Families are messy - 5

It was later than he’d planned when Casey finally finished his lunch/dinner. So instead of going back to work he called Thomas to tell him he’d see him in the morning. Then he decided, since the day was so pleasant, to take a walk before heading home.

He did a bit of window shopping as he strolled along, checking out one of his competitor’s displays, mentally rearranging how they’d set up their window to make it more attractive. Ahead of him was one of his favorite men’s clothing stores and he debated stopping to see what had come in since he’d last been there and then decided he wasn’t in the mood to shop at the moment.

The sidewalk started getting more crowded as office workers poured out of the building on their way home from work. Casey chuckled to himself as he watched a gaggle of girls and their male companions sprint across the street toward the nearest bar, stopping traffic and earning a few blaring horns as a result.

“Damn, was I ever that young and eager?” he said under his breath. He supposed he had been, once.

“Now you’re archaic,” a cheerful voice said from beside him.

He glanced over in surprise to find a pretty woman of, he’d guess, about his age walking beside him.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt your reverie,” she told him, grinning. “But it was there and needed to be said.”

“That I’m archaic?” he asked in amusement.

“Well, no, because you’re not, but it did fit.” She stopped walking, holding out her hand. “I’m Marcia and I know you from somewhere but I can’t figure out where.”

“Casey,” he replied, shaking her hand. “Wherever it was I must not have seen you or I’d definitely remember it.”

She smiled. “Aren’t you the charmer. Damn, I wish I knew why you look familiar. Are you famous or something?”

“Only in my own mind.” He grinned, enjoying this bit of by-play.

“I think we all are, there, but...“ She studied him for a minute, oblivious to the fact that they were impeding traffic. “The theater, the opera? No wait, a charity gala. That’s it. You were there with your wife.”

“My soon to be ex-wife.”

“Oh dear, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m not,” he replied with smile.  “So, Marcia, do you have a last name?”

“Of course, do you?”

Casey snorted in amusement. “Yes, it’s Rothem.”

“As in the jewelry shop, Rothem Galleria?”

“One in the same. I’m the owner.”

“Whoa, no wonder you do the charity galas. I bet they love having you there.”

“They love my money, yes. How about you? After all you said you saw me at one so you must go to them too.”

“As a waitress for the catering company I work for.”

“Ahh. An honorable and much underrated profession.”

“Tell that to my ex-boyfriend. He thought I was lowering myself, doing that.”

Casey nodded. “Now we have two things in common, Miss...“ He left that hanging, hoping she’d reveal her last name.

“Good try.” She grinned at him. “But I guess we do, galas and ex’s.”

“So you’re not going to tell me who you are?”