“So I’m good to borrow the car for a few hours?” he asked as Charley Norris handed him the keys to the van. “Be back before dark….and don’t break your phone again.” she warned. Cassian’s face briefly tinged pink as he took the keys from his mother. “Yeah, I..I need it to navigate…” he agreed quietly, making a point to open maps in his new phone to show that he had their home address in it as the saved home point. “And I’ll find my way back with the help of my phone.”
He took roughly 15 minutes to load up all of his boxes into the back seat of the van, arranging them based on the route that had been set up on his phone. He tapped in the first address, and then he was off.
…….
Box 5 delivered, there was one left to go. Cassian checked the address, then the contact.
“Cerissé Belcourt….she was my squeak in order.” he said, quietly tapping in her number on his phone to send a text:
‘Cerissé
Your weekly prepped meals are on their way! I should be there in 15 minutes!
See you soon,
Cassian.’
====
Cerissé was bustling about her townhouse when her phone vibrated gently on the dining room table. She paused, crossing the room to pick it up and read the message. It seemed her pre-prepped meals would be there soon. Making her way to the kitchen, she gingerly rearranged it, making sure everything looked as presentable as possible for this chef-guest she was about to have.
It only took 5 minutes to wipe off the counter and straighten everything back up to be perfect.
Good.
Once she was certain everything was neat and presentable, Cerissé took up a chair at the dining room table and waited for a text or for the bell to ring.
====
He really needed to get to know the town better.
15 minutes promised squeaked by at 13 minutes and then 3 to find a decent parking space. It turned out, her ‘guaranteed’ parking space was empty, so he took it. Hopefully she was home and wouldn’t be mad he’d parked there. Turning the car off, he opened his texts and sent another to Miss Belcourt:
‘I’m here. Be up to your step with a box soon!’
Once he was sure it had sent, he scooped the last box out of the back of the van and made his way up the rise to her front door. He was fortunate in having texted her because he wouldn’t have to try and balance the box in order to knock or ring a doorbell. She was already there.
====
Her phone vibrated and Cerissé looked at it curiously. ‘I’m here. Be up to your step with a box soon!’ it read. She briefly wondered how big the box would be before she realized it would likely be large enough Cassian would have a hard time knocking on her door.
So she was up, moving to the front door and opening it in time to greet a young man who seemed only a little shorter than she was (and she was in heels) at the door, holding the box with a smile. He seemed like the type that would often be adopted as a younger brother fairly often with a sweet face like that. Internally, Tantalite just wanted to sink her claws into him. Cerissé held back that notion, however.
“Come in!” she said, stepping back so the young man could make his way past her and up the stairs. “My kitchen is just around the first doorway,” she explained, following him up. “You can leave everything on the table,” Cerissé added.
====
Cassian was really grateful that door had been opened as he continued along at her guidance. He eyed the stairs to get a feel for them from around the box then carefully made his way up, turning when she instructed him to. Once he was at the table, he checked to make sure nothing was in the way before he set it down, then looked over the paper he’d taped to the top of it.
“Alright, Miss Belcourt. If you’ll double check this list I have here and let me know if everything is right and give me your signature, we should be good to go.” he offered her the sheet.
====
Cerissé took the sheet when it was offered, looking it over with a look of half-curiosity. Hmmm. She took the pen from him as well, using it to gently check off everything on the list before setting it on top of the box to sign at the bottom and offer both back to him.
“Everything seems to be in order.” she said, then added, “I appreciate your timely turn around. I guess I should let you know by Thursday evening again if I’m going to be ordering again?” she asked, hands resting gently on the box.
====
When the list was offered back, Cassian checked it, then nodded to Cerissé’s question.
“Please do. Of course, you can always text me if you’re behind and I’ll see if I can squeeze you in. As long as you get me before Saturday at noon, I should be alrighty to adjust my shopping list accordingly.” he said, standing up straight and professionally. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” he asked.
====
Cerissé considered his question for a moment.
“No, I actually think that will be all. Thank you. I’ll let you know how everything was.” she said with a slight smile as she followed him down to the front door.
====
“As long as you follow my directions, everything will be great. I guarantee it.” he smiled as he stepped out the door. “It was very nice meeting you, Miss Belcourt. I hope to see you again in a week,” he added with a slight wink before heading down to his car.
====
Cerissé watched him as he left before heading back up to her kitchen to start unpacking that box. She was most definitely curious and well…..if it ended up saving time, she’d want to make a point to order up sooner rather than later.
Only once everything was in it’s proper place, of course.
But seriously, he’d even labelled each individual container inside of the box as to where things were to be stored and what ingredients went with what. It was an amazing level of detail and she couldn’t help but approve.
She left one container sitting on the counter as the rest were put away. She’d make that one tonight.
