stiff-legged down stairs.
“You’re doing great, Leo.” He patted that shoulder. “I’m really proud of how far you’ve come and how dedicated you are to exercise and eating right. You’re the perfect role model for those kids.” He groaned. “And for brothers who definitely don’t hit the gym enough.”
“Take your shower and get dressed, dude. I’ll take you out for your first post-workout burger.” I patted his sweaty back and walked past him to the changing rooms.
“Now this is more like it. I must have worked off enough calories to cancel out one of these, right?” He took a huge bite of his burger with everything on it, and I chuckled.
“Probably not, especially if everything here is fried. But it’s like I told Ricky. Everything in moderation.” I stretched my arms. “Just happens I’m sharing my annual burger with you.”
Kairo’s eyes widened, and I laughed. “Kidding. I love these. I couldn’t only eat one per year.”
I removed the steak knife holding my mushroom-swiss burger together and cut it in half so it would cool quicker. Wafting the steam toward my nose, I breathed in the aroma of the meat and melted cheese and my stomach rumbled in anticipation. “I think there are calories just in the smell of this thing, though.” I bit the end off a fry and grinned.
We ate in silence for a little while as I gave Kairo time to rebuild his strength from his workout. I shook my head a little. He wasn’t really unfit at all… in fact, it was almost like he’d come to the gym to humor me.
“So is this just us hanging out?”
His eyes widened a little but he smiled. “I guess. I thought we should catch up.”
But I wasn’t really in the mood to talk about me. “So how’s work going?” I took another big bite so I couldn’t answer any questions from him for a while.
He nodded as he picked up a fry.
The diner was pretty busy as usual. All of the tables were full, and Kairo was sitting, looking far too big to be comfortable, on a metal framed chair at our little table for two, which really only held the food for one easily. We were also wedged between the kitchen and the bathroom, which meant we were both jostled by passers-by, but Kairo had the ability to focus entirely on the person he was with, so I always felt like the most important person in the world when my brother spoke to me or we were out together.
“Work’s going pretty good, actually.” He lowered his voice and shifted forward in his seat. “They’re going to be in the market for a new chief of staff because the current one is resigning, and I’m looking into taking on the position. So, that’s kind of in the mail for soon.”
“That’s fantastic.” I lifted my ice water and saluted him with it. “I’ll definitely drink to you moving up in the world.”
He lifted his glass in return. “Gotta keep that Caldwell name notorious, right?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but my phone vibrated in my back pocket, and I shuffled my ass to take it out before glancing at the screen. I hesitated. It was the apartment complex I was looking at the rental agreement for.
I glanced toward Kairo, unsure. But this was probably a conversation I could have in front of him. It was dumb to keep trying to hide my plans.
“Hello.” I answered the call, and of course the guy on the other end had the loudest sales voice in the world when he replied.
“Hey, Leo. I’m just calling from Greenacres Apartments, wondering if you’ve made a final decision on the one you liked.”
I glanced at Kairo again. He’d furrowed his brow and he had the last bite of his burger dangling from his hand, halfway between his plate and his mouth.
“I…uh…I just need a little more time to think it through.” I couldn’t meet Kairo’s eyes as I spoke to the guy.
“Okay. Well, don’t take too long because we have plenty of other interested parties.”
“Yeah. Thanks. Speak to you soon.” I clicked my phone off and sat with it in my hand for a moment.
Kairo opened his mouth to speak, but before he could even get his first question out, I interrupted him.
“That was a guy from an apartment complex in Reedoak. I’m thinking of moving.” I blurted the words, trying to get them out fast before they wouldn’t come out at all.
“You’re what now?” Kairo sighed and