Page 79 of Mr. Big Mistake
“Yep.”
“Let me shoot you Clint’s number. Clint had lunch with Brenden today, and he never did make it back to the office. I thought he went home to work and spend time with you.”
“Well, he’s not here. So, I’d like that number. I’m worried about him.”
“Sure thing. Give me a second.”
He hung up the phone on me, and I almost called him back. Until his text rolled through with his older brother’s number. I shot off a quick ‘thank you’ before I dialed the number, hoping and praying that there was a logical explanation for all of it.
“Yeah?” Clint answered.
I blinked. “Clint?”
“Yep?”
“It’s Kelly.”
“Hey there.”
“Hey. Uh, listen. You had lunch with Brenden. Right?”
“Yep.”
“Have you seen him since then?”
“Why?”
I paused. “Because he’s not home yet, so you’re the last one to have seen him.”
“I mean, that’s not unusual. Sometimes, Brenden blows off work after lunch to drink and go play some slots.”
“Wait, he actually does that?”
“I mean, yeah. He works hard. Why not?”
I shook my head. “Never mind. Any chance you might know where he is now?”
“Probably at his usual place.”
“That place got a name, Clint?”
“Yep. Lucky’s 8. We had lunch across the street.”
I sighed. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
I ended the phone call abruptly and tossed my phone onto the couch. If that slimy little shit thought I was going to stand around and wait for him while he got drunk, gambled, and forgot our plans, then he had another thing coming. I shook my head as I pulled my Thai food out of the bag. I marched into the kitchen and threw it into the microwave, but I paused before I started it up.
Why should I stay here mad at him?
“When I could just go get him,” I murmured.
I abandoned my food and made my way for the elevator. I could have sworn that Brenden had turned over a new leaf. That we were building something special and amazing while we were cooped up with one another. But, if that was how Brenden thought things would be if we were together, he had another thing coming.
He doesn’t think you guys are together.
“Shut up,” I whispered to myself.
I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know how to feel. All I knew was that Brenden and I had plans, and there was a possibility he’d thrown me to the side to get drunk. I hailed a cab and rattled off the name of the place, hoping and praying that Clint was wrong. Hoping and praying that Brenden was, literally, anywhere else right now.
