Page 70 of Back to You

“That’s because I am,” Brandon said ruefully.

“Then why are you broken up?”

“There’s a lot of baggage between us.”

“Honey, if you found a man you’re still that crazy about even after you broke up with him, maybe you need to take a look at that baggage and see about unpacking it and putting it away.” With that, Max headed for the door. “I’ll text you later about dinner!”

Brandon looked down at the cat snoozing on his lap. “What do you think, Mr. Mittens? Is Max right?”

Mr. Mittens continued sleeping, not giving a crap about Brandon’s love life.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

He petted the cat again and sighed. “You’re not going to let me get up anytime soon, are you?”

Oh well. There were worse places to be stuck.

CHAPTER 16

“SO WHAT I’M hearing is that you believe you need to work harder than everyone else in order to prove your worth?”

Ethan frowned. “I don’t think that’s what I meant.”

“It’s what it sounds like,” Sarah said. Chauncey, ever present at Ethan’s side, gave him a look like, “Listen to the lady.”

It had been a month since Ethan had started seeing Sarah. And Chauncey. He actually was feeling a bit better these days. He’d started eating regularly again, much to the delight of Lake and Nia. He’d even gained back a few pounds. His sleeping was still not the greatest, but he was at least getting a solid six hours a night most nights.

He was still working long hours, which Nia called “ridiculous and unnecessary.” But he still didn’t feel like there was anything for him outside of work, so why not get more done?

“I don’t think I need to work more than anyone else. I just don’t feel like there’s a point to not being at work. I get a lot done.”

“What I want you to realize, Ethan, is that you don’t have to prove your worth. They’ve promoted you fairly recently, haven’t they?”

“Well, yes.”

“And all the feedback you’ve gotten from your bosses has been positive, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, but that’s based on the hours I’ve been working, I’m sure.”

“I’m not so sure. You’re doing good work, Ethan. Do you think if you weren’t working so much, that your work quality would suffer?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then haven’t you proven you’re worthy of being employed?”

Ethan was silent. Chauncey reached up to pat his leg.

“Let’s come at this from another angle. We’ve talked a little about your parents, and how the example they set for you has led you to become an overachiever. Do you think if you cut back at work, that you’d fall into their destructive pattern of behavior?”

There it was. He realized Sarah had hit the nail on the head with that one. “I don’t think I would, but how can I be sure? I have their genes. What if it happens?”

“What’s the worst thing that could happen if you cut back your hours?”

“I could get fired, and become unemployed, and not get another job, and end up sitting at home, worthless and alone.”

Sarah took a moment to write something down while Chauncey stared at him. He could almost see the disbelief in the dog’s eyes.

“You realize that’s highly unlikely to happen, right?”

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