Page 72 of The Only Time

My door suddenly flies open, and Layla is standing in my office. She steps closer to me as her finger points at my chest. “What did you do?”

“It’s nice to see you too, sis,” I say as I throw down my pen.

“Don’t give me that shit. What did you do?” she repeats herself, hands now set on her hips.

“Just say what you need to say. I’m busy.”

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I want answers, and I want them now.” She closes the door behind her and takes a seat. “Why did I get a message late last night from a crying Mia telling me that she was driving home? What happened that made her hop in her car at night and take off without any warning or saying goodbye?”

“I didn’t do a thing. She told me it was safe for her to go home. What did you want me to do?” I reply as my voice rises in anger.

I can’t believe this shit is on me. Between her and Mia, they are acting like I was supposed to get on my knees and beg her to stay. She has a whole life in Cleveland. A family and a successful career.

“What did you say to her when she told you she could go home?”

“I told her it was fine,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Cut. The. Shit. Tell me exactly what you said,” she says as she sits up straight and slams her hands on my desk.

It is suddenly becoming increasingly obvious why they say not to get involved with a sibling’s best friend. Here I am, an adult man in my thirties, getting berated by his little sister.

“Fine. I told her I don’t care whether she stays here or goes home. Is that what you wanted to hear?” I throw my hands up in the air in frustration.

She throws her head back and laughs. It’s creepy and makes my body break out in goosebumps.

“So, you pushed her away. That’s exactly what I thought you would do. You’re so predictable.”

“What the hell did you want me to do, Layla? After eight weeks together, was I supposed to beg her to give up her life and stay with me? And how the fuck did you know there was something between us in the first place? Did she tell you?”

She rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck in the back of her head. “Please, everybody knows. It’s so obvious how in love you are with her. And no, you idiot, you didn’t need to beg her to stay. But how about showing some emotion. I know you’re sad that she had to go. You could have asked to keep in touch, try long-distance, or at least be a decent human being and tell her you enjoyed your time together and are sad that it’s coming to an end.”

I scoff at her words. She doesn’t understand the details. She doesn’t know about Kim and what that woman put me through. Nor does she know that her perfect friend was trying to change me too.

“Whatever. I thought maybe I was getting my old brother back. The one who smiled and laughed with us. The one who loved freely. I guess that man is long gone.”

She stands up and walks out of my office leaving me alone with my thoughts. Maybe that man is long gone. Just because I felt him return in moments with Mia, doesn’t mean he’s there.

It was only a matter of time before the damaged part of me got in the way. I close my eyes and the same image that haunted me all night appears. Mia’s tear-stained face looking up at me withher suitcase in her hand just waiting for me to stop her—and I let her go.

My arm slides across my desk in a fit of rage, sending weeks of work falling to the ground. I push my chair away from my desk and stand up, pacing back and forth. My tie starts to feel like it’s strangling me. I feel out of control.

I open my office door and take heavy steps to the bathroom. As soon as I’m there I lean against the counter and splash cold water on my face. I need to get that image out of my damn head, but I can’t shake it. I pour water on the back of my neck, anything to distract my brain from these thoughts.

When I feel like I have my breathing back under control, I grab the towels and try to dry myself off. With my hands on the counter, I look at myself in the mirror.

“Get your shit together, man. You can’t let another woman do this to you.”

Chapter Thirty

Mia

My body feels like it’s twisted into knots. Every part of me is heavy with an aching hollowness. My chest thumbs with a dullness to it that feels like someone reached inside and squeezed my heart until it burst.

Every movement feels like I’m trying to run against the wind, like there is a force there stopping me from taking my steps easily.

I sit at the table by the window with my three sisters-in-law, trying to listen as Alexis talks about something my niece said or did. Normally, I can’t get enough of the stories of my niece, but right now my brain can’t seem to focus on anything.

“Mia, earth to Mia,” Lexi says as she waves a hand in front of my face.

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