Can’t Look Away

“You know, I can’t remember a time where you and I have hung out, just the two of us”

Lionel, who was leaning against Cassie’s kitchen counter, quirked a slightly shy smile, watching as she moved to place a mug in front of him. The invitation hadn’t surprised him. After what he had asked Carina, he had known it was only a matter of time before the older woman confided in Cassie, and it meant that he hadn’t been caught off guard when her name had appeared on the screen of his phone. She was bound to have questions. The idea to surprise Sasha had been a spur of the moment one, and it needed to be explained before they put it into action, and Lionel was happy to explain what he was thinking. If anyone could help him put together something Sasha would love, it was the woman who had known her for most of her life.

“I don’t think we have have” Lionel said “Normally, if you’re around, it’s for Sasha, or maybe even Arlo. We both know that I am your third favourite member of my family” he added impishly.

Cassie smiled, shaking her head amusedly.

Lionel smiled to himself, stirring the drink in front of him. “You spoke to Carina?” he asked after a moment of comfortable quiet.

“Carina spoke at me” Cassie retorted with a soft laugh “She was so excited that she barely let me get a word in. Did you really think she was the best person to go to with what you’re planning?” she asked.

“I remember Sasha telling me that her mother wasn’t very good with surprises” Lionel quipped with a slightly rueful smile “But, if anyone is going to be able to help me to do this, aside from you, of course, then it’s probably Carina. Sasha is her daughter” he added.

Cassie nodded her head and took a sip of her drink before she stepped towards the counter, setting the mug down. “What is it that you want to do, Leo?” she asked “I mean, I kind of got the gist from Carina, but I want to hear it from you” she added.

She knew what he had told Carina. When the older woman had had the chance to talk to her, she hadn’t been able to refrain from gushing about what Lionel had told her, but Cassie wanted to hear it from him. She liked the idea, and she knew that Sasha would like it as well, but she wanted to make sure that it wasn’t just some kind of whim that Lionel had come out with to try and appease his future mother-in-law. She wanted to know that he had thought it through.

“Has Sasha talked to you about us not getting married when we were supposed to?” Lionel asked.

Cassie nodded wordlessly. She didn’t know how honest Sasha had been with Lionel, and she didn’t want to say too much. She knew that sometimes Sasha bottled things up, and she worried that if she told Lionel that Sasha had worried that they might never make it up the aisle and he hadn’t known it before, she could cause problems for Sasha.

“It’s not been easy for us” Lionel continued “We were so ready, and then it didn’t happen. You know Sasha. She’s a worrier” he added.

“That’s an understatement” Cassie countered with a playful smile.

Lionel smiled back at her before he ducked his head, fiddling with his watch. “I talked her into waiting again” he said “I thought it was the right thing to do. She got so excited about so many plans when we were making them that I thought...I thought that we should wait, and make sure things were perfect, but I was talking to Carina the other day and she made me look at things differently. She kind of said that it was more to do with me” he added, his cheeks flushing a soft shade of pink.

“You didn’t know that?” Cassie’s voice was teasing, but it still held some softness “Leo, take it from someone who knows Sasha better than she knows herself sometimes. You could have the most basic wedding, and Sasha would still talk about it like it was the most amazing thing because it would be to her. She’d have gotten to marry you, and honestly, I think that that is something she has wanted for longer than even she knows” she explained.

Lionel let out a slightly nervous laugh, something which caused Cassie to reach out, patting his shoulder comfortingly. “What have you got in mind?” she asked.

“That’s what I need help with” Lionel replied “I mean, I know Sasha well, but not like you or her mother do. I was thinking we could do it in our garden” he added.

Cassie nodded, wordlessly assuring him that it was a good idea.

“I would leave you and Carina in charge, but I would like you to run things by me” Lionel said.

“Of course” Cassie agreed “Have you thought about who you’d want there?” she asked.

“Our immediate family” Lionel replied “You and Aiden of course. I might invite a couple of friends” he added.

Cassie nodded her head slowly. “Leila?” she asked.

Lionel was quiet for a moment before he offered her a small, reluctant nod. “I think she has to be there” he replied “If it were up to me, then she wouldn’t be, but I know that it means a lot to Sasha. Besides, I’m leaving you and Carina in charge. What are the odds that she lets something slip to Leila?” he added.

“I don’t think it’s letting something slip if you deliberately tell her” Cassie played along.

Lionel let out a slightly rueful laugh before he turned to look at Cassie, his expression growing slightly more serious. “Do you think this is the right thing to do?” he asked “She’s not going to hate it and never forgive me for making plans without her, is she?” he asked.

Cassie grinned at him before she covered his hand with hers, squeezing it gently. “As long as it ends with her and you together, she’s going to love it” she insisted “Just don’t let Carina get carried away. I love the woman, but she’s not got the best taste. I don’t think Sasha will care in the moment, but when she’s looking back at the wedding pictures in the future...” she trailed off with a shrug.

Lionel laughed. “That’s why I asked you to help” he quipped “I don’t think I can risk the wrath of my future mother-in-law alone” he added.

Cassie laughed. “So you’d throw me to the wolves?” she quipped.

Lionel nodded without hesitation, a playful grin on his face. “Better you than me” he quipped.