“No, but thanks so much for offering.”
She makes a face. “Hey. We share the house. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.”
“This is why I love you. We should just put a door between our units.”
She laughs. “From your bedroom to my living room. Think of all the entertainment value that would bring to me.” She pops the top on her drink and comes back to sit on the couch next to me. “So what about his family?”
“I think the issues with his parents started when his mom lost her hearing, but I’m guessing there were problems before, too. She had some sort of autoimmune disorder, and it happened really, really fast. Apparently it’s super rare, and there’s really not anything they can do for it unless they catch it in time, and even then there aren’t a lot of options.”
“I’m guessing they didn’t catch it in time?”
“No. Not at all.”
“This was freshman year?”
“No. Junior high. And not soon after, his parents divorced. Apparently one day Mr. Cooper told her that he couldn’t handle the fact that she couldn’t hear anymore, and he didn’t know how to process all the grief and whatnot that she was feeling, and so he just up and moved to the Northeast somewhere. I think he went to Boston. I know he ended up in New York, but I don’t know the exact timing of it.”
“Oh my God. What an asshole.”
I nod. “Yeah. Nobody was very impressed with him. And I know that it really messed Renly up. Red, too. His brother,” I add in explanation.
“He sort of went into a shell. All angry and alone. Red kind of acted out against his dad. They were both pissed that he was such a jerk to their mom. It was tough. And I remember their mom was trying to deal with it, going to doctors trying to get her hearing back, but that didn’t work, so she had teachers come over to try and help her cope and teach her and the boys how to lip read and learn sign language and all that stuff.”
I get up and go get my own soda. I come back, pop the top, and take a long swallow. “Anyway, I guess they have family in Texas, because that summer after freshman year, she ended up packing up the boys and moving to Houston.”
I meet Lilah’s eyes. “That’s really all there is. I don’t know what happened to them once they got down there, but I do know that it was a really nasty divorce. It must have been horrible for them.”
My parents are as thick as thieves, and they always have been. They were high school sweethearts, and now they’re still just as gooey as they probably were back then. I would say it’s disgusting if it weren’t so adorable.
“I think it messed him up,” I tell Lilah. “I think he doesn’t trust relationships. His parents always seemed so close. And then suddenly this one horrible thing happens, and his dad completely lost his shit. And then their whole world fell apart.”
“So he fucks around because his parents got divorced?”
I pull my feet up onto the couch and sigh. “I don’t know. I’m not a shrink. All I know is that he says he’s not interested in a relationship, and I believe him. And it’s not like it’s even something that is on my mind. I mean, I’m just happy he’s back in my life.”
“But you slept with him.”
“I know. It was stupid. But it was awesome too.”
Lilah leans back and laughs. “I am so glad to hear that.”
“But we’re not doing it again. He was my best friend. You have to get that. I mean, we’re super close now, but he and I were closer than you and I ever were in high school. I mean, we used to actually take baths together when we were little kids.”
“I cannot even begin to tell you how glad I am that we do not take baths together.”
“Ha ha.”
“I get it,” she says, “I really do. You’re happy he’s back in your life, you don’t want anything to screw that up, and you’re just a little bit afraid that sleeping with him last night is going to do that.”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“Yes. We both agree that it’s all good, it’s in the past, and we’re just friends.”
“Then you don’t have any problem.”
“Nope,” I say. “No problem at all.”
No problem except for the fact that I really do want to do it all over again, and I hate myself for it because that would be breaking my own rules. Not to mention risking a friendship, and all because the boy I once lusted for is back in my life again.
* * * *
Renly and I get to the office at one and find Darrin already in the waiting room for our two o’clock appointment. Marge is there, too, and she looks a little harried. I don’t blame her; she’s had to babysit Darrin for an hour.
I shoot her an apologetic glance and force myself to smile, even though I really want to crawl to my office and have a few moments alone. Why the hell don’t people come at an appointed time? Don’t they realize that I have things to do before I’m ready for them?
“Have a good day,” Renly says, and I can hear the sympathy in his tone, though I’m sure Darrin won’t pick up on it. “Call me if Marge needs to leave,” he says, adding her to the conversation. “Otherwise, I’ll be back at five.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “See you then.”
Renly leaves, and I feel a pang of regret as the door shuts behind him. Then I force myself to aim a business-appropriate smile at Darrin. “I’m so glad you’re here. Give me just a little bit to get set up and I’ll bring you in so we can run through the demo.”
He’d been pushing out of his chair as I spoke, and now he settles back down again, looking a little bit frustrated. Well, too bad for him. I’m a little bit frustrated, too. I hurry to my office and fire up my computer. As I’m tapping my desk, waiting for the login screen to show up, Eric slides into my doorway, making me jump.
“I didn’t know you were coming in today.”
He shrugs. “Catchup.” He cocks his head vaguely in the direction of the front office, his thick blond hair gleaming in the lighting. “I saw you had company.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s not supposed to be here for another hour. I have things to tweak before I run him through the demo.”
Eric shrugs. “He’s new at Greystone-Branch. He’s eager to prove his worth.”
I nod. I know he’s right.
“Do you want me to go entertain him?”
“Thanks, but poor Marge is on it. What are you doing here on the weekend?”
“Trying to catch up on all the projects. I know Nikki did me a favor bringing me back, and I don’t want to let her down.”
Eric was hired about the same time that I was, when Nikki first decided she needed to bring on a team to help her with her business. We’d gotten along great, but then Eric had been offered a sweet job in New York. Nikki and I had both been surprised when he left, because he’d been doing so well at her company, and there was so much room for growth. But Eric had stars in his eyes, and they tossed a lot of money at him and offered him all sorts of perks. From what he said, though, it didn’t fit his personality. He was a cog in the machine, and he hated it. He’d come back, and Nikki eventually offered him his old job again. Now I’m technically his boss, which to Eric’s credit, hasn’t seemed to weird him out at all. That’s one thing I always liked about him. He’s about the work more than the position.