but then she’s not. I pull her out of the nightclub and start trying to flag down a cab.
One stops in front of us, and I turn to her. I didn’t expect her to look sad. Her eyes are filled with tears. The fact is, I’m not interested in her story. I don’t want to know why she’s sad. I have enough problems of my own.
“You are so sweet,” she says, coming up to me as I hold the door open for her. “I want to be mad at you for rejecting me but I can’t be.”
I step away, making way for her to get in the cab.
“Just go home and sleep this off,” I say, and she slides in. She sticks her head out of the window to look at me.
“You know, they don’t make a lot of men like you.”
Yeah. What a big relief! The world doesn’t need more of me.
The cab pulls away, and I stand there on the sidewalk, staring, with no clue what I’m going to do next.
Reed is at the door. He must have seen me on the security cams, and it’s late. I park in their driveway and step out of the car. Already, I feel like I have changed my mind. It was a moment of weakness when I decided I was going to come here. I shouldn’t be showing up like this in the middle of the night, drunk. He has a family.
Reed stands, looking concerned. “You okay there?” he asks.
“I should go. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be here.”
“Come inside, Kirk,” my brother says.
We have only really known each other for less than a year. The first few months were chaotic. What am I doing here? Just because we have the same genes doesn’t make us family. Does it?
“I should have called or something. I don’t want to trouble your family,” I say.
Reed’s eyes narrow. “You are family,” he says.
I clench my jaw tightly. I’m not sure what to do about all the emotions I’m experiencing now. All of a sudden, I’m very glad I have a brother. I have friends, sure, but I don’t think I have ever felt this bond and connection with anyone else. Even though Reed and I have only known each other for such a short time.
“Kirk, come inside. I don’t know if you need another drink, but I could make you a grilled cheese.”
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me,” I say.
“I don’t. I just want you to take the spare room tonight. Ella and Mia are asleep right now, but they’ll be glad to see you in the morning.”
Reluctantly, I step closer to the house, and he puts an arm around me. Funny thing is, he has no idea what has happened. I haven’t told him yet. He has instinctually figured out something’s wrong. Is that what brothers are supposed to do?
I look at him and nod.
“Thanks. I like the sound of that grilled cheese,” I say, trying to force a smile on my face.
“You won’t like it much once you’ve taken a bite of it, but we can pretend,” he says with a laugh and shuts the door behind us.
Reed is still talking as he leads me to the kitchen. He hasn’t asked me yet what’s wrong. He doesn’t want to push me. I’m not sure I want to discuss Kim tonight. I just want to forget about her and the effect she’s had on my life.
But there is nothing I can do. I know that too. How can I win her back when I don’t even know what’s wrong?
Maybe in a few days, I’ll figure it out or she’ll tell me. Right now, all I want to do is sit here in Reed’s kitchen and listen to him tell me stories about all his cooking disasters. My mind goes blank.
It’s been two days and I’ve heard nothing from her. I haven’t even received a resignation letter or email. Mike is back to take her place as my assistant. He keeps asking if he should start looking for a permanent replacement for Kim. Maybe he can sense that I’m unhappy. It’s not about him, it’s about Kim, and I don’t want to replace her.
Reed and Ella have been exceptionally nice to me the last few days. They even asked me to stay with them for as long as I wanted, but that’s not what I want to do. I need to be at my own place. I need my space. More