She shakes her head.
“I tell you what, why don’t you pick what you think should be my favorite color.”
“Purple!”
“I love it.”
Hella sets Kellie up at the small desk in her bedroom. I know exactly what she’s doing, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
“Out with it,” I say when we get to the kitchen and she puts a cup of coffee in front of me.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t play coy, Hel.”
“Fine. People saw you leave the fundraiser yesterday with Connie. This morning, you show up here like someone kicked your puppy.”
“We…there’s something between us. Something really good.”
“That’s great. Why the kicked-puppy face?”
“Can you stop saying kicked puppy?”
“Can you stop making the face?”
I make an exaggerated grin.
“Ew. Stop that.”
I chuckle and then tell her what happened this morning.
“So you think he’s going to accept this job?”
“He’d be stupid not to. He has responsibilities and is the sole carer for his brother. I can’t pay him what a fancy restaurant like Nobu can. And I won’t stand between Constantine and his dream job.”
“Hmm.”
Hmm? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She hits me upside the head. “You’re assuming that the most important thing to him is a job. You know, the same person who moved across the country to work for you while looking after his little brother. Yeah, I can see how you’d think he’d jump at the chance to work twenty hours a day in a kitchen rather than a place that is literally a flight of stairs away from home.”
She has a point. “I know, but I’m scared.”
“Of what? I’m sure you can hire someone else.”
I can’t even believe I’m willingly walking into her trap. “I really like him, Hel. Fuck, I’m falling for him so hard. I’m scared of him leaving and taking my heart with him.”
“Then you have to tell him.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m not going to make him choose.”
“It’s not your choice, little brother. It’s his, and he needs to know all the facts. He needs to know he has options.”
I hate that she’s right, so I don’t tell her. “I should go. Think I can slip out undetected?”
She laughs. “Good luck.”
After posing for my niece for half an hour, I am the proud owner of a purple portrait that captures my essence better than an actual photograph. Purple with some green squiggles and questionable ears.
