“Brady.” He’s aged in the last few minutes; I can see him clearly now. A family man with responsibilities, and when he looks at me, I guess he sees a kid not mature enough to handle life’s big moments. Whatever.
I open the door to his office. My whole body hurts, and I don’t think I can take anything for what’s wrong with me.
At least my voice doesn’t wobble as I say, “Consider our arrangement terminated. You’ll have to find someone else to solve your problems for you. Make sure he knows you can’t even be trusted to plug in your laptop. Don’t want him charging overtime for after-hours calls.”
“Brady.” Only now is he rising from his desk. Too little, too late.
“Fuck you, Nash. We’re done.”
24
Nash
Istumble toward the office door. Brady is already halfway to the elevator.
“Brady. Wait.”
I’ve said the wrong thing. So many wrong things. But I wasn’t expecting him, and he was so angry. Dominic has been relentless since the night at the soccer game. I feel like I can barely keep up with anything these days, and then Brady stormed in demanding explanations.
He doesn’t stop. Doesn’t look back. He’s carrying tension on his shoulders like a cross, and I’m to blame for that. I feel sick, like I’ll never see him again. The look on his face said I went too far. He’ll never forgive me.
“What’s going on?” someone says behind me as I watch the elevator doors close.
“What was all that shouting?”
Doug and Harpreet are both leaning out of their office doors. Patrick is sitting at his workstation, obviously trying very hard to be inconspicuous. A few other heads have popped up over cubicle walls.
“It’s nothing,” I say. I need to leave. Go after Brady, maybe, but definitely get out of here, where everyone can see the impossible situation I’m in. For them, I’m supposed to be infallible. The fearless leader.
“Did you just fire Brady?” Harpreet says.
“No.” Jesus. More heads appear. The whole floor probably heard us. I back toward my office.
“Then what was all that yelling about?” Doug asks.
“He quit.” I think that’s what he did. Fuck, I’ve screwed this up so badly.
“He quit?” Harpreet looks horrified. “Why would he do that?”
I open my mouth, but what am I supposed to say? I’d already told Doug and Harpreet I might need to take some time away to help Dominic and the boys. How do I explain how Brady fits into this? Or rather, how I can’t figure out a way to make him fit, and now I’ve ruined everything. In the end, I couldn’t invent more hours in the day, and this is what I’m left with.
“Because they were sleeping together, and Brady broke up with Nash.”
The whole office goes quiet. Even the air conditioner rumbles to a halt. Slowly, every set of eyes in the place turns toward where Patrick is hunched at his table. He shrugs down even lower. “Did I say that out loud?”
“They what?” Harpreet says. “How would you know something like that?”
Patrick’s gaze swings to mine, helpless and apologetic, but really, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I can’t blame him for airing my dirty laundry at the office when I didn’t even have the wherewithal to make sure everyone had gone home for the night before letting Brady fuck me here. I’ve brought this on myself in every imaginable way.
I jerk my head toward my office door, and Doug and Harpreet hurry inside. Patrick half rises, like he’s been invited too, but my guilt-fueled charity only goes so far. I give him a quick glare, and he sinks back down to his seat. I’m sure his workplace harassment suit will be on my desk by tomorrow morning. Can’t say it wouldn’t be deserved. If they force me to resign, I’ll have all the time in the world for both the boys and Brady. Two out of three.
Doug is sitting in the chair that Brady so recently occupied. I may have to get a new one. The disappointment, frustration, and the white-hot anger that rippled over Brady’s face are going to be seared in my brain for a very long time, and even the sight of that chair will be enough to dig up old memories. Maybe I should just let Harpreet have this whole office.
Speaking of Harpreet, she’s pacing behind Doug, hands on her hips as she shakes her head. “Seriously, Nash? You were sleeping with the IT guy? How stupid can you possibly be?”
I shrug, powerless as she stares me down. “I didn’t exactly plan for it to happen.”
“But you didn’t stop it either. How long has it been going on?”
