Page 39 of Boyfriend Maintenance

“Wow. That had to be tough,” he mutters into his beer.

I nod, staring at the game, not really seeing anything.

“She just told you and you ended things?”

“Kinda. We fought about it. Fucked, then I left.” I’m not paying attention to the game or anything around me for that matter, but I hear the thump of his beer bottle on the coffee table. Tearing my gaze away from the TV, I look over at him. His eyes are wide and his mouth agape.

“What?”

“Do you hear yourself right now? When did you become an asshole?” I let out a humorless laugh.

Apparently, this morning.

“Please tell me you didn’t leave without talking to her first. You didn’t ghost her.” He reads my silence and shakes his head.

“Oh, save it. I know it was a dick move.”

“What the hell happened, man?”

“I was lying there, holding her next to me as she slept, and thinking about how she was the best sex I’ve ever had. That being with her, both between the sheets and not, just feels different. Like something more, something I’ve never felt with another woman.” If I’m being honest, the thoughts nearly wrecked me. I couldn’t believe just how right she actually felt.

“So, what’s the issue?” The game completely lost to us both now.

“While I was thinking all this stuff, I remembered where I was. I was lying there in a big comfy bed on the fourteenth floor of 425 Madison.” He starts to speak, I know to bring up my residents rule, but that wasn’t the issue. “No, I realized that I didn’t belong in that bed. I didn’t belong in that room. The only reason I should be in those apartments is to fix all the shit those rich fucks can’t fix themselves.” My body began to shake. “Even though Emmy works hard at her job, to make a life for herself, she’s still rich. She might not have millions in some bank account, but at any minute she could change that. She might be semi-estranged from her family but that doesn’t change the fact that they will always push her to come back, to take what is rightfully hers and be who they expect her to be. And who that is, is a millionaire.”

Kevin shakes his head, clearly confused. He stands, pauses, shakes his head again, then continues on into the tiny kitchen nook. “I can’t believe all the shit that just spewed from your mouth.”

I roll my eyes.

“I don’t know when you became so jaded, but this is not you. You’re being downright ridiculous about this. That shit you pulled sneaking out on her, I’m just …” He trails off, looking shocked as he stands in front of the fridge.

“You’re just what?” I don’t know that I want him to finish the sentence.

“I’m just disappointed in you.” He lifts a shoulder and walks back to the couch.

“Disappointed? Oh, get over yourself. Why the hell areyoudisappointed? You don’t even know Emmy, she’s just another chick to you. What do you care?”

“I care because you’re my brother. I care because you clearly have feelings for this woman. I care because my big brother is suddenly a coward.”

“I’m not a coward.” I’m such a fucking coward but I’m still in the mood to fight.

“You are! You’re too scared to admit to yourself and her how you feel. Man up, Jake.” Not only am I getting my ass chewed by my little brother, I’m missing my team play.

“I’m not scared.”

“Well then, what are you?” he challenges.

“I’m a maintenance man for Christ’s sake!” I lose my cool now and jump up from the couch like it’s on fire.

“I know what you do for a living. What's the problem?” He’s back to shoveling the fucking chips into his mouth now. Did he not freaking eat today?

“No woman—especially one like Emmy—would ever be content marrying a maintenance man.” My hands dig through my hair and I’m close to ripping it out.

“Jake, that’s not your decision to make.”

I scoff.

“I’m sure Emmy would love the opportunity to make her own decision when it comes to who she marries. Yeah? Sound familiar?” He sits back with a smug-ass look on his face. “I mean, think about it, Jake. She did walk away from millions so she could live her own life, to make decisions on her own.”

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