PINA COLADA:For me, this will be an escape from the stress that’s my current life.
COMPANION 713:Same.
PINA COLADA:I know this may sound weird, but have you told anyone about the party?
COMPANION 713:No. For some reason, I feel like people wouldn’t understand, and I didn’t want to take away the mystique of it.
PINA COLADA:Exactly! Even saying it aloud makes it seem silly, except for in my head.
COMPANION 713:No, I get it.
PINA COLADA:I’m counting down the days.
COMPANION 713:Same here. Every evening, I look forward to getting out of work so that I can check the chat to see if you’ve sent any new messages, or I can’t wait to send them to you.
PINA COLADA:Lol! I don’t wait. Secret? I stay at work sometimes just to chat with you because I can’t wait until I get home.
COMPANION 713:Maybe you should leave work earlier so you can be safely where you belong, and I promise I’ll always be waiting.
I smiledand closed my laptop. Stretching and yawning, I stood from the couch and headed to my bedroom. Disappointment coursed through me when I saw that Bryse was still awake. He was watching some legal documentary and typing on his phone, but the minute he saw me, he tucked his phone away.
“Hey,” I greeted softly.
“What’s up?”
“Going to take a shower and prepare for bed.”
He nodded, and I headed into the bathroom. I closed the door but immediately jerked it back open. Like I suspected, he was texting away on his phone again. He was so engrossed in whomever he was texting that he didn’t realize that I had opened the door again.
I closed and locked it before I sat on the toilet and dropped my head in my hands. It was time to call it quits. Things were over between Bryse and me; there was no way around it.
Chapter 6
Bryse
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH
Ipulled into the three-car garage of our four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home and parked beside Kennedi’s car. We purchased the home two years ago. We had only been in our relationship for two years, but we knew that we were each other’s future. Or so we thought. Kennedi left me confused, wondering what would happen between us.
I couldn’t believe that she was home this early. It was only seven thirty, and she usually didn’t make it home until after nine. I had worked later this evening as I prepared closing arguments for the trafficking case that I’d been knee-deep in for the last several weeks. Tomorrow, the court would hear closing arguments, and I was ready to put this baby to bed. I had no doubt that we would get a not guilty verdict, which meant that we would be going out tomorrow night to celebrate at either Tasty Temptations or Stroke ‘N’ Sip.
I closed the garage and went into the house. I walked straight to the bedroom that had been converted into an office for me and put my laptop bag down. Taking a look around, I debatedwhether I should chill down here for a while or go upstairs and face whatever mood she was in. After a couple of minutes, I proceeded to go upstairs to check on Kennedi to make sure that she was okay.
“Hey, there. You all right?” I asked, walking into the room and heading for the walk-in closet.
“I’m just tired. Decided to come home, shower, and go to bed early tonight. Maybe I’ll wake up more refreshed in the morning,” she replied through a yawn.
I put my shoes on the rack and removed my clothes.
“Did you eat yet?”
“I grabbed some Mexican on the way home. I ordered you some, too, and placed it in the microwave.”
“Kenni, you know that I don’t like that.”
“Why not? It’s good. There are lots of vegetables in there. I know you love that.”
I sighed and headed into the bathroom to shower. When I returned from the shower, drying my hair and with another towel wrapped around my waist, I walked to her side of the bed and sat down.
