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Kir placed the call on speaker and quickly said, “Jeff, Avril lost her job today.”
He said, “I’m so sorry. I’ll figure this out. I called to warn you, but it’s clear you know. Miley formally accepted the job offer today to help me find out who this woman is.”
“Good,” I mumbled and decided I’d ask Miley later.
“And Maman is looking to talk to you.”
“I’ll call her soon.” Kir hung up and turned his attention back to me. “If it matters to you, I hope you trust me.”
Trust was one thing. but I wasn’t meant for his world. I pressed a hand to his cheek and then took it back. Touching was too tempting. I stood up. “I know you didn’t do anything on purpose, Kir, but I think it’s best I leave and spend the night at Kelly’s.”
His eyes widened as he stood with me. “You’re breaking up with me?”
I rocked on my feet, nodding. We weren’t even a thing. My mind raced. “We were never really dating. You’ll find someone better suited to you.”
Tears threatened to fall. I rushed to the door, grabbed my shoes from the closet, and ran out the door.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Avril
* * *
Running away from Kir made my body feel heavy, and my eyes were like lumps that refused to open and see what might be happening. My heart hurt as I remembered his face.
I stepped through the door of Kelly’s small place, and she closed it. I took off my shoes automatically, though she had no shoe rack or closet. I put them down, since I wasn’t sure what else to do, and continued inside her house.
Funny, the job wasn’t what hit me right then. I could only think about Kir and how I missed him. Leaving had been a mistake.
I met my friend’s hazel eyes. “Kelly, thanks for taking me in.”
She waved for me to join her on the futon that I would sleep on. “Well, it’s not a penthouse overlooking anything except a brick wall, but you’re always welcome.”
I glanced down at the couch. “I told Kir it was over.”
She shrugged and headed to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator. “So, you definitely don’t love him.”
I cringed as I followed her to the kitchen. I’d left because depending on him was bad, and I hated accepting a pity job. She took out the milk and poured herself a glass and motioned toward it to ask if I wanted some.
I shook my head. “We make no sense. I’m a hard worker and take care of myself, and I’m not cut out for the trillionaire type.”
The door opened, and Britney said, “What kind of horseshit am I hearing?”
Kelly said, “Britney, hi.” Then two more of our friends filed in. “Isabel. Miley.”
Britney pointed toward the door. “Let’s go, you two, so we can drink at the pub on the corner as we straighten this crap out.”
“A bar?” I asked.
“Don’t let a bad person ruin everything in my life.”
I rocked on my feet as Kelly finished her milk and put the glass in the sink. I gazed at Britney and said, “I don’t have a job.”
She pointed at my shoes. “I’m buying, so you’ll have to listen to what I did when y’all were at a wedding as well as let me straighten you out.”
My spine stiffened. “There is nothing to straighten out with me.”
“Shoes,” she said. It was always pointless to argue with Britney, though she had one of the biggest hearts underneath all that brass she showed the world.
