I continue staring at the floor.
“He grew up being told that all women were evil, and that everyone at large was after his money. After so many years of mental abuse, it’s taking him a little to come around. He was programmed from a young age to hate you, before he even knew you…”
My eyes fill with tears, emotion taking over. I don’t know how to process any of what Kyle just shared with me. I want to believe that there was a good reason for Alex’s behavior toward me, but at the same time, I feel like it is too late for us.
“Please give him a chance, Mona,” Kyle begs. “You won’t regret it, I swear. You’ll never find anyone in this world to love you more than Alex.”
I nod but still don’t say anything.
“Have you checked your emails?” Kyle asks from out of the blue. “The ones fromHolidates.”
“Uh, no, I haven’t had to log in there anymore. It all shifted to in person communication…”
“Oh, that makes sense since you two were seeing each other…”
My forehead wrinkles in confusion, but then I realize that we’re not talking about the same thing.
“I have to go.” Kyle is now staring at his phone. “Zara had a meeting in the city, and I tagged along. I need to go get her. We don’t want to lose the next train out.”
He walks over to the door and opens it. He is almost out into the hallway when he turns around to look at me.
“Please check your messages onHolidates. And find it in your heart to give Alex another chance.”
The door almost closes behind Kyle when his head pops back in. “Just want to confirm that you still plan on attending the Christmas shindig on Saturday.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He grins at me. “And your plus one is theHolidatesdate, correct?”
“Yes, but, Kyle…”
He puts a hand up as of to stop me. “That’s all I need to know.”
He goes to leave, but his head pops back into the crack of the door. “And thanks for not being too mean to Zara when she tried to call you. She felt guilty for telling you about the whole Julian thing. She’s no fan of Alex, but she likes you, so she thought if we saved your relationship, with you around, she’d be able to tolerate him better.” He gives me a grin that’s all teeth.
The door closes behind him, and, this time, I rush to turn the three locks I have on it. I drop my forehead on against the hard surface, wondering what just happened.
Why is love this complicated?
THIRTY
Alex
Saturday has arrived.The day of the Christmas fundraising dinner.
“It feels wrong that I didn’t pick her up from her apartment,” I tell Kyle. He’s waiting with me by the door while Zara went inside with the others.
This is a very elegant affair, and the dress code said as much. All men are in tuxedos while the women are in long formal dresses.
“You don’t want to push it, dude. Give her some time to breathe, you know?”
Kyle pats me on the back so hard that I almost drop what I’m holding in my arms.
“You should’ve probably left that in the car, and give it to her after,” he comments. “What’s she gonna do with it here?”
I elbow him in the ribs, and he takes the opportunity to let out an overly exaggerated grunt.
“Mind your own business.”
