There is no way I upset herthatmuch, is there?
I release a slow, measured breath. “Kiki, what the hell is going on with you?”
She shrugs, refusing to meet my gaze. “Just life, you know?”
Great. Another fucking non-answer. Par for the course with Kiki Wilder.
I hit the doorframe a little harder this time. “I don’t know, actually. Because you never tell me anything, so I’m done asking.”
She’s not my problem anymore, so why does walking away feel so damn wrong?
The next morning, Kiki doesn’t show up until half past ten. But true to her word, Gus isn’t with her. I don’t ask where she’s been. First off, she’s not my employee. Second, it’s not my business what she’s doing for Nolan, on or off the job site.
Still… it’s odd.
There’s snow in the forecast. Several inches, they’re saying. Nothing unusual for this time of year, but up here, it doesn’t take much to turn the roads into a nightmare. I figured she’d be onsite early like the rest of us, get her work done and get the hell out before it started sticking.
Down in town, a storm like this is nothing more than a rush hour nuisance. Up here? Whole different story.
Not your business, Eddie.
Romy arrives at the site right after Kiki. She’s been gone several days on a trip to LA, and wastes no time filling us in on every party she managed to hit while she was home. I swear, the woman is chaos wrapped in designer labels. Always on the move and seemingly never tired. It’s like she mainlines energy drinks or something.
Or maybe she’s just being twenty-five. By the time I was her age, I had Theo, and fatherhood shifts your priorities fast. These days, a beer with the guys is about as wild as I get, and even that’s pushing it.
Truth is, I’m a homebody. Always have been, even though there’s no one waiting at home for me anymore.
By late afternoon, the windows are in, and I feel the tension drain from the crew. Everyone was holding their breath on these installs. One wrong move, and we’re talking thousands down the drain.
Yeah, I’ve got insurance. Doesn’t mean I want to use it.
Filing a claim is one thing. Waiting weeks for replacements? Explaining delays to Nolan Montague? Not conversations I have any interest in having. Hell, after that party, I’d be just fine never speaking to the man again.
Even if it’s not his fault Kiki chose him. She made it very clear she was never mine.
The guys clap each other on the back, already shifting gears to their next priority—a beer before the storm rolls in.
Mike closes his toolbox, resting his hardhat on top. “Come on, Eddie. One drink before we get snowed in.”
Romy grins, clearly on board as she snuggles into her faux fur coat. “You guys have earned it. Besides, I know you missed me, right? Who else can beat your asses at darts?”
Like I said, balls-to-the-wall chaos. She’s adorable, too, but she doesn’t stir a damn thing in me, no matter what Kiki believes.
Once again, I’m thinking about Kiki.
For fuck’s sake, man, get it together.
I straighten my work area, but turn when I feel eyes on me. Kiki stands in the doorway to her office, but she doesn’t say anything. Her face is a blank canvas, devoid of expression, with a hollowness in her eyes that feels bottomless. Without a word, she turns and disappears back inside.
Wonder what that’s about.
Probably nothing. I should just ignore it, grab my stuff and head out with the guys. If Kiki has an issue, she’s a grown woman. She can speak to me about it.
That’s how this works, right?
Wrong, because when it comes to Kiki, I’m apparently still a damn fool.
I peel away from the group and knock once against her office door before stepping inside. “We’re cutting out early. The storm is moving in faster than they predicted.”
