Carter’s smirk deepens. “A little of both.” I narrow my eyes, suspicious. “Why do I feel like this is a setup?”

Carter shrugs, unbothered. “Because it probably is.” Cassie snorts, nudging my arm. “Well, I’m excited.”

I roll my eyes but step out of the car anyway, grabbing my bag. “Fine. But if it’s a trap, I’m making you buy my food.”

Carter laughs, and the sound sinks into my skin in a way I don’t like. Or maybe I do. I don’t know, fuck. I need to get out of this car.

Cassie and I grab our stuff and head inside, and as soon as I shut the door behind us, she turns, arms crossed, one perfectly manicured eyebrow arched. “So?”

I blink. “So… what?”

She tilts her head. “What do you think?” I hesitate, which is apparently all the answer she needs.

“Mmmhm.” She shakes her head, grinning like she’s already solved the puzzle. “You like him.”

I scoff, moving past her toward my bag. “I literally just met him in person. It’s not that deep.”

Cassie rolls her eyes. “Haven. Be serious for once.”

“I am being serious.”

She leans against the counter, watching me. “Okay. Fine, then let’s say I left early.”

I pause mid-motion, frowning. “What?”

Cassie shrugs. “I was thinking, I mean, now that you’ve met Carter, now that you know he’s not some psycho catfish, you probably don’t need me here anymore.”

I cross my arms. “You rode all this way just to abandon me?”

She smiles. “I’m offering to let you have some actual time alone with the guy you’ve been obsessed with.”

I glare. “It’s not like that.”

Cassie laughs, throwing her hands up. “Girl. It is exactly like that.”

I open my mouth, close it. Because… is it? No. No, it’s not. I shake my head, shoving my bag aside and dropping onto the couch. “Cass, this is just… a visit. That’s it.”

She raises an eyebrow. “A visit where you’re staring at him like he hung the damn moon?”

I groan, flopping onto my back, staring at the ceiling. “I hate you.”

She grins. “No, you don’t. You just hate that I’m right.”

I don’t answer. If I do, I might have to admit she has a point. And I am not ready for that.