Vera said they were friends. Casey hadn't had a friend other than Kane (who honestly shouldn't count since he was stuck with him) in a very long time.
He was in a strange position because he simultaneously didn't want things to move forward but also didn't want to mess things up and lose what little they had. He had been burned before to the point that he had largely given up on ever having any sort of real relationship with someone again.
But Vera seemed different, at least so far. She was kind, patient, didn't have an issue with his struggle to talk, and brought him homemade treats. No one else had ever done that.
She hadn't gotten sick of him yet and was even relying on him as emotional support—what a thought!—while dealing with something stressful. He never would have imagined himself in that role for anyone.
