The man next to me is just waking up too. “Don’t you love when you sleep through the whole flight?” he asks.
“It’s like it never happened,” I tell him.
“Hey, good luck with your dilemma.” The man pats me on the back and groans as he stands up to leave.
“Same to you. I hope your girlfriend decides to go with you.”
“Well, if she doesn’t, I’ll keep in mind your brilliant words of following life’s plans.” I hope I’m right about that. I don’t even know where I heard that life has a plan for everyone, but it’s something I feel like everyone says. Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe we’re supposed to create our own plans and make things happen the way we want them to happen. Why is everything so confusing?
“Or, tell her all the good things she’ll be missing out on. Maybe that could work too,” I tell him. I’m worried enough about screwing up my own life, never mind someone else’s. “Actually, don’t listen to a word I said. I really know nothing and shouldn’t be giving out advice. You seem like a good guy, so yeah, do what your heart tells you.”
He laughs. “Give yourself some credit, kid. You’re doing okay.” He grabs his bag and heads down the aisle.
This is why I should just keep my thoughts to myself.
I exit the plane and follow the signs down to baggage claim because after living in this area my entire life, I still can’t remember how to get out of the airport. I swear they change the terminals around once a year just to screw with people.
Brendan is waiting for me at the bottom of the escalator in front of the arrival doors. “You didn’t have to come inside, silly. I could have found you.”
“I figured you needed a bear hug,” he says.
“I do.” Brendan wraps his arms around me and squeezes the air out of my lungs. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” I try to tell him through my flattened lungs. He releases me and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
“Let’s get your bag.”
“Are you sure Kalvin doesn’t mind me staying with you guys?”
“He insisted,” Brendan says.
“How are things with you two?” I honestly thought things were completely over with the two of them when he left for South Carolina with me, but I guess he’s had a change of heart.
“Better after a month break. He seems more committable now.”
Oh geez. “What does that mean, exactly?”
“I told him I want a serious relationship and that includes certain things.”
“And?” I ask.
“He said he had been thinking the same thing.”
“So?” I push for more information.
“That’s it,” Brendan says.
“Well, I guess that’s a good thing then.”
“How’s Austy-poo?”
“No, that’s not a nickname.”
“Well, that’s what Kalvin and I have been calling him.”
“Yeah, still, a no,” I tell him.
“Okay, just tell me what’s going on with Austin. Is that better?”
“I don’t really know,” I huff. “I shared my feelings with him.”
“Holy crap. You did not.”
“I did.”
“What do you feel?” he asks, with way too much excitement.
“I don’t know. Stuff.”
“Well, then that changes everything, Scarlett.”
“Right. Everything is different now that I feel stuff,” I tell him with an eye-roll.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to the interview and then I’ll see where it goes from there.”
“How can you even live this way?” Brendan scolds me. “Wait a second. Did he talk about his—I mean does he have feelings feelings for you?”
“He said a lot of sweet things,” I tell him, trying my hardest not to smile.
“Oh. My. No, Scarlett, get back on that plane right now and go get him. Are you crazy?”
“No, I’m not crazy. I’m trying to figure out my stupid life,” I remind him.
“Your crazy, stupid life,” he follows up with. “Your heart must hurt right now, huh?”
“Any other questions, Brendan?”
“Yes, I do have more questions.” Of course, he does. The questions never stop with Brendan.
“Okay, can we just take a break then?”
“Oh my God, you poor thing, you’re hurting. Come here.” He wraps me back up in his smothering hug and pets my head. “It’ll be okay.”
“Brendan.”
“Your interview is tomorrow morning, right?” he changes the subject. This man makes my head spin sometimes.
“Yes, at nine.”
“What if they want you to come in for a second interview?” he asks.
“I told them I was flying in from South Carolina, so they told me they’d have a decision for me tomorrow.”
“Are there other candidates?” he continues drilling me.
“I’m not sure,” I tell him.
“I guess your resume must have impressed them. What about money?” Clearly, we have no conversation topic boundaries. I think I’m just realizing this while trying to keep up with his questions.
“The salary is twice what I’m making now.”
“Oy,” Brendan says.
“There’s my bag.” I run over to the moving platform and grab the case with my good arm, dragging it off the side and righting it so I can wheel it out.
“You’ve really learned to manage with one hand, huh?” Brendan says. “You must be such a good girlfriend.” He winks, and I elbow him. “Kalvin is waiting outside for us in his car.”
“When did he get a car? Why did he get a car?”
“He bought a house in Brookline.”
Um, okay, it’s been a month. How does that all happen in a month? “Oh.”
“Yeah, see, he’s serious.” I guess so.
We get outside and Brendan spots Kalvin in what looks like a brand new Lexus. “What does Kalvin do again?”
“He’s a dancer.” Okay, I don’t know why I didn’t know this or failed as a friend to ask what Brendan’s boyfriend did, but I swear he was a waiter somewhere.
“I really thought—”
“I didn’t tell you,” Brendan says quickly.
“Got it.” It makes sense. Kalvin looks like the Chippendale type.
Brendan opens the trunk and I hoist my bag onto my knee so I can slide it inside, but Brendan takes it from my hand and places it in the trunk for me.
“Thanks for picking me up,” I tell Kalvin as I hop into the backseat.
“Of course. I’m so glad to see you!” I kind of thought Kalvin didn’t like me all that much, but I’m starting to see there’s a lot I didn’t wrap my head around with him.
“Congratulations on the new house. That’s amazing,” I tell him.
“Wait until you see it,” Brendan says. “It has antique charm with a modern flair, and it’s so homey.” Homey. What does that feel like exactly?
It takes us about forty minutes to get out of the city and to Kalvin’s house, which looks like it’s from the 1800’s. I love these kinds of houses, despite the potential of having ghosts as roommates. If I even mention that to Brendan, he’ll most likely never sleep here again, though.
“You seem sad,” Kalvin says as we walk up the path to his front door.
“I’m just tired. Traveling exhausts me.”
“I hear ya. I’m not a fan of flying.”
“Your house is beautiful,” I tell him. It’s exactly how Brendan described. Clean and homey, but charming too.
“I have a spare room upstairs that you can stay in. I’ve already made up the bed for you, and I’ll get your bag upstairs.”
“Thank you, Kalvin.” He’s being so nice. I’ve never seen this side of him before. Something has changed with him, in addition to the double-sized muscles he’s now sporting. I think I remember him being a gym junkie, but I’m wondering if this dancing gig is
newer and the reason for the change in his appearance.
As soon as we enter the quaint guest room, I plop down on the bed. “Kalvin, something has changed about you,” I say.
He raises his brows and walks across the room to open the blinds. “Nice and sunny in here.”
“Kalvin, I know I don’t know you all that well, but I love Brendan like a brother, and I’m just curious as to what’s changed.”
Everything about Kalvin is perfect, from his slicked, old-fashioned, hipster hairstyle, to his pricey clothes and shined shoes. Of course, the thick, pumpkin-orange-rimmed glasses that he wears just work for him like they wouldn’t work for most people, but he knows how to make things look good. I’ve noticed that at least.
He takes a seat in the plushy guest chair beside the window. “Nothing has changed. I’ve just had realizations.”
“I understand,” I tell him.
I continue staring at him, waiting for him to continue because I feel like there is more he wants to say.
“I seriously missed Brendan when he left. I knew I had to make some changes so he’d come back to me. I did, and really I just want things to work with him.”
“That makes me happy to hear. You must be the culprit who stole him away from me?” I smile so he knows I’m joking.
“Possibly,” he says with a nervous grimace.
“If he’s happy, I’m happy. Honest.”
“Just so you know, if you decide to stay in Boston, you can stay here as long as you’d like,” Kalvin offers.
“That’s very sweet of you.”
“I told Brendan we’ll have to make frequent trips down to South Carolina so I can visit this cute little town he’s been telling me all about. Plus, I need to meet Austin.” Kalvin never appeared to care much about my life before, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s being sincere.
“That would be awesome,” I tell him.
“Do you know what you’re planning to do about the whole job interview and your dating life?” Pushy. Hmm.
“Not yet. That’s why I’m interviewing here tomorrow.” I narrow my eyes and lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees.
“Kalvin, there’s something you’re not saying.” He looks super nervous all the sudden, and I believe I’m about to find out what is going on. I’ll ninja my way into his brain if I must.
“Okay, but can you not say anything to Brendan yet? I want to talk to him on my own.” That was easier than my ninja moves, but I don’t know where this could be going or whether I even want to know.
“Sure,” I tell him. I hope whatever he has to say is isn’t something I’m going to have to avoid Brendan over.
“I had this thought one day while you guys were gone. It was like a cloud broke open in my head and suddenly, I was drowning in my own tears. I realized that I’m twenty-seven and I want a family. I want kids. I want someone to call me Dad and tell me I’m their world. I’ve spent most of my twenties being selfish, and I’m sick of living that way. I think I was so cooped up in my own little world until I came out a few years ago that I needed to go wild and get partying and hangovers out of my system. As soon as you guys left though, it was like I ran dry. I suddenly wanted everything that Brendan talked about, and I was afraid it was too late after I kept shooing him off.”
“You want to have kids?” I ask, highlighting the most important part of his explanation.
“Yes. I went to an adoption agency. They said I would have a much higher chance of being a match for a child, sooner rather than later, if I was in a stable relationship.” He pauses, looking at me, likely to gauge my reaction before continuing. “I know how this sounds, Scarlett.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t sound good right now,” I tell him. “Is Brendan just part of your plan to adopt a family?”
“No, I had already started trying to mend things with Brendan.”
“Did you talk to him about any of this while you were trying to ‘mend’ things?” I ask.
“Not exactly,” he says.
“Oh my God.” I stand up and grab my head. This can’t be happening. I know Brendan wants a family and all that, but I’m positive he’d want to be a part of the decision-making process. “If he even thinks you’re just getting back with him so you two can co-parent, do you have any clue how that’s going to turn out? You should have made this decision together, Kalvin.”
“I know, but I got excited and just acted on the thought. I want to marry him and have a family.”
“For you or him?”
“Us,” he says. He’s lucky he said that. I was about to sock him in the stomach.
“If I were you, I would come clean as soon as possible before this goes any further. He’s going to be crushed when he finds out you started this without him, and he might think you’re only using him now. Personally, I would probably think that.”
“I know it’s going to be hard proving my intentions,” he adds to my lecture.
“Yeah, it is,” I snap back.
“Where are my favorite people?” Brendan shouts from downstairs.
“Don’t make me hold onto this information, Kalvin. Have this talk with him.”
“I will,” he says.
“Oh, and p.s., an adoption agency might not smile about one parent being an exotic dancer.”
“Wait, what?” Kalvin says.
“Brendan told me, sorry.”
“No, I’m not an exotic dancer. I’ve been performing as an extra for various shows in the theatre district.”
I laugh. “I should stop assuming.”
“But, wow, thank you for that compliment.”
And now I’m mortified. “Anytime.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Austin
I shouldn’t be doing this. I follow my gut most of the time, but I’m completely ignoring the hell out of that thing right now. I’ve got pinching pains and nausea. That should be enough of a reason to stop me from going any further, but nope. I have told every thought in my head to shut up.
I walk up a set of steps and take a seat on the bench outside just as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out, ironically finding a text from Scarlett.
I can’t respond to her right now. I don’t even want to know what the text says, so I drop the phone back into my pocket. With a shit ton of discomfort coursing through me, I shift my position to ease some tension, but I don’t think there’s any way to relieve my stress at the moment. This was stupid. Shit.
I knew better, and I look like a complete idiot right now.
I should respond to Scarlett’s text and at least ask her how it went. She must know if she got the job or not. I just don’t think I’m ready to know.
I stand back up because sitting down is making my stomach hurt more. Instead, I pace, making me look just a little crazier than I feel.
The doors in front of me swing open and I see her. She’s walking with her head down, staring at her phone. Dressed in a pencil skirt with a fitting white blouse, the only thing I really notice is those fucking hot-as-hell heels. Then, her hair catches my eye—the red hues shimmering from what’s left of the daylight that’s peeking through the dark, thick clouds. She reaches into her bag and pulls out her sunglasses, so I clear my throat.
She looks up at me and gasps. I think I took her breath away, but I know very well that this could end badly. She’s not the type to be happy about a man getting on a plane and flying across the country for her after just a couple days apart. It wasn’t about the time though. It was about showing her that no matter how much she doesn’t want someone to love her enough, I do, and I need to know if it’s too much.
“Austin … ” she says, clearly still shocked. “I was just thinking about how mad I was that you weren’t responding to my text.”
“I know,” I tell her.
“You’re here,” she says.
“I know.”
Scarlett walks over to me a little slower than I’d like. “I’ve only been gone a day,” she says
.
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“I don’t understand,” she says.
“I have refused to chase anyone. I have refused to follow, get too close, or allow myself to fall in love with anyone. I’ve been too scared of the pain that could come along with it all. I’ve been scarred from what love can do to a person and I’ve never let myself even find out what love feels like until now, but I see why someone would do just about anything to show how they feel. Words aren’t enough, but if this is too much, I understand, and I can leave.”
“I—” she says, seeming at a loss for words.
“Everything in my head said not to come here and wait outside of your interview like some lovesick weirdo, but I ignored it all and came anyway.”
She’s not saying anything but she’s still inching toward me. “You’re in a suit,” she says with a little smile. Her hands yank on the lapels of my jacket. “I didn’t even know you owned a suit.” She gently runs her fingers through the sides of my hair. “You did your hair too.”
“I needed to fit in with you city folk.”
“You look like the reason I’d want to have a messy office desk that I could clear off with a sweep of my arm,” she says.
“You look like the reason I would have already done that,” I tell her. “Scarlett, if you want to take a job and stay here, I’ll come be with you if you allow me to. There are a lot of hospitals hiring up here and I’m sure I could find something.”
“Wow,” she says. I don’t know if that’s a good wow or a bad wow.
“I like your lipstick,” I tell her. It’s dark red and makes her eyes glow and her teeth whiter than white. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
“You’d stay here for me?” She asks.
“I’d go anywhere for you.”
“What about your dad’s farm?”
“It ain’t going nowhere,” I tell her.
“Wait. Where’s Waldo?” she asks.
No shit. She said it. Holy crap. Yes. Yes. Yes. “Thank you, Scarlett. Thank you,” I say with all the seriousness in the world.
The Man Cave Collection: Manservant, Man Flu, Man Handler, and Man Buns Page 79