CHAPTER 119: DIRTY THOUGHTS

Dr. Malcom turns to Cassidy and Zeke, his tone calm but clear. "There are just a few things you’ll need to keep in mind while the area continues to heal," he says. "No baths or swimming for now. Showers are fine but no soaking. And make sure she doesn’t scratch the area, even if it gets a little itchy."

Cassidy nods seriously while Zeke listens closely.

"Instead, apply the ointment I’m prescribing." He scribbles a note on a pad and slides it across to Cassidy. "You can get this at any pharmacy. Just follow the instructions, it’ll help keep the area calm while it heals."

Cassidy takes the prescription, nodding. Zeke listens intently, his face etched with concern as he looks at Claire, who watches curiously.

"Also," Dr. Malcom adds, glancing at Claire with a soft smile, "always make sure her hands are clean before she touches the scar. Just a small infection could slow things down."

Cassidy smiles and says, "Thank you, Doctor."

Dr. Malcom nods kindly. "You’re welcome. She’s a strong girl."

He picks up his bag and heads to the door. Zeke follows him and opens the door.

"Thanks again," Zeke says.

Dr. Malcom gives a light wave. "Take care, all of you."

And then he’s gone.

Zeke returns to the living room and settles down not far from them. His eyes quietly follow the two in front of him, Claire and Cassidy, completely lost in their own little world. Claire giggles from time to time while Cassidy leans in to whisper something in her ear.

His eyes land on Cassidy.

For some reason today, he finds himself watching her longer than usual.

Her long, chestnut brown hair framed her face perfectly, soft, natural, effortlessly beautiful. Her straight nose, the sharp line of her jaw, the naturally thick brows... and then her lips, not too full, not too thin, but shaped just right. The kind of lips that made him wonder how they’d taste again if he kissed her slowly. Deeply.

His mind begins to drift.

Cassidy’s wide, alert eyes reminded him of Claire’s but they also brought back those nights she used to cry beneath him. And he liked that. The way her breath would catch. The soft, broken sounds. That stubborn, vulnerable look in her eyes, something only he ever got to see.

Zeke lets out a slow breath. And his gaze drops again to her mouth.

"Shit," he mutters under his breath.

He hadn’t meant to think about her this way again. But now that the memory’s there, it refuses to leave. And all he wants is to pull her into his arms and kiss every inch of her.

He shuts his eyes briefly, trying to kill the thought.

But it’s no use.

Just like this morning.

He had already finished showering. Already dressed. But the scent of her shampoo and body soap lingered on his skin, too warm. Too familiar.

He got hard. Just like that.

And in the end, he had to go back into the bathroom, lock the door, and press a hand to the wall, jaw tight, forcing himself to deal with it.

God, he was losing it..

Zeke gets up and heads to the bathroom. He just wants to wash his face and cool off his dirty thoughts.

After finally clearing his head, Zeke returns to the living room.

Now it’s just Claire on the couch with Clara. She’s playing quietly, focused on a small toy in her lap.

Clara looks up and smiles. "She’s in the kitchen," she says before he can even ask.

"Cassidy?" Zeke asks.

Clara nods. "Yeah. She said she wanted to cook something."

Zeke frowns a little. "Didn’t you already cook?"

"I did," Clara replies with a small smile. "But she said she wanted to make one dish herself."

Zeke glances toward the kitchen, a bit surprised.

He doesn’t say anything, but the thought crosses his mind.

Is she making it for me?

Zeke shakes the thought away. No way.

She’s probably just cooking for fun. Or maybe it’s for Claire.

But deep down, a small part of him hopes just a little that she made it for him.

Half an hour later, Cassidy calls them in for lunch.

The dining table is already filled with a variety of dishes. Spicy and sweet pork. Stir-fried broccoli. Soy-glazed chicken. Beef teriyaki. Spring rolls. Corn soup. Salad. Fresh fruit.

As they sit down, Zeke glances at her with a curious smile. "Clara told me you cooked one of these?"

Cassidy nods, a playful glint in her eyes. "Yup. Can you guess which one I made?"

Zeke chuckles softly, eyeing the dishes one by one. "Hmm... I’ll guess the beef?"

Cassidy smiles, clearly impressed. "Correct."

He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

She nods. "Yeah. I found the recipe on YouTube a few years ago. I’ve made it a couple of times since then, and I still think it tastes pretty good."

Zeke glances down at the beef dish again, then back at her. "Then I’m definitely trying that first."

Claire, who had tasted Cassidy’s beef teriyaki before, looks up with a big grin. "Mommy’s beef is the best! It’s my favorite!"

Cassidy smiles softly. "Thank you, sweetheart. That’s really sweet of you."

Then she turns to Zeke and adds, "I told you I’d cook something to make up for that chicken soup and scrambled eggs you made the other day. Well... this is it. Go on, try it."

Zeke smiles, picks up his fork, and takes a bite of the beef teriyaki.

Cassidy watches him closely, waiting.

Zeke pauses, then looks at her with a nod of approval. "This is really good."

Claire, already chewing her own bite, beams. "See? I told you, Daddy—Mommy’s beef is the best!"

Cassidy lets out a breath of relief and laughs softly. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Then she glances at Zeke with a smile. "And thank you for the compliment."

The four of them begin to eat together, the table filled with warm food and light chatter.

***

After dinner, Clara begins clearing the table, collecting the used plates and taking them to the kitchen.

Zeke, Cassidy, and Claire move to the living room.

Once they’re settled, Zeke looks at Claire and says, "You want to go to the amusement park, right?"

Claire’s eyes widen with excitement. "Yes!"

Zeke smiles. "How about we go this Saturday?"

Claire lets out a joyful squeal and throws her arms around him. "Really? Yay! Thank you, Daddy!"

Cassidy watches them with a small smile, but then her expression softens into something more serious. "Just so you know, I’m coming too."

Zeke turns to her with a gentle smile. "Of course you are."

You remember what I said, right?" she asks, arms crossed.

Zeke nods reassuringly. "I do. Nolan and Andrew are taking care of it, full security team. I’ll send you the full plan before Saturday. And I’ve made sure every park staff member is being screened. We’re doing everything we can to keep it safe."

Cassidy just nods.

Zeke looks at her and says softly, "I won’t let anything happen to either of you. I promise."

Cassidy lets out a quiet sigh, then says, "I know." Her voice is soft, but there’s a hint of worry behind it.

Claire suddenly rubs her eyes and lets out a small yawn. "I’m sleepy... I wanna take a nap," she mumbles.

"Do you want to lie down now, sweetheart?" Cassidy leans in, her voice tender and full of care. "I can take you."

But before she can move, Zeke stands up and lifts Claire into his arms with ease. "I got it," he says, glancing at Cassidy with a soft smile. "Let me take her."

Cassidy nods, quietly watching as Zeke carries Claire toward her room. Her little hands rest on his shoulder, and her eyes begin to flutter shut before they even reach the hallway.

A few minutes later, Zeke returns and quietly sits beside Cassidy on the couch.

After a moment, he turns to her. "Have you made the dentist appointment for Claire yet?"

Cassidy lets out a slow breath. "Not yet. I was planning to, but after the crash... everything’s kind of out of order. I’m still figuring it out."

Zeke nods, understanding. "How about tomorrow? If you want, I can come with you. Help out a bit."

She glances at him, surprised. "You’re not busy?"

"I’ll make time," he says simply.

Cassidy studies his face. "You’ve been dropping a lot for us lately. Skipping work, meetings... Are you sure it’s okay?"

Zeke meets her eyes. "It’s more than okay. You two come first."

Cassidy blinks, a little surprised. She always thought this was just about Claire. Hearing Zeke include her too, like it was something natural, catches her off guard.

Her mouth opens slightly, but no words come out. She just looks at him, unsure what to do with the warm feeling growing in her chest.

Zeke notices the change in her face and doesn’t say anything. The silence that follows feels a bit awkward, like neither of them knows what to do next.

After a second, he clears his throat. "I... should probably get going."

Cassidy nods slowly. "Okay."

He stands, then glances at her once more. "Text me if you need anything. Anything at all."

"I will," she says softly.

***