That night, Mel slept over, which wasn’t that unusual. She technically had her own room at Clarke’s, but she never stayed in it. She always stayed with Kassie. When Kassie moved in with Clarke after her parents stopped paying for her dorm, Clarke made it clear that Mel was always welcome. He even furnished a room for her. 

Kassie thought that Clarke was lonely. He lived in a huge house, and for a long time, lived in it alone. He was ecstatic about Kassie moving in with him. Despite the eight-year age gap, the two were always close. Clarke gladly involved Mel in everything he did with Kassie. 

When they were younger, she always hoped that the two would get married. She wanted Mel to be stuck with her forever as a sister-in-law.  She was sure they found each other attractive, but the chemistry between them was closer to that of brother and sister. 

They stopped at the local restaurant supply store to pick up some supplies. Kassie was excited. It was the end of August, and that meant they had to get started on their fall menu. They grabbed some seasonal flavors and other necessities and headed home. Kassie sat at the countertop with her laptop while Mel tinkered in the kitchen. Clarke's kitchen was like the rest of his house, expansive and expensive.

“So, obviously, I was thinking of pumpkin spice. September and October mean pumpkin spice everything. Cupcakes? Or cookies? Oh! Got it. Those little pies, pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie!” Mel enthusiastically waved her arms, practically vibrating as she brainstormed and organized the kitchen. 

She was in her element. Kassie loved to see her like this; she didn’t see it much anymore. When she cooks at the bakery, she’s always on a deadline and always stressed about quality and quantity. Here, in Clarke’s gigantic kitchen, she was herself. Her long, blonde hair was artfully styled in a braided updo, ocean eyes sparkling, and a smile on her thin face. 

She hummed softly to the song Mel was singing. Pinterest was open on her laptop as she looked for other Fall flavors. She spied some candy corn cupcakes that Mel was definitely going to bake. She opened up her Facebook while Mel was still distracted by food. She re-read Aaron’s last message. 

Aaron Adams: And I wouldn’t say that no one wants you. That’s not quite true anymore.

It was terrifying and a little desperate to have warm, happy feelings for a guy she’d never met and had only spoken with for almost two days. This type of situation wasn’t foreign, especially in her technology addicted generation. She reread it and felt the warm-and-fuzzies. Yeah, she’s okay with being a little desperate. 

Kassie Harris: Well, I can say the same for you. How was your day?

She looked up when Mel sat down on the other side of the counter. She moved her laptop out of sight, but still in reach. Mel placed a plate of reheated pizza between them. 

“Where’s Clarke?” she asked before taking a large bite of pizza. 

Kassie shrugged. “I’m not sure. He left last night. He didn't leave a note, so he should be back soon.”

“What does he even do? I’ve known him for half my life, and I have no idea what he does for work. ”

“Uh, I think he works for the government, or something. He travels a lot, and he gets these weird envelopes, the big yellow ones, in the mail. But they have no postage, so I think someone drops it off.”  

This was not a new debate. Clarke’s mysterious job always bugged her. Her parents spent a long while being distant and cold with Clarke. He didn't follow in our parents' or siblings' footsteps into the medical field. In that sense, they were both the black sheep of the family. Fortunately for Clarke, their parents turned around when the success and money started rolling in. Despite Clarke’s laid-back attitude and style, he still oozed influence. He donated obnoxious amounts of money to the different societies and charities that their parents supported. His house was extravagant, and his four-car garage was filled with expensive toys. Her old clunker was an eyesore in the neighborhood, and she always parked it in the driveway, not in the garage. 

“He could be like a high-profile prostitute,” Mel said with a smirk. 

Kassie scrunched up her face in disgust. “Gross”.

They spent the next ten minutes discussing menu options. 

“I’m telling you, candy corn!” 

“And I’m telling you we have to have other flavors. Not everyone gets freaky with candy corn like you.”

“Well, they should,” Kassie huffed. She snuck a glance at her computer to see a message waiting for her. 

Aaron Adams: I am incredibly pleased to hear that.  My day was fine. I spent some time on my translations and more time on Netflix. How was yours? Did your hiring go well?

For the umpteenth time that day, Kassie realized how completely out of her league Aaron was. He fluently spoke and wrote in 5 languages and had conversational skills in several others. She, on the other hand, failed high school Spanish.

Kassie Harris: Wasting time on Netflix? A man after my own heart. Whatcha watching? We hired three people. Millie, Tina, and Derek. I’m hoping hiring Derek doesn’t come back to haunt me. 

Aaron Adams: I have heard good things about “Lost”, have you watched it? I’m glad you found your employees; maybe you won’t be so overworked. Is Derek a man of questionable character?

Kassie Harris: Let me give you the rundown on what to watch on Netflix. “Buffy”, “Firefly”, “Star Trek '' the original first then next generation, “ X-Files”, and “Lost”. I also have a soft spot for “House”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, and “Scrubs”. Um, Derek might be a convict? Are you only a convict if it's a felony? I'm not sure of the specifics. 

Aaron Adams: You hired a convict? That does not seem like a wise decision. 

Aaron Adams:  And thank you for your suggestions. I will start with “Lost”.

Kassie Harris: He’s not like a murderer or something. I’m a sucker for a sob story, and Mel’s a sucker for a hot guy, so he got the job. 

Aaron Adams: He’s a hot guy? This is even more troubling. 

Kassie Harris: Mel’s words, not mine. 

Aaron Adams: You don’t find him to be attractive?

Kassie Harris: He’s not ugly, but not my type. I prefer older, smarty-pants veterans. 

Aaron Adams:  I find myself drawn to young, ambitious, beautiful business owners. 

She couldn’t help the smile that blossomed across her face. The feelings were too intense. She’s never had a boy talk to her like this. There was Sam in the 11th grade. His flirting style was more bullying with flirtatious undertones. Her one and only boyfriend never made her feel this intense warmth. 

“You’re disgusting,” Mel said, interrupting her Aaron-induced haze. 

Kassie couldn’t help but smile.