“I think ‘disaster’ is a bit strong.I prefer to think of it as ‘not a complete success.’”
“Uh-huh.So, he must agree or he wouldn’t be willing to go out on this blind date.”Sam pushed the issue, because he was suspicious.
“Oh, you might not want to mention Dalton to him.It’s a little bit of a surprise.”
Ahhhh.“Nik?”
“Yes?”
“Now that I’m single again—”
“If!If you’re single again.”
Sam sighed again, shoulders sagging.“IfI’m single again, you don’t get to set me up on any dates.”
Nik didn’t answer, he just pouted.
“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here.”Ian stood next to Janet’s office window, looking out over downtown.
“Well, what normally happens is you come in, we chitchat about nothing until I direct you toward something you’ve decided to work on, or you start telling me about something that’s bothering you.”Ian could hear the smile in her voice.
“My father called me this week.”
“And it was bad?”she asked, serious now.
“One of the worst.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“Because I’m done taking his shit.”
“Is that it?I thought you were done a while ago.”
Hell.Ian traced the shape of a building outside with his fingertip on the glass.“I really let him get to me.It was like ...I was weak.”
“You’re not a weak man, Ian,” Janet said.“But maybe you’re vulnerable?”
“I shouldn’t be.”
“Why not?Everyone is sometimes.You get no free passes.”
“I thought ...I thought this emotional connectedness stuff was supposed to help me, not make me weak.”
“Vulnerable.”
“It’s the same fucking thing!”
“No, it’s not.”
He turned to face her.“How not?I was done letting him get to me, I haven’t listened to his shit for months, I got the fuck out of there.But now all the sudden I’m breaking a date with my boyfriend because I let that bastard, just, I don’t know.”He ran hand through his hair.“I let him influence how I feel.”
Janet tilted her head and looked at him a silent second.“Let’s talk about Sam.”
Ian closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.Whatever.He knew he needed to discuss Sam anyway.“What do you want to know?”
“Is he weak?”
“No!”
