark, and has an empty feel to it. Diesel rolls onto his back, demanding a belly rub. This used to be all I wanted. Me, myself, and my dog. Now that I have had a taste of how it feels to be with someone I truly enjoy being around, I realise how deep and rooted the sense of loneliness has been inside me.

And how desperately I don't want to feel like that anymore.