Page 16

CHAPTER 16

G raal pressed his lips together. “I’m just going home after I buy some bread and cookies. Why?”

“Well…if you wanted, you could hang around whilst I packed up. We’re only open a little longer today. If you don’t mind waiting, you can sit for a bit until we close. I’ll even bring you some cookies and hot chocolate. On me.” Cas’s wings fluttered, and he lifted off the ground.

“Then, once we close, you could come around the back and you could sit whilst I clean and pack up. I’m on closing duty tonight. Then we could go back to your place.” Cas gestured to the apartment above. “I’d invite you upstairs. But no doubt several of my siblings will be around, so we won’t get much privacy.” And Cas wanted to see where Graal lived.

“But only if you want. I understand if you don’t want to spend an evening sitting around and watching me clean.” Cas held his breath.

“That sounds nice.” Graal smiled. He smiled more these days.

“Then come on in.” Cas opened the door and entered .

Jack, Grady, and Lacy worked away in the back.

“How long exactly does it take to get your arse rail—” Lacy cut off her words as she raised her head and saw Graal enter behind Cas. “Oh!” Her eyes widened. “Hi.” She recovered quickly and smiled. “I’m Lacy, Cas’s sister. And you must be Graal.” She came forward, wiping her hands on her apron before offering him her hand.

Graal shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“And these are Grady and Jack, my brothers,” Cas introduced.

Graal nodded in greeting as Cas’s brothers said hello.

“Graal will be around for a bit,” Cas said.

“Well, it’s nice to finally properly meet you, Graal,” Jack said.

“You too,” Graal mumbled.

Deciding that was enough of an introduction, Cas led Graal to a table in the front of the bakery. At this time of day, they usually weren’t too busy. But surprisingly, there were no customers at all.

Graal sat gingerly on the chair as if worried the wood would struggle under his weight. Which was fair, since Cas didn’t know how old the chair was. He was reasonably sure it had been here when Cas joined the family. “I’ll go get you some hot chocolate and cookies.”

Graal nodded, clasping his massive green, work-roughened hands and resting them on the white crocheted tablecloth. Graal’s bulking form dwarfed the table.

With a start, Cas realised he’d never seen Graal sit at one of the tables. He always took his food and left. But despite the contrast, Cas liked the look of Graal sitting at the table in the bakery. Smiling, Cas returned to the back.

Lacy stood on her toes, watching Graal eagerly.

“You two are getting pretty close,” Jack observed. “You’ve been together what, a week now? ”

“You spend every free moment with him.” Lacy kept her gaze on Graal, seemingly having forgotten she was in the middle of packing a tray of cookies for the markets. “Is it getting serious?”

Cas gave a quick shake of his head. “I don’t think it would be a good idea. Not this close after breaking up with Xavi. We’re just having some fun. We’re friends, and Graal is nice.”

Lacy scoffed. “He’s a lot nicer than Xavier!”

Cas swivelled towards her. His brows furrowed. “You…you didn’t like Xavier?”

“Well…” She looked to Jack and Grady as if seeking help.

“Xavier’s fine,” Jack said. “Just a bit…”

“Arrogant and condescending,” Grady finished the sentence in a matter-of-fact tone.

“What?” Cas’s mouth fell open. “You never said anything! Do you all think that?”

His siblings shared another look.

“You all didn’t like him?”

“He wasn’t the worst,” Jack said slowly.

“But he just wasn’t that nice to be around.” Lacy made a face. “Sorry, Cas. He just always seemed to look down on us and our little bakery , as he always said.”

“And I did try and say something early on. I think several of us did. But I don’t think you really heard us,” Grady said. “You were smitten from the start. And honestly, despite Xavier being a bit of a cockhead, you seemed happy and he treated you well. We didn’t want to get in the way of that.”

“But Graal seems nice.” Lacy smiled.

“It’s just a fling,” Cas said absently. How had Cas not known his siblings didn’t like Xavi? That they thought Xavi arrogant and condescending? He didn’t remember Grady trying to talk to him. Or any of the others. But he had been lost in lust and love with Xavi so quickly.

His brows furrowed as he thought back to their relationship. He glanced down, staring at the green outfit he wore. He thought of the first time Cas had shown Xavi the outfit.

“You’re going to wear that out?” Xavi had asked.

“Of course. It suits me.” Cas had laughed. “And we can’t all wear expensive clothes made by the best tailors in the city.”

“You’re lucky you’re pretty or I wouldn’t be seen dead with you in public in that outfit.” He had reached for Cas and tugged him down, hands sliding beneath the clothes.

Cas rubbed his hand against the soft fabric, Xavi’s words spinning in his head. At the time, he’d not thought much about it. After all, Xavi had called him pretty. And he’d loved Cas.

Couples had different personalities. Opposites attracted and all that.

Until they didn’t.

“We just don’t suit,” Xavi had said as he broke up with Cas. “We have such different interests and ways of being. I’m into culture, the arts, and philosophy. You’re only into baking, making shiny outfits, and Christmas.” He’d shaken his head. “You’re so frivolous and shallow. Why don’t you ever take anything seriously, Casimir?”

Cas’s stomach had tightened. For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

At the time, all Cas could think of was how he hadn’t been enough for Xavi. Cas swallowed and pushed the memories away, trying not to think of how he’d pleaded and tried to convince Xavi how he did like other things that weren’t frivolous and shallow.

Arrogant and condescending. That was what his family thought of Xavi.

And apparently, Xavi had always looked down on Cas’s siblings and their little bakery . How had Cas not noticed? Somehow, the idea that Xavi looked down on his family and bakery stung worse than Xavi looking down on Cas. Cas didn’t want to think about why.

“I…need to make some hot chocolate for Graal. He’s waiting.” Without looking at his siblings, Cas went to the stove. He could feel their gazes on him.