Cassidy felt like she had just enjoyed a grand feast, her heart brimming with joy.
Seeing the singer glance her way, she immediately smiled and greeted him.
"Hey there, I'm Cassidy Monroe. I run a little bar in town."
"I heard you singing tonight, and I really loved your voice. How'd you feel about becoming our resident singer?"
The singer was taken aback by Cassidy's enthusiasm. After a moment, he replied, "Hey, I'm Isaac Cox."
"Glad you liked my singing, but a resident singer..." Isaac looked a bit troubled, clearly not keen on the idea of performing regularly at a bar.
Cassidy recalled the chatter she had overheard about Isaac changing locations daily to sing. It seemed he didn't like being the center of attention.
If he sang at the same place every day, he would surely attract more listeners.
But Cassidy didn't see this as an insurmountable problem. "Isaac, why'd you choose to be a street performer?"
"Money." Isaac answered without hesitation, and Cassidy's eyes lit up.
Problems solvable with money were the easiest to handle!
Cassidy offered Isaac a salary he couldn't refuse, along with free, comfortable accommodation, successfully persuading him to join her bar.
With that, all issues were resolved, and the bar soon opened for business.
To keep her brother from knowing her whereabouts, Owen had a separate phone just for contacting Cassidy.
Cassidy announced the bar's opening through this phone, and upon receiving the news, Owen quickly found an excuse to visit the bar.
The bar opened smoothly, and Cassidy was thrilled, wearing her favorite dress as she mingled with guests, toasting and drinking with them.
The bar was filled with energetic music, and Isaac swayed with his guitar on stage, elevating the atmosphere with his performance.
Though he didn't enjoy being watched, his love for music allowed him to immerse himself in it, his singing further boosting the bar's mood.
As soon as Owen entered the bar, he saw Cassidy's unmistakable smile. Her smile had a way of making him forget all his worries, so his gaze naturally followed her.
The bar was bustling with a diverse crowd, and soon a girl in a spaghetti strap dress approached Owen.
She casually clinked glasses with him. "Hey handsome, are you alone? Want to join us?"
She gestured to a group of girls behind her, who immediately greeted Owen warmly.
Owen was used to being approached, so he wasn't startled. He simply smiled and shook his head at the girl. "I prefer being alone. Have a great night."
The girl wasn't discouraged by Owen's refusal and tried again, "Come on, drinking alone is no fun! It's way more fun to drink and play together!"
Owen shook his head again. He was there for Cassidy, not to meet other girls, and he had no interest in getting to know them.
He declined once more and looked around for Cassidy.
But this time, he couldn't find her.
The girl was about to make a third attempt when a hand reached out and pulled Owen aside.
"Sorry, miss, he's with me!" Cassidy stood protectively in front of Owen, her simple statement making the girl leave with a smile.
After the girl left, Owen was still a bit dazed, his mind fixated on Cassidy's words.
She had said he was with her!
Owen's heart raced, feeling like it might leap out of his chest.
Despite the bar's noisy and chaotic environment, he could only hear Cassidy's words.
Cassidy had only meant to help Owen out of a tight spot, without any deeper meaning. Seeing the girl's departure, she turned to greet Owen with a smile.
But when she saw Owen's expression, she realized she shouldn't have said that. Knowing Owen seemed to have feelings for her, such words might trouble him.
She apologized with a smile, "Owen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by what I said."
Owen understood that Cassidy's words were just to make the girl leave, without any other implications.
Even though he knew Cassidy had no other intentions, his heart still raced uncontrollably, as if her presence alone made it impossible not to feel something.
"It's okay." Owen took a deep breath and smiled, "I won't misunderstand."
Cassidy looked at Owen for a couple of seconds, confirming he was sincere, then smiled and nodded.
"Owen, I'm glad you came tonight!" She handed Owen a glass and raised her own.
Owen instinctively clinked glasses with her, and they both took a sip.
"Cassidy, your bar is a hit."
Judging by the lively atmosphere, even though the opening night had special events to attract guests, Owen believed the bar would continue to draw crowds even without them.
"Thanks to your help!" Cassidy gave him a bright smile.
Without Owen's assistance in her escape, she wouldn't have been able to open the bar in this town.
"Tonight's busy, and there might be more girls approaching you. Do you want to drink alone or stick with me?"
To Cassidy, Owen was like a younger brother. Though he was an adult, the bar had all kinds of people, and Cassidy didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone, hence her question.
If Owen chose to stay with her, she would take good care of him.
If he preferred drinking alone, she would ask the bartender to keep an eye on him.
But Owen didn't hesitate. As soon as he heard Cassidy's question, he replied, "I want to stay with you!"
Maybe feeling his response was too eager, Owen rubbed his neck and added, "I really want to know how you've been."
Cassidy didn't overthink it and agreed.
So, throughout the night, Owen followed Cassidy around like a little shadow.
Some people who knew Cassidy well couldn't help but tease them, and Cassidy always defended Owen with a smile.
The bar stayed open late, and after closing, the staff began cleaning up, leaving Owen as the only guest.
Cassidy, having had a great time, drank quite a bit. Owen didn't trust anyone else to take her home, so he offered to do it himself.
The staff knew Owen was close to Cassidy, so they felt comfortable letting him take her home.
Cassidy smelled strongly of alcohol, but as Owen supported her, he caught a faint whiff of her perfume, which made him blush.