“Still,” she said, doubt in her voice, “he’s been there for years and never did it before. It seems, I don’t know, weird.”
“I know.” I rolled the warm mug between my palms, careful not to spill the hot liquid on myself. “He said when he saw me at Joe’s café, I smiled at the woman who took my order, and he saw a different side of me.”
“A side he liked,” Renee said as if she knew something I didn’t.
“I think he was surprised to see me out of the office. I know I was surprised to see him.”
Renee sighed. “You need to stop working all the time. Get out there, enjoy life, have a one-night stand, anything.”
I laughed. “I haven’t had time to do any of that for a few years now.”
“That’s ludicrous.”
“It’s called owning your own business.”
“It’s called lunacy,” she said sternly. “Every girl needs a little somethin’, somethin’ sometimes, ya know. Plus, it’s an amazing way to get rid of stress.”
I scoffed. “Not for me. I end up with more stress after because I don’t know the protocol.”
“That’s because you’re running too fast out the door, trying to avoid a relationship, never even considering that he just wanted to get a little somethin’ too.”
I laughed. “You know you can say sex, right?”
“That’s not the word I use, and you don’t like the one I do, so it’s better to just avoid it altogether,” she answered sarcastically.
I sighed. “I never said I didn’t like your word. I just asked you not to yell it when we’re talking at dinner or something.”
“It’s so fun to watch people react, though.” She laughed loudly.
I listened to her laugh and felt a pang in my chest. “I miss you.”
Her laughter died, and her voice grew serious. “I miss you too. I miss this.”
“Me too,” I admitted.
“Pretty soon, I’ll be done with school, and I’ll move back,” she promised, but we both knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
“You’re going to be a pediatric surgeon, Renee. You’ll have to go where there are openings, not necessarily where you want to go.”
She huffed. “I know.”
My baby sister was almost done with school, finally, and yes, she got the brains in the family. I got the need for control. She also got the figure. I’d often been envious only because I had to work so hard for everything, and it all seemed to come naturally to her, but at the same time, it was exactly what I wanted for her. She deserved all of it because she was honestly the best person I knew.
“How are Mom and Dad?” she asked, and I cringed.
“Same,” I answered honestly. “Mom hates Dad, Dad hates Mom. But I guess not enough to just leave each other. They’d rather argue incessantly and then call me to bitch about the other one. Luckily, I’m pretty busy with work so I can ignore them for the most part.”
“Sorry I can’t be there to run interference once in a while,” she said, and I knew she meant it. We’d always been close despite our five-year age gap. I knew she was doing all she could from Texas, which was where she was finishing up her degree at Baylor, but that was really far from where we were, and unfortunately, I was practically in their backyard.
“That’s okay.” I took a longer sip of my cooler brew. “How’s Texas?”
“Well, I’m not hating the cowboys around here, I’ll tell you that.” I chuckled, and she continued. “I’m serious, Tay, you have to come here and see these guys. They’re huge and rough, and when they speak with that Southern twang, even I have to admit my knees get a little weak.”
I laughed. “Just go for it; you could have any one of them, and you know it.”
“Maybe,” she said quietly.
I pushed up in my seat a little at her tone. “Is there something or someone you’re not telling me about?”
“Not really,” she said wistfully. “But it’s not from my lack of trying. He’s just not interested.”
“That’s impossible, and it’s never happened to you before, so I don’t believe it.”
“Stop it. Yes, it has.” She scoffed. “There have been boys and men I’ve liked in the past who haven’t been interested.”
“Who?” I challenged, knowing if there was one, she never told me about him.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said irritably. “This one isn’t interested.”
“Then turn on your charms,” I encouraged. “If you like him, go get him.”
She was silent for a moment, and I pulled my phone from my ear to check we still had a connection. I barely had it back against my ear when she spoke. “You’re joking, right?”
“No, why?” I asked, seriously.
“Tay, you have a guy at work who you’re attracted to and have been for some time, and you’ve done nothing about it. And now that he’s shown an interest, you’re running the other way.”
“He hasn’t shown any interest, Renee,” I responded. “And it wouldn’t matter anyway because he’s my employee.”
“You always have an excuse,” she said.
“I do not,” I said, a little irritated. “You just don’t understand because you’ve never been rejected.”
“I’m being rejected now,” she answered sarcastically.
“Yeah, well it’s happened to me more times than I can count, and I’m not going through it again. I like my life just the way it is. My job is fulfilling, and I’m good at it, so it’s enough.”
She sighed loudly. “Tay…”
“It’s enough, Renee,” I stressed. “I promise.”
“If you say so,” she said, but I knew she wanted to say so much more. She didn’t, though, and for that, I was grateful. This was one area we couldn’t seem to agree on because we didn’t understand the other’s situation very well. We never had. We were just too different.
I stood from my seat and leaned on the banister to look down at the street below. It was late, almost ten at night, and the street was bustling. I lived in the heart of it all, and although it could get a little rowdy in the summer, I liked it. My eyes narrowed when I saw a familiar man walking down the street toward my building. Aaron. He could be going anywhere because my apartment building was nestled between shops and restaurants, but I figured he was going to a restaurant, considering the way he was dressed. My attention flicked from him to the pretty girl beside him who had her arm looped through his and was dressed just as nicely. The restaurants on Main were open late, usually until at least midnight and even longer in the summer months, so it seemed the most likely conclusion.
“You still there?” I heard Renee ask, and I nodded even though she couldn’t see me.
“I’m here.”
“You got quiet,” she pointed out.
My eyes stayed locked on the couple a few steps from my building, and I felt something in me sink a little. That little hope that maybe he had been flirting with me even though there was nothing I could do about it. I was his boss, but for a few minutes, it felt nice to feel wanted.
“Just tired,” I said, and it wasn’t a lie. I’d been feeling even more tired this week than I did normally, and that was saying something.
“I think I’m going to bed anyway.” She yawned as if on cue. “I’m pretty tired, and I have an early start tomorrow.”
“Me too,” I said, although I didn’t. My plan was to actually sleep. My body needed it, my brain needed it, and for the first Sunday in a long time, I had no plans to go into work.
“Love you, Tay,” she said quietly.
I watched the couple pass my balcony. They could’ve seen me if they’d looked up, but they were deep in conversation. “Love you too,” I whispered.
We exchanged good nights, and I sat back down while pulling my blanket around my now cold shoulders. My long-forgotten coffee was cold, and for a moment, I thought that was quite the metaphor for my life; long forgotten and cold.
CHAPTER FIVE
Aaron
“I’m never eating Italian food that late again, Jess.”
My sister laughed. “Did it make you sick?”
“No, just made me sluggish on my run this morning.”
She sighed. “You and your running. Maybe if you stood still, you’d find a nice girl.”
I ran my hand through my hair. “Jesus, you sound just like Mom. Is she there with you or what?”
Jess laughed. “You know Mom and Dad are on that holiday cruise in the Bahamas, but I’m channeling her so we can get you married.”
I snorted. “No to married, and no more setting me up.”
“What was wrong with Arlene?” She sounded offended.
I laughed without any humor. “Well, first of all, she called her answering machine in the middle of dinner to talk to her cats. And not just say good night, Jess, she actually told them how the date was going, in front of me, from the table.”
“Hmm…” Jess murmured. “Yeah, she really should’ve made that call from the bathroom.”
“No,” I said loudly. “That wouldn’t have made it better.”
Jess snorted, and I knew she was trying not to laugh. “I’m sorry. She seemed so nice.”
“No more blind dates, Jess.” When I heard nothing but silence, I got suspicious. “Jess…”
“She called me already and said she had a great time,” she admitted. “She thought you were charming and sweet,” Jess prattled on. “And she said you were so nice.”
I ran my hand through my hair and leaned back against the brick on the building. My sister had called right before I walked into Joe’s to grab a coffee, so I answered because I knew she’d keep calling me if I didn’t just get it over with. “Yeah, so I’ve heard.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being nice,” Jess said sternly.
“Nice gets me the cat ladies.”
Jess laughed, and I couldn’t help but join in. “Don’t stop being nice.”
“I can’t, I tried,” I said, and that was true. I was who I was, and if being nice caused me to finish last, then I guess I just had to learn to be okay with finishing last.
“You know,” Jess started, but then stopped suddenly.
“Know what?” I asked curiously.
“Never mind,” she said, but it was too quickly.
I stood straight and put my hand on my hip while I watched a few people pass me on the street. “Tell me.”
She waited, but I knew she’d eventually cave, and she did. “Do you remember Lisa Thompson?”
“Do I remember the girl I dated the summer between high school and college?” I paused before continuing. “Yeah, Jess, I remember her.”
“Well, I never told you I ran into her after you moved away for college.”
I shrugged my shoulder. “And?”
“And she told me that you weren’t always nice.”
My body stiffened, and I dropped my hand from my hip, waiting for her to say it. I already had a feeling I knew what was coming.
“She said in the bedroom you aren’t always nice.”
I sighed and lowered my voice. “I’m not talking about my sex life with you, Jess.”
“Listen, I’m only bringing it up because she said she loved seeing that side of you.” She hurried on. “Maybe you should channel sex Aaron when you’re on a date or something.”
“Okay, this conversation is officially over,” I said abruptly. “And don’t ever say sex Aaron again.”
She giggled. “I’m just saying.”
“I know what you’re saying, and I appreciate that you want me to find someone, but I like my life, Jess.” My eyes flicked over the few people across the street walking into various stores but stopped when I saw a familiar brunette walk right up to the drug store and open the door. “I’ll meet someone when I’m ready to. No more blind dates, deal?”
“No more blind dates,” she agreed, but she was pouting. My sister wanted me as happy as she has been with her husband, Dan, but some things can’t be rushed.
“Love you, Jess.”
“Love you too.”
After ending the call, I looked over my shoulder at the door for Joe’s, craving that damn cinnamon coffee again, but my attention flicked back across the street. I shoved my phone in the front pocket of my pants and started across the street, only pausing long enough to hold the door open for a lady pushing a baby in a stroller before I followed her inside.
I slowly scanned the small store and walked across the front of the aisles, stopping when I saw her standing at the far end staring at something. I walked slowly down the aisle and cleared my throat when I was standing near her, but she didn’t look at me. She seemed focused on reading the boxes in front of her. I looked over at the boxes and finally noticed we were in the cold and flu section of the store. She grabbed a box off the shelf and turned but then jumped back a little when she saw me.
She looked awful. Her face was pale, and she had huge dark circles under her eyes. “Are you okay?”
She blinked slowly. “I’m fine.”
I cringed when I heard the rasping in her voice. “You don’t sound fine.” I took a small step forward. “Or look fine.”
She snorted sarcastically and reached up to run her hand through her hair. “Thanks.” She pointed at the door but swayed a little bit. “I need to go.”
I reached out and wrapped my hand around her bicep, squeezing gently when all I felt was fabric. “How many layers of clothes are you wearing?”
She looked past me toward the front of the store. “It’s cold out.”
“Not that cold,” I mumbled before stepping beside her and wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
She jerked to the side and frowned. “What are you doing?”
I tightened my hold. “I’m holding you up since you look like you’re going to fall over.”
I knew she was really sick when she didn’t argue and leaned into my side. I walked her to the cashier, grabbed the box from her hand, and noticed she’d grabbed cold pills for daytime relief. I handed it to the cashier and smiled. “Can you get her the cold and flu tablets for nighttime, please?”
She nodded and returned my smile. “Sure, no problem. I’ll be right back.”
“And some cough drops too?” I called over my shoulder.
She smiled again and hurried down the aisle. I lifted my hand and laid it against her forehead when she dropped her head to lay against my chest. Fuck, she was burning up. “Do you have ibuprofen at home?”
She nodded and whispered, “Yeah.”
The cashier returned and smiled sympathetically at Taylor while she started scanning the items. She threw them in a bag and gestured toward Taylor. “My son had that flu bug last week. It’s awful. He was like a zombie for days.”
“Did he have a fever?”
She nodded. “Yeah, but luckily it only lasted a couple of days. It would come and go. He was just really tired after.”
I reached into my front pocket when she told me what I owed and handed her some cash. She quickly gave me my change and handed me the bag.
“Thank you.”
“Sure.” She gestured toward Taylor again. “I hope your wife feels better.”
I paused when I felt Taylor’s body stiffen, but only nodded. “Thanks.”
Steering her out of the store, I started down the street, pausing when she stopped walking. She turned and reached down for the bag. “Thank you. I’m fine now. I’ll reimburse you tomorrow if that’s okay.”
“I’m walking you home.”
She started to shake her head, but I took advantage of her being weak and swung my arm back around her shoulders. She sighed but didn’t say no, so we moved slowly along the street. We didn’t speak, but I felt her body slowly sinking more into my side as we walked. I was happy we didn’t have far to go. Her building was even closer to Main Street than mine, and I only knew where she lived because Kate had told me about an opening in her building a few months ago. She apparently overheard Taylor talking about it on the phone when
she took her coffee and knew I liked being close to town. Moving into her building would have gotten me even closer, but I told her I’d only move if I was finally getting the house I’d had my eye on.
It seemed like only minutes until we were standing in front of her building. I leaned down, and said quietly, “I need your keys.”
She shoved her hand into her coat pocket and pulled them out, laying them in my palm. I opened the outside door to her building and walked inside, heading toward the elevator. “What’s your apartment number?”
“310,” she whispered, her voice sounding worse than before.
Hurrying her into the elevator, I tightened my arm around her while we made our way up to her floor. We moved off the elevator quickly, and I steered her toward her apartment at the front of the building. Opening the door, I walked inside and straight to the kitchen. I sat her on one of the two stools facing the small island and dropped the bag on top of it. I headed to the refrigerator, pulled it open, and saw bottles of water. Grabbing one, I closed the door and turned around, surprised when I saw she’d laid her head down on her arms on the counter and looked like she was about to fall asleep. I saw a bottle of ibuprofen sitting on the counter by her coffeemaker and grabbed it before opening the cold and flu pills and pulling out two.
Moving around the counter, I leaned over her and spoke quietly. “Taylor, you need to lift your head and take these meds.”
She swallowed hard and lifted her head, but it seemed like a struggle. I held out the pills and her open bottle of water and waited until she put them in her mouth and took a drink. Sympathy washed over me when she cringed.
“Thank you,” she whispered and laid her head back down.
I smiled sadly and put my arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”
She shook her head. “No, you can go. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You’re sick, and you need someone to help you.”
“I can take care of myself,” she said quietly, her eyes closed. “I always do.”
I dropped my arm to her waist and lifted her from the stool. “Not today, baby. Today, I’m taking care of you.”
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